Asian Americans United
Asian Americans United seeks to encourage people of Asian ancestry in Philadelphia to build their communities and unite to challenge oppression. With a focus on youth leadership and culture, Asian Americans United supports young people to become individually, socially, and politically aware, and participate in active struggles for justice, as well as promote community members’ inherent artistic and creative potential, building pride in cultural heritage.
Mission
Since 1985, Asian Americans United exists so that people of Asian ancestry in Philadelphia exercise leadership to build their communities and unite to challenge oppression.
Youth Leadership
From our beginning, AAU has had a particular focus on youth so that young people in our communities are supported to become individually, socially, and politically aware; to exercise their voice; and to participate in active struggles for justice. Through this work, we create generations of leaders who sustain, fight for, and give back to our communities.
Culture & Community
AAU sees the right to culture as a human right. AAU’s arts and culture work creates social change through engaging community members in realizing community members’ inherent artistic and creative potential and building pride in cultural heritage.
Awarded Grants
2023
Media Artist + Activist Residency (MAR)
Related grantees
Overview
Kaia Chau and Sammy Weiner will collaborate with Asian Americans United to create media that reflects Chinatown’s resilience against predatory development such as the 76ers arena proposal. Through oral history, found object sculptures, public video projections, and apps, Kaia and Sammy will engage the community to create a culminating multi-media installation in a vacant storefront in Chinatown that will serve as a community gathering space, particularly for youth like themselves. With media arts, they plan to construct a damning narrative that this arena is an attempt at cultural genocide and community displacement and will fight for Chinatown’s right to self-determination and the freedom to decide what is best for their community.