E&I: Honoring AANHPI Heritage and Championing Mental Health in May

Published on May 01, 2025

The Equity & Inclusion Commission makes recommendations to City Council to ensure the community is inclusive and welcoming to all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, religion, or abilities. 

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Join us this month in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a time to honor and celebrate the tremendous contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the great accomplishments of the U.S.

The significance in choosing May as AANHPI Heritage month is due in part to two meaningful dates in AANHPI history: The arrival of the first known Japanese immigrants to the U.S. on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which was made possible in large part by the labor of thousands of Chinese immigrants.

To learn more, read about the origins of establishing this heritage month on the Federal Asian Pacific American Council's website, or check out the St. Charles Public Library's Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage reading list.

For ways to celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month throughout Illinois in May, visit Illinois.gov.

Mental Health Awareness month 

Mental Health Awareness month is honored during the entire month of May. The theme for 2025 is Community: “Connect, Support, Thrive.” In order for people to thrive who are experiencing mental health challenges they need to feel connected and supported. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):

  • 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. will experience some form of mental illness across their lifetime.
  • 1 in 20 adults in the U.S. will experience serious mental illness.
  • 17% of youth aged 6 to 17 years old will experience a mental health disorder prior to becoming an adult.

If you are experiencing a mental illness, you are not alone. If you or a loved one is facing mental health challenges, help is available. Here are some resources that can support you. Visit our website for mental health resources.

Phone numbers to remember
These numbers are answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

  • Call 988 for mental health support, including thoughts of suicide.
  • Call 211 for referrals to local mental health support and other community services.
  • Call 911 for medical emergencies, police and fire services.

Mental health resources 

 

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