From Representation to Innovation
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Dear Friends,
In a month that was dedicated to celebrating immigrants, we’ve instead witnessed actions that are sowing fear and uncertainty for immigrant communities across the United States. Immigrants and refugees have been essential to the growth, vitality, and success of America, and nearly 90% of the Asian population in the U.S. comes from an immigrant household. Asian Americans are all too familiar with this type of fear and scapegoating, having experienced the Japanese incarceration during WWII, post 9/11 targeting of South Asian, Sikh, and Muslim Americans, and more recently, the uptick in anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic. This hits close to home for so many of us, and we stand with our neighbors. In addition to Immigrant Heritage Month, June also marks Pride Month and Juneteenth, which we are celebrating with our allied communities. Only together can we ensure that hard-won rights and victories were not achieved in vain.
Reflecting on what it means to truly belong in the U.S., I think about those in our community who are shifting the AANHPI narrative—moving beyond simply being included to being seen for what we really are: leaders and innovators in fields as diverse as we are. In this month’s newsletter, we’ll look at AANHPIs who have been at the forefront in food, fashion, and Broadway. And to help bring stories like these to even more readers, it’s important that we have a dedicated space to share our community’s work, and profile the voices behind it. That’s why I think you’ll enjoy reading our new TAAF blog, The Takeaway. It just launched, so be sure to bookmark it as we’ll continually be adding new features, interviews, and more!
Norman Chen
CEO, The Asian American Foundation
BELONGING
AANHPI chefs honored at annual Culinary Celebration
TAAF, along with partners Perilla, Diageo, OpenTable, Panda Express, and L7 Hotels, was honored to host the 3rd Annual AANHPI Culinary Celebration during the always festive James Beard Awards weekend in Chicago. The event brought together the extraordinary leaders of the AANHPI culinary world—over 400 chefs, restaurateurs, industry leaders, and TAAF partners, including past winners and this year’s finalists—for an evening of connection and recognition at the stunning Perilla Korean Steakhouse. It was a fantastic night spent celebrating the creativity and excellence that the AANHPI culinary scene is known for. The evening ended in the best way possible—with karaoke and delicious late-night bites.
TAAF launches new blog, The Takeaway
We’re excited to announce the launch of our TAAF blog, The Takeaway. While the name is a nod to the cuisine that is so often people’s only experience with Asian cultures, our intent is for readers to take away a deeper understanding of our diverse and multifaceted AANHPI communities. The Takeaway is a place to explore the rich stories and lives of AANHPIs, from in-depth author interviews and artist profiles to local recommendations from TAAF staff. We’ll also be sharing the latest TAAF news, as well as highlighting the work of some of our inspiring grantees. We hope The Takeaway inspires readers to dive deeper into what they see featured, whether it’s exploring an artist’s discography or a partner organization’s impact.
Up now on The Takeaway you can find an interview with Love, Queenie author Mayukh Sen, a profile of Native Hawaiian artist Lehuauakea, and more. We look forward to lifting up AANHPI voices and culture regularly, so check back soon for new content and follow us on our socials!
Fashion icon Prabal Gurung shares his story at Walk Like a Girl reception
Acclaimed fashion designer and activist Prabal Gurung was celebrated at a reception hosted by TAAF and Clara Wu Tsai on June 5. The party, held in NYC, was in honor of Prabal’s powerful new memoir, Walk Like a Girl. The evening began with Prabal joining Clara for an intimate fireside chat, where he discussed his childhood, and shared how writing this memoir helped him heal from some of the cruelty he faced growing up queer in Nepal. The discussion also followed his move to New York and subsequent rise to success in the fashion industry, in spite of experiencing discrimination of a different kind in the U.S.
Along with dressing some of the most iconic American women—including Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama—Prabal has also used his platform to advance equity both in the U.S. and in Nepal. Together with fellow AAPI designers and fashion insiders including Laura Kim, Phillip Lim, Tina Leung, and Ezra J. William, Prabal formed The House of Slay, a collective fighting anti-Asian hate. He also cofounded the Shikshya Foundation Nepal, and spoke of the impact they hope to make through uplifting education, arts, and culture in Nepal.
Congratulations to Prabal on the release of his memoir and his continued advocacy work!
GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT
TAAF is honored to build towards safety, belonging, and prosperity with our community partners.
Meet our safety partner UTOPIA Washington by clicking the image below.
CONVENINGS
TAAF in Community
June was a big month for AANHPI representation and wins on Broadway. TAAF was proud to support the inaugural Celebrating AANHPI Theatremakers on Broadway Brunch, gathering over 160 AANHPI artists and professionals—from early-career voices to Broadway legends—to celebrate each other as we continue pushing for a more inclusive and representative American theatre. We also recognized the Asian and Asian American winners and nominees at the 2025 Tony Awards, with awardees named across Maybe Happy Ending, Yellow Face, Sunset Boulevard, and Buena Vista Social Club.
We also co-sponsored Darren Criss and Julianne Hough’s 3rd Annual “After, After” Tony Awards party alongside TAAF partner Johnnie Walker. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Darren Criss on his historic Tony Award win for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for Maybe Happy Ending, making him the first Asian American actor to win in the category.