Right now in NYC, thousands of Asian immigrant parents are quietly preparing emergency plans for their children—naming who can care for them, what medications they need, and what happens if mom or dad doesn’t come home from work.

AAF congratulates @juliesulabor.bsky.social on her appointment as NYC’s deputy mayor of economic justice in @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social’a incoming administration. Julie Su brings a tremendous amount of experience to this position, and we look forward to working with her.

Yesterday, we were joined by fellow members of the Asian American Mental Health Roundtable in testifying before @council.nyc.gov on how NYC can deliver more equitable mental healthcare for all New Yorkers. Thank you Mental Health Committee Chair Linda Lee for the opportunity to speak!

AAF's Nat Moghe testified w/members of the #RISENetwork in support of 4 critical bills to uphold NYC's sanctuary city protections & help immigrant New Yorkers #KnowYourRights. Thank you @cmalexaaviles.bsky.social @nycprogressives.bsky.social @cmshahanahanif.bsky.social @tiffanycaban.bsky.social

UPDATE: The 6-year-old boy separated from his father last week after an arrest by ICE is in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, according to a spokesperson for Congressmember Nydia Velazquez. buff.ly/2SkkcxK

Neighbors described a chaotic scene as cars and vans lined up along 34th Avenue before 6 a.m. Thursday morning. Dozens of agents then filed into the apartment building, as the helicopter circled overhead. www.thecity.nyc/2025/12/04/h...

ICE agents arrested a Chinese father and his 6-year-old son, separating the two and sending the father to Orange County Jail while the whereabouts of the son remain unknown as of Tuesday morning. www.thecity.nyc/2025/12/02/i...

🫶🏼 This Giving Tuesday, donate to support MinKwon’s vital work providing community members with free-of-cost services and programming across New York and New Jersey. Even small contributions—$10, $20, or $50—make a big impact when we all act together. www.minkwon.org/donate

🦃🍁 Happy Thanksgiving from us at the AAF team! May your holiday be full of warmth, community, and good food!

We're pleased to announce that AAF CEO Catherine Chen has been named to Mayor-elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's transition team as a member of the Committee on Social Services. Congrats to our many partners as well who will be serving on various committees!

AALDEF and AAF's 2025 Asian American Exit poll revealed ongoing, targeted harassment faced by Asian communities across New York. 📊 1 in 4 people reported experiencing harassment or violence based on race, ethnicity, or religion in the past two years.

📊 1 in 3 people said they felt discriminated against sometimes, often, or always in the last year. Listening to the lived realities of Asian communities isn’t optional — it’s essential for a multiracial democracy.

We also dropped by Homecrest Community Services’ 2025 Thanksgiving Celebration 🦃 It was a lovely banquet and amazing to see how our partners are showing up in different ways for our community members this holiday season!

Great to be in Brooklyn this morning volunteering and giving back to the community at COPO’s annual turkey distribution! In a time of great need and food insecurity, it’s events like these that really help our neighbors who need it the most.

AAF joined community groups this morning in support of @nilyrozic.bsky.social and @liunewyork.bsky.social's hospital language access bill and to urge @governor.ny.gov to sign it into law—because all New Yorkers deserve quality medical care no matter what language we speak!

Some 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits, but payments have become shrouded in uncertainty amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Another great Somos panel in the books! This year we were joined by @thenyic.bsky.social, @amitsinghbagga.bsky.social @jeffwice.bsky.social, @stevenraga.bsky.social, and the New York Community Trust to discuss the 2030 Census and why reliable data is critical for all New Yorkers!

Our exit poll data with @aaldef.bsky.social shows strong support for Zohran Mamdani among South Asian voters with 87.3% of Indian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani voters we spoke to on Tuesday backing the new mayor. Thanks @documentedny.bsky.social for sharing! documentedny.com/2025/11/06/n...

BREAKING: 49% of Asian New Yorkers voted for Zohran Mamdani, according to analysis from AAF and @aaldef.bsky.social on the 2025 NYC Asian American Exit Poll.

AAF congratulates @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social on his election as the next mayor of New York City as well as the first-ever Asian American, South Asian, and Muslim mayor.

Zohran Mamdani’s historic campaign shows us what is possible when voters who are too often left out of the political process are reached out to in their languages and cultures, and around specific issues they care deeply about.

Affordability is a major issue for most New Yorkers, including the 55.4% of Korean renters who are rent burdened and especially the 32.1% who spend more than half their income on rent. Explore the data for Korean, Filipino, Chinese, Indian, Japanese & Vietnamese New Yorkers at bit.ly/AAFProfiles

The federal shutdown has left 315,000 Asian Americans statewide, including 253,000 in New York City alone, without SNAP benefits. 91% of working-age Asian SNAP recipients are employed—our communities are working hard, but it's just gotten even harder to make ends meet.

Today's the day! Locked in your vote for mayor but still unsure about the other offices and ballot proposals? Learn about all your choices in your language at Ballot Builder: aaf.branch.vote!

All eyes are on the NYC mayoral race on Nov 4. But do you know who else is on your ballot? How about the six ballot proposals? Meet the candidates and learn about the decisions shaping your neighborhood—all in 8 Asian languages!—on AAF Ballot Builder! aaf.branch.vote

Our Community Development Manager recently attended @aafederation.bsky.social's in-person Feedback session at South Asian Youth Action - SAYA's office. This event was held to discuss nonprofit support programming with partners to foster inter-organization connections.

