35th Anniversary Conference Recap

 

We are still buzzing from the incredible energy and spirit we cultivated together at AAPIP’s 35th Anniversary Conference in Chicago! 

Here’s what made the conference so special, by the numbers:

#️⃣  of Attendees: 450 attendees representing more than 150 institutions and organizations working to advance social and racial justice 👥

#️⃣  of Sessions: 40 breakout sessions showcasing the critical work being led by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community leaders to advance social and racial justice 📝

#️⃣  of Speakers: 15 plenary speakers sharing their knowledge and experience regarding how philanthropy needs to meet this moment for our communities, cultivate and embrace an intersectional and collective approach, and protect critical infrastructure from being erased 🗣️

#️⃣  of Sponsors: 21 incredible sponsors who helped make this conference our best one yet! 🙌

Let’s look back on some of the highlights from each day!

🛩️🌆 Monday: Welcome to Chicago!

Monday was the first day of the 35th Anniversary Conference, convening key stakeholder groups within AAPIP’s network, including CEOs and Trustees of our Power in Practice cohort and regional philanthropic leaders representing all 11 of our Chapters. Both of these groups were able to engage more deeply with the work of the READI coalition and specifically around the newly released Transformative Actions. They were also provided the exciting opportunity to welcome Connie Chung Joe, our newly appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, who was able to join us for most of the first day of the conference.

Our conference officially kicked off with our Welcome Reception in the evening, a celebration featuring a performance by Mandala South Asian Performance Arts, some words from our sponsors and board members, and the start of our shared reflection, joy, rejuvenation, and strategizing to build the world we wish to see.

🚌🏆 Tuesday: Learning, Exploration, and Celebration!

Tuesday began with a welcome address by John Palfrey, President of our lead sponsor The MacArthur Foundation, and afterwards started off with our first plenary: Chicago Solidarity on the Frontlines. Our opening plenary immersed us in Chicago’s rich history of organizing and action. Four community leaders, each representing a frontline organization with a legacy of solidarity, discussed funding the frontlines, community organizing, and systems change work. This panel featured Chicago Torture Justice Center, Organized Communities Against Deportation, U.S. Palestinian Community Network, and Nikkei Uprising.

After each plenary, conference attendees engaged in 40 breakout sessions across three tracks: Joy and Rejuvenation, Learning and Growing, and Organizing and Action. These sessions featured movement and community leaders, organizers, and funders interested in facilitating the sector’s understanding of urgent and actionable topics impacting communities of color and AANHPI communities, inviting funders to work across sectors and to strategize, build, and support these initiatives and community-driven efforts.

Our midday plenary, Meeting the Moment: The State of AANHPI Philanthropy in 2025, opened with a presentation on the latest trends, gaps, and opportunities in AANHPI philanthropy and afterwards discussed what this moment calls for, how to best support AANHPI communities right now, and the future of philanthropy writ large.

After our Tuesday plenaries, shuttles departed for our two site visits: one to the National Cambodian Heritage Museum, and the other to the Chinatown Guided Tour. A special shoutout to the staff of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum and Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community for their incredible partnership to design these intentional site visits.

At the National Cambodian Heritage Museum, attendees went on a guided tour of the museum, learning from their artifacts, stories, and exhibits which highlight the journey of Cambodian refugees, the cultural heritage they have preserved, and the community’s ongoing journey towards healing. The visit highlighted the critical need for philanthropic support for the greater Southeast Asian community in the struggle to preserve heritage, promote economic and social justice, and address the intergenerational trauma that continues to affect members of the community both locally in the US and abroad. Together, we paid tribute to the past, celebrated cultural endurance, and fostered a dialogue on the importance of remembrance, healing, and sustained support.

At Chicago’s vibrant Chinatown, attendees were immersed in the cultural district’s rich history, diversity, and community development. We visited Ping Tom Park, Zodiac Square, Nine Dragon Wall, and Chinatown Gate, indulged in the delicious eats recommended by the local guides, and engaged with local nonprofit and community leaders to better understand the opportunities for philanthropy to support their critical work. The Chinatown and Bridgeport neighborhoods, which are part of Chicago’s 11th Ward, identify as Asian American, and the visit helped us uncover the challenges residents face in regard to housing and development, economic opportunity, civic engagement, and health.

