Asian American Federation

We had a great time yesterday at ’s Amazing Food Bazaar! Thanks so much for inviting us, , and Northern King Dumpling for this delicious showcase of Asian cuisine. We loved sharing the stories and food of Murray Hill’s beloved local small businesses and uplifting Asian-owned businesses from across New York City!

As part of the Asian Senior Working Group, Our Director of Social Services, Lisa Zhen, attended the meeting with NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Park, NYC Human Resources Administration administrator Scott French, and other SWG members organized by Asian American Federation. During the meeting we discussed multiple issues. One of the key issues was the SNAP Benefit skimming, which had a severe impact on families who rely on food assistance.

Our group is the only Asian Senior serving advocacy coalition in the city. Our priorities are to identify and address the greatest needs of Asian seniors as well as advocate and share best practices for the challenges our seniors face.

“Asian Americans are more well-off, better behaved, and less in need of assistance than other minority groups.”

How many times have you heard this or something similar?

This is the model minority myth, and it both downplays the systemic racism and challenges Asian Americans face and pits us against other communities of color.

As Asian Americans are increasingly in the spotlight, let’s push back on these harmful stereotypes and work towards equitable policies that lift up all our communities.

Since we moved into our Queens office in early 2022, our small business team has been spearheading exciting collaborations to strengthen local, immigrant-owned small businesses and engage community members in Murray Hill and Elmhurst.

From our “Find Your Seoul” maps, luncheon, and food tours to flower planting to summer fairs to helping small businesses advocate for their own needs and much more, we were proud to share our successes and lessons this past week with NYC Department of Small Business Services and fellow grantees.

Many thanks to NYC SBS' support for our work through the AvenueNYC and merchant organizing grants!

💚 It’s ! Let’s talk about mental health in Asian American communities and how we can challenge stigma, break down barriers, and take care of ourselves and each other.

🗣️ More and more youth of color are opening up about their struggles and starting those crucial conversations with friends and loved ones. Yet, when they try to get help, many young Asian Americans often face cultural barriers speaking with mental health professionals who don’t understand our values, backgrounds, and experiences.

📝 Learn more in our recent report on Asian mental health: bit.ly/AAFMentalHealth

💬 And we’re making it easier to connect with providers who understand what it means to be Asian American through our mental health directory. With over 400 providers who speak over 19 Asian languages, relief is just a conversation away: mhd.aafederation.org

❓How has your cultural or racial background impacted your mental health journey? Let us know in the comments!

💚 Did you know July is ? Communities of color, including Asian Americans, face unique mental health challenges and barriers to equitable care.

🗣️ For Asian New Yorkers, and especially older adults, language barriers are some of the biggest struggles to getting mental healthcare. The problem isn’t just finding therapists fluent in Asian languages (already difficult enough!) but also a general lack of in-language resources and education about mental health.

📝 Learn more in our recent report on Asian mental health: bit.ly/AAFMentalHealth

💬 And we’re making it easier to find mental healthcare that speaks your language through our mental health directory. With over 400 providers who speak over 19 Asian languages, relief is just a conversation away: mhd.aafederation.org

AAF director of research Linying He was in Washington, D.C. last month presenting local findings from our national study on Korean American older adults!

The D.C. metropolitan area is home to nearly 85,000 Koreans, with the population of Korean Americans ages 50-64 growing at nearly double the rate of other same-aged adults. However, the unique needs of Korean seniors are often overlooked and 6 in 10 Koreans seniors living in D.C. are struggling to make ends meet.

Learn more in our report here: https://www.aafederation.org/toward-better-aging/

🧑‍💻 Please welcome our new online marketing apprentices! Over the past few months, AAF, , and have been hosting courses for community members who want to learn digital marketing skills to improve their own businesses or start a new career path.

💻 We’ve recruited three graduates of those classes to get more intensive training and hands-on experience with the AAF team. They’ll be working us until early September helping immigrant small business owners get online and thrive in the digital age!

🍾 Thank you so much to all our friends, supporters, and community members who celebrated AAF’s 35th birthday with us at our Impact Awards! You made our birthday bash truly a night to remember.

📈 When we started out in 1989, there were 500,000 Asian New Yorkers, or just 7% of the population. AAF was just three people working out a tiny conference room. Now, 1 in 6 New Yorkers are Asian—that’s 1.5 million people!—and team AAF is nearly 30 people with over 70 incredible partner organizations throughout New York City and State.

🎊 Looking into the crowd last Thursday, we were truly humbled by how far we’ve come and by the strength and vibrancy of our community. In the past 35 years, we’ve faced challenges and hardships but also triumphs and success. And together, we’ve also risen to every occasion, broken barriers, claimed our seats at the table, and opened doors so everyone’s voices can be heard.

🎉 From our community safety program to our economic empowerment services to our advocacy for more equitable policies and investments, none of our work would be possible without you all. Heres to another 35 years!

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Our 35th Anniversary Impact Awards gala is sold out! Thank you so much to our supporters and sponsors! Please look forward to an exciting night tomorrow as we celebrate not only 35 years of AAF’s work but also the incredible transformation and vibrancy of New York’s Asian communities 🎉

Missed out on snagging one of our 🩷Love, Elmhurst💚 tote bags earlier this month? Well, here’s your second chance to show off your love for the neighborhood! Just shop at any of the participating local small businesses (swipe for the map) and show them this post to get your free bag. It’s that easy!

Promotion ends on July 3, 2024 and while supplies last.

