Asian-American trailblazers honored at State House for AAPI Month
BOSTON - May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and on Wednesday, Gov. Maura Healey honored many Asian-American trailblazers from Massachusetts at the State House.
Among those recognized was Helen Chin Schlichte, known as "Auntie Helen" on Beacon Hill. Schlichte began working in the speaker's office in 1950.
"Asians used to be very invisible," said Schlichte. "That's what my mother taught me to be, be invisible and keep your head down and keep working. But now, Asians are becoming much more visible."
Massachusetts wouldn’t be the successful, vibrant state that we are without our strong and diverse Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander community.
— Maura Healey (@MassGovernor) May 17, 2023
Honored to declare May AANHPI Heritage Month today with the help of community leaders from across the state. pic.twitter.com/6gctiQa3LI
Also honored was Suzanne Lee. Before Mayor Michelle Wu rose to prominence, Lee was one of the first Asian women to run for City Council in 2011 to represent Chinatown and South Boston. Lee lost the seat by less than 100 votes but paved the way for women like her to run for office.
"There was no one who looked like me growing up to have as models that I could some day become a state rep," said State Rep. Erica Uyterhoven.