(WHTM) – The United States recognizes May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and a Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to ensure the commonwealth joins in that recognition.

State Rep. Patty Kim (D-Dauphin/Cumberland) announced she plans to introduce legislation to recognize the month of May 2023 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Pennsylvania.

Kim says May is “a significant month in Asian American and Pacific Islander history,” marking the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to the United States in May 1843, and the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in May 1869 with the aid of 15,000 to 20,000 Chinese immigrant.

“Please join me in co-sponsoring this resolution so we can honor the accomplishments and acknowledge the adversity of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the past and the present,” said Kim.

According to AsianPacificHeritage.gov, Asian/Pacific encompasses 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).

The United States designated May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in 1992.