‘Asian+American’ campaign celebrates beauty of Asian American identity

The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today launched 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, according to a TAAF release. 

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 release noted.

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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.”

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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, TAAF noted. 

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 release noted.

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.