Top 10 National Non-Profit Organizations for A/PIAs

The Top 10 National Non-Profit Organizations for A/PIAs

By: Veronica Garcia, Arthur Wang, and Claire Vergara

Non-profit organizations have provided social services and political and legal advocacy for A/PIAs, although they are by no means the only sources for these services. We chose to focus on national non-profit organizations because they have emerged as some of the most recognizable and effective resources for A/PIAs, and because national organizations may serve and represent A/PIAs nationally better than an organization with a more local focus.

Rationale and Criteria

To survey our options, we combined personal knowledge and online searches, using a broad list of different foci to identify what we should search for. From this list, we used these initial criteria to select the organizations on the list:

* The organization must explicitly serve A/PIAs
We focused on pan-ethnic organizations; for example, the Organization of Chinese Americans or the Japanese American Citizens League were not included
* The organization must be national
* The organization must be non-profit, typically 501(c)(3)


Once we had our list, we applied various criteria to narrow it down to a top ten:

* Recognition – is the organization well-known? Has the organization won awards or been acknowledged for its work?
* Pioneering – are there other similar national, non-profit organizations for A/PIAs, or were there others when this organization was founded? Does or has the organization focused on a specific issue that has been overlooked or underacknowledged?
* Impact – has the organization made significant progress on its issue? Are there any notable events, campaigns, cases, etc. for which the organization is know or responsible?


Using these criteria, we decided between us which organizations would be included on the top ten. We gave special consideration to the “pioneering” criteria; that is, we tried to diversify the field of issues represented in our selection process. There is no specific order to the list.


APIA Top 10 National Non-Profit Organizations

1. National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
2. Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO
3. A/PIAVote
4. Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
5. The Asian American Writers’ Workshop
6. Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
7. National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
8. National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO)
9. National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (NCAPACD)
10. Asian and Pacific Islander Health Forum (APIAHF)

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1. National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
http://napawf.org

NAPAWF is the only national, multi-issue APA women’s organization in the country. The mission of NAPAWF is to build a movement to advance social justice and human rights for APA women and girls.

Recognition

Although NAPAWF has not received any awards, the organization has several accomplishments at national, legislative, and local levels. In 2005, for examples three of NAPAWF’s California chapters voted to organize around 4 bills related to addressing human trafficking, banning phlalates in cosmetic products, and supporting a single-payer health care system in California. In 2004, NAPAWF members organized an International Marriage Broker Regulation Act Lobby Day, to discuss the bill that would protect the rights of mail order brides.

Pioneering

NAPAWF is the only national, multi-issue APA women’s organization in the country. Once an all-volunteer organization, NAPAWF is now one of the few staged national women of color organizations in the U.S. Their reproductive justice and anti-trafficking programs have drawn national attention to the issues not commonly magnified in the APIA community. The California Young Women’s Collaborative is one of the only youth-led research and activism projects that focuses on the reproductive health concerns of API women across California campuses.

Impact

NAPAWF has developed a series of fact sheets, issues briefs, and other materials that explore important reproductive issues relating to health care, immigration, contraception, environmental justice, Medicaid, abortion, and sex selection. NAPAWF is also at the forefront of building coalitions and cross-movement strategies with other social justice movements. For example, NAPAWF helps coordinate local, regional, and national initiatives to improve nail salon worker health and safety.

2. Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO
http://www.apalanet.org/

APALA, AFL-CIO is the first and only national organization of APA union members. Founded in 1992, APALA has 11 chapters and pre-chapters and a national office in Washington D.C. APALA has over 600,000 APA workers that have joined unions.

Recognition

APALA has been credited with shifting the AFL-CIO toward more actively organizing API workers.

Pioneering

APALA remains the first and only national organization for APA union members. It promotes political education and voter registration programs among APAs, as well as training, empowerment, and leadership of APAs within the labor movement and APA community. Furthermore, APALA actively seeks to develop ties within international labor organizations, especially in Asia and the Pacific.

Impact

APALA works with the AFL-CIO organizing institute to train API workers in organizing techniques. APALSA also works to build awareness of the labor movement among APA workers. They also build awareness and address exploitative conditions in industries with large numbers of APA workers. Furthermore, APALA is active in federal and state legislative efforts on immigration reform and the access of immigrants both legal and illegal to social services.

3. A/PIAVOTE
http://www.apiavote.org

A/PIAVote is a national non-profit nonpartisan organization that promotes the civic participation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans on the grassroots, democratic, and policy levels.

Recognition

To date, A/PIAVote does not have any longstanding awards; however, A/PIAVote has worked closely with all AAPI politicians particularly congresspersons and senators making the organization recognizable on both a state and national level.

