Updated: March 18, 2022

55 Inspiring Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Quotes

You found our list of Asian Pacific Heritage Month quotes.

Asian Heritage Month is in May, and is a thirty-one day celebration of Asian achievement and inclusion. Asian Pacific Heritage Month quotes are phrases used to express the holiday’s message of equality and pride for the Asian-American community.

These sayings are a type of motivational quotes for work, are similar to Black History Month quotes and Arab heritage quotes, and are a way to celebrate Asian Heritage Month at work.

This list includes:

  • inspirational quotes by Asian American leaders
  • quotes about Asian culture
  • Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month quotes
  • quotes by Asian authors

Here we go!

Inspirational quotes by Asian American leaders

  1. “The American dream belongs to all of us.”― Kamala Harris
  2. “Life isn’t perfect, any failures you have are actually learning moments. They teach us how to grow and evolve.”― Phillipa Soo
  3. “To live an ethical life is to be held accountable for history.”― Cathy Park Hong
  4. “Success is a collection of problems solved.”― By I.M. Pei
  5. “The power of visibility can never be underestimated.”― Margaret Cho
  6. “Steal as much wisdom from other people as you can.”― Aziz Ansari
  7. “Good things will come from self-expression.”― John Cho
  8. “I intend to live life, not just exist.”― George Takei
  9. “Sometimes, you have to get angry to get things done.”― Ang Lee
  10. “When you learn something from people, or from a culture, you accept it as a gift, and it is your lifelong commitment to preserve it and build on it.”― Yo-Yo Ma
  11. “Success isn’t about the end result, it’s about what you learn along the way.”― Vera Wang
  12. “If people think you are this amazing, own it.”― David Chang
  13. “Mistakes are acceptable if they’re the result of moving forward.”― Andrew Yang
  14. “I always try to start out with some type of goal. Then I work backward and think of what I need to do to get there, and give myself smaller goals that are more immediate.”― Kristi Yamaguchi
  15. “You can’t juggle it all 100 percent. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to do everything.”― Connie Chung
  16. “Winning is not always the barometer of getting better.”― Tiger Woods

Quotes about Asian culture

  1. “Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.”― Chinese proverb
  2. “Asian culture has a profoundly different relationship to work. It rewards people who are persistent.”― Malcolm Gladwell
  3. “The Chinese culture belongs not only to the Chinese but also to the whole world.”― Hu Jintao
  4. “When we say ‘Asian American’ we are talking about so much more than can be fit in a single stereotype.”― Ijeoma Oluo,
  5. “I need to talk about Chinese culture. We have deep, strong philosophy and culture. I want to share some information, tell the worldwide audience.”― Jet Li
  6. “The Asian culture has to be a part of what we see on TV and in movies.”― Elodie Yung
  7. “A lot of times, people think of Asian culture as some mythical world instead of modern people with modern occupations with modern problems, modern tools. Like, we’re not all just talking Taoism and kung fu – some people are just trying to get over their breakup with their boyfriend, and they’re Facebook-stalking.”― Constance Wu
  8. “My parents kept the best aspects of the Asian culture, and they Americanized the family. My mother was a great example for me. She was a working mother with a good career.”― Andrea Jung
  9. “I think there’s a misconception that all Asian-American experiences are the same. My experiences with my family and the way they wanted me to know my culture are not the same as others.”― Lana Condor
  10. “The values that East Asian culture upholds, such as the primacy of group interests over individual interests, support the total group effort necessary to develop rapidly.”― Lee Kuan Yew
  11. “Asian literature is evolving with the people. It’s always a reflection on what’s happening to the culture at large.”― Kevin Kwan
  12. “Chinese culture has a lot of virtues that are tremendously valuable to not only us as Asian-Americans, but also the world in general.”― Martin Yan

Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month quotes

  1. “Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.”― Jack Ma
  2. “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” ― Bruce Lee
  3. “A single seed can turn into a forest. A single heart can transform a nation.”― Bryan Thao Worra
  4. “No Notes. You speak from deep in your heart. It’s easy.”― Manny Pacquiao
  5. “Don’t be disquieted in time of adversity. Be firm with dignity and self-reliant with vigor.”― Chiang Kai-shek
  6. “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.”― Malala Yousafzai
  7. “The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”― The Buddha
  8. “Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.”― The Dalai Lama
  9. “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”― Thich Nhat Hanh
  10. “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”― Gandhi
  11. “You can’t look back; you have to keep looking forward.”― Lucy Liu
  12. “When you face up to bad things in the past, the most important thing is not to allow them to happen today or in the future, and as storytellers, we must play our part in that.”― Michelle Yeoh
  13. “I’m neither half white nor half Asian. I’m full both.”― Henry Golding
  14. “Being a fish out of water is tough, but that’s how you evolve.”― Kumail Nanjiani
  15. “You change the world by being yourself.”― Yoko Ono

Quotes by Asian authors

  1. “In a time of destruction, create something.”― Maxine Hong Kingston
  2. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”― Confucius
  3. “If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.”― Sun Tzu
  4. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”― Lao Tzu
  5. “The things that go unsaid are often the things that eat at you.”― Celeste Ng
  6. “Don’t ever think that just because you do things differently, you’re wrong.”― Gail Tsukiyama
  7. “There is nothing shameful about making an honest living.”― Shirley Fung
  8. “But she looked powerful. She wore the sun like a shiny pin on the side of her hair.”― Lilian Li
  9. “I dream. Sometimes I think that’s the only right thing to do.”― Haruki Murakami
  10. “If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude.”― Amy Tan
  11. “Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.” ―Lisa See
  12. “Too much joy, I swear, is lost in our desperation to keep it.”― Ocean Vuong

Conclusion

Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month aims to give the Asian-American community a voice. These powerful words are one place to start the conversation. Sharing these sentiments is a good gesture, however you can also empower Asian teammates, friends, and neighbors to share their own stories, insights, and experiences throughout the month of May.

Next, check out this list of tips for a successful virtual team, these quotes for Hispanic Heritage Month, and these quotes for Indigenous People’s Day.

FAQ: Asian Pacific Heritage Month Quotes

Here are answers to common questions about Asian Pacific Heritage Month Quotes.

What are Asian Pacific Heritage Month quotes?

Asian Pacific Heritage Month quotes are sayings that embody the spirit of Asian Heritage month. Many of these phrases come from famous Asian or Asian American leaders, and speak to topics like culture, self-acceptance, identity, and hard work.

What are some good quotes for Asian Pacific Heritage Month?

Some good quotes for Asian Pacific Heritage Month include:

  • “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” ― Bruce Lee
  • “You change the world by being yourself.”― Yoko Ono
  • “Steal as much wisdom from other people as you can.”― Aziz Ansari
  • “The power of visibility can never be underestimated.”― Margaret Cho
  • “Being a fish out of water is tough, but that’s how you evolve.”― Kumail Nanjiani

There are many other powerful sayings from prominent Asian figures that embody the sentiment of the month.

How can you use Asian Heritage Month quotes?

You can use Asian Heritage Month quotes in blogs or social media posts, emails to staff, or ecards. You could also start or end meetings with the phrases.

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Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com.
Team building content expert. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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