Asian + American: No Hyphen, No Apologies

Tired of being told to “pick a side”? So is The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Their new campaign, Asian + American, is ditching the hyphen and the handwringing to say what many of us already know: you can be fully Asian andfully American. No compromises, no footnotes.

This nationwide campaign is built on stories. TAAF is spotlighting the lived experiences of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander folks, with all the nuance, contradiction, and culture-clash that comes with the territory. The “+” in the name isn’t just a punctuation mark. It’s a rallying cry for identity that’s layered, unapologetic, and fully owned.

The campaign’s centerpiece, a 60-second short film called Beyond, Together, explores the 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.

This campaign is part of TAAF’s broader mission to serve the fastest-growing racial group in the United States through long-term investments in safety, representation, and opportunity. Founded in 2021, TAAF was created in response to the sharp rise in anti-Asian hate and the historic lack of infrastructure supporting AANHPI communities. The organization made an unprecedented $1 billion commitment to support these communities, helping to build a national ecosystem of advocacy, storytelling, and data-driven change.

“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.” 

There are four big areas of focus: keeping our communities safe from hate and violence, making sure we’re seen and heard in schools and media, funding the hell out of AANHPI-led orgs, and doing the research to back it all up (like the STAATUS Index, which tracks how America really feels about Asians).

The Asian + American campaign stands as both a celebration and a call to action: to be seen, heard, and valued on one’s own terms. It’s an affirmation that identity isn’t something to explain or defend. It’s something to embrace and share.

To learn more or participate, visit taaf.org.

Still from Beyond, Together/TAAF