Even as the White House drops out of the annual observance—we still are inviting Americans to join in this opportunity

It’s a wonderful time to learn about our friends, neighbors and co-workers

By JOE GRIMM
Founder of the MSU School of Journalism Bias Busters series

For decades, U.S. presidents have traditionally recognized May as a time for celebrating the contributions of Asians and Asian Americans. 

This May is different. On Jan. 20, 2025, the first day of President Donald Trump’s second presidency, he broke with tradition. He made it a Day One priority to rescind the order “Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.”  That particular executive order contained quite a long laundry list—declaring the end of recognition for many other groups, as well.

The federal Defense Intelligence Agency, contractors and some universities responded by immediately canceling events. Those included planned observances of Lunar New Year, which was Jan. 29. Others have taken a wait-and-see attitude.

Early May was chosen to mark Asian achievements because it holds the anniversaries of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States (1843) and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (1869), which relied on immigrant Chinese laborers. These are U.S. landmarks.

Looking at history through Asian lenses, however, means seeing what 20 countries and about as many faith groups see. Asian, Hawaiian and Pacific Island celebrations occur throughout the year. For some, the dates change. Stephanie Fenton, who curates Read the Spirit’s Religious Holidays and Festivals section, constantly shows us that no single month can contain Asia’s diverse heritages. 

One thing is certain: Each year in May, with or without a White House declaration, Americans are inspired to learn about our neighbors from these regions of the world. For that reason, I’m proud to offer this collaborative recommendation from our publishing house:

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Our Top 10 Books about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Books 1-5: MSU Bias Busters books

Click on these covers to visit the Amazon page displaying all of the Bias Busters books.

For many years, students at Michigan State University’s School of Journalism have produced books that answer questions about our friends and neighbors who represent what might seem like “different” backgrounds, races, cultures and ways of life. The two dozen Bias Busters books cover everything from racial groupings to major world faiths to the lives of veterans and police officers and their families.

Five MSU Bias Busters guides relate to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: All of these guides are especially useful for people in community leadership, media, business, schools, places of worship, government, medicine, law enforcement, human resources and journalism—anywhere it is important to know more about our neighbors in our communities, schools and workplaces. These books are designed both for individual reading and for group discussions.

100 Questions and Answers About East Asian Cultures This book has sections on East Asian cultures, languages, religions, social norms, politics, history, families and food.

100 Questions and Answers About Indian Americans This guide to Indians in America has sections on India’s history, population, religion, language, culture, food, gender, family, education, work and politics. It includes information on Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism.

100 Questions and Answers about Hmong Americans: Secret No More In fewer than 50 years, Hmong Americans are filling seats in college classrooms and state legislatures, serving in health care, owning businesses, teaching, competing on the U.S. Olympic team—and creating art. Citizenship and voting rates are higher than they are for most other immigrants, even though Hmong people come from places where they were discouraged from having any civic involvement.

100 Questions and Answers About Sikh Americans: The Beliefs Behind the Articles of Faith Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world. It is a young religion, having been founded in 1469. It has been in the United States for almost 150 years, but is still relatively unknown. Perhaps you have seen someone wearing a turban in public or seen Sikhs mentioned in the news and wondered who they were. Maybe your neighbor, coworker or friend is Sikh, and you want to learn more.

And: 100 Questions and Answers About Immigrants to the U.S. This simple, introductory guide answers 100 of the basic questions people ask about U.S. immigrants and immigration in everyday conversation. It has answers about identity, language, religion, culture, customs, social norms, economics, politics, education, work, families and food.

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Book 6—’Our Muslim Neighbors’

The American Dream is alive and well in Our Muslim Neighbors—the memoir of a Muslim immigrant from India who arrived planning to start a business, working so hard toward his personal goals that he even pumped gas and sold vacuum cleaners door to door. Victor Begg successfully built a thriving, regional chain of furniture stores. Along the way, he discovered that America’s greatest promise lies in building healthy communities with our neighbors.

“In one book, I have come to understand much more about Islam, its followers and its teachings,” Rabbi Bruce Benson writes in the book’s Foreword. “I’ve come to realize that the challenges Muslim immigrants have faced are similar to what Jews and many other immigrant groups have experienced as they tried to settle in America. By the end of this book, I hurt with Victor and I laugh with him, because—as Americans—we share so much. We are him. His journey is our journey. This is our story.”

Ultimately, Victor invites readers to pray with him: “God bless America.” As you follow him along this remarkable journey, as you catch his vision of a vibrant America—you are likely to find your own family and your own values mirrored in his story. You’re also likely to want to share this book with friends and join in building a better world.

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Book 7—’Friendship and Faith’

Friendship & Faith is a book about making friends, which may be the most important thing you can do to make the world a better place, and transform your own life in the process. Making a new friend often is tricky, as you’ll discover in these dozens of real-life stories by women from a wide variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds. But, crossing lines of religion, race and culture is worth the effort, often forming some of life’s deepest friendships, these women have found. In Friendship and Faith, you’ll discover how we really can change the world one friend at a time.

