The Asian American Foundation Launches the "Asian+American" Campaign to Celebrate the Beautiful Complexity of Asian American Identity

At a time when only 23% of Asian Americans say they feel fully accepted in the U.S., TAAF unveils a powerful new PSA narrated by Award-winning Actor/Producer Sandra Oh and directed by Academy Award-nominee Sean Wang.

NEW YORK, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) is unveiling the "Asian+American" campaign, a national PSA initiative that will encourage Asian Americans to celebrate the complexity and beauty of their dual identities. Created in partnership with the award-winning global creative agency Wieden+Kennedy New York, the campaign uses striking visual storytelling and imagery that will blanket everything from billboards to social media—all to foster pride in being both Asian and American.

Asian Americans are the least likely of any racial or ethnic group to say they fully belong in the United States, and this sense of exclusion is especially acute among younger generations. According to TAAF's 2025 STAATUS Index, just 20% of Asian Americans ages 16–24 (and 23% overall) feel fully accepted for their racial identity. Following decades of being cast as perpetual foreigners caught in a balancing act of being too Asian or not Asian enough, many have felt pressure to abandon their culture, names, or languages just to fit in, often internalizing shame and self-doubt in the process.

The campaign's centerpiece, a 60-second short film called Beyond, Together, explores this pressure to choose between identities and offers an intimate look at Asian American individuals embracing their full selves without limits or compromises. Narrated by award-winning actor/producer Sandra Oh and directed by Academy Award–nominee Sean Wang (Dìdi, Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó), who participated in the inaugural Sundance Institute | TAAF Fellowship cohort in 2022, the PSA is paired with powerful portraits taken by photographer Jingyu Lin that will roll out across digital, social, and out-of-home platforms.

As part of its commitment to lasting change, TAAF is also partnering with Right To Be to expand access to bystander intervention trainings that foster safety and belonging. A leader in anti-harassment education, Right To Be empowers individuals to safely intervene in moments of bias or harm, including instances of anti-Asian hate and xenophobic harassment. Together, TAAF and Right To Be will launch a national Train-the-Trainer program, with curriculum designed by Right To Be and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC, to equip local leaders to deliver these workshops in their own communities, with a goal of reaching up to 10,000 people in the first year.

"For too long, Asian Americans have been made to feel like we must shrink, code-switch, or choose between identities just to be seen as American enough," said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. "At TAAF, we are focused on building a future where our community can thrive in safety, prosperity, and true belonging—free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Belonging begins with being seen and heard, and we hope this campaign sparks the kind of honest conversations that help us own, and celebrate, every part of who we are. Our partnership with Right To Be goes a step further and empowers individuals to take an active role in creating belonging and safety for their own communities."

In the wake of the historic rise in anti-Asian hate in 2020, Asian American communities were galvanized into action — and what followed was a powerful cultural awakening. A new wave of pride is taking root, one that fully embraces the richness of being both Asian and American. For the first time, Asian American actors, chefs, athletes and musicians are commanding the world's biggest stages and arenas. Across the country, people are reconnecting with their heritage — proudly speaking their languages, cooking family recipes, and reclaiming names they were once told to shorten or change. The "Asian+American" campaign is a celebration of this journey: a declaration that Asian Americans don't have to choose between identities — they belong fully, powerfully, and proudly as both.

"The 'plus' is about turning a negative into a positive. It's about disrupting judgement, perception, and ill-conceived notions of identity. It strikes down barriers and broadens our understanding of who Asian Americans are and who we can be," said Kevin Kaminishi, Associate Creative Director at W+K New York. "We are a massive community, and it's time that we celebrate in a way that carries the strengths of our heritage while embracing the freedom to redefine it."

"My own Asian American identity and sense of belonging are things I've attempted to define for myself through my work," said Park Pictures director Sean Wang. "Through those experiences, I've connected with so many others who share the unique challenges of navigating multiple cultural identities. I'm thrilled to have partnered with TAAF, W+K, Sandra Oh, and our team at Park Pictures to build on that and make something that celebrates the beauty and complexity of our community." 

"Lending my voice on a message so close to my heart—one that represents my community—has tremendous meaning for me," said Award-winning Actor/Producer Sandra Oh. "Working with TAAF to highlight the intersectionality of our identities and cultures has been a project made out of love by everyone who has touched it. I'm so honored to be part of giving this message to the AAPI community and with the world."

"The plus in Asian+American is a broad celebration of identity—the plus is for everyone," said Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ohai.ai and Co-founding TAAF Board Member. "The heart of this campaign speaks to something universal: the richness of being more. No matter our background, we all live at the intersection of multiple cultures, stories, and communities. This is a reminder that our stories, while unique, are deeply connected—and that there's power in embracing every part of who we are as Americans. And that the richness and abundance in each of our backgrounds should be celebrated and honored."

The short film and out-of-home creative will be distributed nationally, culminating in a powerful invitation to the public: "What is your Asian+American story?" TAAF is encouraging Asian Americans and allies across America to join the conversation by sharing their stories on social media using #AsianPlusAmerican and tagging @TAAForg. The campaign aims to amplify the diverse voices, experiences, and identities that shape the Asian American community—and to show the world what it truly means to be both Asian and American.

To learn more about the "Asian+American" campaign, visit AsianPlusAmerican.org and view the launch PSA "Beyond, Together" here.

About The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)
TAAF serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community in their pursuit of safety, belonging, and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AANHPI communities, we invest in initiatives to combat anti-Asian hate, integrate AANHPI studies into school curricula, elevate authentic AANHPI storytelling, and expand resources and representation for our communities. Through our high-impact initiatives, events, and investments in national and local nonprofits, we're creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of AANHPIs in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org or follow @TAAForg on Instagram, LinkedIn, X or Facebook.

About Wieden+Kennedy
Wieden+Kennedy is an independent, global creative company that has built and transformed some of the world's most well-known, exciting brands for over forty years. Offering world-class creative, media, social, design and strategy operations, W+K is driven by a core mission—using creativity to help brands breakthrough in culture and bring value to people.

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SOURCE The Asian American Foundation