Year in Review
In 2021, we launched TAAF to fundamentally change the treatment of and trajectory for AAPIs everywhere. Now in our second year, our work has just begun.
This year, we focused on building the foundation to transform the future. We believe activism isn’t just done on the streets, but it’s amplified in community centers, classrooms, and groundbreaking research. It’s reverberated through elevating authentic stories and piloting new models to fight record levels of hate.
By building power and belonging, awareness, safer communities, and more, we are standing up TAAF’s larger vision to build an America where our stories, our contributions, and we, matter.
We didn’t do it alone. We can’t do it alone. We worked closely with AAPI organizations to build infrastructure that will continue to strengthen the ground our communities walk on. Because we need a solid foundation if we aim to take great leaps to achieve permanent belonging and prosperity to our communities.
Brick by brick, TAAF is proud to continue building our collective journey to transform the Asian American and Pacific Islander experience to create a positive ripple effect for generations to come.
On behalf of the TAAF Board and Staff, thank you for your resilience and compassion. We are immensely proud of our collective impact as we continue to hold TAAF’s mission close to our hearts and champion it in our work.
To serve the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence.
Last year, we launched the largest philanthropic commitment in history for AAPI communities and causes.
This year, we expanded that investment into priorities we believe will build a better future and create lasting change for all.
AAPI organizations receive less than 0.2% of philanthropic giving from foundations—despite making up 7% of the US population. To reverse the long-standing underinvestment in our communities, TAAF launched the AAPI Giving Challenge: a multi-year campaign to drive corporates, foundations, and individuals to invest directly in AAPI communities, organizations, and causes close to their hearts.
The AAPI Giving Challenge was designed to be flexible, empowering donors to determine how they want to support the AAPI community.
Over 5 years, $1.1B in commitments will flow directly to AAPI communities and causes.
From strengthening infrastructure to fighting hate, critical funding from the Giving Challenge helps communities across the country rise up and accelerate the AAPI movement. In its first year, our Giving Challenge partners have exceeded their original $220 million commitment.
Our AAPI Giving Challenge partners invested directly to causes and organizations serving AAPI communities. These are just a few of their stories.
As a Giving Challenge partner, East West Bank is investing in diverse organizations working towards advancing AAPI representation, advocacy, and justice.
$25M committed over 5 years in 2021
$6M donated to key community organizations in 2022
A long-standing supporter of the AAPI community, Coca-Cola made nearly $2M in grants to organizations such as The Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Center for Pan Asian Community Service, and National ACE.
In 2021, Walmart’s Center for Racial Equity committed $100M to address systemic racism and accelerate change and joined the Giving Challenge to support AAPI communities and causes.
In partnership with TAAF, Bank of America committed $3M in grants to provide critical support to underserved AAPI communities. This grant was re-distributed to over 13 organizations providing direct services, language access and capacity building.
To combat the rise in AAPI hate crimes in the Bay Area, Goodwater Collective – the social impact arm of Goodwater Capital – invested in tech solutions to give the AAPI community safety at the touch of a button.
$5M invested in community safety
20k AAPIs received premium subscriptions
Access includes safety agents, location tracking, and emergency services.
Leading up to the 2022 Super Bowl, the NFL collaborated with artist Bernard Chang to display a mural with custom designs of Chinese-inspired helmets of all 32 teams.
Each helmet design was sold on NFL Auction, raising critical funding for orgs including TAAF and AAAJ-LA, Stand with Asians Community Fund, and the Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program.
Some of our partners focused on AAPI representation in media and the workplace through employee engagement and research initiatives.
McKinsey joined the Giving Challenge by launching their Asian Leadership Academy, an initiative to close the AAPI representation gap in the highest tiers of industry in the U.S.
400+ Organizations participating
15,000+ Asian Leaders enrolled
~3,400 Leaders have graduated so far
In 2021, KKR launched their first ERG for AAPI colleagues and allies, focused on fostering dialogue with a mentorship program, event series, and community board.
150 Members to date
4 Senior sponsor leads
UTA funded the most comprehensive analysis of AAPI representation in film to date. Findings by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative revealed stark erasure of AAPIs in movies, making headlines and strong proof points to fight for industry change.
In 2 extensive reports, Goldman Sachs analyzed economic trends that shaped the AAPI experience, including barriers at work and key contributions to economic growth.
Inclusive companies have healthier and happier teams. Bain set out to uncover how to create them. They released a study identifying concrete actions to help companies weave lasting change at the individual and organizational level.
10,000 people surveyed
Survey respondents represent diverse industries and demographic backgrounds in 7 countries
Other partners changed perception by harnessing their resources to drive narrative change for the AAPI community.
In 2021, TAAF partnered with Sesame Workshop, along with celebrities Simu Liu, Padma Lakshmi, and Naomi Osaka, to welcome Ji-Young – Sesame Street’s first-ever Korean American muppet – in the See Us Coming Together special.
In a video campaign “Where I’m From,” 8 AAPI artists flip the script on the question, “where are you from?” with creators who see their roots as catalysts, not crutches, to their creative expression.
P&G released The Name, a short film produced by an all-Asian creative team about the importance of learning AAPI names. The film was part of a larger campaign that included actionable tools to create change far beyond AAPI Heritage Month.
Panda Express was TAAF’s first Giving Challenge partner, committing $1 million from the Panda CommUnity Fund to improve AAPI representation on screen through TAAF’s Narrative Change Initiative.
The Giving Challenge provided access to resources and networks for AAPI artists who are telling our stories.
Sundance | The Asian American Foundation Fellowship and Collab Scholarship
Thanks to support from Panda Express and the MacArthur Foundation, the Sundance Institute and TAAF launched a fellowship and scholarship dedicated to developing the skills and careers of rising AAPI storytellers. With this program, TAAF and Sundance took action to improve AAPI representation in the entertainment industry by cultivating talent and giving them the spotlight to elevate their narratives.
Organizations leveraged their expertise to build healthier AAPI communities, and others focused on creating opportunities for AAPI businesses and entrepreneurs.
To help raise awareness of the Free Vaccines Program in immigrant communities, Merck worked with their APA EBRG to translate their Vaccines for Children Patient Education resource to Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish. The resource was then distributed to doctors and health systems to ensure language accessibility.
In 2021, Etsy launched a specially curated page of AAPI-owned shops that spotlighted one-of-a-kind, beautifully crafted products. Their platform was featured in outlets like BuzzFeed, Travel and Leisure, Good Housekeeping, and many more.
STAATUS Index 2022
Along with partners AAPI Data and Stop AAPI Hate, TAAF and LAAUNCH released the second annual STAATUS Index, an annual assessment of American attitudes and stereotypes of Asian Americans.
We expanded our work from 2021 and created awareness by conducting briefings with the White House and Congress, leaders in academia, philanthropy and nonprofit partners throughout the year.
We backed research projects to accelerate understanding and awareness across crucial issues.
Nearly 3 in 4 (74%) AANHPI women report experiencing racism and/or discrimination over the last year
AAPI women bear a big burden of anti-Asian violence and harassment, revealing a critical gap in data on the experiences of this vulnerable group. Our funding helped NAPAWF uncover groundbreaking insights to better support AAPI women and address these inequities with action.
2,400 AAPI women surveyed
40% of AAPI women report feeling more unsafe today than when the COVID-19 pandemic first began
How AAPI communities can unlock federal resources
AAPI-led and serving organizations are historically underfunded. With the Urban Institute and VENG Group, we embarked on a research project to better understand the landscape and barriers to federal funding. With new data, we’re building evidence to unlock public resources and push for equitable access and meaningful policy change.
TEAACH Implementation Collaborative
In 2021, Illinois passed the TEAACH Act to mandate the inclusion of Asian American history in K-12 curriculum. This year, TAAF joined other organizations, funders, and agencies to form the TEAACH Implementation Collaborative, ensuring thousands of teachers—and even more students—have the tools, readiness, and knowledge for more inclusive learning.
