The amplifying of Asian and Pacific Islander awareness continues to turn up with the launch of the See Us Unite cultural campaign started by the Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and partners including the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, The Henry Luce Foundation and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation,
See Us Unite kicks off nationwide on May 21 at 8pm EDT/PDT with the “See Us Unite for Change” event which will broadcast exclusively across MTV Entertainment brands (this includes a grip of networks: MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, Pop TV, VH1, CMT, TV Land and Logo) as well as BET and Nickelodeon. It will also stream exclusively Facebook Watch.
Hosted by Ken Jeong, the event will feature performances by artists including Jhene Aiko, Saweetie, Sting and more as well as appearances by Daniel Dae Kim, Lisa Ling, Naomi Osaka, Jeremy Lin, Fareed Zakaria, Michelle Kwan, among others. The event will also explore the history and contributions of Asian Americans and will feature testimonials from leading Asian American public figures, as well as individuals working to enact change on the ground, including Amanda Ngoc Nguyen, Ai-Jen Poo, Prof. Karthick Ramakrishnan and John C. Yang.
“Over the past year, we’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of discrimination, violence and hate towards the AAPI community,” said Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Executive Producer of the See Us Unite campaign, Board member of TAAF, and founder of Care.com. “But anti-Asian hate has had a long history in this country, and to truly shift perceptions on a larger scale, we must come together to take a stand against discrimination, slander and violence in all of its forms, utilizing every platform and tool that we have access to. Ultimately, our culture is our greatest asset in our effort to change hearts and minds.”
Powerful grassroots-led efforts have emerged in response to the rise in anti-Asian violence and discrimination. To accelerate impact on the ground, the See Us Unite campaign is partnering with the Asian Pacific Fund to drive funding towards organizations including Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Stop AAPI Hate, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), The Asian American Education Project (AAEdu), Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), and other AAPI organizations. Funds raised from the campaign will be directed towards education and awareness-raising efforts, as well as initiatives that build understanding and solidarity among diverse communities. Wieden+Kennedy provided in-kind support for the launch of the campaign.
“The rise in violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is the latest in America’s long legacy of racial injustice. Racism is pervasive and it thrives on ignorance. To end it, we have to first acknowledge it,” said Ford Foundation President Darren Walker. “See Us Unite confronts that history and puts a spotlight on experiences that need to be seen and heard, because visibility matters.”
“We stand in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and are committed to the ongoing work to address the challenges of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia in our country,” said John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey. “See Us Unite is a powerful campaign to combat anti-Asian racism and violence and celebrate the breadth of the AAPI culture and experience.”
“We are honored to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community to celebrate their incredible contributions and stand up against the rise of bigotry and xenophobia,” said Chris McCarthy, President, MTV Entertainment Group.
Please visit SeeUsUnite.org for more info.
