As AAPI CEOs, Executive Directors, and Trustees in philanthropy, we stand together with our Black colleagues and other allies to commit to the hard but necessary work of peeling back the layers of anti-Black racism within the philanthropic sector and beyond, and in so doing, realize the sector’s potential for transformational impact. We do this through our own experiences as AAPIs confronting racism linked to, rather than distinct from, this country’s disturbing history of white supremacy. This history begins with the brutal clearing of indigenous peoples from these lands to the remnants of slavery deeply embedded into every system, including, but not limited to the police that continue to take Black lives with impunity. For us, anti-Black racism and anti- Native settler-colonialism, alongside orientalism, are the foundations of white supremacy.
We also recognize that Asian and Black communities have often been pitted against each other, resulting in lose-lose scenarios. As AAPIs, we have a responsibility to acknowledge how we are both harmed by the “model minority” narrative and also how we are complicit in it. We also honor the long history of resisting racism alongside communities of color and we are on a continued learning journey of practicing solidarity. We have much work to do within and across our communities. Following the lead of the Association for Black Foundation Executives (ABFE)’s platform on anti-Black racism, we will work in community with our colleagues toward these and other efforts, which may include:
- Deepening of our own learning about Black history within the U.S. to disentangle the roots of systemic racism, including tracing the history of wealth accumulation and its intersection with philanthropy
- Facilitating or participating in discussions with AAPI colleagues and community members about how anti-Blackness hurts AAPI and all communities
- Organizing or participating in jointly inspired programming with Black-led organizations toward dismantling anti-Black racism
- Leveraging our privilege as AAPI leaders to unapologetically center the lived expertise of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and AAPI communities to transform philanthropic institutions and practices
- Never forgetting that issues of race and gender (including gender identity and sexual orientation) are inextricably intertwined and must always be examined together
Moments of deep pain bring about transformative change. In the coming months, we will be working together to honor the powerful legacy of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people – inclusive of those who identify as LGBTQ- whose struggles define the heart and soul of this country. We are determined to realize a vibrant democracy that values us all. This journey is still a long one, but we are honored to walk this road with you toward fulfilling our shared humanity.
In Unity,
(List in Formation, Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only):
A. Sparks, Executive Director, Masto Foundation
Antony Chiang, CEO, Dogwood Health Trust
Audrey Yamamoto, President & Executive Director, Asian Pacific Fund
Cathy Cha, President, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund
Chun-Yen H. Chen, Executive Director, Asian Pacific Community Fund of Southern California
Cynthia Yung, President, The Boone Family Foundation
Daniel J. Lee, Executive Director, Levi Strauss Foundation
Daranee Petsod, President, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
David Y.S. Moy, Interim Executive Director, Hyams Foundation
Debbie I. Chang, MPH, President and CEO, Blue Shield of California Foundation
Debra Nakatomi, Trustee, California Wellness Foundation
Dimple Abichandani, Executive Director, General Service Foundation
Don Chen, President, Surdna Foundation
Geri Yang-Johnson, Trustee, California Wellness Foundation
Hanh Le, Executive Director, Weissberg Foundation
Iimay Ho, Executive Director, Resource Generation
Jennifer Ching, Executive Director, North Star Fund
Joe Lumarda, Chair, California Wellness Foundation
Karthick Ramakrishnan, Board Member, The California Endowment
Kathy Ko Chin
Kris Lin-Bonner, Executive Director, Dr. Bronner’s Family Foundation
Kyung B. Yoon, President, Korean American Community Foundation
Lina Park, Executive Director, Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco
Lori Villarosa, Founder & Executive Director, The Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity
Mariko Silver, President & CEO, Henry Luce Foundation
Michele Lew, CEO, The Health Trust
Dr. Milton Chen, Former Chair, Panasonic Foundation
Patricia Eng, President & CEO, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
Phyllis M. Wise, Member of Board of Directors, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Pia Infante, Co-Executive Director, The Whitman Institute
Priscilla Enriquez, CEO, The James B. McClatchy Foundation
Richard Woo, Board Member, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Rini Banerjee, President, Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation
Serena Moy, Executive Director, Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation
Surina Khan, CEO, Women’s Foundation California
Susie Lee, Executive Director, Potomac Health Foundation
Tanuja M. Dehne, President and CEO, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
Taryn Higashi, Executive Director, Unbound Philanthropy
Tessie Guillermo, Board Member, Marguerite Casey Foundation
Vien Truong
Winston F. Wong, MD, MS, Board Member, The California Endowment