By Maile Alexander, social media intern for ISDI.
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage Month, also known as AAPI month, when the United States celebrates the important role that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) have played in our shared history.
ISDI would like to shine a spotlight on the notable achievements of two members of these communities. These individuals have not only touched the lives of those in their communities, but they have also done much to uplift them.
Jason Namakaeha Momoa
Jason Namakaeha Momoa, most commonly known for portraying Aquaman, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He began his acting career in 1999, where he starred in Baywatch: Hawaii. Despite his wonderful contributions to Hollywood, he has also remained deeply connected to his culture and has shown himself to be actively committed to protecting his homeland.
When Jason Momoa isn’t acting, he’s often performing the traditional Haka, a ceremonial dance that holds deep connections to Polynesian culture and is associated with Māori traditions. The Haka is said to be very sacred to him because his father taught him the dance at a very young age. He is also known for advocating for sacred land such as Mauna Kea. In 2014, there were plans for a thirty-meter telescope to be built on top of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. However, after protests from Native Hawaiians because the construction threatened the mountain’s cultural significance, construction was halted and delayed.
Additionally, Momoa works with the United Nations, where he advocates for safer waters and healthier lands. Through organizations such as Ocean Unite, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, etc., he fights for the protection of coral reefs, the decrease of pollution and waste in oceans, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Mr. Momoa has played a significant role in protecting this planet and the lands he not only calls home, but many others do as well.
Kiyoshi Kuromiya
Kiyoshi Kuromiya was born in 1943 at the World War II Japanese Internment Camp—Heart Mountain Relocation Center. Kuromiya spent his life focusing on anti-war policies, civil rights, and gay liberation movements. He was very involved in community outreach and had attended numerous protests by influential figures such as Martin Luther King Jr and his historic March on Washington.
Kuromiya himself identified with the LGBTQ+ community, therefore advocacy for this group hit close to home. In 1969, he founded the Gay Liberation Front–Philadelphia. At the same time, he used his identity as both a person of color and an openly gay man to serve as a delegate for the Black Panther Party’s Revolutionary People’s Constitutional Convention.
The AIDS epidemic was nothing short of devastating. During this time, the LGBTQ+ community was being heavily impacted and represented in an extremely negative light. In response, Kiyoshi Kuromiya founded the Critical Path project, which helped provide HIV treatment to those affected. The treatment involved information resources, a 24-hour hotline, and an internet service to those affected worldwide. Sadly, in the year 2000, Kuromiya died from complications from AIDS. Yet his contributions to society have not gone unnoticed, and we thank him for his dedication to advocacy.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Month is the month where we honor those who culturally and ethnically identify with these communities, as well as the various contributions they have made.
Happy AAPI month!
Works Cited:
Caruso, Catherine, and Ale Russian. 15 influential AAPI figures to make history – AAPI heritage month, April 28, 2026.
Gupta, Maya. “Jason Momoa: Career, Cultural Advocacy, and Environmental Activism.” Trendkut, March 23, 2026.
Reilly, Kaitlin. “Jason Momoa’s Haka Is Going to Take over the Internet.” Jason Momoa Aquaman Haka Dance Has Meaning Behind It, December 13, 2018. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/12/219449/what-is-haka-dance-jason-momoa-aquaman.
Maile Alexander is the social media intern for ISDI.
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