One of my most popular posts each years is my Giving Tuesday post, which commemorates a national day to reject the crass consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday by promoting charitable donations. Organized by #NotOneDime, Giving Tuesday encourages each of us to make small (or large) gifts to any non-profit organizations.
Giving Tuesday typically publishes a database of non-profit organizations that will receive your donations, but I’ve found in the past that AANHPI were woefully underrepresented. So, for the last several years, I have published my own (long, but not comprehensive) list of quality AANHPI non-profit organizations to support for Giving Tuesday (2014 | 2015). This year is no exception: after the jump you’ll find 2016’s updated list of great AANHPI-focused non-profits — all of which could use a donation from you this year.
Before we get to the full list, however I’m going to give you my personal top five picks for 2016. This is, of course, a tough list to make since I think every organization in the larger list deserves our charitable support. But, these are the groups I’ve decided to give a few if my dollars to for Giving Tuesday 2016.
Reappropriate’s 2016 Giving Tuesday Top 5:
- NAPAWF is a national organization that focuses specifically on advocacy for AANHPI women, with one of their primary interest areas being reproductive rights. They have been very active in elevating the voices of AANHPI women in the current fight to defund Planned Parenthood, and even in the fierce urgency of the moment with regard to the fight to preserve abortion access, NAPAWF has done an excellent and necessary job injecting race into the national conversation, and I donate to them annually.
- AALDEF has done critical work this year to champion and protect AAPI voters’ rights. This past year, they brought to the forefront the suspicious purging of thousands of names from New York City-area voter registration lists, disenfranchising predominantly AAPI and Latinx voters. AALDEF also lead a herculean effort to conduct an Election Night exit poll that contacted thousands of AAPIs voters casting their ballots in 14 states; that survey revealed how inaccurate national exit polls used by mainstream media — and which woefully undersample Asian Americans and other voters of colour — really are. With regard to voting rights, I also strongly support the work of APIAVote, which made my Giving Tuesday list last year.
- SEARAC is a national organization that focuses predominantly on advocacy for Southeast Asian American communities such as Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese Americans. This past year, their tireless advocacy resulted in the passage of The AHEAD Act in California, which provides crucial disaggregation of state-collected demographic data so that socioeconomic disparities that disproportionately impact Southeast Asian Americans can be identified and addressed.
- EPIC is another of my favourite organizations, which focuses specifically on advocacy for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. EPIC also with SEARACH to champion The AHEAD Act in California, along with their fellow co-sponsors of the legislation, CPEHN and APIAHF.
- SAALT advocates for the South Asian Americans by connecting the community with elected officials in Washington D.C. on a variety of issues, including immigration rights, racial justice and gender justice. Last year, I also highlighted the work of The Sikh Coalition, which does fantastic work to represent the interests of the Sikh American community.
Also, I try to pick a local organization every year. I ran out of space in this year’s Top 5, but I’ve strongly supported the work of Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center for quite some time, and so also chose to donate to BCNC this year.
I encourage you to make a Giving Tuesday donation this year to one or more of the listed organizations in this post. You can either join me in giving to one of my 2016 Giving Tuesday Top 5 (above), or you can pick any of your favourites from the larger list of equally deserving organizations (after the jump)!
Don’t see your favourite organization on the list? Please leave a comment to have it added!
National / Civil Rights
- 18MillionRising: social justice through digital organizing
- APIA Vote: dedicated to increasing civic and voter participation among APIAs
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ): dedicated to advancing APIA civil rights; note that there are six separate chapters of AAAJ that each do amazing work on their own. Donations should be directed to specific chapters.
- Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF): dedicated to protecting and advocating for legal and civil rights of Asian Americans
- Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAIC): dedicated to improving APIA political participation
- Association of Filipinas, Feminists Fighting Imperialism, Re-feudalization, and Marginalization (AF3IRM): National, empowering Filipino American feminism and fighting transnational imperialism
- Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA): progressives advocating for entire AAPI community and dedicated to immigrant rights, language diversity, and remidies for racial injustice
- Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP): dedicated towards fostering leadership within the APIA community
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA): dedicated to professional development and advocacy for APIAs working in the legal system
- National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP): leadership organization for APIA professionals
- National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD): dedicated to addressing housing and community needs for lower-income APIAs
- OCA: dedicated to advancement of Asian Americans
National / Civil Rights / Ethnic Group-Specific
- Boat People SOS: advocacy on behalf of Vietnamese American community
- Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement: dedicated to advocacy for Native Hawaiians
- Filipino Advocates for Justice: formerly Filipinos for Affirmative Action, advocating for Filipino American social and economic justice
- Hmong National Development: dedicated to advocacy for Hmong Americans
- Japanese American Citizens League: dedicated to advancement of Asian American civil rights
- Kizuna: Los Angeles-based, leadership/social justice education programs for Japanese American youth
- Laotian American National Alliance (LANA): advocacy for Laotian Americans
- National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC): promoting civil rights and political involvement for Korean Americans
- National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NAFFAA): association of Filipino American organizations, focused on advocacy
- Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund (SALDEF): dedicated to protecting and advocating for legal and civil rights of Sikh Americans
- South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT): dedicated to advocacy for South Asian Americans
- Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC): dedicated to advocacy for Southeast Asian Americans
- The Sikh Coalition: dedicated to protecting civil rights for all, including Sikh Americans
- Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC): focused on empowerment and civic engagement of NHPI community
National / Gender & Sexuality
- Asian-American Women’s Political Initiative (AAWPI): focused on engaging and empowering AAPI women in politics and government
- Center for Asian Pacific American Women: focused on improving the personal and professional lives of Asian American women
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF): dedicated to advancing equality for Asian American women
- National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance: dedicated to advocacy for LGBTQ Asian Americans
- Nomi Network: dedicated to increased economic opportunities for survivors and at-risk women victimized by human trafficking, currently focused on Southeast Asian and South Asian women.
National / Environmental
- Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN): Oakland-based, coalition of Asian Americans advocating for sustainable environmental policy and practice
National / Healthcare
- Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF): working towards improved healthcare access for APIAs
- Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M): builds database of marrow donors for Asian Americans
- Asian American Donor Program (AADP): educates and registers AAPI bone marrow donor registrants
- Asian Pacific Islander Obesity Prevention Alliance (APIOPA): addresses social, cultural, environmental, and political factors that contribute to growing Asian American obesity rates
- Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organization (AAPCHO): association of community health clinics serving underserved Asian American, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander communities
- Banyan Tree Project: organization advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness in the AAPI community
- National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA): dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being for APIA community
- National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse (NAPAFASA): dedicated to addressing substance abuse within APIA community
- National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA): advocacy and service organization focusing on APIA elders
- National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP): organization of APIA physicians advocating on behalf of improved healthcare
National / Labour Rights
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA): dedicated to advancing Asian American worker rights
National / Youth Development
- Asian American LEAD: youth development programs for underprivileged APIAs
- Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF): increasing access for underprivileged APIA students to higher education
National & Local / History & Arts
- Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA): dedicated to addressing the needs of Asian Pacific American librarians, and librarians who serve the AAPI community
- Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW): New York-based, presenting and supporting Asian American writers
- Chinese American Museum: Los Angeles-based, preserving/presenting the history of Chinese Americans
- Center for Asian American Media (CAAM): dedicated to the funding, distribution and exhibition of independent works by Asian American creators in film and digital media.
