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May is AAPI month. AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islanders. It is a month to celebrate their achievements and culture. It’s also a time to remember some of the injustices they have suffered for over 200 years and to lament the way many of them were mistreated, especially during World War 2 when over 120,000 of them were interred in concentration camps throughout the United States. When I was younger I lived in California and remember talking to an older Japanese gardener who told me that after the bombing of Pearl Harbor he and his family had been forced to leave their home and live in a concentration camp in the Nevada desert. Years later I visited one such camp in Wendover, Nevada. It was a sad time in the history of our country. It is something to lament.

Lament for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

In the hush of twilight’s lingering sigh,

Echoes a tale of anguish, a bitter cry.

Asian sons and daughters, marginalized, oppressed,

Their voices drowned in a world obsessed.

Racism’s venom, a poison deep,

Steals dreams, erases hope’s gentle sweep.

From exclusion’s door to slurs unkind,

Humanity’s dignity left behind.

Oh, Japanese internment’s haunting wail,

A chapter of history we cannot veil.

In barbed wire’s embrace, innocence confined,

Freedom’s light dimmed, justice maligned.

Yet, in the face of bigotry’s cruel thrust,

Courage rises, resilient and just.

For in the heart’s depth, a fire burns bright,

To fight for justice with unwavering might.

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The podcast No Small Endeavor currently has interviews with two Asian Americans who share unique stories of grief and hope, for those who would like to learn more.