The Asian American Foundation

Five years ago, TAAF was launched—catalyzed by crisis and fueled by urgency and a commitment to the AAPI community. What began as a response has grown into long-term impact rooted in resilience, partnership, and purpose. Over the past five years, we’ve worked together to invest in the safety and revitalization of our communities, expand opportunities for the next generation, and uplift the stories and identities that make our community so vibrant. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: the power of coming together. In 2025, that collective effort led to meaningful growth, deeper impact, and a more focused approach—producing research to shape the national conversation, strengthening our work in communities, building lasting partnerships, and continuing to meet the evolving needs of AAPI communities across the country. This milestone is not just a reflection of what we’ve done, but of what we’ve built together. Thank you for joining us. We look forward to our work together for the next five, 10, and 100 years.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the country is sharply divided over a fundamental question: What does it mean to be truly American? Today, TAAF unveiled the findings of its sixth annual Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. (STAATUS) Index—the leading national study of Americans' perceptions of AAPIs. Conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, the study finds widespread uncertainty about the place of the nation’s 25 million AAPIs, revealing stark gaps in how U.S. adults think about the impact of federal policies on Asian Americans and the growing cultural influence of AAPIs. The survey also shows AAPIs are anxious amid mounting federal crackdowns on immigration, trade wars, safety concerns, and other pressures. “Despite our community’s growing power, a significant share of the public is still forming views about America’s fastest-growing racial group with no direct connection or information," said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. "[The STAATUS Index] helps to explain the perception gaps that run throughout this report, and has real consequences for our community’s future." Building on five years of research, this year's study brings an evolved methodology and expanded focus on policy and current events, developed with input from a committee of leading scholars. To read more, click the link in bio or visit share.taaf.org/STAATUS2026.

Too Asian. Not American enough. But what if we didn’t have to choose? Today, TAAF launched the "Asian+American" campaign, a national initiative created to embrace and celebrate the full complexity of our Asian American identities. While we’re told to shrink ourselves or question our place, this campaign uses the power of storytelling and personal narrative to assert the opposite: we belong here. At the heart of the campaign is the short film "Beyond, Together," narrated by award-winning actor @iamsandraohinsta and directed by award-winning director @seanswang , which explores the pressure to choose between identities and offers an intimate look at Asian American individuals embracing their full selves without limits or compromises. Created in partnership with @wknyc , #AsianPlusAmerican celebrates the pride, power, and complexity of being both. Being Asian American isn’t a contradiction. It’s our superpower. Learn more at the link in bio, or visit taaf.org.

An incredible few days with @taaforg . Thank you for having me and for letting me share my story of growing up Asian American. It’s a layered thing, being both. Never American enough. Never Asian enough. I didn’t have role models who looked like me growing up. So if my story - the hard parts, the becoming, the wins ..reaches even one little Asian girl out there, that’s everything. Happy AAPI Month 🤍 and shout out to my fellow panelists that were so inspiring @isacamillebriones @hayleykiyoko @harryshumjr @richardlui

FOR THE CULTURE + COMMUNITY 🌏 @taaforg Refreshing your timeline by adding some AAPI representation to the feed because it’s still #aapiheritagemonth & we’re just getting started ✨ Thank you to @taaforg for having me & for bringing the community together 🫶🏽 #aapicommunity #takeupspace #representationmatters #filam

“Doors don’t close forever. Sometimes they just need the right people to kick them open,” said @kehuyquan . Last night, at our fourth annual TAAF Awards Dinner, we honored Neal Mohan, @kehuyquan , @sheilaliriomarcelo , and @jlin7 , who work tirelessly to push boundaries and advance opportunity for our community, helping to create a brighter, more inclusive future. At a time where visibility and representation remain hard-won, their stories matter. They show the transformative power of being seen, supported, and empowered to lead—and how that can inspire entire generations to imagine bigger futures for themselves and their communities. Their journeys remind us that the Asian+American dream is shaped by resilience, strengthened by community, and made more possible every time someone breaks through barriers so others can follow.

