When referring to individuals who identify as Asian or Pacific Islander in the U.S. AAPI is the most commonly used acronym.  It stands for Asian American Pacific Islander and is a federal classification that refers to a person with origins in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, or the Pacific Islands.  There are several acronyms that are used to denote Asian and Pacific Islander populations, including Asian Pacific American (APA), Asian/Pacific Islander (API), Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA), and Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI).

The Kitchen Table Stories Project utilizes the acronym ASPA, which stands for Asian South Asian Pacific Islander American.  There is immense diversity of identities, ethnicities and cultures encompassed under the ASPA umbrella.  The following is a guide* for referencing East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander communities.  This list is a guide and does not encompass the vast number of cultures and ethnicities that are under the ASPA umbrella.  We recognize that these descriptions and this language is ever evolving and will always be inadequate.

East Asians refer to people from China (including Macau and Hong Kong), Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, and Mongolia.

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South Asians refer to people from the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet. Ethnic groups include Sindhi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, and many others.

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Southeast Asians refer to people from the following countries and ethnic groups: Burma, Brunei, Cambodia (Khmer, Cham, KhmerLoeu), Indonesia, Laos (Hmong, Lao, Lao Loum, Iu Mien, Khmu, Tai Dam, Tai Leu, and many other ethnic groups), Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Philippines, and Vietnam (Vietnamese, Khmer Kampuchea Krom).

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Pacific Islanders refer to those whose origins are the original peoples of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Polynesia includes Hawaii (Native Hawaiian), Samoa (Samoan), American Samoa (Samoan), Tokelau (Tokelauan), Tahiti (Tahitian), and Tonga (Tongan). Micronesia includes Guam (Guamanian or Chamorro), Marinara Islands (Mariana Islander), Saipan (Saipanese), Palau (Palauan), Yap (Yapanese), Chuuk (Chuukese), Pohnpei (Pohnpeian), Kosrae (Kosraean), Marshall Islands (Marshallese), and Kiribati (I-Kiribati). Melanesia includes Fiji (Fijian), Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinean), Solomon Islands (Solomon Islander), and Vanuatu (Ni-Vanuatu).

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*This information was adapted from the Northwestern APIDA Staff Affinity Group informational site.