Silicon Valley Asian American Voices (Voices) is a multimedia project that facilitates education and advocacy on policy issues that impact Asian American immigrants. The project is coordinated by Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) and made possible by a grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Through video, website, policy briefs, and community dialogues, the project’s goals are to:
For centuries, Asian American immigrants have contributed to the innovation, economic development, and culture that characterize Silicon Valley. Yet, they have continued to face many institutional barriers to success. According to the 2008 Census, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans now account for approximately one third of the population in Santa Clara County. Latino Americans constitute 26 percent and over a third in the county is foreign-born. With the unique ethnic make-up of this region, it is critical that we as a community employ strategies that advance the economic and social well-being of our immigrant communities.
The Voices project was created in response to this need. Although Asian American immigrants face barriers to success, community support can help these groups to overcome challenges and go on to make positive contributions to their communities. Immigrants play a vital role in our region, and helping these populations more easily adapt and integrate into the community will ultimately strengthen our community as a whole. Taking individual, community, and political action is an integral part of accomplishing this goal.
Voices focuses on the experiences and concerns of Asian American immigrant communities. We believe there are common threads that tie these communities together, with the understanding that our communities are also unique and diverse. We acknowledge that this project does not focus on the Pacific Islander American population, but we hope that it can still be a resource to these communities.
For more information, please contact Beverly Wong, Voices Project Coordinator, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Focusing on the diverse Asian American community, Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)’s mission is to improve the health, mental health, and well-being of individuals and their families by providing an array of human services. AACI empowers the Asian American community by working collaboratively for equality and social justice.
Founded in 1973, AACI is now the largest community-based organization serving the Asian American community in Santa Clara County, through culturally and linguistically appropriate programs. Current programs include mental health and primary care health services, HIV/AIDS prevention and services, health education, substance abuse treatment, a center for survivors of torture, programs and shelter for domestic violence victims, a senior center, youth development services, English and computer classes, and advocacy.
Silicon Valley Community Foundation is a leading voice and catalyst for innovative solutions to the region's most challenging problems. Its mission is to strengthen the common good, improve quality of life and address the most challenging problems, through visionary community leadership, world-class donor services and effective grantmaking.
Through its Immigrant Integration grantmaking strategy, the community foundation seeks to put a human face on complex immigration issues through powerful tools such as video, art, technology and other media to educate policymakers, business, clergy, civic leaders, foundations and the general public about immigrants and their receiving communities. The community foundation sees the full spectrum of arts and culture as an instrument for social change.