- Common Ground: Santa Ana-based, local social justice/community-oriented performance series
- East-West Players: telling the stories of Asian Americans on-stage
- FilAm Arts: Los Angeles-based presenting and supporting the Filipino American artist community
- Grateful Crane Ensemble: Los Angeles-based, presenting Japanese American stories and music
- Japanese American Museum of San Jose: San Jose-based, preserving/presenting the history of Japanese Americans
- Japanese American National Museum: Los Angeles-based, preserving/presenting the history of Japanese Americans
- Kearny Street Workshop: San Francisco-based, oldest Asian American arts organization in the country
- Kollaboration: National, presenting Asian American talent
- Media Action Network for Asian Americans: National, media advocacy
- Museum of Chinese in America: New York-based, preserving/presenting the history of Chinese Americans
- National Japanese American Memorial Foundation (NJAMF): preserving the history of Japanese American service
- South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA): documenting and preserving the voice of South Asians
- Tuesday Night Project: Los Angeles-based, building Asian American community and art, longest still-running Asian American free art series
- Vietnamese Arts and Letters Association (VAALA): Santa Ana-based, presenting and supporting the Vietnamese American artist community
- Visual Communications: Los Angeles-based, documenting, preserving, and presenting the work of Asian American visual artists/filmmakers
- Wing Luke Museum: Seattle-based, preserving/presenting the history of Asian Americans
Local / General Advocacy
- Asian American Community Involvement (AACI): Santa Clara-based
- Asian American Community Services of Central Ohio (AACS Ohio): Ohio-based
- Asian American Resource Workshop: Boston-based
- Asian American United (AAU): Philadelphia-based
- Asian Prisoner Support Committee: Oakland-based, provides support, advocacy, and education for and about Asian Americans in the prison system
- ASPIRE: San Francisco-based, empowering undocumented immigrants in fight for immigrant rights
- AYPAL: Oakland-based, focusing on low-income APIA immigrant community
- CAAAV: New York-based, focusing on tenants’ rights
- Chinese Progressive Association: Boston-based, focused on advocacy for Chinese American community
- Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association Lowell: based in Lowell, Massachusetts, focused on improvement of quality of life for Cambodian American community
- Cherry Blossom Giving Circle: Washington DC-based
- Chicago Korean American Resource & Cultural Center: Chicago-based chapter of NAKASEC
- Korean Resource Center LA (KRCLA): Los Angeles-based chapter of NAKASEC
- Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA): Orange County-based
- Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) Los Angeles-based, raising local Filipino American communities
- South Asian American Policy & Research Institute (SAAPRI): Chicago-based, focused on conducting research and making public policy recommendations
Local / Community Centers and Historic Districts
- Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center: Boston, MA
- Chinatown Community Development Center: San Francisco, CA
- Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) Los Angeles-based, presenting and supporting Japanese American culture
- Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC): Los Angeles-based, strengthens Los Angeles Asian American communities and neighborhoods through housing and community development
- Oakland Asian Cultural Center: Oakland, CA
- San Gabriel API PFLAG Los Angeles-based, provides education, support, and engagement opportunities for parents and families of LGBTQ-identified Asian Pacific Islanders
- Sustainable Little Tokyo Los Angeles-based, building a tangible vision for a sustainable Los Angeles Jtown
- Thai Community Development Center: Los Angeles, CA
Local / Gender & Sexuality
- API Equality – LA: Los Angeles, educates, empowers, and activates LGBTQ Asian American community
- API Equality – Northern California: Northern California, educates, empowers, and activates LGBTQ Asian American community
- Banteay Srei: Oakland-based, focused on Southeast Asian American women, youth development
- Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA): San Francisco-based, involves and activates Gay and bisexual Asian/Pacific Islanders in the California Bay Area
- Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY) New York-based, outreach and activism for Gay Asian Pacific Islander men in New York
- Khmer Girls in Action: Long Beach-based, focused on Southeast Asian American women, youth development
- Monsoon | United Asian Women of Iowa: Iowa-based, focused on ending gender-based violence
- My Sister’s House: Sacramento-based, focused on serving AAPI women and children impacted by domestic violence
- Satrang SoCal: Los Angeles-based, serves to create a safe South Asian community for LGBT*Q people
Local / Labour Rights:
- Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance: Los Angeles-based
Local / Healthcare
- APAIT: Los Angeles-based, provides healthcare to medically underserved communities living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS
- Asian Health Services Youth Program: Oakland-based, focusing on reproductive health
- Asian Pacific Community in Action: Arizona-based
- Asian Pacific Development Center (APDC): Colorado, focusing on mental health, physical health, and other in-language services for the state’s immigrant and refugee populations
- Center For the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF): Los Angeles-based, provides outreach, emergency, and mental health services to API who are surviving sexual assault and/or domestic abuse
- Community Health for Asian Americans (CHAA): Oakland-based
Local / Youth Development
- Apex for Youth: NYC-based, youth from low-income backgrounds
- EBAYC/OASES: Oakland-based, serving low-income communities in Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno, empowering youth to be safe, smart & socially responsible
- VAYLA New Orleans: New Orleans-based, youth development, multi-racial
Please note that inclusion of an organization on this list does not imply endorsement by Reappropriate of all the group’s activities or positions, nor does it imply endorsement by the non-profit of any writing — generally or specifically — on Reappropriate. I encourage you to do additional research on any non-profit that appears on this list before making a contribution.
Thank you for considering a donation in support of this year’s Giving Tuesday!
