Welcome to AAPIRC!
The Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center (AAPIRC, pronounced a-perk) was officially established in the 2021-2022 school year. Our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place on April 28th, 2022 in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month. We aim to build a sense of belonging for AAPI students during their studies at the University of New Mexico. AAPIRC also seeks to provide culturally relevant programs that cultivate Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders within communities. AAPI designation refers to all Asians including heritages in East Asia, Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, West Asia/Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia. We are inclusive of all AAPI-identified students including those who are multicultural/mixed race, adopted, and part of the widespread diaspora. More information about AAPIRC is available here.

Latest from The Visibility Blog
About the Blog: The Visibility Blog features writings, reviews, artwork, news, and other contributions by and/or about AAPI students, faculty, staff, and community members at UNM and beyond. The aim of this blog is to provide visibility to our often invisibilized experiences. It also provides an opportunity for our community to publish their work, be seen, and be heard.
We invite contributions! Email aapirc@unm.edu for more information.
May 25th, 2023
I Love You Even When It’s Not AAPINH Month
By Sunandita Santhanam

Usually, I would start with a picture of myself that captures how deeply I love my South Asian culture - but nothing I’ve taken this year encompasses how I feel or what I want to say - so here is a photograph that I love.
Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, anyone that fits under the AAPINH umbrella, we are beautiful, amazing, rich with history and culture, and tradition. We are unique, and special, and deserve to be recognized for our existence. we should not have to be extraordinary to garner attention. However, in these times, we have been extraordinary and changed the world, transformed the system, and continue to question the status quo.
This year, the most important idea I want you to take is that we are not stereotypes of what you think Asians should look like, sound like, speak like, act like, or engage like. We are not all doctors, lawyers, or engineers. Our cultures are not all patriarchal and riddled with misogyny, contrary to the way we are perceived from a Western perspective. We are beautiful, extraordinary by existence, inspirational, budding with culture and experience and tradition and wisdom that you can’t even begin to understand.
We are smart, and resilient, and deserve to be recognized for our existence, contributions, communities, and cultures. We deserve a space in media, books, science, math, films, music, and art, to be seen and recognized as not just tokens for diversity, but pawns for stereotypes, caricatures, and side characters that are poorly written.
I want to see more women like me in films. I want to have role models that look like me. I want to be seen, heard, normalized and represented. I want my presence to be nurtured, nourished, and presented in such a way that women after me won’t think twice about seeing themselves on screen. As a filmmaker that is my dream.
Happy AAPINH Month! I love you even when it’s not AAPINH month. Thank you to the AAPINH role models who have paved the way, transformed the system, and fought for a seat at the table.
I am privileged, lucky, and so beyond honored! Thank you!
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May 3rd, 2023
We are excited to announce that Intro to Asian American Studies will be offered again in Fall 2023!
Please register soon! Let's make this a regular offering at UNM.
If you want to know how it fits in your degree plan, you can schedule an advisement appointment with us!
Please register soon! Let's make this a regular offering at UNM.
If you want to know how it fits in your degree plan, you can schedule an advisement appointment with us!
Email aapirc@unm.edu or schedule in Loboachieve.unm.edu
CRN: 75874 COMM 1996
CRN: 76112 AMST 1996
CRN: 76056 SOCI 1996
CRN: 76587 GNDR 2996