We Asked 1,500 AAPI Adults How They’re Experiencing Life Today. What They Shared Might Surprise You.
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Today, The Asian American Foundation is unveiling the State of AAPIs, a new research series focused on the lived experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the country. As part of our launch, we’re releasing an inaugural national report to set a baseline for our future studies of AAPI communities in key cities.
With a population of over 25 million that includes 50+ ethnicities, AAPI communities are among the fastest growing and most diverse groups in the U.S. But when it comes to research and policy, our experiences and struggles have often been overlooked. At TAAF, we’re committed to changing that. With this new research, we’re building a more comprehensive, granular understanding of the needs of AAPI communities. TAAF is investing more than $2 million to collect city-level data on the greatest barriers and opportunities to achieve safety, belonging, and prosperity for all AAPIs.
In our inaugural State of AAPIs national report, we surveyed 1,500 AAPI adults across the country about how they’re doing—from navigating economic insecurity and safety concerns to their feelings of belonging. What we found sheds light on the complex, lived experiences of AAPIs today. Here’s what stood out to us:
1. 76% of respondents reported they were “very” or “extremely” proud to be AAPI.
2. More than half of respondents adopted avoidance behaviors such as carrying ID or avoiding certain places out of fear of bias from police or immigration officials, rising to 62% among Vietnamese respondents.
3. 43% of AAPIs worried about affording essential expenses and almost a third of AAPIs (31%) struggled to access safe and stable housing.
4. 51% struggled to save money or build financial security in the past 12 months, a figure that rose to 60% or higher among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI), Vietnamese, and Korean respondents.
5. At least 1 in 5 AAPIs reported difficulties accessing voting information, immigration services, and English-language support at least some of the time in the past year.
These are just a few of the findings from the State of AAPIs National Report, and we’re excited for you to explore the data. Read our full report here.
If you’re a journalist interested in covering the findings, please reach us at press@taaf.org.
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