The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and Wong Fu Productions have launched "The United States of Asian+America," a digital series documenting the contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) figures to U.S. history. The project, which premiered on June 24, aims to address significant gaps in public awareness regarding AAPI history through interviews with industry pioneers.
Why TAAF Launched the Series
The initiative follows research indicating that a large portion of the American public lacks familiarity with AAPI historical milestones. According to a 2024 survey conducted by TAAF, over 50% of Americans cannot name a single famous Asian American. Furthermore, the organization’s 2026 STAATUS Index found that 53% of American adults are unable to identify a major moment in AAPI history, and only 7% believe AAPI communities have "a great deal" of influence on U.S. culture.
TAAF CEO Norman Chen stated that the series is designed to demonstrate that AAPI history is inseparable from the broader American narrative. "From the Indian American engineer who helped connect the world through USB, to the Filipino nurses who cared for America during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the Chinese American chef who transformed how Americans experience Chinese food, AAPIs have had an outsized impact on the U.S.," Chen said in a press release.
Featured Figures and Format
The series features one-on-one conversations between AAPI trailblazers and interviewers whose own professional work mirrors the subjects’ legacies. The premiere episode featured a discussion between YouTube co-founder Steve Chen and Wong Fu Productions co-founder Philip Wang.
The roster of future interviewees includes:
- Ajay Bhatt: USB inventor.
- Jerry Yang: Yahoo! co-founder.
- Jeremy Lin: NBA champion.
- Martin Yan: Television chef.
- Dr. David Ho: HIV/AIDs research pioneer.
- Sophia Chang: Music executive and first Asian woman in hip-hop.
- MC Jin: Asian American hip-hop pioneer.
- Madelyn Yu: Former president of the Philippine Nurses Association of America.
Interviews are conducted by figures such as filmmaker Shruti Ganguly, chef Jon Kung, and Lois Cho, founder of Cho Wines. Episodes are released across the YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram channels of both TAAF and Wong Fu Productions.
Expanding AAPI Storytelling
"The United States of Asian+America" serves as a continuation of TAAF’s "Asian+American" PSA campaign, which launched last year to examine the complexities of AAPI identity.
To further its mission of reclaiming history, TAAF is also launching the TAAF Asian+American Storytelling Initiative. This program invites creatives to submit pitches regarding influential AAPI figures or movements. Beginning later this summer, applicants can submit proposals via the official asianplusamerican.org portal. A committee of filmmakers and creators will review the submissions, with finalists receiving up to $10,000 and professional mentorship to produce short-form video content.
The public is encouraged to participate in the conversation by using the hashtag #AsianPlusAmerican on social media.