Our Roots: Celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month

Welcome to the May edition of Our Roots newsletter.

This month we celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander heritages and how they became an integral part of the Central Florida community.

ASIAN IMMIGRATION TO CENTRAL FLORIDA

Orlando is home to thousands of Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders. Nearly 5% of Central Florida’s population is Asian American decent, and Asians are the fastest-growing population in Orlando.

Following the Vietnam War, Asian immigrants began to arrive in the Central Florida area in the 1970s. Vietnamese storefronts began to occupy areas around Colonial Drive and Mills Avenue, known now as the “Mills 50 District.” These businesses include grocery stores, restaurants serving regional Vietnamese cuisines, doctors’ offices, martial arts studios and salons.

Fifteen minutes down the road, you will find Orlando’s ‘Chinatown.’ Various shops like Asian bakeries, boba tea, ramen restaurants, and medical offices occupy the space along the 5000 block of Colonial Drive.

ASIAN-OWNED RESTAURANTS

• MOGE TEA: 636 N Mills Ave. A
• DOCHI: 1222 E Colonial Dr.
• POP THAI: 1227 N Mills Ave.
• PHO HOA: 649 N Primrose Dr.
• STICKY RICE: 1915 E Colonial Dr.
• POKEKAI: 609 Irvington Ave.

For more restaurants to support visit here.

EVENTS CELEBRATING AAPI

• May 13 | 230 p.m. — FusionFest’s MYgration Film Festival @ South Trail Branch Library
• May 14 | 11 a.m. — Asian-American Heritage Council Asian Cultural Festival @ Bill Breeze Park
• May 20 | 2 p.m. — Asian Cultural Association Cultural Display and Performance @ Orange County Regional History Center
• May 24 | 6 p.m. — ACT Town Hall Meeting @ Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office

For a full list of events celebrating AAPI this month visit here.

If you have a story about your heritage and would like to contribute photos and a story, please feel free to reach out to me: Vic Price (VPrice@wkmg.com) and my teammate, Brianna Ellis (BEllis@wkmg.com)