Asian American Resources

Japanese Washi Egg

By Lily Shino, Utah

Áo dài

Traditional Vietnamese garment

Kathak Dancers

Courtesy Kalahara Dance, Utah

Tibetan Rug

By Karma Sok-Choekore, Utah

Khemera Dance Troupe

Utah Cambodian Community Buddhist Temple, courtesy Deseret News

Kathak Dancers

Courtesy Kalahara Dance, Utah

China

by Etiana Coley Mells

Hmong 100 Year Story Cloth

Sister of Ge Lo, Utah

Diyas and candles layed out for Diwali

Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Japanese Temari Balls

By Chiyoe Kubota, Utah

Tomb of Hazrat Sakhi Hashim Shah Badshah

Matiari, Sindh, Pakistan

Tibetan Carpet with Yak

By Karma Sok-Choekore, Utah

Wat Arun Ratchawararam, Temple of Dawn

Bangkok, Thailand

Indian Hindu Wedding

Surat, Gujarat, India

China

by Etiana Coley Mells

Apsara Bas Relief

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Kathak Dancers

Courtesy Kalahara Dance, Utah

Chinese Sweets

Shanghai 2016 by Etiana Coley Mells

Hmong Blue Batik

By Kou Thao Moua, Utah

Decoration on the occasion of Diwali

Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Find current, culturally appropriate resources for teaching and learning about Asian American communities in the United States and Utah. Resources include teacher background information, books and lesson plans. Check back regularly for updates and submit comments and suggestions here.

Asian Americans have been a part of American history for over 200 years. They came to North America and Hawai’i during the 19th century to fill labor needs and build a better life for their families. The earliest Asian immigrants arrived in Utah during the 1860s as the core workforce on the Transcontinental Railroad. An estimated 12,000 highly skilled Chinese immigrants made up about 90% of the Central Pacific Railroad Company’s workers, paving the way for the economic growth and industrialization of Utah and the nation. However, their achievements were not celebrated until recently. 

Asian American people have made countless contributions to Utah and the nation, despite a history of discrimination and violence. Today, Asian Americans make up more than 8% of Utah’s population, including families that arrived from the 1800s through the present. From the first Chinese and Japanese railroad builders and mine workers to recent immigrants from Myanmar, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, and the Indian subcontinent, the diverse Asian American community in Utah embraces different cultures and traditions. 

Utah's Asian American communities are dynamic and unified, with a wide range of small businesses, professionals, leaders, restaurants, cuisines, specialty shops, churches, artists and cultural groups across the state. The annual Utah Asian Festival draws 20,000 people together, reflecting the beauty and diversity of the Asian American community.

See: Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute Diversity in Utah Data Book (2021)

Partners and Collaborators:

The resources and historical information compiled in this website are the result of a two-year collaboration involving Asian American community members, educators, the Utah Historical Society, Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs and UEN. Contributors include Jenny Hor, Jean Tokuda Irwin, Dustin Khong, Eliana Massey, Wesley Sasaki-Uemura, Jo-Ann Wong, Lisa Cohne, Etiana Coley Mells and Wendy Rex Atzet. (Launched May 2024)

Utah Division of State History Utah Education Network Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs The People of Utah Revisited Utah Humanities Asian Pacific Islanders American Advocates Utah Asia Center - University of Utah

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