AANHPI Heritage Month – May 2025

AANHPI Heritage Month is observed each May and every year and provides an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the diverse contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, including (and for us specifically) the experiences of transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive AANHPI individuals.

While the acronym AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) is often considered quite controversial because some within the AANHPI community view it as an overly broad, homogenized term that erases cultural, social, and economic differences among these groups and can lead to misrepresentation of specific issues, especially when it comes to data collection and policy-making, it still feels valuable to us this month and beyond to lift up and amplify the contributions of a few of our AANHPI comrades who have been and are doing amazing work to advance the trans movement.

Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu (Kumu Hina)

Kumu Hina is a Native Hawaiian transgender woman born and raised in the Nu’uanu District of O’ahu. She came of age during the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s, a time of renewed interest in Hawaiian language, culture, music, and art. This movement sparked Wong-Kalu’s passion for preserving her traditions, specifically the art of storytelling and dance. She is a teacher, cultural practitioner, and community leader promoting the Kanaka (Hawaiian) language, philosophy, and traditions of her people across diverse educational, political, and media landscapes. She is also an accomplished filmmaker who uses digital media as a modern extension of Hawaii’s ancient storytelling traditions. Learn more about Kumu Hina’s life and work through her 2014 critically acclaimed documentary feature film here.

Kumu Hina, a Native Hawaiian transgender woman, looks upward regally. Her dark hair is styled with white flowers and gold. She wears a flowing white garment, revealing a traditional tattoo. Softly blurred rocky, green background.
Kumu Hina, a Native Hawaiian transgender woman, gazes upward with a regal and confident expression. Her dark hair is elegantly styled up, adorned with white flowers and gold accents. She wears a flowing white garment draped over her shoulders, revealing a traditional tattoo across her chest and shoulder. The softly blurred background features a rocky landscape with touches of greenery, adding natural depth to the portrait. Photo by Mahina Choy-Ellis, published by Them.
Cathy Kapua, a Hawaiian trans woman with long dark hair, smiles in a denim jacket and gold necklace. A cozy indoor space with wood and stone elements appears in the background.
Cathy Kapua, a Hawaiian trans woman, smiles warmly at the camera in a close-up portrait. She has long, wavy dark hair and light blue eyes. She’s dressed in a blue denim jacket and a gold necklace with a circular pendant. The softly blurred background reveals an inviting indoor space with wooden balconies, a stone fireplace, and various pieces of furniture, adding warmth and depth to the setting. Photo by Cathy Kapua.

Cathy Kapua

Cathy K. K. Kapua, B.P.A., has worked with the transgender community in Hawai’i since 2003, first starting off as a Peer Educator at Kulia Na Mamo, then eventually moving on to become the Transgender Service Manager at the Hawai’i Health & Harm Reduction Center. Cathy has proudly expanded her social justice work as she joined the Trans Justice Funding Project in 2020 as their Deputy Director, helping to move resources to grassroots trans-led programs across the U.S. and its territories. Cathy’s national leadership extends into work with the Transgender Strategy Center, where she has served as a faculty member since 2021, where she gets to be a peer mentor to other trans people of color who are in leadership positions. You can learn more from Cathy in her own words through her Empowering ʻŌiwi Leadership Award interview here

Alex del Rosario

Alex del Rosario is a trans nonbinary Filipino immigrant, serving as the National Organizer with Advocates for Transgender Equality. Alex works alongside trans advocates, activists, and communities around the country to protect and advance trans rights. From youth to sports to projects like the community-led 2022 U.S. Trans Survey, TRANSform the Vote, and more, they cover a wide range of trans issues in their work. Alex was born in the Philippines, grew up in Washington State, and has called the Mountain West region home for several years. You can learn more about Alex’s current community organizing work with A4TE here.

Alex del Rosario, a young trans nonbinary Filipino person, smiles warmly at the camera. Short dark hair, glasses, black shirt and a denim jacket with a gray collar. Softly blurred green and light-colored background.
Alex del Rosario smiles warmly at the camera. They have short dark hair, wear glasses, and are dressed in a black shirt layered with a black denim jacket featuring a soft gray sherpa collar. The softly blurred background hints at green foliage and a light-colored architectural structure, adding a gentle, natural atmosphere to the portrait.
Ramon Te Wake, a queer Māori trans woman from New Zealand, smiles joyfully mid-motion, eyes closed, head tilted back. Her dark hair flows, and she wears a light, possibly sequined top. One arm is raised, showing painted nails. Blurred urban background with sunlight.
Ramon Te Wake is captured mid-motion with a joyful expression, eyes closed and head tilted back. Her dark, shoulder-length hair flows in the wind, and she wears a light-colored, sequined, long-sleeved top that catches the light. One arm is raised gracefully above her head, showcasing her painted fingernails. The background is an urban street scene with softly blurred buildings and warm sunlight.

Ramon Te Wake

Ramon Te Wake (Te Rarawa) is a Webfest NZ nominated director and producer (2018, 2019) for Attitude’s Glimpse and Crips in Cars. She is one of the first trans women to present, direct, and produce content in Aotearoa. With more than 17 years in the film and TV industry, Ramon has created hundreds of stories with a strong focus on Māori, queer, and other folks who have been marginalized as the backbone to her extensive and prolific catalogue. In 2020, Ramon appeared in New Zealand’s first trans drama, Rūrangi as Ellie. Her most recent work is the much-anticipated graphic novella Ahō Wāhine, in which she reinterprets four Māori stories, Papatūānuku, Hineahuone, Hinenuitepō and Mahuika. You can learn more about her from this recent interview with the British Council here.

Chella Man

Chella Man is a transgender, Jewish, Chinese, and deaf actor, cross-disciplinary artist, and producer. In 2017 he started a YouTube channel to share his unique perspective, as well as slice-of-life videos with him and his partner. He has been involved in voter mobilization as well as education campaigns designed to support the LGBTQIA2S+ and disabled communities. Since his YouTube channel became popular, he has been cast in multiple modeling and acting roles, including as a superhero in DC’s “Titans.” Chella continues to expand the way that deaf and queer and trans folks are represented thanks to his unique openness in sharing his story and evolving identities with his followers. You can learn more about Chella and his incredible portfolio here.

Chella Man, a transgender, Jewish, Chinese, and deaf actor/artist/producer, looks calmly at the camera. Short dark hair, round glasses, a silver chain, white t-shirt. Tattoo on forearm. Soft pink-to-blue gradient background with a central white circle.
Chella Man looks directly at the camera with a calm, confident expression. Their short dark hair is styled back, and they wear round tortoiseshell glasses, a silver chain necklace, and a white t-shirt. A tattoo is visible on their left forearm. The background features a soft gradient from light pink to light blue, with a circular white shape centered behind them, creating a halo-like effect that draws focus to their presence.

Recent

Search