English: ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Suny Stanfield, student at the Southwest Institute of Chinese Martial Arts, Lawton Okla., performs a modern Wushu steel whip chain demonstration during the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Kickoff celebration, May 1. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a celebration of the culture, traditions and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders comprise many ethnicities and languages, and their myriads of achievements embody the American experience.