Coalition Of Asian American Leaders

Policy and Advocy: CAAL worked on an appropriation bill and monitored previous bills that passed this legislative session. In addition to key legislative victories, CAAL remains a trusted voice at the Capitolbuilding bipartisan relationships and collaborating with elected officials who are committed to Asian American issues. Through cross-racial coalition work, CAAL partners with multiple organizations, and our systems change successes are a direct result of these collaborative efforts. We worked on ethnic studies, immigration, anti-Asian hate, economic development, voting rights, and access to healthcare.

Movement Building: CAAL expanded its network from 5,500 to 5,800 over the past year, driven by our policy initiatives, civic engagement efforts, and leadership support programs. Participation in CAAL's programs continues to grow, particularly among youth and parents. We are actively expanding in seven major school districts: Centennial, St. Paul, Edina, Osseo, Dakota, Anoka-Hennepin, and South Washington.Parents and students from these districts are deeply engaged in our advocacy work on Ethnic Studies and Anti-Asian Hate, helping ensure that Asian American students feel seen, heard, andmost importantlysafe in their schools.We continue to work with educators, such as teachers, para-professionals, executive administrators, and school board members to educate and influence policy priorities and school safety for Asian Americans and academic achievement.

Communication: CAAL brings together leaders across sectors, generations, and Asian ethnic communities by convening, facilitating, and nurturing collaborative spaces. Through intentional relationship-building, CAAL strengthens cross-sector partnerships and fosters collective leadership to drive systems change.

Fiscal Sponsorships: CAAL continued to lead impactful work across education, civic engagement, legislative advocacy, and organizational growth in 2024:Education & Racial Solidarity: Continued the second cohort of the Education Racial Solidarity Program, funded by Saint Paul Public Schools, training 4 parents and 7 students. The cohort presented their projects to education leaders, including principals, teachers, school board members, district leaders, and the Superintendent, highlighting community-driven solutions and perspectives.Civic Engagement: CAAL partnered with civic engagement organizations to conduct door knocking, phone banking, and post-voter surveys aimed at monitoring policy implementation and analyzing the voting participation and experiences of Asian American communities.Additionally, CAAL collaborated with organizations in Greater Minnesota to engage Asian Americans in rural areas with limited access to resources. We hosted a Civic Engagement event in Worthington, Marshall, and Tracy, providing educational resources and emphasizing the importance of voting. The event was supported by bipartisan legislative leaders, reinforcing CAAL's commitment to inclusive and representative civic participation.Legislative Advocacy: Secured a $200,000 appropriation for the rebranded CAAL Ignite Program, originally launched in 2017 as the SPARK Leadership Fund. The program now provides financial support to individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses, with a focus on strengthening community leadership and economic resilience. This year's appropriation is specifically designated to support Asian women entrepreneurs, advancing equity and opportunity in underserved communities.CAAL hosted a highly successful Day at the Capitol with 200+ attendees, 20+ legislative visits, and participation from the Governor, Lt. Governor, and bipartisan legislative supporters.Convened a cross-generational group of volunteers to support civic engagement with post-voter surveys in high concentration voting districts. We advocated for and saw the results of increase inclusivity and welcomeness at voting polls to ensure all people were supported when voting, regardless of linguistic or cultural differences and challenges.

General ProgramsOrganizational Growth: Expanded the team to 8 staff members, including a Senior Program Manager and a Senior Grantmaking Manager.Significantly increased grantmaking capacity to support larger and more impactful community initiatives. We supported over a dozen community events and nonprofits to ensure successful financial and participation.The Executive and Network Director presented and attended multiple national conferences and events to discuss the specific issues related to Asian Minnesotans and how those learnings can benefit the larger Asian American movement across the country. The CAAL team continues to expand their personal knowledge and skills through reading, meeting, and participating in conferences and special initiatives.