To serve the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence.
our shared history
Population Growth
Asian Americans have the fastest growth rate of any major racial or ethnic group, 3.5x faster than the overall U.S. population. The U.S. Asian American population grew from nearly 12 million to over 20 million from 2000 to 2012, a 72% increase. AAPIs are the 3rd largest demographic in America.
Pew Research
Income Gap
Among all ethnic and racial groups in the U.S., Asians have the biggest income gap between the top 10% and the bottom 10%. AAPIs near the top of the income ladder had 8.7 times as much income as AAPIs near the bottom.
Pew Research
Experience Hate Incidents
Despite having been in the U.S. for over 250 years, 1 in 4 Asian Americans have experienced a hate incident and 64% have been asked, "Where are you really from?"
Axios
Underfunded
Of all groups of color, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities receive less than 0.2% of foundation giving and less than 1% of corporate philanthropy.
AAPIP
Asians in the US
Image credit: Harper's Weekly, 1883.
of 1871
Image credit: Public Domain.
Image credit: The Royal BC Museum.
Image credit: Ansel Adams / Library of Congress
Image credit: Corky Lee.
Image credit: Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles.
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Photograph: Ignatius Bau
Photograph:
AP Photo/Andres Kudacki
Photograph: Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Photograph: Reuters
Photograph: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
founding story
“Have come, Am here.”
-Jose Garcia Villa, celebrated Pilipinx immigrant and poet
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have called the United States of America home for over two centuries. The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) is stepping up to protect our fundamental right to belong and prosper, free from cycles of discrimination and violence.
From the first recorded settlement of Filipinos in 1763 escaping imprisonment aboard Spanish Galleons in New Orleans, and throughout each succeeding wave of immigration from Asia and the Pacific since then, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have fought and endured in our struggle to be valued by American society.
Despite our AAPI communities' remarkable success and vital contributions across social, economic, and political realms, progress towards greater national acceptance and belonging continues to be threatened by unchecked cycles of xenophobia and race-based violence. The time for change is now.
The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) believes that a better America is not only possible but necessary.
Even as the fastest growing ethnic group in the country, AAPI communities are severely underfunded. We are consistently denied opportunities for professional advancement. Our most vulnerable are overlooked and violently assaulted daily.
We want to close the vast AAPI economic and influence gap. Our board has made the largest philanthropic commitment in history focused specifically on AAPI communities—and this is just the beginning.
We serve the 23 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who strive to build on the promise of America and create a future that we—and the next generation—deserve. Every single one of us is part of the American story—and The Asian American Foundation is here to stand up for us all.
Participate in Building a Better America
Get involved, find resources, or share your story. Together we can forge a shared vision for a brighter future for all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
What We Do
The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) provides funding and resources to build the infrastructure to improve AAPI advocacy, power, and representation.
Fund
We mobilize resources for the community to build infrastructure to generate long-term influence, dismantle injustice, and advocate for the well-being of all AAPIs.
Convene
We bring together activists, civil rights organizations, CEOs, corporations, policymakers, and AAPI leaders to align efforts and celebrate our collective contributions to American society.
Incubate
We identify and address the AAPI community's most pressing challenges.
our focus areas
Anti-Hate
The hate stops now. We invest in solutions that end the cycle of violence, and protect AAPI communities against hate in the future.
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Narrative Change
We promote positive narratives and representation to combat the model minority and perpetual foreigner myths.
Education
Belonging starts with visibility. We invest in storytelling—across education, media, film, and the arts—that reflects AAPIs as part of the American story, and cultivates greater cultural awareness and empathy.
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