05/08/2026
AANHPI Heritage Month is a celebration of people, history, and the vibrant cultures that shape our world. šŗ I am honoring my clients, friends and aiga in Samoa, artists, authors, and dear families who hold the traditions of the islands and the continent close.
As adoptive parents, we have to be curious and learning, the ones doing the work to build a bridge that keeps our child connected to culture so they can develop a confident identity.
Itās more than attending a once-a-year festival. Itās finding the Samoan* church, joining a dance class or rugby club, and putting yourself in spaces where you are the minority, so you can begin to understand your childās daily experience. Itās building relationships.
Itās filling your social media feed with AANHPI voices, reading the news from Samoa, following artists, and buying from them directly. Itās having maps and flags on the wall and understanding what āFaāa Samoaā really means.
Itās not just reading teen literature before your child does, but reading as much as you can about their history and culture, Samoan literature and stories, books by Samoan artists and books set in Samoa.
Itās learning recipes and tracking down the right ingredientsāeven if they have to be shipped from halfway across the worldābecause food is a language of heritage and nurture.
Most importantly itās about Humility, no matter how much we learn. We must leave space for our children to correct us, to guide us, and to define their own identity and relationship to their culture.
What is one new way you are immersing yourself in your childās culture this year? šš»
*my boys are Samoan and that specificity made this easier to write, but of course you can apply this to your childās culture.
CulturalHumility