Applications for the AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund close tomorrow! Learn more about the $5k-$25k grants are available for AAPI-owned restaurants and apply here: https://aapistrong.com

The application deadline for National ACE and 's AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund has been extended to June 22! If you still haven't submitted an application yet, now's the time! -owned restaurants across the country are eligible for grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.

AAF is also helping small businesses owners apply for this grant, so feel free to reach out to us at @aafederation.org for questions or concerns.

Christina Yuna Lee’s senseless death shattered us during a moment when our community was already reeling from the pandemic and struggling with profound pain and grief. Since that day in February 2022, we’ve carried her memory and the memory of all the victims of anti-Asian hate in our hearts.

Today, Christina’s name and her spirit continue to resonate with the Asian American community and all New Yorkers. Our hope is that every New Yorker can live in safety and thrive with dignity, and we will continue fighting for that future in Christina’s memory.

AAF Associate Director of Research Linying He is in DC today presenting our nationwide study on Korean American older adults!

Among our top findings: 6 in 10 Korean seniors don't have enough money to afford basic necessities like rent, food, and healthcare.

Learn more: https://www.aafederation.org/toward-better-aging/

Today is Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery after the Civil War and of Black resilience and resistance. At AAF, we stand with our Black siblings today and every day in the pursuit of racial justice for all.

Congratulations to our Spring 2024 Leaders in Training (LIT) cohort who just completed their final session today! For the past few months, this motivated group of mid- to senior-level professionals has honed their management skills and will return to their organizations as better leaders for their teams and our communities.

We appreciate the New York City Council's support in making the seventh year of our LIT program another success!

🌟 Introducing our fifth honorees for the AAF 35th Anniversary Impact Awards Gala—Glen A. Rae and Ruth Arnould!

🌟 Both longtime legal professionals at Bank of America , Glen A. Rae is the Deputy General Counsel for Global Markets & International and Chief Legal Officer for BofA Securities, Inc. and Ruth Arnould is Managing Director and Associate General Counsel as well as global head of Legal for Credit Derivatives, FX, Rates, Futures, and Clearings. Each with decades of legal experience, Glen and Ruth are frequent speakers at industry conferences, and are committed to increasing the pipeline of racially diverse attorneys in the financial services industry.

🌟 Please join us in honoring Glen A. Rae and Ruth Arnould at our gala on June 27, 2024! aafederation.org/gala

Introducing our fourth honoree for the AAF 35th Anniversary Impact Awards Gala—Soo Kim!

🌟 Soo Kim is a managing partner and chief investment officer of Standard General, L.P. and chairman of . An immigrant from Seoul, South Korea, he grew up in the diverse neighborhoods of Queens and attended Stuyvesant High School, now serving as its alumni association’s president. He also sits on the board of , a nonprofit fellowship program to train working class adults for tech careers, and is vice chairman of the .institute.

🌟 Please join us in honoring Soo Kim at our gala on June 27, 2024! bit.ly/AAF2024Gala (or link in bio!)

The application deadline for National ACE and 's AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund has been extended to June 22! If you still haven't submitted an application yet, now's the time! -owned restaurants across the country are eligible for grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.

AAF is also helping small businesses owners apply for this grant, so feel free to reach out to us at @aafederation.org for questions or concerns.

From AAF to all our LGBTQ+ friends and family, happy pride! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

📝 NEW research from AAF! Earlier this year, all eyes were on New York Congressional District 3’s special election—a local race to replace former Congressman George Santos that had far-reaching implications for national politics. NY-3 is home to a rapidly growing Asian American community, and Asian voters played a decisive role in shaping Tom Suozzi’s successful bid for the competitive seat.

📈 Our latest report delves into the voting trends among Asian Americans in Congressional District 3, comparing the 2022 general election to the 2024 special election. AAF’s analysis shows how targeted outreach to Asian voters can harness our growing political strength, boost turnout, and sway electoral outcomes.

🗳️ Check out our full findings in our latest report at congressionaldistrict3.aafederation.org (or link in bio!). View on desktop for the best experience!

☀️ We had a blast on Saturday at our second Elmhurst Summer Fair! Thank you to all our friends and neighbors who came out for sidewalk chalk art 🖍️, fun temporary tattoos 🧜‍♀️, bubbles 🫧, DIY essential oils 🪻, dance performances 💃, and more!

A big part of this event was supporting our local small businesses and showing love to the Elmhurst community. 🎟️ We gave out free food vouchers🧋to nearby restaurants, and everybody who shopped at an Elmhurst small business that day got a free tote bag—plus two lucky raffle winners walked away with a pearl necklace!

💚 Many thanks to all the participating local small businesses, the Buddhist Foundation Service Center, , , and and for your support in making Saturday such a wonderful event for everyone! 🩷

Tomorrow in Elmhurst! Join us for a great family-friendly event plus exciting raffles and giveaways!

Today is the last day to apply for National ACE and Grubhub’s AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund!

Apply: AAPISTRONG.com

Without the tech or English skills, many Asian and immigrant small business owners are being left behind in an increasingly digital world. That's where AAF steps in, helping people like Jinglan Quan keep her restaurant doors open.

Our services are completely free for small business owners, but that means we need your help to keep doing this work: https://www.giveffect.com/campaigns/31999-100-of-your-donation-helps-a-small-business-owner-succeed

Yesterday at ’s reception, we were thrilled to celebrate the appointment of our very own Deputy Director of Research & Policy Andrew Sta. Ana to the New York State AAPI Commission! Andrew is among the six community leaders named to the commission to help ensure our voices are heard and the needs of AAPI New Yorkers are met. Congratulations to Andrew and all the new commissioners!