The conference held a book signing featuring trailblazers who have advocated for AANHPI communities while serving roles in philanthropy: Dimple Abichandani, Vanessa Daniel, and Hali Lee. Attendees received copies of the books and the opportunity to meet and talk shop with the authors. The incredible books that were signed and discussed are A New Era of Philanthropy: Ten Practices to Transform Wealth into a More Just and Sustainable Future by Dimple Abichandani, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning by Vanessa Priya Daniel, and The Big We: How Giving Circles Unlock Generosity, Strengthen Community, and Make Change by Hali Lee. 

After returning from our site visits, it was time for our Celebration and Awards Reception, an opportunity to celebrate our broader community and all those who have contributed over the past 35 years to make AAPIP what it is today. We recognized and bestowed awards to two outstanding individuals who have advanced the field of philanthropy to be more inclusive and just.

Unmi Song, President of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, whose impact has shaped and strengthened the local, as well as national, philanthropic landscape, was bestowed the Local Champion Award in Chicago. 

Congratulations, Unmi! Your decades of steadfast advocacy and support of Chicago’s AANHPI philanthropic community played a pivotal role in building AAPIP’s Chicago Chapter. Thank you for being a guiding light and role model to so many rising AANHPI leaders.

Lori Villarosa, Founder and Executive Director of the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity, whose career has shaped and strengthened the field of racial justice philanthropy for over three decades, was bestowed the Urvashi Vaid Intersectional Leadership Award. Named for the late Urvashi Vaid—fierce LGBTQ+ activist and visionary who insisted on cross-movement solidarity—this award celebrates an AANHPI leader whose life’s work reflects deep-rooted commitment to intersectional organizing and transformative social change.

Congratulations, Lori! Your relentless pursuit of racial justice, your belief in collective liberation, and your passion to move philanthropy toward greater courage and clarity are an inspiration to all of us.

🎉🎂 Wednesday: Looking Back at a Successful 35 Years (and a Successful Conference)!

Wednesday, our final day in Chicago, opened with our morning plenary, Following the Leadership of Women of Color: Winning, Embodiment, and Solidarity as a Practice, explored the visions and possibilities that exist when we reimagine how our communities and institutional philanthropy interact. This event was part of the yearlong Changemaker Authors Series co-created by Narrative Initiative and the Unicorn Authors Club, and featured the three seasoned philanthropic professionals and recently published authors featured at our Tuesday book signing.

Our closing plenary, Activism & Organizing at the Intersections, explored and uplifted powerful examples of cross racial, cross movement solidarity efforts, along with creative ideas for funding at the intersections of social justice movements. The conversation was inspired by ancestors and activists Malcolm X, Yuri Kochiyama, and Stacey Park Milbern, all of whom shared birthdays at the start of the conference on May 19th. 

Our 35th Anniversary Conference concluded with a joint birthday party celebrating 35 years of AAPIP and our long-time partner and collaborator Native Americans in Philanthropy. Since our founding 35 years ago, we’ve worked in solidarity to advance racial and social justice. On the final evening of the conference, we joined our communities to celebrate this important milestone in our histories and raise a glass to the next 35 years and beyond of our partnership.

Thank you!

As we reflect, we’d like to once again extend our gratitude to our list of sponsors. A huge thank you to all of our supporters, including the plenary speakers, session facilitators, site visit hosts, community organizers, and volunteers who ensured that this important milestone conference was our best yet.

If you were as grateful for the chance to support local AANHPI businesses as we were, there’s always time to show our vendors some love. We’d like to thank Restoried Bookshop, We Each Belong, Chicago for Keeps, Kongji Ceramics, J Studios, Cute Coquette Studio, Muiji Studio, and Basket of Strawberry for giving the conference some much-appreciated retail therapy and a sampling of Chicago’s art scene, and we encourage you to continue to support their businesses! 

A special thank you to our photo and video crew, Pidgeon Pagonis, Ally Almore, Ray Rivera, and Mercedes Zapata, for capturing such a special celebration and making our reminiscing possible.

The AAPIP team took special care to reimagine how we convene and gather social change agents across philanthropy and community, organizing a community altar, specialized exhibits showcasing our communities’ immigration stories, a community marketplace and social justice bookshop, a display of Yuri Kochiyama’s archives, and cultural performances throughout the conference. Thank you to all the artists and participants that contributed to this experience, including spoken word artist Christian Aldana and performers from Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, Woori Sori, Natya Dance Theatre, and Aloha Center Chicago.

Enjoy photos of all these experiences in the gallery below!