AAPI Heritage Month recognizes the contributions and influence of Asians and Pacific Islanders to history, culture, and achievements. At Shipley, the Asian Student Alliance hopes to achieve a multidimensional recognition for AAPI Month by acknowledging both historical oppressions and successes.

On May 4th, 2023, organized by advisors Ms. Burri and Ms. Tang and co-presidents Amber Feng ’24 and Anne Gu ’25, Shipley’s Asian Student Alliance invited alumnus Elvis Zhang ‘17 as a guest speaker. He spoke about his experiences as an Asian-American student and his career. Elvis began attending Shipley in 2014 as a sophomore. He currently resides in San Francisco and was named in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in 2018. Elvis offered life advice on future job searches, shared thoughts about his experience as a Shipley student, and spoke about how being an international student has impacted his personal views and opportunities. 

At the May 19th Upper School Assembly, the ASA co-president Amber Feng ’24 spoke about the origin, theme, and importance of AAPI Month. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the first Japanese immigrants and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, in which the majority of the workers were Chinese immigrants. The AAPI theme of 2023 is “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity.”