Last month, AAPIP showed up 100+ members strong to Minneapolis for the 2025 CHANGE Philanthropy Unity Summit. Over five days, we demonstrated what it means to center our communities in philanthropy before joining 1,300+ sector leaders for the main convening.
Welcoming Connie and Bringing the Data
We opened Sunday evening at Lumi Restaurant with our Twin Cities Community Reception, where our new President and CEO Connie Chung Joe continued her Chapter Listening Tour in her third month leading AAPIP. The evening unveiled new regional funding data following our July 2025 funding snapshot report, revealing that Minnesota’s AANHPI communities receive just 13 cents for every $100 granted by institutional funders in the region.
Pre-Conference
Monday morning brought our chapter leaders together for strategic brainstorming before Unity Summit’s official kickoff. AAPIPs Power in Practice – space for AANHPI foundation executives and board trustees – met in the morning as well and then joined with other foundation trustees in the afternoon to discuss action steps from building their collective power within foundations.
Uplifting Urgent Community Needs
We also co-hosted “Strengthening Our Collective Power: Strategies to Support Impacted Communities” with New Breath Foundation. The panel introduced funders to local leaders supporting families targeted by current immigration enforcement: Minnesota 8, Coalition of Asian American Leaders, and SEWA-AIFW.
The context was stark. This past May saw the largest-ever deportation flight to Southeast Asia, sending 150 refugees back to countries they fled 50 years ago in the wake of war and genocide, many to places they’ve never known. The panel addressed two critical steps for strengthening collective power: understanding community impact in real-time, and building grassroots organizations capable of coordinated policy and narrative change. Panelists outlined concrete needs, from legal aid funding to mental health support, and challenged funders to recognize that defending immigrant rights defends pro-democracy values, regardless of political affiliation.
Grounding in Community: Little Mekong Site Visit
That afternoon, we brought Chapter Leaders to visit the Little Mekong neighborhood of St. Paul, beginning at the Hmong Cultural Center. We learned about Hmong history in Minnesota, the role of Hmong artists and cultural leaders, and the center’s programs serving the community. We also got to learn about AAPIP’s Director of Chapter Strategy and Engagement, Pajouablai Monica Lee’s deep family ties to the cultural center, a reminder that this work is personal.
The site visit was led by the Founder and Executive Director of the Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA), Va-Megn Thoj, and continued through local businesses, Vietnamese Social Services of MN, and concluded at XIA Gallery & Cafe, where Hmong American Partnership described their work in the neighborhood. These visits showed funders what community infrastructure looks like in Little Mekong and who sustains it.
Keeping Families Together
Wednesday evening, we co-hosted with New Breath Foundation the “Keeping Families Together Reception” at Gai Noi. Montha Chhum of Minnesota 8 spoke alongside an impacted community member who shared their story publicly for the first time. The vulnerability of their story reminded us of the urgency of this moment,the impact of targeted immigration policies, and the potential of collective community power.
Unity Summit: Strategy, Connection, and Resistance
From Tuesday through Thursday, we joined the main Unity Summit programming. Plenaries delivered messages of hope and resistance. Breakout sessions dug into strategy and tangible outcomes. We reconnected with colleagues working across the country on race-explicit funding, fighting for democracy, resisting authoritarianism, and pushing philanthropy to meet this moment.
The Summit’s programming intentionally practiced joy as resistance, a necessary counterbalance to the urgency of our work. We left Minneapolis with stronger relationships, clearer vision for what’s to come, and renewed commitment to the communities we serve.
Gratitude and What’s Next
Thank you to the organizers at CHANGE Philanthropy and the Change Partners for organizing a Summit that centers community voices and equips funders with actionable strategies. Thank you to New Breath Foundation, our community partners in Minnesota, our Chapter Co-Chairs, all of the generous reception sponsors and hosts, and every AAPIP member who showed up.
The Unity Summit happens every two years. If you missed this one, don’t miss the next. These gatherings sell out because they deliver honest conversations, practical tools, and connection with each other.
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