Pioneering

A/PIAVote is a unique organization that was started in the early 1990’s as the Asian American identity began to arise in all arenas. For the first time, Asian American populations were being recognized in the media, workforce, and in politics. This was an opportune chance for leaders in the APIA community to come together to create an organization that would empower Asian Americans through not only voter education and registration, but also field building, leadership development, media relations and youth outreach. A/PIAVote provides unique statistics and information about APIA populations regarding voting.

Impact

A/PIAVote is unique in that it is a nonpartisan organization, which sets it apart from other organizations that promote APIA voter registration. This year alone, A/PIAVote was monumental in creating events to celebrate APIA achievement in politics at both the Democratic National Convention and Republican National Convention, which was never done before. Furthermore, A/PIAVote tries to be representative on a state level by starting chapters in key states as well as those with high APIA populations. A/PIAVote also builds bridges in the APIA community by working closely with organizations with similar aims like AALDEF and APALA. Lastly, A/PIAVote worked hard to register a record number of APIA voters especially youth through campaigns like Project 5% (registering APIA youth voters through collegiate conferences, student organizations, and the Greek system).

4. Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
http://www.aaldef.org

AALDEF is a national, New York-based civil rights organization founded in 1974. They educate and protect civil rights by multiple methods: litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing. They are a founding member of the Public Interest Law Center, which includes the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund as well as the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Recognition

AALDEF continues to receive financial support solely from individuals, corporations, and foundations – the organization does not receive government funding.

Pioneering

AALDEF focuses on multiple issues that affect Asian Americans: immigrants’ rights; voters’ rights and language access; workers’ rights and economic justice; police misconduct; and human trafficking, among others. AALDEF is unique in its combination of methods – they organize at the grassroots level while pursuing legal action and political advocacy. In addition, they have a long-term community-based focus: they provide free legal advice; provide legal resources to community organizations; educate Asian Americans about their rights; and train future lawyers to serve their communities.

Impact

AALDEF has shown visible success in litigation and voting rights. Recently, they won a case in which Chinese immigrant restaurant delivery workers were awarded $4.6 million for violations of federal and state laws by two Saigon Grill restaurants in Manhattan. In addition, they have conducted an exit polling effort across up to 11 states in the past few elections, polling thousands of Asian and Arab American voters in order to protect their rights as voters and better document voting trends. They have won cases as a result of observations made by election observers associated with their election protection, leading to the provision of multilingual ballot materials, for example.

5. The Asian American Writers’ Workshop
http://aaww.org

The Asian American Writers’ Workshop established in 1991 and operates out of a 6,000 square-foot loft in New York, NY. It is one of the most active community arts organizations in the United States. AAWW is devoted to the creating, publishing, developing and disseminating of creative writing by Asian Americans.

Recognition

Since 1998, the AAWA have honored Asian American writers for excellence in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, memoir stage plays and screenplays through their Annual Asian American Literary Awards.

Pioneering

The AAWA has a list of award-winning books and have become an educational resource for Asian American literature and awareness.

Impact

Writers such as Jhumpa Lahiri (Interpreter of Maladies, Unaccustomed Earth), David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly), and spoken word poet Beau Sia have led workshops at AAWW. The AAWW loft has a reading room of Asian American literature through the decades.

6. Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
http://www.aaja.org


AAJA was founded in 1981 and operates with the mission of encouraging A/PIAs to enter the journalism industry; working for fair and accurate coverage of A/PIAs; and increasing the number of A/PIA journalists and news managers. It is a national non-profit membership organization with chapters in 20 states, as well as members working in Asia. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY Journalists of Color, which includes the Native American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and National Association of Black Journalists.

Recognition

In 1995, the University of Missouri awarded the Medal AAJA for Distinguished Service in the Industry.

Pioneering

In 1981, a small group of A/PIA journalists founded AAJA, seeing the need for such an organization. In addition to their stated mission, AAJA also provides greater recognition to A/PIA journalists through its own awards. Besides recognizing achievement in journalism, they also present awards for excellence in coverage of civil rights and issues of social justice for A/PIAs, as well as corporations or individuals that have demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity in the news and industry.

Impact

The AAJA now has over 2000 members. They host an annual convention, drawing hundreds of journalists. They provide services to their members in the form of job listings and resume postings. In addition, they run professional programs – training in multimedia and leadership; mentor programs; and fellowships – and programs aimed at students – scholarships for A/PIA journalism undergraduates; internships; and the opportunity to work on projects with other journalists of color.

7. National Asian Pacific Bar Association (NAPABA)

NAPABA is a national association and network of A/PIA attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA advocates for the legal needs and interests of the APA community.

