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Portland Japanese Garden Joins Governor Tina Kotek and AANHPI Community at Oregon Rises Above Hate Event

Posted by Portland Japanese Garden on
Leaders of the AANHPI community and their allies join Oregon Governor Tina Kotek as she proclaims May to be AANHPI Heritage Month in the state. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography.

The Garden is Proud to Celebrate Asian American Native Hawai’ian Pacific Islander Heritage 

Asian American, Native Hawai’ian, and Pacific Islander Heritage (AANHPI) Month is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the remarkable role of the AANHPI community in our nation’s history. Founded in 1963 to heal the wounds of World War II, Portland Japanese Garden has served as an important reminder of history and is proud to exist as a place that can bridge cultures, communities, and generations so that we may continue to pursue our mission of Inspiring Harmony and Peace.  

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek with Portland Japanese Garden Marketing Director Megumi Kato (center) and Marketing Coordinator Ashley Peters (right) at the Garden’s booth at the Oregon Rises Above Hate event at Lan Su Chinese Garden in May. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography.

In May, Portland Japanese Garden once again proudly joined in Oregon Rises Above Hate’s (ORAH’s) annual event that kicks off AANHPI Heritage Month for our community. ORAH is a local organization that amplifies AANHPI voices while also connecting this community with each other. This year, a free and day-long celebration was held at Lan Su Chinese Garden and also saw participation from our friends at other cultural institutions including the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Portland Chinatown Museum, and the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.  

The Garden set up a table so guests could write messages for peace, which will be brought back to the Garden and hung on the Wish Tree art installation our organization is hosting in June.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (left) and Portland Japanese Garden Board Trustee Mari Watanabe. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography.

One of the many highlights of the day was a visit from Oregon Governor Tina Kotek. Aside from visiting the Garden’s table at Lan Su, the Governor signed a proclamation commemorating May as AANHPI Heritage Month. “This month, and every month, Oregon celebrates Asian Americans, Native Hawai’ians, and Pacific Islanders for their central role in our society and we honor the vibrant cultural tapestry and collective history they bring to our state,” the proclamation read in part.

The proclamation naming May as Asian American Native Hawai’ian Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Oregon. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography.