"Honoring the Legacy of Leadership and Resilience": Commemorating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

In the dynamic world of journalism, several notable figures have made significant strides in their respective fields. Here's a roundup of some of the latest achievements by Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) journalists.

Brian X. Chen, the lead consumer technology writer for The New York Times, pens a weekly column, "Tech Fix." His insights into the tech industry are highly sought after, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the latest developments.

Pia Sarkar, the newly elected President of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW), is another prominent figure. Before her work at The Associated Press, Sarkar founded and led the organisation Media Zona. Her dedication to journalism has not gone unnoticed, and she continues to make a significant impact in the industry.

Madeline Nguyen has also made a name for herself, winning numerous awards for her exceptional reporting. Among her accolades is recognition from SABEW. Her commitment to accurate and insightful reporting is commendable.

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), founded in 1981, aims to increase the visibility and representation of AAPI journalists and ensure equitable and accurate coverage. The organisation offers resources and opportunities, including an annual conference and task forces focusing on specific journalists or topics. This year, Rosalie Chan, Ben Goggin, and Maya Srikrishnan were among those honoured by AAJA for their outstanding work.

Chan was awarded for her continuous coverage on sexism and sexual harassment in Silicon Slopes and her investigation into the coding boot camp Holberton School. Goggin was recognised for his investigation into child exploitation on the Amazon-owned app Wickr. Srikrishnan was honoured for her investigative look into the way states choose to collect tax debts and how it connects to economic inequality.

In addition to these organisations, there are others that are making a difference in the AAPI journalism community. The South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) represents over 1000 journalists and aims to improve the coverage of South Asia. They offer training, inspiration, support, scholarships, fellowships, and professional development events. Allana Akhtar serves as the treasurer of SAJA, while Divya Karthikeyan is a former board member and Secretary.

Islands Business (IB) is the flagship publication of the Fiji-owned company Front Page Pte Limited, covering news in the Pacific Islands region and businesses and events. The Asian Business Review is a regional magazine serving Asia's dynamic business community, with coverage including all areas of business.

Pacific Business News, a local business journal based in Honolulu, Hawaii, also plays a vital role in covering a range of local business stories.

The 2020 Census revealed that 20.6 million people identified as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander alone (not in combination with another race), making up 6.2% of the U.S. population. With over 650,000 Asian-owned businesses in the U.S. in 2022, the importance of accurate and equitable coverage of the AAPI community is more crucial than ever.

This year, AAPI Women's Equal Pay Day was observed on April 7, symbolizing how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. The achievements of these journalists serve as a testament to the strides being made towards equality and accurate representation in journalism.