Filipino Americans were among the hundreds of thousands who packed the streets of the capital during the Women’s March on Washington Jan. 21. It was important for me to be present and support the march not only as a woman, but to show solidarity with all of people of color, immigrants, sexual orientations and multiple identities.

The idea of who is considered “American” has been a constant theme throughout United States history, shaping our values, identity and ideas. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act remains the only time American law outlawed a group of people based on their ethnicity and nationality. Now, an upcoming PBS documentary aims to bring more attention to this little-known piece of legislation that has significant meaning today.

The 2016 Democratic National Convention was one of the most diverse and inclusive yet. And while Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are often overlooked by mainstream audiences, this time we were seen and heard--even on the main stage. The 2016 Democratic Party Platform mentions Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong in its preamble, in the same paragraph as Cesar Chavez.

Today is the first day of Immigrant Heritage Month, a month to honor and celebrate the contributions of immigrants to the United States. This month, we are remembering the families that have been left behind in the immigrant visa backlogs. Our family is our backbone and the fabric that ties us together.

Highlights from work with USA TODAY's Your Take

A new book by S. “The Japanese American Story as Told through a Collection of Speeches and Articles,” combines Mori’s personal stories and the stories of the innocent Americans who were affected by internment. Mori, who has more than 40 years of political experience, gave these speeches before various crowds, from students in high school to leaders of nonprofit organizations.

Our daily top photos include a summer sunset, mountain biking and more! Brandon Andress mountain bikes in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. We're featuring some fantastic photos for today's Take 5, our roundup of the day's best reader photos. Have a great photo that you'd like to share with the nation?

Elizabeth “Liz” Thaihuong Nguyen first got started competing in pageants because of a dare from her little brother. “I wanted to see what would happen,” she said. “I feel that pageantry has given people a voice to do great things. You become a face and voice for an organization and have a lot of freedom to talk about things you care about.”.

Your Take contributors shared photos of the "Supermoon" glowing over the night sky. Clouds add to the Supermoon's ambiance in Wyoming, Mich. Sky-gazers were treated to a larger-than-average full moon Friday night. The "Supermoon" occurs when the moon is close to the horizon, causing it to appear bigger and brighter.

Nationally Recognized Slam Poet George Yamazawa Jr. talks about his journey to doing poetry full-time.

Your Take contributor Victor Mirontschuk captures scenes from Chicago's annual Pride Parade. Spectators line the streets during Chicago's 4th annual Pride Parade on June 29. Spectators and marchers took to the streets of Chicago on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the 45th annual Pride Parade. Top Your Take contributor Victor Mirontschuk was there to capture the festivities.

Your Take contributor Jeffrey Goodman shares his top shots for Camera Day. "A seagull takes flight in Bodega Bay, the small seaside town in northern California where Alfred Hitchcock filmed the classic film The Birds." For Camera Day, we asked you to share your best pics and photography tips. Featured Your Take contributor Jeffrey Goodman shared his top shots from the past several years.

While on a cross country bike race, Pippa Middleton stopped to chat with a young fan in Missouri. Pippa Middleton poses with fan Cayman Terbrock, 9, during a stop on the Race Across America tour on June 18. A 9-year-old from Katy, Texas, had the rare opportunity to chat one-on-one with Pippa Middleton last week.

The Friday the 13th moon faces the new span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. This June's full moon, also known as the "honey moon" or "strawberry moon," coincided with Friday the 13th. A full moon on Friday the 13th won't happen again until Oct. 13, 2049. Your Take contributors had their cameras ready and shared photos from around the U.S. of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face unique health disparities, but not enough are participating in clinical trials that help find better treatments and fight disease. To increase diversity in clinical trials, the “I’m In” campaign launched in March to target AAPI, African American and Hispanic communities.

Growing up an avid reader, writer M. Evelina Galang never encountered stories about young women role models, or stories about Filipino Americans. The absence of these subjects has motivated Galang to write stories that empower young women, specifically telling the Filipino American experience.