Recognition

NAPABA currently does not have any outstanding awards or accolades recognized by outside organizations; however, several of the lawyers, judges, and politicians belonging to the organization have been bestowed with the Trailblazer Award, which praises the candidate for any impactful work they may have done. Furthermore, NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 57 local APA bar associations, with practice settings ranging from solo practices to large firms, corporations, legal services organizations, non-profit organizations, law schools, and governmental agencies.

Pioneering

NAPABA is the only national APA bar association in the United States; however, NAPABA was not the first. Created in 1988, NAPABA has been at the forefront of national and local activities in the areas of civil rights, anti-immigrant sentiment, while increasing the diversity of the judiciaries and firms. NAPABA was the first organized and unified representation of APIA legal workers.

Impact

NAPABA does not currently have any specific campaigns, but the organization and its members monitor legislative and judicial developments to promote A/PIA political leadership. NAPABA also advocates for equal opportunity in education and the workplace, eliminate discrimination against A/PIAs, and builds coalitions amongst legal professionals and the community. NAPABA is a resource for APIA government agencies, politicians, and public service organizations. NAPABA serves as the voice of the A/PIA community in the legal realm.

8. National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO)
http://www.naatco.org

NAATCO was formed in 1989. It’s mission is to assert the presence and significance of Asian American theatre in the United States by demonstrating its vital contributions to the fabric of American culture. NAATCO takes European and American classics as written with all Asian American casts. They also present adaptations of these plays by Asian American playwrights and new plays written by non-Asian Americans, nor for or about Asian Americans, but realized by an all Asian American cast.

Recognition

NAATCO was the recipient of the 2006 Rosetta LeNoire Award from Actors' Equity Association in recogntion of its contribution toward increasing diversity and non-traditional casting in American theatre.

Pioneering

NAATCO prides itself on its ability to reach across ethnic boundaries to illuminate universal characteristics of human nature. To quote the NAATCO website, “The superimposition of our Asian faces on a non-Asian repertory, interpreted by artists using diverse and truly universal references to serve the text very faithfully, reflects and emphasizes the kinship among disparate cultures.”

Impact

By binding themselves to the American experience but consciously making an effort to transcend ethnic boundaries in order to relay universal truths, NAATCO enriches several cultures, and not just American culture as a whole. NAATCO helps to accurately represent onstage the multi- and intercultural dynamics of our society.

9. National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (NCAPACD)
http://www.nationalcapacd.org/

NCAPACD strives to be a powerful voice for the unique community development needs of A/PIA communities and to strengthen the capacity of community-based organizations to create neighborhoods of opportunity.

Recognition

NCAPACD currently has no long-standing awards, yet, this organization is pinnacle in doing work that never been performed prior to its inception. NCAPACD has created many local chapters that work to enhance the lives of the lower class socioeconomic A/PIA family as well as working with local community development centers to maintain Chinatowns, Little Manila’s, Little Saigon’s, and similar communities.

Pioneering

National CAPACD is the first national advocacy organization dedicated to addressing the community development needs of diverse and rapidly growing A/PIA communities. NCAPACD is a network of over 100 organizations and individuals in 17 states that serve Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, refugees and immigrants nationwide. The network utilizes affordable housing, community development, and organizing to improve the livelihood of low-income A/PIA communities.

Impact

NCAPACD works on key issues of access to housing, data policy, economic justice, and community preservation. With these key aims, NCAPACD promotes home ownership, dispel the Model Minority Myth by trying to show government agencies that A/PIA families suffer from poverty too, assisting those A/PIAs that are limited language proficient, and restoring historical Asian enclaves around the US.

10. Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum (A/PIAHF)
http://www.apiahf.org

A/PIAHF is a national advocacy organization dedicated to promoting policy, program, and research efforts to improve the health and well-being of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

Recognition

A/PIAHF has no long standing awards but has been renowned for their wide array of advocacy programming. Currently, they have created a health information network for A/PIA communities, organized census data pertaining to A/PIA communities, capacity-building for those affected by HIV as well as promoting awareness, doing research and working against domestic violence, and implementing tobacco education/cancer survivorship programs.

Pioneering

A/PIAHF was founded in 1986 to develop to build coalitions and capacity within local A/PIA communities. A/PIAHF advocates for health issues of significance to A/PIA communities, conduct community-based assistance and training, provide health and U.S. Census data analysis and information dissemination, and convene regional and national conferences on A/PIA health.

Impact

A/PIAHF enables Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to attain the highest possible level of health and well-being. It envisions a multicultural society where Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are included and represented in health, political, social and economic areas.