UCLA online textbook gives voice to Asian American, Pacific Islander history and cultures

A free digital textbook, *Foundations and Futures: Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook*, was officially launched on Saturday by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. Developed over eight years by 100 contributors—including curriculum developers and illustrators—the project addresses persistent stereotypes of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities as passive in U.S. history. The $12 million initiative aims to provide high school and college educators with inclusive resources to teach AAPI experiences year-round, not just during AAPI Heritage Month. The textbook covers a broad range of AAPI histories, from Japanese detention camps to the formation of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, with sections on Vietnamese, Hmong, and Indigenous Hawaiian communities. It also features multimedia content, such as a video on Filipino farmworkers narrated by rapper Ruby Ibarra. Co-editor Karen Umemoto emphasized the project’s goal of combating exclusion by ensuring AAPI voices are represented in core educational materials. The development of the textbook was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which heightened anti-Asian hate crimes and racial reckoning discussions. Co-editor Kelly Fong noted that education became a key tool in fighting racism, aligning with California’s 2021 law mandating ethnic studies for high school graduation. Despite political opposition—such as efforts by Republicans to dismantle diversity initiatives—the project secured federal and state funding by 2022. The textbook’s expansive scope includes individual stories, such as Cornelia Delute, a Filipina United Farm Workers supporter, and Mamie Tape, an 8-year-old Chinese American girl who challenged school segregation. Deputy Director Melany De La Cruz-Viesca highlighted the team’s effort to be as inclusive as possible, incorporating archival photos and embedded videos. Umemoto hopes the textbook will foster historical empathy by sharing challenges and achievements of AAPI immigrants. While some states may resist adopting the textbook due to anti-diversity policies, the editors remain optimistic about its potential to reshape education. The project serves as both a scholarly resource and a platform for AAPI representation, ensuring younger generations see their communities reflected in core curriculum.