Search Desktop Diversity: advice > Q&A index > How to Celebrate Heritage Months How to Celebrate Heritage Months by Karen Stinson, CEO, ProGroup, Inc.® May is Asian-Pacific Heritage Month and I am wondering what are some of the ways that I could celebrate this event within my team. Not all employees are Asian-Pacific and I would not want to generate any tension among the group members who feel that they are being excluded from any of the activities. Secondly, I myself, am not Asian and do not want to unintentionally offend anyone of this ethnicity. Please advise on the best way to proceed. My goal is to help increase my employee's awareness of the contributions of Asian-Pacific Islanders, while also engaging my business partners to recognize their achievements. Thanks. Concerned in San Bruno Dear Concerned, I applaud you for being concerned about causing employees who are not of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage to feel excluded. The best way to keep employees from feeling excluded is to make sure they know that your intent is not to shut people out but to bring more people in. Share the plan, which I am sure you have, to celebrate all of the recognized heritage months in 2006 and more. I suggest you give an invitation to the staff to present ideas on how they'd like to celebrate each congressionally recognized month as it approaches. Let them know that it doesn't stop there. Tell them that you know there are many other cultures and aspects of diversity that need to be recognized, celebrated and honored. July's Celebrate Diversity Month is a good time to address cultures and diverse groups not recognized by a heritage month but it doesn't have to stop there. Make learning about and leveraging the power of your employee's differences a part of your daily lives. As far as how to celebrate, you can put up posters celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month around the office. (ProGroup has one that we created Many Faces that features the faces of 50 diverse people of Asian Pacific Islander heritage). I also recommend that you announce to employees any related events that may be going on in the cities and communities near your location(s) and even arrange field trips with discussions after. Around the web If you want to do some activities to build awareness and respect for the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans, I have a few websites that I recommend. InfoPlease has a search function that leads you to quizzes, historical data, achievements and other lists such as "Firsts by Asian Americans." The Smithsonian website is great for information to share with employees to fill in some of the gaps left by our school system. Their website is SI.edu. At About.com, you will find a lot of information by using their search function. We have used their information about Asian inventors, musicians, artists, politicians, etc. to put together games for our celebrations here at ProGroup. Last May one of our senior sales people who is Filipino ran a Asian Trivia Game for all of us that was very educational and energetic. We are a highly competitive group so we find the small teams competing to win aspect holds people's attention. I hope this information is helpful. back to top Submit a Question Can't find the answer? Submit a question and our experts will see what they can come up with. Related Content ARTICLES: > Religion In The Workplace: An Uncharted Journey We Must Take > Critical Success Factors for a Diversity Council > Four Business Issues > What is EEO anyway? CASE STUDIES: > How Do You Work With Swedes? > Hard Work or Hawaiian Holiday > Ghosts of the Past > Language, Accent, Credentials and "Style" Q&As: > Falling Into Patterns > Uncomfortable with Pride > Ethnic Fighting > Can I Make Them Socialize? DOWNLOADABLES: > Relationship vs. Task > Five Things to Think About Company Activities > Six Ways to Light the Fire Again > Five Things to Know About Time Copyright © 2008 Novations Group, Inc. All rights reserved.