TEAACH is a case study for more inclusive education
The Collaborative focused on developing curriculum and preparing teachers to deliver Asian American history in Illinois. Here’s what they accomplished:
Compiled a K-12 Asian American Teaching Database, including resources for topics like Asian American Immigrant Experiences, Ethnic Studies and Student Solidarity Movement, Stereotyping & The Importance of Identity, and more
• TEAACHer Leader Cohorts
• Incentive and Recognition Program Briefing elected officials on TEAACH progress
Launched micro-credentials for teachers to implement TEAACH in classrooms
• 2 Education Pioneers Fellows funded by TAAF
• TEAACH Resource Guide for new AAPI history learning standards
• Mentorship program with drop-in office hours pairing Asian American History experts with educators
With their momentum, the work of the TEAACH Implementation Collaborative will become a case study for other states to implement Asian American history curriculum in their classrooms.
This year, TAAF provided a grant to support TalkingPoints, an innovative platform that gives teachers and families an accessible technology solution to reduce language and culture barriers for under-resourced, multilingual AAPI families.
$1M grant over 2 years
3 AAPI languages added to the platform’s 110+ languages
250K under-resourced AAPI families reached
AAPI Action Centers
We piloted three AAPI Action Centers in Chicago, Oakland, and New York City to serve communities most affected by hate crimes. Led by local partner organizations, these hubs respond to incidents, provide services for impacted parties, and support community efforts to build a localized response network.
Together with each Action Center, we fought AAPI hate and tested a model that we hope to deploy in more cities around the country.
In 2023, we’re partnering with more organizations to broaden the availability of anti-Asian and violence programs and services to additional cities.
In Chicago, TAAF’s funding helped CASL build extensive infrastructure to support victims of hate crimes, including hiring an Anti-Hate Action Center Manager and a Community Engagement specialist to engage in a deep outreach campaign and raise awareness for the resources available. The team coordinates wrap-around services for the survivors. CASL also conducted trainings on hate crimes at schools and did door-to-door canvassing around public safety.
27 community events
14 speaking engagements
8 trainings
70 partner meetings
21 meetings with elected officials and law enforcement
In Oakland, TAAF provided seed funding that unlocked even more resources to help AHS launch their Community Healing Unit (CHU). This program focuses on providing care for victims with services dedicated to making them whole again. For the many victims who don’t seek help because of a language barrier, AHS ensures care is accessible in multiple languages.
140+ clients impacted by anti-Asian hate and violence served by AHS
Dedicated line to access mental health services, systems navigation support, and cultural healing activities
60+ community leads for funeral services, victims fund, language assistance, and media relations
Rapid response referral program for Asian survivors with key stakeholders, including City, County, and other community-based organizations
In New York City, TAAF took a different approach to this Action Center by providing a grant to support AAF’s Hope Against Hate Campaign, which offers upstander, de-escalation, and self-defense trainings; protective accompaniment through its Community Companion services; victim support services; and sharing of safety resources through safe zones, in partnership with community-based organizations across the city.
$100K allocated to support 10 Asian-led groups providing safety programming
3 AAF staff hired to create a safety network and disseminate information about available resources
Through the Hope Against Hate Campaign, AAF provided safety trainings to nearly 1,000 participants in 6 Asian languages
Along with our Action Centers, we assembled a National Network to unite resources to better track, respond to, and prevent hate.
Beyond financial support, TAAF connects these organizations with each other to share best practices and streamline the solutions for anti-hate work. Here’s how our grantees took action.
Applying learnings from communities uniquely targeted by cycles of hate
The Sikh Coalition led 3 workshops with the Action Centers including 2 simulation exercises based on post 9/11 learnings. These focused on hate crime rapid response immediately after an incident, and sustainable resources to support communities months afterwards. Additionally for our friends at the Rise Together Fund, we funded a study to understand the needs of the Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) field to help them better plan for anti-hate efforts in the future.
Building the next generation of activists
Engaging 20 Youth Ambassadors to end bullying with Act to Change and, through Interfaith America’s work, hundreds of students and leaders in more than 11 college campuses to create interfaith coalition building.
Closing the gap in mental health support
For the Sikh community, our grant helped SALDEF create custom in-language fact sheets on how to navigate trauma and mental health covering all 50 states. They developed a network of culturally-competent providers, an online portal with trainings, and national resources.
