May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) month! To celebrate, here are just a few of the many AAPI nonprofits in Philadelphia.
Asian Americans United
Asian Americans United (AAU) is a youth leadership organization founded in 1985 to promote unity and leadership within Philadelphia's Asian community. AAU has led many initiatives including the Community Youth Leadership Project, Chinatown School Bus Campaign, and Fight for the Right to Decent Housing Campaign.
Established in 2002, Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture aims to share Arab culture through the arts. The organization serves as a place for Arab Americans to celebrate their cultural identity and for others to gain a cross-cultural understanding. Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture features a presenting program, summer camps, language programs, music classes, and more.
The Cambodian Association of Great Philadelphia (CAGP) offers programs and services for the Cambodian community. Some of their offerings include a pre-k program, afterschool programs, summer camps, cultural conservation projects, and health support services.
Laos in the House, a CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia nonprofit, seeks to amplify the voices of Lao American artists through programming and events. Their first gallery exhibition, "Laos in the House: Voices from Four Decades of the Lao Diaspora," featured original works by survivors of the US UXO bombings in Laos, community workshops, and a stage show. Laos in the House's projects, such as Street Talk and HouseGuests, tell the stories of Lao Americans and refugees through photos and videos.
Moder Patshala
Moder Patshala is an afterschool program to help Bangladeshi-American and other immigrant students and parents adjust to living in the US. Some of their programs include homework assistance, ESL classes for both children and adults, computer literacy classes, and college admissions counseling (all of which are free).
The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC) came into existence in 1966, when the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's plans for a new highway threatened existing buildings in Chinatown. By banding together, residents were able to halt the plans and advocate to be included in the city's urban redevelopment process.
Since then, PCDC has developed 400 units of mixed-use affordable housing for the growing Chinatown population, created a community garden, and designed a $75 million plan to build a Chinatown community center. PCDC offers community building events, free housing counseling services to low/moderate income families, afterschool programs, family support services, small business assistance, and much more.
Founded in 2018, the Woori Center is an affiliate of National Korean American Service and Education Consortium. They organize community members for immigrant rights advocacy, civic engagement campaigns, and arts and culture programs.
Learn more about the Woori Center's job/internship and volunteer opportunities on their website.
