Asian, Asian American, AAPI
Last updatedWhat to know
AAPI is the acronym for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which includes “all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).”
Some argue that both “AAPI” and “Asian American” flatten and/or erase important cultural, economic, educational, religious, and other differences that exist between groups and communities. Consider, for instance, that in 2019, the economic disparities among various sub-populations of Asian Americans were the widest of any racial group in the US, despite the median income of Asian American-headed households as a whole being more than 30 percent higher than the median income for all households. Nuanced coverage will take care to explore those differences when and where relevant.
Taking into account an individual’s preference and being as specific as possible ensures coverage accurately reflects how someone self-identifies. For example, if you know someone is Korean, it’s more precise to refer to them as “Korean” rather than “Asian.” This extends to cross-national ethnic identities as well (e.g., “Hmong,” “Bengali”) when relevant to coverage and/or preferred by an individual. Whatever the preference, hyphenating dual heritage terms (e.g., “Filipino American” or “Japanese American”) is unnecessary. Other labels, such as South Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian, may be used when specifically discussing regional identities, though not everyone may be familiar with the countries included in these regional identities. Some explanation may be helpful for clarity.
Additional resources
- How inclusive is ‘AAPI’? Pacific Islanders debate the label (Today)
- Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population (Pew Research Center)
- The inadequacy of the term “Asian American” (Vox)
- At Census Time, Asian Americans Again Confront the Question of Who ‘Counts’ as Asian. Here’s How the Answer Got So Complicated (Time)
Summary
AAPI stands for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which includes a vast array of nationalities, cultures, and languages. Some argue that both “AAPI” and “Asian American” flatten and/or erase important cultural, economic, educational, religious, and other differences that exist between groups and communities. Nuanced coverage will take care to explore those differences when and where relevant. Taking into account an individual’s preference and being as specific as possible ensures coverage accurately reflects how someone self-identifies.