The Asian American Foundation Unveils New Campaign via Park Pictures

The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) has unveiled 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.  

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 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 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. Belonging begins  with being seen and heard, and we hope this campaign sparks the kind of honest conversations  that help us own, and celebrate, every part of who we are. Our partnership with Right To Be goes a  step further and empowers individuals to take an active role in creating belonging and safety for  their own communities.” 

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. 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 ‘plus’ is about turning a negative into a positive. It’s about disrupting judgement, perception,  and ill-conceived notions of identity. It strikes down barriers and broadens our understanding of  who Asian Americans are and who we can be,” said Kevin Kaminishi, Associate Creative Director  at W+K New York. “We are a massive community, and it’s time that we celebrate in a way that  carries the strengths of our heritage while embracing the freedom to redefine it.” 

“My own Asian American identity and sense of belonging are things I’ve attempted to define for  myself through my work,” said Park Pictures director Sean Wang. “Through those experiences,  I’ve connected with so many others who share the unique challenges of navigating multiple  cultural identities. I’m thrilled to have partnered with TAAF, W+K, Sandra Oh, and our team at Park  Pictures to build on that and make something that celebrates the beauty and complexity of our  community."  

“Lending my voice on a message so close to my heart—one that represents my community—has  tremendous meaning for me,” said Award-winning Actor/Producer Sandra Oh. “Working with  TAAF to highlight the intersectionality of our identities and cultures has been a project made out of  love by everyone who has touched it. I’m so honored to be part of giving this message to the AAPI  community and with the world.”  

“The plus in Asian+American is a broad celebration of identity—the plus is for everyone,” said  Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ohai.ai and Co-founding TAAF  Board Member. "The heart of this campaign speaks to something universal: the richness of being  more. No matter our background, we all live at the intersection of multiple cultures, stories, and  communities. This is a reminder that our stories, while unique, are deeply connected—and that 

there’s power in embracing every part of who we are as Americans. And that the richness and  abundance in each of our backgrounds should be celebrated and honored." 

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. 

To learn more about the “Asian+American” campaign, visit AsianPlusAmerican.org

The Asian American Foundation | Asian + American 

CLIENT: The Asian American Foundation 

PROJECT NAME: Asian + American 

FORMAT: Film, OOH 

LAUNCH DATE: 07/21/25 

CLIENT: THE ASIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION

CO-FOUNDER, BOARD MEMBER: Sheila Marcelo
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Norman Chen 
CHIEF PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER: Prisca Bae 
HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING: Joy Moh 
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF BRAND & CREATIVE: Polly Fong 
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: Andrew Peng 

AGENCY: W+K NEW YORK

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICERS: Brandon Henderson & Marques Gartrell 
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kevin Kaminishi 
COPYWRITER: Farin Nikdel 
ART DIRECTOR: Vicky Mo 
ART DIRECTOR: Marcus Yuen 
ART DIRECTOR: Bowook Yoon 
GLOBAL HEAD OF INTEGRATED PRODUCTION: Nick Setounski
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Craig Keppler 
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Caroline Park 
SENIOR ART PRODUCER: Diana Pam 
ASSOCIATE ART PRODUCER: Jessi Zhou 
CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR: Chris Whalley 
SENIOR CREATIVE SERVICES PRODUCER: Leigh Ann Dykes
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER: Laura Rowan 
STRATEGY DIRECTOR: David Ceng 
SENIOR BRAND STRATEGIST: Joe Bae 
SENIOR COMMS STRATEGIST: Javaad Beg 
GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Samantha Wagner
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Sean Jang  
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Sidney Hur 
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Alex Doomany
BUSINESS AFFAIRS: Kevin Cabanayan TRAFFIC: Sonia Bisono 
STUDIO MANAGER: Jill Kearton 
HEAD OF RETOUCHING/150 PROOF: Chris McClelland LIL JOINT 

FILM PRODUCTION: PARK PICTURES

DIRECTOR Sean Wang 
FOUNDING PARTNER Jackie Kelman Bisbee
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Cody Ryder 
HEAD OF PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS Chelsea Schwiering
HEAD OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS Anne Bobroff 
PRODUCER Valerie Bush 
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Sam Davis 
PRODUCTION DESIGNER / ART DIRECTOR Hanrui Wang 
KEY COSTUMER Amanda Wing Yee Lee 

PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTION: 

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jingyu Lin
PHOTOGRAPHER’S AGENT: Kramer + Kramer 

EDITORIAL COMPANY: WORK EDITORIAL 
EDITOR: Arielle Zakowski
CUTTING ASSISTANT: Fatos Marishta
ASST EDITOR: Giselle Murillo
PRODUCER Victor Medina
EXEC PRODUCER Alejandra Alarcon
HEAD OF PRODUCTION Chris Delarenal
MANAGING DIRECTOR Erica Thompson 

POST COMPANY: WORK POST 
PRODUCER Meredith Cherniack
EXEC PRODUCER Drew Rissman  

COLOR COMPANY: RARE MEDIUM 
COLORIST: Ayumi Ashley
COLOR HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Evan Bauer
COLOR ASSISTANT: Rachel Kong 

MUSIC COMPANY: CITIZEN 
TRACK NAME: Kaisei’s Story
COMPOSER: Paul Zhao
CREATIVE LEAD: Bomin Weon
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Lexi Stearn
HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Molly Young
SENIOR PRODUCER: Vlad Bar
PRODUCER: Sarah Grocock
TECH PRODUCER: Seb Vidal  

SOUND DESIGN & MIX COMPANY: SONIC UNION 
SOUND DESIGNER: Joe O'Connell & Kelly Oostman
RECORD & MIX ENGINEER: Kelly Oostman
ASSISTANT AUDIO ENGINEER: Carly Morgan
AUDIO PRODUCER: Nathanael Taylor