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The month of MAY is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month

LWV Metropolitan Des Moines joins in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month by recognizing the powerful legacies of women whose stories deserve to be remembered and shared.We believe that women's stories deserve to be seen, heard, and honored every day- and we will continue to be advocates and catalysts of recognition, change and lasting impact.

This May, celebrating Mother's Day, we are especially reminded of the many women - mothers, mentors, change-makers - whose courage, leadership, and resilience have shaped our world. Honoring their contributions strengthens our shared history and empowers all of our generations.



Change is ongoing, and so is our work. Together, we can continue to ensure that women’s history remains visible, valued, and celebrated for all. Thank you for standing with us.



Queen Liliʻuokalani

Monarch of the Hawaiian Islands

1838 - 1917


Queen Liliʻuokalani was the last reining monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom and its only queen regent. She ruled from 1891 until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.


A gifted composer, she is best known ofor writing "Aloha Oe" and for her powerful memoir during her imprisonment.


Image Source:"Liliʻuokalani.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lili%CA%BBuokalani




Patsy Mink

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii

1927 - 2002


Patsy Mink was a trailblazing attorney and Congresswoman from Hawaii who served a total of 24 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Elected in 1964, she became the first woman of color and the first Asian American woman in Congress, known especially for co-authoring Title IX and championing women's rights and education equality.


Image Source:"Patsy_Mink.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patsy_Mink Accessed April 2025.


Mental Health Resources for AAPI Communities –– Read our roundup of national mental health and suicide prevention resources focused on supporting AAPI individuals. We hope you use this list to learn more and find support, and encourage you to share it widely with your communities.


"Mental Health in Asian American and Pacific Islander Families" –– Moderated by AFSP's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, with panelists Dr. Howard Liu, Dr. Jenny Wang, and Dr. Becky Wong. 



Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-born woman in space. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College, India, and a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas, and a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado. Chawla served as the mission specialist for the Columbia shuttle. Sadly, on February 3, 2003, a piece of insulation broke and damaged the craft’s wing, causing the shuttle to break apart while reentering the atmosphere. All crew aboard the shuttle perished.






 Yuna Kim

 Yuna Kim aka “Queen Yuna” is from South Korea and was   named one of the world’s most influential people by Time   Magazine in 2010. She became the first female figure skater to win the Olympics and is currently well known for her philanthropic work.









More information on notable Asian, Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women can be found at: https://www.ywcampls.org/blog-content/all-our-voices-blog/20-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-women-to-know





















Other Notable Jewish Americans 


Ruth Bader Ginsburg                  Estee Lauder                    Harry Houdini


Albert Einstein                             Jonas Salk                       David Copperfield


Irving Berlin                                 Steven Spielberg              Rose Schneiderman


Leonard Bernstein                       Barbra Streisand              Isaac Leeser


A multitude of stories and individuals can be found at:  


Much more information can be found at:  https://jewishamericanheritage.org/




NOTABLE HERSTORICAL Facts in the Month of May:

May 9, 1960: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the first commercially produced birth control pill in the world, allowing women to control when and if they have children. Margaret Sanger initially commissioned “the pill” with funding from heiress Katherine McCormick.


Elizabeth Cady Stanton, seated, and Susan B. Anthony, standing on the right., None. [Between 1880 and 1902] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/97500087/.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, seated, and Susan B. Anthony, standing on the right., None. [Between 1880 and 1902] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/97500087/.

May 15, 1869: Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton found the National Woman Suffrage Association, which coordinated the national suffrage movement. In 1890, the group teamed with the American Woman Suffrage Association to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association.


May 20-21, 1932: Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman, and second pilot ever (Charles Lindbergh was first) to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic.


May 29, 1851: A formerly enslaved worker turned abolitionist and women’s rights activist, Sojourner Truth delivers her famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. “And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man—when I could get it—and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne 13 children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?”



 
 
 
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