16 Asian American And Pacific Islander Orgs That You Can Support And Follow On Instagram

You can support AAPI communities through these orgs and stay in the know thanks to their Instagram accounts.

1. Asian Mental Health Collective

@asianmentalhealthcollective / Via instagram.com

The Asian Mental Health Collective helps support mental health in the Asian community by providing resources, hosting events, and sharing stories to further educate the community.

Their mission is to "normalize and de-stigmatize mental health within the Asian community," and they aspire to make "mental health easily available, approachable, and accessible to Asian communities worldwide."

2. Chinatown CDC

@chinatowncdc / Via instagram.com

As stated on their About Us page, "The Mission of the Chinatown Community Development Center is to build community and enhance the quality of life for San Francisco residents.

"We are committed to the empowerment of low-income residents, diversity and coalition building, and social and economic justice."

3. Asian Youth Promoting Advocacy and Leadership

@aypalpower / Via instagram.com

The org's Mission page states, "AYPAL is a leadership development, community organizing, and coalition building organization that seeks to create healthy, safe, and thriving communities.

"AYPAL’s mission is to empower Oakland’s low-income Asian and Pacific Islander immigrant and refugee families to be leaders for school reform and neighborhood change."

4. Asian + Pacific Islander Women Lead

@aapiwomenlead / Via instagram.com

Through their organization and #ImReady campaign, AAPI Women Lead "aims to strengthen the progressive political and social platforms of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the US through the leadership of self-identified AAPI women and girls."

Their goal? "To challenge and help end the intersections of violence against and within our communities. We do this work in solidarity with other communities of color."

5. Empowered Pacific Islanders

@empoweredpi / Via instagram.com

On their About page, EPIC states their mission is "​to promote social justice by engaging Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities through culturally relevant advocacy, research, and leadership development."

6. San Diego Asian Pacific Islander (API) Coalition

@sdapicoalition / Via instagram.com

The San Diego API Coalition is actually a group of San Diego API organizations that are sponsored by the Pacific Arts Movement. Their mission "is to facilitate conversations with API communities and advocate for representation of voices."

This is done in three ways: by amplifying and cultivating leadership, acting as a hub for API organizations to collaborate, and building a more inclusive and equitable San Diego.

7. Heart of Dinner 愛心餐

@heartofdinner / Via instagram.com

Heart of Dinner was founded at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to "fight food insecurity and isolation experienced by Asian American seniors—two long-standing community issues heightened by the pandemic "

Now, they "serve 1,500+ elders in Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, delivering weekly hot lunches, fresh produce, and bulk ingredients while supporting local small businesses during their COVID-related recovery process."

8. Chinatown Community for Equitable Development, LA

@ccedla / Via instagram.com

As described on their About Us page, CCED LA "works with residents to build a Chinatown with affordable housing, good jobs, a green environment, open recreational spaces, and quality education for all."

They do this by building "grassroots power with low-income and immigrant communities through organizing, education, and mutual help." Their work includes fighting evictions, educating tenants on their rights, demanding affordable housing and rent control, and resisting physical and cultural displacement.

9. Sustainable Little Tokyo

@sustainablelittletokyo / Via instagram.com

On their About page, Sustainable Little Tokyo describes themselves as "a community-driven initiative working to ensure a healthy, equitable, and culturally rich Little Tokyo for generations to come."

They began in 2013 and have since "evolved into a holistic, neighborhood-wide campaign to promote the environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability of Little Tokyo."

10. 18 Million Rising

@18millionrising / Via instagram.com

As shared on their About page, 18 Million Rising was created "in response to the enormous untapped opportunity to educate, organize, and mobilize young Asian Americans.

"In a time when others ignored and erased our political power, we built an online community to foster belonging in a rapidly-changing United States. We believe that we deserve to live in a world where we can thrive. Organizing young Asian Americans is key to building a more just world."

11. Queer Asian Social Club

@queerasiansocialclub / Via instagram.com

The Queer Asian Social Club, previously known as The Gaysian Project, is a collective that seeks to empower community through Queer APISWAD (Asian/Pacific Islander/Southwest Asian/Desi) visibility.

In doing so, they share and celebrate "stories of individuals and activists in our community through our weekly web-zine DIS-ORIENT, our Instagram page, and our podcast the Queer Asian Podcast Club!"

12. Stop AAPI Hate

@stopaapihate / Via instagram.com

The Stop AAPI Hate coalition addresses anti-Asian hate amid the pandemic. As stated on their About page, "The center tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States."

13. They Can't Burn Us All

@tcbua / Via Instagram: @tcbua

As a movement, #TheyCan'tBurnUsAll fights "to stop Asian hate by empowering all Asians and allies to stand up and speak out against racially-motivated hate crimes and any other acts of racism."

A big part of the movement is empowerment. Through "community-driven education, fostering open dialogue, and supporting APIDA community events, #TheyCantBurnUsAll aims to create unity within the marginalized communities of America."

14. Filipino Community Center

@filipinocommunitycenter / Via instagram.com

Originally founded in response to post-911 anti-immigrant hysteria — in which hundreds of Filipino immigrant airport screeners were unjustly laid off — the Filipino Community Center has dedicated itself to "providing a safe space where Filipino families can access services, receive support, and build community."

The FCC works to "foster and develop community empowerment, grassroots leadership, advocacy, and organizing to address the immediate and long-term issues of our communities locally, and in the Philippines."

15. National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)

@nqapia / Via instagram.com

The NQAPIA is a "federation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations."

Together, they aim to "build the organizational capacity of local LGBT AAPI groups, develop leadership, promote visibility, educate our community, enhance grassroots organizing, expand collaborations, and challenge anti-LGBTQ bias and racism."

16. Cut Fruit Collective

@cutfruitcollective / Via instagram.com

Cut Fruit Collective, formerly known as Save Our Chinatowns, is an "SF Bay Area grassroots group creating art for AAPI community care." As Save Our Chinatowns, they raised over $75k for small businesses and aid organizations by collaborating with artists.

Growing beyond a COVID-19 response org, Cut Fruit Collective aims to support AAPI artists, amplify AAPI activists, and invest in and build coalitions across AAPI communities. They envision a "colorful future where all AAPI communities thrive and feel seen, heard, and celebrated."

Check out how BuzzFeed is celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! And follow @buzzfeedapop on Instagram!

BuzzFeed / Kathy Hoang