Art in action: uplifting our voices and power

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly two years since the world and our daily lives were turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 has been a year filled with highs and lows – the inauguration of a new President, shadowed by a deadly insurrection at the nation’s capital; the development and availability of effective COVID-19 vaccines, muddled by the ongoing rise of misinformation; and the increasing visibility and public commitments to racial justice in response to BLM and Stop AAPI Hate, undermined by the continued lack of real funding and resources going towards communities of color.

Navigating through our complex realities, we at Lacuna have doubled down on our mission to organize our networks and mobilize resources to support AAPI communities in California. This year, our members selected the theme Art in Action to guide our grantmaking, aiming to support work that leverages the arts to elevate advocacy efforts and activism.

We know that AAPI-led and serving organizations already receive less than 0.2% of national foundation dollars, and arts organizations are some of the most overlooked and underfunded. Through the generosity of our members and donors, this year we are granting $12,500 to five arts organizations that are raising the visibility of the AAPI community, while advancing progressive values and causes.

We are proud to support:

Artist as First Responder: a 6-point philanthropic and interactive arts platform that acknowledges, engages, and financially supports Black, Indigenous, and other Artists of Color whose creative practices heal communities and save lives.

Bindlestiff Studio: cultivates artists who reflect and celebrate the diverse values, traditions, and histories of Pilipino and Filipino American cultures through bold artistic expression and community engagement.

Kearny Street Workshop: founded in 1972, KSW presents, produces, and promotes art that empowers Asian Pacific American (APA) artists and communities, and is the oldest APA multidisciplinary arts organization in the country.

New Wave: a documentary project that tells a coming-of-age story, celebrating the trailblazers who rebuilt community and forged a vibrant music industry more influential than the one they left behind in their homeland post Fall of Saigon.

Tuesday Night Project: provides Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI), Little Tokyo, and greater Los Angeles communities with a number of diverse and dynamic public art and culture programs in safe community spaces where people can connect through creative expression and social engagement.

As we look ahead to 2022, we know there is still so much work to ensure we have strong, safe, and healthy communities – and much of that depends on having resources in place to do this hard work. We have set a goal to raise $5,000 by January 15, 2022, so that we can continue resourcing grassroots organizations that are closest to the issues and know the best solutions to address them.

Your support will enable us to provide more resources in 2022 to organizations and projects like those listed above that are advancing incredible and important missions.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and support.

With gratitude,

Lacuna Giving Circle