Hostos project spotlights Asian American and Pacific Islander histories in the Bronx

A new community archival project at Hostos Community College is aiming to make Asian American and Pacific Islander histories in the Bronx more visible and to push for classroom inclusion.

AAPI New York’s "Stories from The Bronx" brought together students, educators and residents to present neighborhood-based archival exhibits and personal histories. Organizers described the initiative as a way to record and preserve stories that have been overlooked in traditional curricula.

Presenters with the Localized History Project showed exhibits created during the semester. A presenter said, "it was just so nice to have such a group of people that cared and wanted to listen up to my story about Vietnamese nail technicians," adding that "Southeast Asian narratives have always gone unheard." The presenter framed the exhibits as both record and affirmation of community experience.

Attendees and participants emphasized that many AAPI students lack curricular connections to their own histories. One participant said, "We call it the curriculum of inclusion, but I call it the curriculum of correction," arguing that school programs should routinely include AAPI histories. That participant also noted diversity within AAPI communities, saying it can be surprising to find commonalities across Pacific Islander groups and noting a local presence in Riverdale.

Organizers said they hope the project’s materials and the stories it documents will move beyond one-off events and become lasting parts of classroom learning in the Bronx. The report closed with the reporter identifying herself: Ashley De Leon of BronxNet.