Stop AAPI Hate Launches New 501(c)(4) Advocacy Arm to Mobilize AAPI Communities Nationwide

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

More than six years after its founding, in a statement released May 28, Stop AAPI Hate announced the launch of Stop AAPI Hate Action, a new 501(c)(4) political and advocacy organization focused on building long-term Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) political power and civic engagement across the country.

The new organization was created in response to growing concerns about authoritarianism and increasing threats facing communities of color and immigrants. Its mission is to help AAPI communities transform their lived experiences with racism, discrimination, and exclusion into sustained civic and political action.

Surge in Anti-Asian Hate

In recent years, AAPIs have faced escalating challenges. The surge in anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic was followed by a rise in xenophobic policies and racist rhetoric under the Trump administration. According to Stop AAPI Hate, these developments have contributed to broader forms of state violence affecting AAPI communities, particularly South Asians and immigrants. The organization points to racial profiling by ICE, increased arrests and deportations, efforts to weaken voting rights and due process protections, challenges to birthright citizenship, and attacks on immigration pathways such as H-1B visas and green cards.

“Stop AAPI Hate has been at the forefront of calling out and combating anti-AAPI hate – and now, we’re building the political power needed to defeat it on every level,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate.

“Across America, we are seeing an increasing sense of urgency from AAPIs and allies who want to fight back against growing assaults on our safety, freedoms, and democracy – but there’s a need for more clear, accessible pathways for our communities to act at the scale and speed this moment demands. Stop AAPI Hate Action aims to strengthen AAPI civic engagement and organizing infrastructure on a national scale, so that more AAPIs can take action and make an impact, no matter where they live.”

Stop AAPI Hate Action builds on years of organizing by AAPI activists and organizations at the local and state levels. Rather than replacing existing efforts, it aims to strengthen them by adding national organizing capacity and filling gaps in civic engagement infrastructure, particularly in regions where resources remain scarce.

Civic Education

To achieve these goals, the organization will use its national reach and digital platform to expand political and civic participation through grassroots mobilization campaigns, strengthen voter engagement networks across states, and recruit volunteers from non-competitive districts to support outreach in key competitive areas. It also plans to invest in multilingual civic education, increase participation among underrepresented AAPI communities, and develop long-term volunteer leadership beyond election cycles.

“As the fastest-growing racial group in the United States, AAPIs have both the opportunity and responsibility to help shape the future of this country,” said Andy Wong, Managing Director of Advocacy for Stop AAPI Hate Action.

“Stop AAPI Hate Action is about ensuring AAPI communities are not just visible and active in moments of crisis, but consistently empowered, engaged, and organized to shape the decisions that impact our lives and our future. We want to help people turn their individual pain, fear, and outrage into collective power, action, and change for years to come – starting with the 2026 midterm elections cycle.”

Voter Mobilization

As part of its work, Stop AAPI Hate Action will launch a nationwide voter mobilization campaign next month ahead of the November midterm elections. The effort is designed to help influence the balance of power in Congress by increasing AAPI voter participation in competitive districts.

The organization aims to raise and spend approximately $1 million on the initiative. Volunteers from across the country will engage AAPI voters through culturally grounded and multilingual outreach conducted in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Korean. The campaign will rely primarily on phone banking and will also include targeted peer-to-peer outreach, such as South Asian-to-South Asian and Filipino-to-Filipino voter engagement conducted in English.

“For too long, AAPI communities have lacked adequate investment in infrastructure to fuel sustained political participation,” said Tamlyn Tomita, Chair of CAPA21, a key partner in Stop AAPI Hate Action’s midterm election efforts.

“There is a pressing need for culturally competent, national-scale voter engagement work that meets AAPIs wherever they are. Stop AAPI Hate Action will help fill that gap by connecting communities across the country and expanding opportunities to get involved in the political process. We are proud to support this work ahead of the critical 2026 midterm elections and excited to see it grow.”

A portion of the text was edited with the assistance of an AI tool and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and clarity by India Currents.