The AAA-Fund is a progressive political organization that is dedicated to empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the United States. Through the AAA-Fund, Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) from different ethnic groups and from all over the country work together to increase the voice of the APA community in local, state and federal government. We do this by helping to elect APA and other political candidates who have a demonstrated commitment to the community, and by engaging APAs in the political process.
The Asian Pacific American Community
Across this country, Asian Pacific Americans of every ethnicity are disproportionately under-represented at every level and in every branch of government. APAs number almost 13 million, exceed four percent of the country's population, and are the fastest growing minority group in the country. APA leaders rank among the country's elite in business, medicine, technology, science, and academia. Yet, in Congress, state houses, state legislatures, city halls, and courthouses across the country, APAs are noticeably absent. For example, just over one percent of the members of Congress and significantly less than one percent of federal and state judges are APAs. The APA community's concerns regarding issues such as immigration, healthcare, business opportunity, education, the glass ceiling, racial profiling, and hate crimes often go unheard.
Asian Pacific Americans can fix this problem, but only by working together. APAs must build bridges within the community and across the country. Alone, the individual APA ethnic groups : Chinese, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Vietnamese, Hmong, Filipino, Japanese, Pacific Islanders and so on : have limited political voice. But by pooling resources and working together, they create a larger voice that speaks for the entire community as well as the individual groups. By working together across different regions : the East and West coasts, the Midwest, and the South : the community will maximize its impact while speaking with one nationwide voice.
History of the AAA-Fund
Founded in 1999, the AAA-Fund brings together progressive APA leaders from each of the major ethnic groups and from all over America. Our officers, board of directors, advisory board and honorary board represent every major ethnic group and every major region of the country. Together, we are building a national network of AAA-Fund chapters, affiliates, and leaders that are increasing the APA community's voice in all parts of the country and at all levels of government. We are engaging APAs : young and old : in the political process, and mobilizing the community behind candidates who care.
Together, we identify promising APA and other political candidates who have a demonstrated commitment to advancing the APA community, and help them with fundraisers, exposure online and in the media, and grassroots campaign work. During the last eight years, we have supported candidates at every level of government : city council, state representative, state senate, governor, U.S. representative, U.S. Senate and President. Thanks to the generosity of donors nationwide, we have raised over one million dollars for our endorsed candidates. Thanks to our energetic and idealistic volunteers, we have campaigned for them on the ground and on the phone. Our candidates have won elections in every region of the country, including California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, Maryland, Texas, and Iowa, to name a few. In 2006, alone, 18 of our 24 candidates were elected.
Please Join Us
As we continue into the future with more successes, we hope you will join us in our on-going campaign to bring the APA community to a new level in government and politics. To make a contribution to the AAA-Fund, please go to our Donate page, or send checks payable to the "AAA-Fund" to 707 H Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20001. Donations to candidates should be made directly to their campaigns, either via their websites or by mailed checks. For more information, contact Gautam Dutta at info AT aaa-fund.org.
|
