In the celebratory spirit of AANHPI Heritage Month, here is an alphabetical list of prominent and upcoming West Asians in the entertainment space you should know. We have far more cultural ties and shared commonalities with the rest of Asia than what European colonizers may believe, and the more we can assert that, the better. “Middle Eastern” remains a key part of our vernacular and will likely remain so for a while, but with the advent of more organizations using the acronym “ SWANA” (Southwest Asian and North African) and “West Asian,” we are reclaiming our West Asian heritage that colonization attempted to separate us from. Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, South Asians, Central Asians, and Southeast Asians would often find themselves on the outskirts of these celebratory gestures during this month, and while the recognition has certainly been improving, there remains a long way to go for it.Īnother significant group far too often ignored is that of West Asians, or as you might know them through the Orientalist term colonialists hoisted on us, “Middle Eastern” people. But far too often, many who champion this month have belied and ignored specific groups within this collective, often presenting a limited scope of who counts as “Asian” or “Asian American” in this collective consciousness. May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a cause for celebration of these many diverse communities.

Saladin ahmed miles morales