These colleges and universities are essential for increasing higher education access and success to low-income, first-generation Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students, including SEAAs.
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SEARAC Commemorates the 17th Anniversary of AANAPISIs
Since its founding, AANAPISIs have served thousands of first-generation and low-income students, including Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs).
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“I think that AANAPISIs are important because it allows for Asian American students, like myself, to come together and feel a sense of belonging. This space has allowed me to build relationships I know will last a lifetime. ANNAPISIs allow for there to be a community-based foundation for Asian American students who need that.”
alumnus of Irvine Valley College, an AANAPISI located in CA
“We need to be actively thinking about creative spaces and after-school programs that encourage participation from refugee parents in preparing their children for college. More importantly, we need to address language access. Without the ability to read documents or understand robocalls, parents are further barred from being informed on their child’s educational attainment and success.”
Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell
“We need to invest far more in our school systems so that Southeast Asian American students, and all students of color, have a high quality education – at every level and no matter what path they choose to take.”
SEARAC board member
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Latest related posts
Over 150 of you have taken action. Your comments showed the Census Bureau why detailed race and ethnic data collection in Census data is important to Southeast Asian Americans. Because of you, the Census Bureau extended the comment deadline from Oct. 13 to Nov. 2.
But we need to do more.
We’re mobilizing 500 people to submit comments to the US Census Bureau to send the Trump Administration a loud, clear message it cannot ignore: reject the proposal to remove questions about race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation from the 2030 Census.
Southeast Asian Americans have fought for decades to be recognized in federal data. We cannot allow that progress to be rolled back, and we will continue to fight.
Help us reach 500 comments by submitting your comment by Nov. 2 and encouraging five other people to do the same. Link in bio.
Oct 5
We close out #AANAPISI week with a reflection from our Summer 2026 Policy Intern and UCLA alumnus Benjamin Lee, whom SEARAC hosted through a partnership with @ocanational`s Internship Program. In his blog post, Benjamin looks back on a transformative summer of empowerment. “I realized that if I spoke up about the injustices I faced, my story could help bring other Hmong students out of the shadows,” he writes. “I saw that advocacy wasn’t something reserved for elected officials or policy experts; it began with vulnerability, with people willing to share their lived experiences.” Read Benjamin`s full post at the link in our bio.
#AANAPISIWeek26
Oct 2
Get @reshare_app • @daylaborernetwork BREAKING: We are outraged by Governor Newsom’s veto of the No Side Jobs for ICE Act, AB 1537 by Asm Isaac Bryan.
This veto leaves Californians completely in the dark.
How many officers are secretly moonlighting for ICE?
We must uncover the truth!
We are so grateful to Asm. Isaac Bryan @ib2_real and his amazing team, to the 17 local electeds, and 93 orgs that backed this bill.
Read the full statement at the link in our bio.
Oct 1
Chicago, check out a FREE screening of the five-part Southeast Asian American Journeys docuseries TOMORROW, Oct. 1, at 6 pm local time. Event host @faaimchicago will be presenting it as part of a collection of short films from the diverse range of underrepresented voices from the SEA diaspora. @seaajourneys_doc series producer and director Quyên Nguyễn-Lê will be in attendance for a post-screening audience Q&A, alongside Pader Xiong, director of Home-land: Hmong American Women. RSVP at: https://www.faaim.org/first-thursdays-seaaj and check out more screenings near you at the link in our bio.
Sep 30
We’re proud to launch Weaving Wellness: Intergenerational Insights from Southeast Asian American Communities.
Drawing on the experiences of more than 150 SEAAs, this new report shows that wellness is communal, rooted in connection, and shaped by cultural traditions across generations. It also highlights the vital role of SEAA-serving organizations in addressing isolation and strengthening intergenerational wellbeing.
Explore the findings and recommendations at the link in our bio.
Sep 29
