April 2026 | AAPI History is American History
Dear Friends,
As we approach both AAPI Heritage Month and America’s 250th, we’re preparing to celebrate our community’s diverse histories and milestones. And now more than ever, it’s critical that we ensure the accurate teaching of our community’s rich and deeply-rooted legacy in the United States. From understanding the importance of Wong Kim Ark to recognizing the countless contributions of Asian immigrant communities, one of the best ways to improve safety and belonging for our community is through the teaching of AAPI history. That’s why we’re proud to share some exciting updates to our AAPI History Hub in this newsletter.
We also have great news to share about an initiative we’ve been working on with organizations in the Bay Area, and as always you can also catch up on our latest blog posts, which this month include a grantee spotlight on the Sikh Coalition and an interview with BEEF showrunner Lee Sung Jin.
In solidarity,
Norman Chen
CEO, The Asian American Foundation
TAAF NEWS
"Asian American Voices" Supports Grassroots Organizations in San Francisco
Last year, TAAF and our partners launched an initiative to unlock resources and funding for small, AAPI-serving institutions in San Francisco. Through "Asian American Voices" we've encouraged local donor investment to address the capacity-building gap that exists for many grassroots organizations—the very organizations that enrich the daily lives of San Francisco's AAPI residents by creating safety, beautifying neighborhoods, promoting civic advocacy, and so much more.
Collaborating with community-based partners and advisors, TAAF has already distributed more than $350,000 raised from local donors to 13 grassroots organizations to build their capacity and ensure AAPI residents can access a strong ecosystem of support. Click below to read more about the organizations supported by Asian American Voices.
A Bigger and Better AAPI History Hub
Two years ago TAAF launched the AAPI History Hub, a first-of-its-kind online platform for K-12 educators. The Hub was designed to make it easier for educators to integrate AAPI history into their classrooms, by providing access to hundreds of vetted lesson plans, multimedia, and other learning materials on AAPI history. This month, alongside our 33 education partners, we expanded the Hub further, adding over 45 new lessons as well as two new resources for educators and parents.
For educators, the new Hub Starter Kit features K-5 and 6-12 planning guides to map AAPI history across the school year, plus access to workshops, trainings, and webinars. And for families interested in teaching and learning alongside their children, the new Family Corner offers a curated selection of book- and film-based lessons, historic sites, immersive experiences, and even advocacy tools to help ensure that AAPI history is seen, understood, and taught as part of the American story.
We encourage anyone visiting the AAPI History Hub to sign up for a free MyHub account to get early access to lessons and resources, and save their favorites.
IMPACT UPDATE
Taking the AAPI History Hub on the Road in Southern California
This spring, TAAF brought the AAPI History Hub directly to educators through a four-stop Southern California K-12 educator conference "roadshow": California Association of Asian and Pasifika Leaders in Education (CAAPLE) in San Diego, Teaching for Justice at CSU Fullerton, the California Council for the Social Studies (CCSS) Ethnic Studies Symposium and Orange County Department of Education's (OCDE) preconference in Garden Grove, and the Asian Educators Alliance (AsEA) conference at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles.
These convenings brought together educators and system leaders from across the state who influence what is taught in classrooms and how educators learn new content to share with students. Across conferences, educators signed up for MyHub profiles to access the Hub's free, classroom-ready resources and receive free books, including Erika Lee's Made in Asian America: A History for Young People and Fighting to Belong, Volume 1. Through sponsored sessions and partnerships, TAAF also highlighted how identity-affirming curriculum and the Hub can support implementation of inclusive AAPI history in California and meet its Ethnic Studies high school graduation requirement. Together, these efforts are accelerating awareness, trust, and classroom adoption of the AAPI History Hub across California and beyond.
Here's how educators have responded to the Hub:
"I have a student who is biracial—Latino and Asian—and sometimes he struggles with that in-between identity. When we did lessons like this in class, he loved realizing that his culture doesn't have to be limited to one side or the other. He can fully embrace both parts of who he is."
— Rafael Perez, Norte Vista High School, Alvord Unified School District, Riverside, CA
"Our struggle is your struggle. Lessons like this help students see how our histories and communities are deeply interconnected."
— Carla Ayala, Ethnic Studies Teacher, La Sierra High School, Alvord Unified School District, Riverside, CA
IN COMMUNITY
From Conversation to Action: Bringing Community Together to Shape a Better Future for AAPIs
ON THE BLOG
In case you missed it, these are the stories we featured this month on our blog, The Takeaway.
Make an Impact
Did you know that AAPI communities receive only 0.3% of philanthropic giving from foundations and less than 1% of corporate giving?
When you make a gift to TAAF, 100% of your donation goes toward strengthening groundbreaking programs, essential research, and cross-sector partnerships to address our community's most persistent challenges. Donate today to increase Safety, Prosperity and Belonging for the AAPI community. You can also leverage your corporate matching program to double your impact.
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