October 2023: Leadership and Representation

Dear Friends,

As the crisis in the Middle East continues, we are unfortunately reminded about the presence and perniciousness of hate around the world. Everyone deserves to feel safe in the communities where they live and work. In the past few weeks, TAAF has responded to multiple hate-fueled attacks here in the U.S. of children, teens and adults in their homes, on trains, and in their communities. We are grateful to our 46 partners in our National Anti-Hate Network who have been working tirelessly to ensure that our communities have the resources and support to respond, and hopefully prevent, such attacks in the future. For more than three years, our families and friends have lived in fear with the historic rise of anti-Asian hate, and we call on our public officials and leaders to prioritize restoring safety to our communities.

We believe creating belonging is the antidote to hate. So we must also advocate for, celebrate and amplify authentic representation in all the places we see ourselves – from textbooks, classrooms, boardrooms, newsrooms to casting rooms. From seeding the next generation of creative storytellers in Hollywood to commissioning the first ever comprehensive study on AANHPI Youth Mental Health, TAAF is committed to identifying and supporting the most critical opportunities for our communities to make progress. We hope to continue building alongside our nonprofit partners and community leaders so that belonging is within reach for everyone.

In solidarity,

Norman Chen‍
CEO, The Asian American Foundation

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RESOURCES+ REPRESENTATION

Creating pathways to leadership at the AAPI CEO Dinner

At our second annual AAPI CEO Dinner on September 26, we convened 170 AAPI CEOs, executives, and leaders to discuss the urgency of building representation and belonging at work, and the unique privilege our attendees have to create opportunities for the next generation of AAPI leaders.

We are grateful to our partners at Forbes and our esteemed speakers and moderators: Maneet Ahuja, Founder & Editor-at-Large of Forbes’ Iconoclast; Laxman Narasimhan, CEO, Starbucks; and Nikhil Deogun, Former Editor-in-Chief, CNBC and CEO of the Americas & U.S. Senior Partner, Brunswick Group.

TAAF Board member and CEO & Co-Founder of Proof of Learn & Ohai.ai, Sheila Lirio Marcelo, said it best, "The reality is—you have to represent. You must take that accountability seriously." We are focused on accelerating and expanding AAPI leadership in corporate America with our partners, and will soon share plans to increase AAPI representation on Boards and in the C-Suite.

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NARRATIVE CHANGE

Elevating authentic AAPI narratives

Uncovering barriers to advancement and providing talent development opportunities for AAPIs working in entertainment

Red Light/Green Light: Overcoming Roadblocks to Asian American Creative Executive Success in the Entertainment Industry

This collaborative study, led by CAPE and supported by TAAF, focuses on the experience of Asian American creative executives, those who ultimately greenlight projects and shepherd them to screen, in the entertainment industry. The report explores topics such as barriers to entry and promotions, day-to-day challenges, and factors that contribute to attrition and industry pivots.

To launch this study, CAPE & TAAF hosted the inaugural Culture Change Salon: Greenlighting AANHPI Stories in Los Angeles which brought together the largest gathering of Asian American and Pacific Islander creative executives.

Read the TAAF and CAPE Red Light / Green Light Report here

Lights, Camera, AANHPI! A Creative Development Directory

The study shows that Asian American professionals working in entertainment are eager to greenlight more diverse projects helmed by AANHPI creatives. The Lights, Camera, AANHPI: A Creative Development Directory is a centralized resource, with 200+ talent development opportunities for AANHPIs in film and entertainment who are looking to advance their creative work and their careers.

Check out the Lights, Camera, AANHPI! A Creative Development Directory

TAAF and the Sundance Institute Announce Second Cohort of AAPI Artists for Fellowship and Collab Scholarship. (Sundance)

Strengthening Representation through the Sundance Institute | The Asian American Foundation Fellowship and Collab Scholarship

12 AAPI emerging and established filmmakers have been selected for the annual program

TAAF and the Sundance Institute are proud to announce the second cohort of the “Sundance Institute | The Asian American Foundation Fellowship and Collab Scholarship” to provide AAPI artists working in film and television with professional development opportunities and community building with like-minded creatives and mentors.

We are thankful for the support of our AAPI Giving Challenge partner Panda Express and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation who make this program possible. Meet the cohort here!

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ANTI-HATE

The first ever comprehensive study on AANHPI Youth Mental Health

Our 2023 STAATUS Index revealed that Asian Americans — especially our youth — are the least likely to feel they completely belong and are accepted. Asian American youth (aged 16-24) feel this lack of belonging in school/college/university (53%), online spaces (48%), and our own neighborhoods (30%).

On World Mental Health Day, TAAF announced our commitment to addressing this mental health crisis for our Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) youth through the first ever comprehensive study on AANHPI Youth Mental Health.

Along with a distinguished group of scholars and experts, we’re launching one of the first-ever comprehensive studies on AANHPI Youth Mental Health. Through this study, we will seek to understand factors that impact the mental health of AANHPI youth and identify effective solutions. We are launching the study this fall and will share initial findings in early 2024.

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Partner Spotlight

TAAF is honored to build with incredible community partners with the support of our AAPI Giving Challenge partners.

Each month we highlight the impact of their work and support of our grantees.

Meet our partners by clicking the image below to learn more about their work.

Sikh Coalition (link)

NAPABA (link)

Starbucks (link)

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