AAPIP SEATTLE – A PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT ASIAN AMERICANS/PACIFIC ISLANDER
By Monique Uyen Le
On Thursday, December 13, 2018, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) Seattle/Puget Sound Chapter held their annual holiday celebration for institutional members, supporters and contributors at House of Hong in Seattle International District. AAPIP professionals from major philanthropic organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (represented by Jon Wu, Anjana Sundaram – also AAPIP Seattle chapter co-chairs, and Lu Jiang – new AAPIP Seattle Steering Committee Leader), Washington Women’s Foundation (Aki Shibuya – Operation/Membership Manager), ACRS (Mary Ann Goto – Events/Donor Engagement Manager) were there to lend their support, among other groups. Also present was Shiho Fuyuki – AAPIP Seattle chapter co-chair, Manami Kano – former Global Media Partnerships Deputy Director at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Sharon Maeda KVRU Radio Station Manager, Lijun He, Ph.D. – U.S. Senior Strategy Advisor for Corporate Social Responsibility Development Center, were among the members and supporters in attendance.
Formally filed in 1996 according to GuideStar.org, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to connect philanthropic resources to AAPI communities. With a goal to build a more just and equitable society, its core members include staff and trustees of foundations and other grantmaking entities – as well as individual donors and philanthropy-serving professionals.
AAPIP currently has 10 regional chapters in large metropolitan cities, one of which is Seattle. AAPIP chapters advocate, share information, develop leaders and build a network on AAPI issues and philanthropy. In 2002, AAPIP established its presence in the Pacific Northwest with a Seattle chapter. Seattle Chapter’s membership currently hails from institutions:
· Bank of America
· Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
· Empire Health Foundation
· Harry and Masie Masto Foundation
· Marguerite Casey Foundation
· Northwest Health Foundation (Portland, OR)
Seattle Chapter also collaborates with organizations outside of foundations:
· CAGCL (Corporate Asian Giving Circle Leaders)
· Local Employee Resource Groups from Microsoft, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Boeing, Bank of America, and Amazon.
Each quarter, the Seattle Chapter hosts a fun and informative event to bring together a large group of socially aware and philanthropic-minded AAPI professionals. In 2018, there was a movie night featuring Crazy Rich Asians at Cinemark Lincoln Square in Bellevue that attracted over 160 attendees. Another event was a story-telling workshop with Richard Woo, CEO of Russell Family Foundation. In 2019, there will be a Lunar New Year celebration and Happy Hour in the Fall where an AAPIP Scholarship recipient will be selected.
More information on AAPIP can be found at http://www.aapip.org
Photo on top: From left to right: Manami Kano, Lijun He, Alice Ito, Lu Jiang, Jon Wu, Shiho Fuyuki, Juliet Le, Aki Shibuya, Athena Youm, Sharon Maeda, Anjana Sundaram