At 42.3%, English-only speakers make up a significant portion of Indian NYers, nearly double the English-only rate for Asians overall. Explore the data for Indian New Yorkers, plus five other major Asian ethnic groups at bit.ly/AAFProfiles!

AAF recently attended Korean Community Services' 10th anniversary celebration of their mental health clinic! Congratulations and here's to many more years! + Bonus throwback to 10 years ago when our former ED Jo-Ann Yoo was present at the clinic's opening!

Today is the first day of early voting and the last day to register to vote, New York! My office's Election Protection Hotline is available and ready to answer questions and address any problems: ☎️ 866-390-2992

AAF condemns Tuesday's raid of Canal Street vendors and arrest of community members by militarized immigration enforcement.

39% of eligible Asian households in NYC rely on SNAP to get food on the table. Those families and millions others are at risk of going hungry in November, right around the holidays. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/u...

Millions are tuning into the mayoral debate tonight—but the debates aren't accessible in Asian languages, leaving many out of the loop. But with AAF's Ballot Builder, you can still learn about the candidates (+ballot proposals!) in EIGHT different Asian languages. Check it out at aaf.branch.vote!

With Election Day soon and the final mayoral debate tonight, AAF CEO Catherine Chen spoke with @spectrumnewsny1.bsky.social on issues Asian voters care about like affordability and safety and how AAF's Ballot Builder is helping New Yorkers make more informed choices. ny1.com/nyc/all-boro...

As Asian New Yorkers continue to grapple with a nationwide tripling of ICE arrests, federal agents swarm Chinatown in a surprise action. We want ICE out of our communities. gothamist.com/news/federal...

Have questions about voting? Call 1-888-API-VOTE (1-888-274-8683) for answers you can trust. 📞 Voicemail support is open now through Election Day — and we’ll be answering calls LIVE from 7 AM to 11 PM EST on November 4 to make sure your vote counts.

🪔 Happy Diwali to all who celebrate! May your festival of lights be full of warmth, brightness, and love!

In a time when marginalized communities are under threat, it's just become harder to tell our stories. Talented journalists like Kimmy Yam at NBC Asian America shared vital perspectives that are often underrepresented or silenced elsewhere. But the fight to tell our stories continues.

This is devastating. NBC Asian America has done incredible work covering our community, especially given their greater resources and institutional clout relative to indie outlets like us. www.thewrap.com/nbc-news-lay...

Talking about mental health with loved ones is hard. But the right words can be a starting point for conversation and healing. AAF's Mental Health Hub has free mental health worksheets, exercises, and other resources in multiple Asian languages! Check it out at mentalhealth.aafederation.org

CAA's Jose Ng tells Mission Local about the insurmountable challenges facing undocumented Chinese immigrants seeking legal help during the asylum process. missionlocal.org/2025/10/bay-...

🗳️ Got questions about voting? Call 1-888-API-VOTE (1-888-274-8683) for help in various Asian languages! 🗓️ Voicemail support before Election Day and 🕖 LIVE help 7am–11pm EST on Election Day. Make your voice heard!

39% of eligible Asian households in NYC rely on SNAP, meaning thousands of Asian New Yorkers have likely been impacted by SNAP skimming fraud and must literally choose between food and other necessities like rent.

🪔 We joined @governor.ny.gov last night to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, which represents the triumph of light over dark, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Always lovely to celebrate our state's great cultural diversity and the contributions of South Asian New Yorkers!

No tricks, only treats in our October newsletter! In this issue: new data for 6 Asian ethnic groups, stories for #FAHM2025, a Diwali pop-up event with @padmalakshmi.bsky.social, and more! Sign up for our quarterly newsletter of all things Asian American in New York! aafederation.org/stay-in-touch/

Our Rooted In Community Gala, honoring MinKwon's 41-year anniversary, is less than three weeks away! We're looking forward to celebrating with you on October 30th at Riverside Church. Make sure to RSVP by October 23, 2025. 🎟️ bit.ly/MinkwonGala25

🌇 Who’s new to the neighborhood? 1 in 5 Japanese New Yorkers moved to the Big Apple within the past year, making them the most mobile Asian ethnic group. Explore the data for Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Indian, and Vietnamese New Yorkers at bit.ly/AAFProfiles

All eyes are on the NYC mayoral race on Nov 4. But do you know who else is on your ballot? How about the six ballot proposals? Meet the candidates and learn about the decisions shaping your neighborhood—all in 8 Asian languages!—on AAF Ballot Builder! aaf.branch.vote

We love walking past "Muk Ja Gol Mok", Murray Hill's newest and most colorful mural yet! Thanks QNS for highlighting this public art piece AAF commissioned and how it celebrates the delicious food and rich culture of Queens' Koreatown! qns.com/2025/10/new-...

We've just launched our search for a Chief Operating Officer! The COO will be AAF's internal leader, driving strategic planning, fostering a high-performance and inclusive culture, and leading organization development. To learn more and apply: www.aafederation.org/chief-operat...

Visiting Murray Hill? Take a moment to see the stunning new mural by Ji Yong Kim! Commissioned by @aafederation.bsky.social & supported by Council Member Sandra Ung & NYC Small Business Services, it is sure to catch your eye when you stop by the great restaurants & businesses in the neighborhood.