You’ll find yourself drawn into these page-turning true stories as soon as you open the book and begin reading the first one—about two little girls in Iran whose families warn them not to make friends. Instead, they find a clever way to form a lasting bond. Soon, you’ll meet a young Indian Hindu woman who discovered that daring to make diverse friendships really can make the world a much more hopeful place.  You’ll also meet a courageous Japanese migrant who actually traveled between both countries during World War II as a little girl and learned about global peacemaking as a result.

“The stories are so genuine and come from the heart!” writes a reviewer. “You can tell that every woman who shared their stories were passionate about their experiences and self-discoveries. Each story is like a mirror for the reader and allows the reader to self contemplate and self-reflect.”

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Book 8—’We Are the Socks’

We Are the Socks is a collection of true stories about people who are transforming conflict into peace.

This wonderfully engaging memoir of global travels by international peace trainer Daniel Buttry includes stories from Hong Kong, India, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar (Burma) and the Philippines. The book’s title phrase comes from one of Buttry’s most moving stories about faith and compassionate service. If you read this book—you won’t forget The Socks.

Some days, the idea of peacemaking seems impossible—unless you’re Daniel Buttry. An ordained minister and seasoned peacemaker, he has traveled to some of the most dangerous places in the world to conduct conflict resolution, train clergy and elders, and transform conflict into peace.

Buttry describes himself as a “Peace Warrior.” Raised in a military family he has become a global peace activist. For many years, he worked as the Global Consultant for Peace and Justice with International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches. He works primarily with church groups as his own passion for peacemaking comes from his deep Christian faith. But with so many conflicts having religious lines of division as a part of them Buttry engages in peacemaking across those faith lines.

Buttry’s personal and community life feeds his global work. He and his wife Sharon are both ordained American Baptist clergy, and both committed to urban ministry. They live in Hamtramck, Michigan, an urban municipality surrounded by Detroit. They have been involved in interfaith work as well as local community and school nonviolence work.

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Book 9—’Blessed Are the Peacemakers’

Blessed Are the Peacemakers is Daniel Buttry’s “magnum opus” of men, women and children around the world who have risked their lives as peacemakers.

In the pages of this book, you will meet more than 100 heroes, but most of them are not the kind of heroes our culture celebrates for muscle, beauty and wealth. These heroes are “peacemakers” and they circle the planet. A few are famous like Gandhi and Bono of U2. But most of them you will discover for the first time in these stories. Watch out! Reading about their lives may inspire you to step up into their courageous circle.

From Asia and the Pacific, readers will find some famous names profiled, including Gandhi and the Dalai Lama. But the real value of this unique collection is the discovery of people whose stories most readers have never heard.

Here are just a few examples: Likely for the first time, readers will learn about Teresita “Ging” Quintos-Deles from the Philippines who helped to move grassroots communities in remote areas into the national process of creating safe spaces for vulnerable people. Also, readers will discover the amazing story of Wati Aier, a relentlessly hopeful and pragmatic peacemaker in Thailand. And, from Cambodia, there’s the story of Maha Ghosananda, who risked his life many times to lead peacemaking walks across his native land to inspire combatants to put down their arms.

In this book, Buttry challenges readers to go and do likewise—whatever your age, race, culture, gender or background may be.

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Finally, Book 10 (and more)—True ‘Interfaith Heroes’

Interfaith Heroes, volume 1, is the first book our publishing house produced nearly two decades ago.

This book was designed as one of our first month-long, day-by-day “readers,” showcasing short biographies of men and women throughout history who have crossed traditional boundaries of religious groups to build stronger communities. Once again, Volume 1 includes some famous figures, such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and St. Francis. But readers also will travel to Asia to learn about the Sufi poet best known simply as Rumi—as well as Hindu writer Rabindranath Tagore. The book includes questions for daily reflection that are designed to spark creative thinking by people of all faiths. The sketches and daily questions could be used by discussion groups or students in classrooms studying history, global culture or the sociology of religion. Also included is a Study Guide for individuals, groups and classrooms.

Then, if you like the day-by-day format of this book, another inspiring month-long “reader” with significant Asian content is Thirty Days with E. Stanley Jones. In his day, E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973) was described as the “greatest missionary since Saint Paul.” More than an evangelist, he was the author of 27 books that sold millions of copies. He also was a statesman, the founder of Christian ashrams, an interfaith leader as well as a spokesman for peace, racial inclusion and social justice. Twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, his ministry in India brought him into close contact with that country’s leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, and Mahatma Gandhi. His writings from India influenced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s own nonviolent approach to injustice.

Finally, Daniel Buttry followed up on his first volume of “Interfaith Heroes” with Interfaith Heroes 2, which also explores a significant number of Asian peacemakers. The inspiring Asian profiles in this second book in the series include: Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Pakistan/India), known as “Frontier Gandhi,” nonviolent Muslim leader; Chinmayananda Saraswati (India), Hindu spiritual leader and teacher; Fr. Joseph Maier (Thailand) – Catholic priest working in Bangkok slums; Sakena Yacoobi (Afghanistan), Muslim educator, Afghan Institute of Learning; Tissa Balasuriya (Sri Lanka), Catholic priest, liberation theologian; and Toyohiko Kagawa (Japan), Christian social reformer and peacemaker.

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