SHARE:  
Facebook  Instagram  X  LinkedIn
Donate Today

A Message From Our CEO


Happy Lunar New Year! We’d like to take a moment to thank you for the many incredible accomplishments this past year. With supporters like you, we've pulled together with unyielding commitment to build organizational capacity, developed transformative partnerships, and played a critical role in advancing leadership and civic engagement.  


In 2024, the APAPA team was able to host 210 civic engagement and community events, mentor 227 interns, and register 1500 new voters across the nation! We organized and led the inaugural California Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocacy Day with 50+ diverse co-hosting organizations. 


We also hosted an APAPA National Leadership Conference and an API Heritage Month Celebration. This year, working through Anti-Asian Hate, COVID-19, and Elections, we have created and maintained spaces where our community felt a sense of belonging. 


APAPA celebrated our founder’s 88th Birthday this year! CC Yin founded APAPA in 2001, to increase API leadership and civic engagement. We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, volunteers, and attendees for their invaluable support in making his celebration unforgettable.


We finished 2024 with the great news of becoming a new member of the National Council on Asian Pacific Americans. NCAPA, a coalition of 40 organizations around the country, is based in Washington, D.C. APAPA is extremely honored to be a part of this national council.


In this new year as APAPA approaches its 25th Year Silver Anniversary, we reflect upon how far we have come on this journey with your friendship and partnership. Now, more than ever, APAPA needs your help to strengthen grassroots organizing and advocacy on a local and national level. Together, we will continue to advance the next generation of leaders to INSPIRE. ENGAGE. EMPOWER.


Join us at upcoming APAPA HQ events and be part of this milestone year!



With Gratitude,

Mary Yin Liu

APAPA National CEO

Meet Our Leadership Teams

Staff HQ Team
Leadership Team

Mission

Advancing Asian Pacific Communities Through Increased Leadership and Civic Engagement


Vision & Values

INSPIRE. ENGAGE. EMPOWER.



We inspire Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) to become grassroots chapter leaders and ambassadors in their own communities.


We engage our partners and supporters towards collective action for maximum impact.


We empower AANHPIs by facilitating government appointments into consequential roles, and by opening the doors to public leadership for youth through internships.

APAPA National Internship Program

Last year, over 220 student interns gained real world experience at legislative offices across the country, at the California State Capitol, and with public officials in Washington DC. Interns participate in our professional development workshops, while leading public policy research and voter registration campaigns.


Thank you to the elected officials and their offices for hosting the 2024 California Capital Spring Intern Cohort: Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Treasurer Fiona Ma, Asm. Dr. Jasmeet Bains, Asm. Mike Gipson, Asm. Matt Haney, Asm. Tri Ta, Asm. Stephanie Nguyen, Asm. Lori Wilson, Asm. Laura Friedman, Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, Sen. Nancy Skinner, and Sen. Brian Dahle. View all 240+ offices here.

Vrinda Vutukury, UC Davis

Intern for Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis

“The Lt. Governor took me under her wing, and I had the honor of meeting Vice President Kamala Harris. Each day in the office was different and exciting, and I learned so much about state politics in various sectors.”

APAPA Government Appointments Committee

APAPA-GAC works closely with the CA Gubernatorial Appointments Team while meeting monthly to support, interview, and endorse well-qualified candidates for gubernatorial appointments.


Committee Members: David Yee (Chair), Wenda Fong (Honorary Chair), Cathryn Rivera (Advisor), Linda Ng, Ethan Huynh, Maihoua Lo, Jacqui Nguyen.


Judicial Advisors: Judge Sophia Choi, Judge Stuart Hing, Judge Stephanie Sato.



Our success stories in 2023-2024: 

  1. Judge Sophia Choi - 2nd Korean American judge appointed to the Superior Court of Riverside County
  2. Judge Han Tran - 1st Vietnamese American judge appointed to the Superior Court of Alameda County
  3. Romer Cristobal - 52nd District Agricultural Association, Sacramento County Fair Board
  4. Amy Fabi - CA First Five Commission
  5. Gregory Leung - CA Acupuncture Board
  6. Joe Johal - California Fast Food Council
  7. Michaela Mendelsohn - CA Fast Food Council
  8. Dr. Tecoy Porter - State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention
  9. Avanti Ramraj - CA Youth Empowerment Commission (alternate)
  10. Sarah Yee - CA Youth Empowerment Commission (alternate)
  11. Eva Shalem Robinson - CA Student Aid Commission
  12. Tony Lin - CA Accountancy Board 
View Remarks from Judge Choi

APAPA Advocacy Days

CA AANHPI Advocacy Day - May 9, 2024

We organized and co-hosted the inaugural CA AANHPI Advocacy Day with over 50 co-hosting organizations to advocate for our communities in collaboration with the California API Legislative Caucus. The coalition focused on Language Access, Victim Compensation, and Representation within Appointments. We reached over half of the CA State Legislature in a single day. Save the date for the 2nd Annual Advocacy Day on April 28, 2025!

Washington, DC AANHPI Advocacy Day - June 27, 2024

We led over 400 activists from across the nation, in partnership with UCA and other organizations, to share our priorities and unique perspectives. Thank you Congressmembers Judy Chu, Ted Lieu, Grace Meng, Shri Thanedar, and Wiley Nickel for joining us.


We advocated for the following bills, reaching 287 offices:

  • HR 3697 (Al Green) Preemption Property Discrimination Act
  • HR 3434 & S.1702 (Grace Meng and Mazie Hirono) Teaching AANHPI History Act
  • HR 7924 (Jamall Bowman) Advancing Culturally Competent & Equitable Supportive Services in Mental Health Act
  • HR 8422 (Becca Balint) Amending Robert Stafford Disaster Relief & Emergency Assistance Act
  • HR 1535 (Larry Buschon) Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023

APAPA Asian Heritage Month Celebration

APAPA Lanterns & Lights Celebration

On October 10th, elected officials and community leaders recognized outstanding honorees and APAPA Founder CC Yin's 88th birthday at the Yin Ranch. Thank you to Congressmembers Ted Lieu, John Garamendi, and Dave Min, Assemblymembers Lori Wilson, Mike Fong, and Stephanie Nguyen, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and Honorable Mike Honda for celebrating with us.

APAPA National Leadership Conference

Over 75 APAPA leaders from across the country attended our National Leadership Conference to plan for 2025, and recognize the amazing work of our grassroots leaders. A special thank you to Congressmembers Mike Thompson, Doris Matsui, and Dave Min, Texas Rep. Gene Wu, CA Assemblymember Mike Fong, CA Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab, NY Assemblymember Grace Lee, and Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty for their empowering remarks.

APAPA Appreciation Night

A fabulous holiday celebration with our dedicated interns, leaders, and supporters.

APAPA Leaders in Action

Our leaders remained deeply committed to our communities, hosting over 210 community events, candidate forums and educational summits. See more here.

APAPA in the Nation's Capital

APAPA was honored to support the APAICS 2024 Legislative Leadership Summit. We are also excited to announce that APAPA has joined NCAPA!

Upcoming HQ Events
Donate Today

APAPA

Asian Pacific American Public Affairs

info@apapa.org | www.apapa.org

A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization

Tax ID #55-0849384