Leveraging Education for AAPI Progress (LEAP) Curriculum Collection: Home

The Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) group has worked in Santa Clara county since 1973. Initially, the group was founded "to advocate for and serve the Southeast Asian refugees that were resettling in the Bay Area at that time." Over the years, the group has grown to "serve immigrants and refugees of all backgrounds and [their] current programs include behavioral and primary health services, substance abuse prevention and treatment, center for survivors of torture, shelter and services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, senior wellness, youth programs, and community advocacy."

AAPI FORCE-EF is a coalition that fights for progressive policies on behalf of communities of color, workers rights, environmental justice, racial justice, tenants rights, and the rights of women and LGBTQ+ communities across California. With other community organizers, AAPI FORCE-EF works to elect leaders with shared values, hold leaders accountable to the communities they serve, and mobilize voters. 

The Asian American Center of Santa Clara County (AASC) is a local organization of  Asian Americans working to serve the community. They offer rental assistance, food assistance, immigration resources, and employment assistance to all community members. "With honor, trust, integrity, respect, accountability, empathy and hard work — we stand with all cultures and identities. We support a wide variety of cultures, backgrounds and talents. We hope to provided a variety of services to meet the needs of all people in our region."

Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) is a California-based organization for students, staff, faculty, and administrators is "devoted exclusively to addressing Asian Pacific American concerns and issues in higher education." Initially founded due to discriminatory practices and policies in colleges and universities, this Bay Area group's goals and advocacy work has never wavered from their original mission "to ensure that Asian and Pacific Americans receive equal and fair treatment in higher education without regard to their race, gender, or national origin."

The Cambodian American Resource Agency (CARA) was founded to "help initiate and support community-based events involving the Khmer community in order to increase recognition and raise awareness of the Khmer culture." Among other programs, CARA supports the Cambodian Cultural Dance Troupe, the Cambodian Language School, art and cultural festivals, and community celebrations. Additional information can be found on the group's Facebook page. 

The GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) "organizes community gatherings, provide access to resources, and advocate for our queer and transgender Asian and Pacific Islander (QTAPI) family and our allies. We envision a powerful QTAPI community that is seen, heard, and celebrated." They strive for unity, visibility, abundance, and integrity. Join one of their social groups, theater, political action group, or attend an event. 

Grassroots Asians Rising (GAR) "is a national alliance of grassroots organizations rooted in working-class pan-Asian immigrant and refugee communities. . . As an ecosystem of strong grassroots organizations, [they] organize for a world where our working-class immigrant and refugee communities have dignity, safety, and justice." Explore their Racial Justice Toolkit and learn about the organizations they work with here. 

The local chapter of a national organization, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) aims to "secure and safeguard the civil and human rights of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and all communities who are affected by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American Community."

 LEAD Filipino is a national nonprofit organization based in Silicon Valley that is focused on advancing the civic engagement, health equity, and grassroots action of Filipina/x/o and broader AAPI communities. They create and provide "programs that combine art, culture and power building to support [the] community in building civic pipelines, political knowledge, and economic development initiatives." Projects include workshops on civic literacy, leadership training, cultural education, health presentations and workshops, and community events. 

"The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) is a non-profit organization that cultivates and empowers Asian & Pacific Islander leaders through professional development, community service, and networking . . . NAAAP offers a diverse range of professional development programs on the local and national level, engages its membership in community service and organizes professional networking events. These may range from a series of panels, workshops and seminars, and web-based sessions and networking."

QTViệt Cafe strives to "nourish, heal, and uplift Queer and Trans Việt (QTViệt) narratives through ancestral practices, the arts, and intergenerational connections." Through celebrations, cooking and eating with allies and elders, art, and performances, QTViệt "creates culture by healing from the hurt, nourishing our souls with purpose and meaning, and uplifting and centering our lives and those we love and love us."

 "VAR envisions a strong and unified Vietnamese American community that works towards improving our quality of life for all." VAR accomplishes this goal through community, civic engagement, and cultural learning. Some of their programs include film screenings, young leadership training, cooking classes, and holiday celebrations.

The Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC) is a Santa Clara County run behavioral health clinic, Valley Health Center, dental clinic, and pharmacy, with social services, a senior nutrition program, on-site child supervision, a suite of community programming to promote wellness, and more. All programs and services are delivered in a culturally competent and language-accessible manner.