Asian Pacific Fund

The Asian Pacific Fund (APF) is excited to welcome Chad Reddy, Managing Director, Private Bank Market Leader at Bank of America, as one of our newest Advisory Council members. As part of APF’s Advisory Council, Chad will help increase our impact by providing his knowledge and expertise to advance our strategic goals, promote our work, and support our annual fundraising efforts. "What excites me about taking this new role with APF is that I can be a part of something positive that helps to counter the negativity and contribute to APF’s important work in so many areas from mental health to immigration services to scholarships. The history of the APF, their mission, and the impact they’ve had on the AANHPI community and the Bay Area inspires me on a personal level and makes me proud to be part of this amazing organization," said Reddy. Read more about Chad at https://lnkd.in/gjHTWPqX. #AAPILeadership #AAPILeaders #LeadershipSpotlight #AdvisoryBoard #AdvisoryCouncil

Over the weekend, the San Francisco Bay Area celebrated its Annual #PRIDE Parade, a historic event and one of the most prominent #LGBTQ+ celebrations in the world. This celebration is a significant milestone for the LGBTQ+ community. Yet, as we honor this momentous occasion, we are reminded of the ongoing mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly for those in our #AsianAmerican, #NativeHawaiian, and #PacificIslander (#AANHPI) community. During our 2024 AANHPI Summit on Reclaiming and Redefining Mental Health, Lavender Phoenix Executive Director Yuan Wang spoke about the mental health challenges and barriers for AANHPI LGBTQ+ individuals to access support and explained how his team at LavNix strives to address these needs. The panel on Innovative Solutions was also joined by Anni Chung, Chief Executive Officer of Self-Help for the Elderly, and Tone Va'i, Mental Health Consultant and Clinician at the Samoan Community Development Center, and helped us understand how APF affiliates are addressing mental health needs in the Bay Area AANHPI community and the tailored approaches for different intersections of the AANHPI community. We join our affiliates in celebrating and advocating for our AANHPI LGBTQ+ community and invite everyone to listen in and learn how to be part of the solution: https://lnkd.in/gTUDYhDC #MentalHealthMatters

Everyone needs to know that the AAPIs Against Gun Violence Coalition did WORK yesterday at the White House Roundtable on Gun Violence in the AANHPI community. Among the insights dropped: The gun industry has invested a ton in marketing to Asian Americans, capitalizing (literally) on our community’s feelings of unsafety due to the pandemic and anti-Asian hate (57% of Asians who bought guns since 2020 were first time buyers…40% of those guns are not safely stored at home). So we’ve now thrown in a whole bunch of guns into a community that is already at higher risk for youth suicide and domestic violence homicide (and worth mentioning again - 40% of those guns are not safely stored). One of the roundtable participants described it as “throwing a lit match on dry kindling”. The Roundtable participant recommendations: (1) culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health and substance abuse services for AANHPIs, (2) cultural and linguistic education on gun safety, storage, and DISPOSAL (apparently very hard to get rid of a gun), and (3) a root cause analysis of what drives gun violence because it’s different in every community (spoiler alert - structural and interpersonal racism drives violence in the Asian American community). Grateful to have had the chance to sit alongside amazing researchers, advocates, and survivors who work on this issue with their full heads and hearts. MomsRising.org Newtown Action Alliance Hope and Heal Fund AAPI Victory Alliance Chinese for Affirmative Action

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Asian Pacific Fund President and Executive Director Carolyn Wang Kong joined a roundtable hosted by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the Office of Public Engagement. Joined by our partners from the Hope and Heal Fund, AAPI Against Gun Violence, AAPI Victory Alliance, and Chinese for Affirmative Action, among others, the convening aimed to assess and address the impact of gun violence on the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. Our community faces compounded challenges related to gun violence, including increased risks of suicide and domestic violence, coupled with the influx of firearms due to targeted marketing that exploits AANHPI individuals' feelings of being unsafe and targeted by hate crimes. Given the growing concern about gun violence, our community must advocate and collaborate on providing culturally sensitive mental health and substance abuse services. We must also seek culturally appropriate strategies for firearm storage and disposal and address the root causes that lead to firearm purchases and gun violence. AANHPI advocates from AAPI Against Gun Violence shared their perspectives on the gun violence crisis and urged the Administration to take concrete steps. Learn more and get involved by visiting https://lnkd.in/gMqpzmdD. #AANHPI #AAPI #EndGunViolence