“How wonderful is it that I get to be everything? It shouldn’t be these demarcations, these kind of ‘buts’ all the time. Getting to contain multitudes is the whole point of life,” says @isacamillebriones on what it means to be Asian+American. Yesterday, TAAF kicked off our fifth annual Heritage Month Summit, bringing together trailblazers, leaders, and advocates for a day of conversations tackling the issues our communities care about most—confronting misconceptions, reshaping narratives, and amplifying the stories too often left untold. Under the theme, “Together We Are the Asian+American Dream,” and as we celebrate five years of TAAF and approach America’s 250th anniversary, we explored how the AAPI community has helped shape this nation—and what it will take to build the next 250 years. Our first day of programming underscored the power of storytelling as both a reflection of who we are, and a path forward. Min Jin Lee reflected on the Asian+American experiences and themes that anchor her work—family, education, and ambition—saying that the reason we work so hard is because “we want to be seen, we want to be loved, and we want to protect the people that we care about—which makes us human.” Neal Mohan offered a powerful perspective on representation and creative expression when he said, “There's nobody who's telling you that you look or sound the right or wrong way; that you're from the wrong part of the world. If you have a story, you can share it.”  We also celebrated the creativity of our community through an inspired culinary experience led by some of New York City’s top AAPI chefs, alongside a curated marketplace featuring goods from AAPI entrepreneurs and founders. Together, these experiences reflected the Asian+American Dream—honoring how generations of Asian Americans have shaped the fabric of the American story, and continue to help shape innovation and creativity today.

We honor and celebrate the resilience, heritage, and impact of the Hmong community to the United States on Hmong American Day. From Hmong trailblazers to the significant role they played in the Vietnam War, you can explore more at the AAPI History Hub now. Don't forget to sign up for a free account to save your lessons!

February 24, 2020, began like any other day for journalist and television anchor @dionlimtv . While preparing for her morning editorial meeting, she checked Instagram and found a message from an unknown sender. Attached was a disturbing video showing men beating an elderly Asian man who was collecting cans in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood, while hurling racist slurs. Shocked, Lim felt compelled to investigate and seek accountability. That moment launched her 4+ year effort to expose the alarming rise of anti-Asian hate and violence in America. "Amplify! My Fight for Asian America" follows her journey, offering readers an eye-opening account of her emergence as a leading voice in the fight for Asian American visibility. Available now—get your copy at the link in bio.

"My work's very tied to the immigrant experience and ways we needed to find refuge and identity and protection through those means," says Dave Young Kim, Lead Curator and Artistic Director of "Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry." A Korean American artist, Kim draws from his own upbringing and deep engagement with AAPI narratives to shape immersive, mythologically inspired installations. His latest exhibition at the @usc_pam transforms immigrant stories into a layered, experiential journey through 12 rooms that blend contemporary art, historical objects, and pan-Asian iconography—inviting visitors to move through memory, displacement, and belonging. Click the link in bio to read the full interview and explore more about the exhibition on our blog, THE TAKEAWAY.

“It’s an examination of how Korea has risen in just three generations from a war-torn developing country to one of the most modern places in the world,” @danieldaekim says. “We’ll explore how that happened through food, cinema, beauty, and music.” A love letter to Korea, “K-Everything: The Global Rise of Korean Culture" is a four-part CNN travel series that follows Kim across the country as he dives into Korea’s pop culture, drama, beauty, and food industries. In the beauty episode, Kim speaks with makeup artist and influencer LeoJ and model Irene Kim about how beauty standards have evolved. He also tries a range of serums and face masks—and even visits a factory where snail mucin is collected for skincare products. “If we can start to understand one another a little better through culture, then I think it’s one step toward building a more connected global community,” Kim says. “And I think the world could use a little more understanding in general.” Watch the series on @hbomax and the @cnn apo now!

"[It feels special] to have little girls that look like us, or that live that experience, be able to see not only an example, but one in which they can see these super powerful characters stand strong and unapologetic in themselves," says @tatigabrielle , who plays Jade in Mortal Kombat II. In the sequel to 2021’s @mortalkombatmovie , Johnny Cage is recruited to join the warriors of Earthrealm in a gory battle against the evil warlord Shao Kahn. Among the fighters are Kitana and Jade. TAAF spoke with the cast members about carrying on the legacy of martial arts films, and being a part of a film that allows for nuanced portrayals of Asian characters. Mortal Kombat II, an action-packed martial arts powerhouse based on the video game franchise hits theaters nationwide today. To learn more, read the cast's full interview at our blog, THE TAKEAWAY.