Asia Society Receives $1 Million Grant from Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to Launch Asian Diaspora Project

NEW YORK, May 25, 2023 — Today, as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Asia Society and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) announce a $1 million grant from SNF to Asia Society to support the launch of the Asian Diaspora Project. This groundbreaking initiative will spotlight and celebrate notable members of the global Asian diaspora through compelling digital storytelling as a critical thread of Asia Society’s cross-cultural bridgebuilding efforts. The grant will support critical investment in infrastructure at Asia Society with a digital content studio in New York, as well as content creation equipment for 15 offices in the United States, Asia, and Europe. 

The Asian Diaspora Project reflects the mission of Asia Society to navigate shared futures for Asia and the world. Asia Society and SNF share a deep commitment to positive, constructive, civil dialogue and engagement. Since its founding in 1956, Asia Society has elevated public discourse on Asia by bringing diverse ideas and peoples across Asia and the West together through innovative programming in policy, the arts, and education.

“Our humanity is a living thing that grows the more we interact with other people, hear their individual stories, and build understanding. We at SNF are proud to support the Asia Society in launching the Asian Diaspora Project so that we can hear voices from around the world, voices which are the fundamental building blocks of civil discourse and civic engagement everywhere,” said SNF Co-Chief Programs Officer Casey Russo.

“We are extremely grateful to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for this grant, which will enable us to build critical studio infrastructure and storytelling capacity,” said Aalok Kanani, Chief Digital and Communications Officer at Asia Society. “This generous grant will help us expand our work spotlighting Asian diaspora stories, celebrating Asians, and fighting anti-Asian hate.”

Through this partnership, the Asian Diaspora Project seeks to expand Asia Society’s capacity to create digital content that spotlights the experiences and voices of Asian diasporic individuals as central to cross-cultural bridgebuilding. The project aims to significantly grow Asia Society’s target audiences and will launch on a dedicated social channel with the aim of meeting its audience where they are across the world. This support will also allow Asia Society to build a broadcast studio at its headquarters in New York as well as upgrade infrastructure throughout its global network.

The project will launch with initial content to coincide with the Lunar New Year in 2024.