The Asian American Foundation

Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and violence, TAAF is dedicated to building a safer, more inclusive future for AAPIs everywhere. Now in our third year, TAAF has accelerated the pace of progress to build safety and belonging for AAPIs. But we didn't do it alone; we worked closely with our partners to pursue immediate and long-term solutions to protect and support our communities to fight anti-AAPI hate, advocate for AAPI history as part of inclusive education, uplift creatives and storytellers in front of and behind the camera, and create spaces where our voices didn’t originally exist. And we're just getting started. To take a look at our full impact, visit share.taaf.org/EOY23.

AAPI history is American history. Our #AAPIHistoryHub provides a dynamic, easy-to-use database of vetted, classroom-ready resources including lesson plans, activities, articles, books, films, and other digital tools designed to help teachers foster belonging and inclusion in class. To check out the Hub, visit aapihistoryhub.org now.

TAAF, Palo Alto High School ASB, and Third State Books brought together members of Palo Alto’s AAPI community for an important discussion about youth mental health at Palo Alto High School. At this event, we explored the emotional well-being of young people–a subject that has often gone unspoken or carried a stigma in our community. TAAF CEO Norman Chen spoke on the panel alongside Dr. Bina Patel, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Stanford’s Vaden Health Center, noted journalist Dion Lim, and Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator and Founder of Initialized Capital. The panel, introduced by Palo Alto Mayor Greer Stone, tackled topics including the mental health impacts of the model minority myth, the challenges of balancing academic and career success while prioritizing mental health, and the need for better intergenerational understanding of mental health issues. We were pleased to have a full auditorium of parents, students, and community members join us—many of whom shared afterwards that it was the first time they’d ever witnessed a public conversation about mental health in the AAPI community. The mental health and well-being of our community is a priority for TAAF. Later this year, TAAF will be releasing a first-of-its-kind national study of AANHPI youth and the mental health landscape. Our hope is that this study allows us to better understand the factors that impact the mental health of AANHPI youth, and help find solutions that will support them in developing into healthy young adults.

This week, we were honored to co-host a Community Convening in Seattle to present the findings of TAAF’s newest research report, AANHPI Perspectives: Seattle Safety Study. Along with our National Anti-Hate partner CISC, we welcomed local partners, community organizations, business and philanthropic leaders, and local leaders to a discussion about the state of safety for AANHPIs in the Seattle metropolitan area. We’re thankful to be working with local partner organizations like Filipino Community of Seattle, Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington, and UTOPIA Washington who are dedicated to helping transform the data of this report into actionable strategies for change. We are also grateful to Friends of Little Saigon for allowing us to use their wonderful venue and for Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos for making time in her busy schedule to speak about the importance of investing in Seattle’s AANHPI community. The findings from the Seattle Safety Study present a stark reminder that anti-Asian hate persists in the city, with nearly 2 in 5 of the city’s AANHPI residents reporting that they’ve been the victim of a racially motivated incident within the past year, and nearly 1 in 5 reporting being physically attacked. Many AANHPIs feel unsafe in their daily lives, choosing to avoid speaking their native language in public or taking public transit. We hope that this report serves as a catalyst for greater resources in the community, and an opportunity for community leaders, public officials, and law enforcement to work together on building a safer Seattle for all residents.

Yesterday, Delaware Governor John Carney signed a bill making his state the seventh in the nation to legislatively require Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history to be taught in public K-12 classrooms. We join the Delaware AANHPI community in celebrating this massive win for education, representation, and belonging! We are proud to support our partners at Make Us Visible in leading this advocacy effort, and especially Make Us Visible Delaware's Co-directors and steering committee who represent an intergenerational team of community members, including college student leader Devin Jiang and local school board member Y.F. Lou. “Delaware’s AAPI community has a long and proud history of critical contributions to our state. From kindergarten all the way to 12th grade, it is important for Delawareans to learn that our history, just like our present and future, involved key contributions from people of diverse backgrounds. I thank MUV DE for helping to ensure Delaware remains at the forefront of progress, strength, and inclusivity,” said Senate Majority Leader and lead bill sponsor Bryan Townsend.

Happy National Dumpling Day! Swipe to learn some fun facts about one of the most versatile foods in the world. 🥟

Anti-Asian bias remains a significant problem for Seattleites. Today, TAAF revealed the eye-opening results of our AANHPI Perspectives: Seattle Safety Study. The report reveals that nearly 2 in 5 AANHPIs in Seattle have personally experienced hate because of their race or ethnicity in the past 12 months. Even more concerning, 1 in 5 AANHPIs reported experiencing physical attacks or assaults. Swipe for a shareable list of local resources and support, or visit https://lnkd.in/ensPTTxT to read the full report now.

Shohei Ohtani made baseball history as the first major league player to exceed 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season, going deep three times and swiping two bags on Thursday against the Miami Marlins. "It was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible. And, you know, it’s something that I’m going to cherish for a very long time,” said Ohtani.

According to our 2024 STAATUS Index, Americans not only have limited exposure to information about Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs), but are also unable to name or think of a famous NHPI. For the first time since its launch, the STAATUS Index includes expanded subgroup analyses with data about East Asians, Filipinos, South Asians, Southeast Asians, and NHPIs. Each new element in the 2024 STAATUS Index improves tracking and deepens our understanding of trends so we can advance efforts that fight hate and violence, reclaim AANHPI narratives, and celebrate the stories and histories of our diverse community. Visit share.taaf.org/STAATUS2024 to learn more.