The Asian Pacific Fund and the Selection Committee of the Chang-Lin Tien Leadership in Education Award proudly announce Mung Chiang, the 13th president of Purdue University, as the recipient of the 2024 Chang-Lin Tien Leadership in Education Award. This prestigious award also includes establishing a $10,000 Chang-Lin Tien Scholarship Fund for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students at Purdue University, funded by the Asian Pacific Fund.   “It is a profound honor to receive this leadership award named after Chancellor Tien, a true pioneer in American higher education,” said Chiang. “Leadership is about ‘who’ more than ‘what,’ and this award recognizes the collective efforts of the entire Purdue team, with colleagues from diverse backgrounds contributing to the mission of public universities in our country.”   Read more about the Chang-Lin Tien Leadership in Education Award and President Chiang’s selection at https://lnkd.in/gB9nNxhD.   #AANHPILeadership #AANHPILeaders #AAPI #EducationLeaders #PurdueUniversity

The Asian Pacific Fund (APF) is excited to welcome Dr. Kapil Dhingra, MD, MBA, FACEP, Physician-in-Chief and Healthcare Executive at The Permanente Medical Group, Inc., at the Kaiser Permanente San Leandro Medical Center, as one of our newest Advisory Council members. As part of APF’s Advisory Council, Dr. Dhingra will help increase our impact by providing his knowledge and expertise to advance our strategic goals, promote our work, and support our annual fundraising efforts. “I am excited about the opportunity to expand APF’s reach to synergistically serve our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as other ethnic communities. My hope is that through these community connections, we can enhance our collective learning and efforts for the benefit of all,” said Dr. Dhingra. Read more about Dr. Dhingra at https://lnkd.in/gUtuGQQ5. #AAPILeadership #AAPILeaders #LeadershipSpotlight #AdvisoryBoard #AdvisoryCouncil

The Asian Pacific Fund stands in solidarity to celebrate #Juneteenth, honoring freedom and justice for all.

Mental health is often framed as an individual issue. We seek to redefine mental health by shifting the focus to institutions, highlighting how longstanding and systemic inequities contribute to unwellness. During our 2024 AANHPI Summit on Reclaiming and Redefining Mental Health, we hosted an outstanding panel on "Unpacking the Drivers of Mental Health & (Un)Wellness," moderated by Tavae Samuelu, APF Director of Community Initiatives & Grantmaking. Our fantastic group of panelists—Amy G Lam PhD from the Korean Community Center of the East Bay (KCCEB), Kevin Niuatoa from RAMS, Inc. (Pacific Islander Wellness Initiative), and Connie Wun, Ph.D. from AAPI Women Lead—explored various factors influencing AANHPI mental health, including cultural stigma, generational differences, and access to culturally competent healthcare. The panel also discussed strategies for improving mental wellness and support systems in these communities. This engaging discussion helped to raise awareness and propose actionable solutions to address these mental health challenges. A special thank you to our panelists and their respective organizations for participating in the Summit and sharing their dedication to our community, their voices and passion, and their commitment to addressing AANHPI mental health. If you missed the panel, you can watch it on our 2024 AANHPI Summit playlist at https://lnkd.in/gqnXCS4r. #AANHPISummit2024 #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #AANHPI #AAPI

Thank you Asian Pacific Fund for hosting a unique gathering on Reclaiming and Redefining Mental Health last week! Korean Community Center of the East Bay (KCCEB)'s Chief Impact Strategist, Amy G Lam PhD joined community leaders on the stage as a panelist to discuss the drivers of unwellness in #AANHPI communities. We are honored to have shared KCCEB’s community mental health work to a passionate and dedicated audience representing multiple sectors. Photography by Joyce Xi #MentalHealthMatters #HealthEquity #KCCEBCommunity

The great Nelson Mandela once said, “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.” At the Asian Pacific Fund, we are dedicated to supporting and empowering the next generation of leaders in our AANHPI community. During our 2024 AANHPI Summit, we hosted an outstanding Youth and the Future of Mental Health panel moderated by Amulya Mandava, PhD, Co-Director of South Bay Youth Changemakers. Our esteemed youth panelists—Daria Cisper, Kim Luna, Aly Pascual, and Dan Pascual—representing South Bay Youth Changemakers, AYPAL, and Filipino Advocates for Justice, respectively, shared their invaluable insights and experiences. They discussed their advocacy for youth mental health services and the importance of creating environments where young people from diverse backgrounds are seen, heard, and validated. Our panelists also spoke about the challenges youth face today and the importance of youth-led programs. They emphasized the need for adults to collaborate effectively with young people to design programs that genuinely resonate with them, providing spaces where they can actively participate and take on leadership roles. Thank you to our panelists for participating in our Summit, sharing their voices, and taking charge as the next generation of AANHPI leaders.  If you missed the panel, you can watch our 2024 AANHPI Summit playlist at https://lnkd.in/gcQ8YNCC. #AANHPISummit2024 #YouthLeaders #YouthLeadership #AANHPIYouth #AAPIYouth #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters