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May is a special time in Girl Scouting because it is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. We at Girl Scouts are proud to join all Americans in honoring the many contributions that Asians and Pacific Islanders have made to our great nation. Indeed, Asian and Pacific Islanders have been and remain an important and vibrant part of the Girl Scout Movement from the island of Hawaii to the island of Manhattan and beyond. The term Asian-Pacific Islander encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, as well as the state of Hawaii. Just five years after Juliette Gordon Low founded our Movement in 1912, the first Girl Scout troops were organized in Hawaii. I note with a great sense of pride that the last reigning Hawaiian monarch, Queen Lili’uokalani, was an original sponsor. The Girl Scouts of Arizona-Cactus Pine has a wonderful age-appropriate reading list for Girl Scouts interested in learning more about Asian and Pacific Islander culture, and also highlights some outstanding Asian-American women. And all over the country, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds are joining together and celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander culture. I wish everyone a wonderful Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month and hope you will join with our girls in recognizing the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched our nation’s history. Sincerely, |
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© 2013 Girl Scouts of the United States of America. |
May 11, 2013
