DoorDash : Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at DoorDash

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States, and Asian Heritage Month in Canada. It is a time traditionally dedicated for remembrance and celebration of the many contributions of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community. We also recognize the significance of this month in the face of increased incidence of hate and violence against API communities in the past year. Our founders havetaken the Stand with Asian Americans pledgeto support the movement to Stop Asian Hate. These awful acts run counter to our core belief that everyone deserves a seat at the table.

Throughout the month of May, we will use our platform to shine a light on API culture by showcasing Asian cuisines in your neighborhood. Customers can visit the "Best Near You" section on DoorDash in select cities such as Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Pho Michael | New Orleans, LA

"Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month means a lot to me because it gives recognition to the people of several different Asian countries and their achievements in the United States. As an entrepreneur and owner of Pho Michael, I am grateful to be able to offer authentic Vietnamese food to the greater New Orleans area. This month also gives people of all descents an opportunity to learn more about AAPI and our history and culture." - Lindsey Pham, Pho Michael | New Orleans, LA

Ayara Thai | Los Angeles, CA

"Love what you do. Use your platform to advocate for other members in the community. Running a business with my family and being an entrepreneur has its challenges, but I would never trade it for a comfortable desk job. There is a thrill and adrenaline rush of being a business owner that gives me the edge and high unlike anything else. Knowing that people depend on me motivates me to do my best. Being an entrepreneur is endlessly interesting. I am always learning, growing, and improving. Creativity is rewarded. As I grow our business, steps to become more efficient, run more profitably, and improve the workplace through benefits and training can be quickly implemented. The best part of being a boss is being able to change what I want to see!" - Vanda Asapahu, Ayara Thai | Los Angeles, CA

Monster Pho | Oakland, CA

"We are refugee 'boat people' who fled Vietnam for a better life with nothing. Through the hard work and dedication of my mom & our culture, we keep traditional food served to our community to continue our heritage. This means the world because I can share this to our next generation so that our culture lives on." - Tee Tran, Monster Pho | Oakland, CA

Soo Hyun and Brandon are eager to share their food and culture with the community. Their restaurant, Sura Korean BBQ, is one of 100 businesses participating in theMain Street Strong Accelerator, which provides a $20,000 grant and an eight-week training course to restaurants weathering the pandemic, including those owned or led by women, immigrants, and people of color.

Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House | Long Beach, CA

Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House | Long Beach, CA

"The accelerator has helped me tremendously as our cohort is comprised of not only supportive and courageous individuals but also of knowledgeable veterans who have experimented with different ways to succeed in their businesses through trial and error. I feel proud to be a part of it. We all need a community that understands our struggles as small business owners and the guest experts have more than helped address things often overlooked running the day to day.

Running the only Korean restaurant in downtown Long Beach isn't the easiest in terms of employment but rewarding in that Sura gets to represent Korean cuisine in a fun way that's approachable with fusion dishes and then convert the new daring customers into Korean BBQ and tofu soup fans. We are Asian American business owners and an advocate of ethnic restaurants such as ours charging fair prices to support ourselves and the team that makes it whole." - Brandon and Claire (Soo Hyun) Kim, Sura Korean BBQ | Long Beach, CA

At DoorDash, our AAPI@ ERG will be inviting our community in to engage with employees through roundtable discussions with legislators and internal and external API business leaders, with the goals of having meaningful conversations, elevating API voices, and fostering inclusivity. We're also proud to spotlight our AAPI@ ERG-led donations to organizations likeWelcome to Chinatownand theChinatown Community Development Center. We are so grateful for these nonprofits' dedication to celebrating and preserving the API community.

Thank you for joining us to stand in solidarity and support this API Heritage Month and throughout the year!