California Endowment commits $100 million to AAPI communities

THE California Endowment is committing $100 million to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations across the state for the next decade.

The commitment, which will be spread out over 10 years, will double the foundation’s current investments and will focus on health equity, racial justice and transformative solidarity.

The announcement on Monday, April 12 comes in the wake of violence against the AAPI communities since the start of the pandemic and the mass shooting that took the lives of eight people, six of whom were Asian women, in Atlanta in March.

“As we work towards a more inclusive state and nation, we have a responsibility to acknowledge these horrific Anti-Asian attacks and work towards healing the trauma the AAPI community has endured,” said Dr. Winston Wong, TCE Board of Directors. “The pandemic has exposed the ugly history of Anti-Asian hate in this country. Now more than ever funding such as this is critical in moving the needle on racial equity.”

The long-term investment will provide immediate attention and resources to AAPI community partners on the frontlines, California Endowment said in its release. It will also go toward research into the “complexity of AAPI issues” and support AAPI anti-racist “power-building strategies for long-term change.”

“In our overarching pursuit of dismantling white supremacy and advancing racial justice, we see our AAPI leaders and partners integral to the fight and on-going pursuit of health and justice for all,” said Dr. Shawn Ginwright, TCE Board Chair and Professor of Education in Africana Studies at San Francisco State University. “Our Black, Brown, Native and immigrant communities have been standing in solidarity with our AAPI communities to tear down the walls of racism. And as a funding organization, this commitment is our way of standing in solidarity with our AAPI brothers and sisters and uplift the resilience of communities of color who continue to fight racism in this country.”

The foundation is set to begin its support for AAPI-led organizations starting in May. (AJPress)