Accessing a legal backbone to help victims heal
Our partners at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represent a network of nearly 90 local, state, and national bar associations. To date, they responded to over 300 requests for assistance and serve as the leading resource for intake and case management to respond to hate crimes and incidents. NAPABA also helped develop the legal response for the three Action Centers.
Training organizations in media rapid response
In Oakland, Chicago, and New York, the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) hosted 3 in-person media trainings to equip AAPI community organizations with expertise in media relations. Local journalists gave advice on pitching stories and insights from the field.
For victims, survivors, and their families, we created a fund to deploy immediate support.
Many victims don’t have the visibility or access to quickly get support and resources when they need it. To fill this need, TAAF created the Emergency Relief Fund, partnering with GoFundMe to grow contributions with community-sourced donations.
$500K seeded in GoFundMe
$135K donated thus far
17 fundraisers supported
We remembered those we lost too soon, by standing in solidarity with our community partners.
TAAF was proud to be a sponsor in a commemorative week that brought people together from all over the country to honor Vincent Chin and his legacy in the pan-Asian civil rights movement. We also sponsored Stand with Asian Americans (SwAA) for screenings of “Who Killed Vincent Chin” in NY, SF, Chicago, and LA.
In February, we joined the National Museum of American History with event programming to commemorate the 80th anniversary of legislation that wrongfully incarcerated 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.
In August we joined our partners at the Sikh Coalition and SALDEF to remember all those who were lost in the Wisconsin Oak Creek shooting. Their spirits burned brightly as attendees lit 600 candles in their honor.
During AAPI Heritage Month, TAAF premiered AAPI Heritage Heroes on Hulu. It was our opportunity to lift up and amplify the stories of six unsung AAPI heroes who represent the very best of this nation. Presented by an AAPI celebrity cast and developed by an almost entirely AAPI crew, this program was our love letter to our community, and to their diversity, history, and determination in the face of violence and discrimination.
We’re claiming our stories on-screen...
In October, PBS debuted One Day in March, a program narrated by Sandra Oh and scored by Jon Batiste. It examined the increasing anti-Asian violence and the growing movement to fight back like never before. TAAF was proud to be a funder for this tribute.
...and cultivating industry dialogue.
In July, we celebrated the release of Jo Koy’s Easter Sunday, the launch of Dan Lin’s Rideback Rise–an accelerator for BIPOC creatives–and Panda Express’s commitment of $1 million to TAAF’s AAPI Narrative Change Initiative. In partnership with Rideback Rise, we brought a powerhouse all-woman panel to discuss representation that goes deeper than what we see on screen, followed by a night of laughter by the biggest AAPI comedians in the business.
TAAF Convenings
This year, we brought together hundreds of corporate partners, nonprofit leaders, foundation executives, policymakers, and trailblazing voices in media to strengthen relationships, bridge new connections, and mobilize behind one shared mission: building a better future for the AAPI community.
We hosted a one-day gathering in Washington D.C. that started with important discourse across diverse sectors and ended with a fireside chat with Jeremy Lin and a sneak preview of AAPI Heritage Heroes.
325 reception guests
150 conference guests
4 panels
5 sponsors
Key Speakers: Daniel Dae Kim, Jose Antonio Vargas, Erika Moritsugu
We hosted a two-day Summit that brought leaders from media, philanthropy, nonprofit, corporations, and government to have inspiring discussions and identify opportunities of intersection and collaboration to move the AAPI community forward.
300+ leaders
5+ industries represented
2 days
6 key topic breakout sessions
60+ corporate CEOs
80+ corporate executives
20+ Foundation Presidents/CEOS
35+ media/government leaders
In partnership with the Jeremy Lin Foundation, TAAF and other partners committed $1.5M in seed funding to the Stronger Together Collaborative. This initiative recognizes that to achieve cross-racial solidarity, we also have to achieve intra-AAPI solidarity. Our support goes directly to youth organizations dedicated to building bridges within AAPI communities and other communities of color.
$1.5M grant across 3 years
9 NYC-based AAPI youth organizations
4K+ underserved families benefiting through our grant recipients
