AAPI Equity Budget Coalition and Assemblymember Grace Lee and Senator John Liu Rally In Support of Funding New York State’s AAPI Communities on Million Dollar Staircase
AAPI EQUITY BUDGET COALITION (EBC) CALLS FOR FULL INCLUSION OF AAPI EQUITY BUDGET IN FY27 NYS BUDGET
Assemblymember Grace Lee and Senator John Liu join AAPI Equity Budget Coalition leaders and community advocates statewide to call for full inclusion of the $54.35 million AAPI Equity Budget in the FY27 New York State Budget.
The Equity Budget Coalition and Equity Budget champions Assemblymember Grace Lee and Senator John Liu (center) rally for a fair and equitable New York State Budget before Albany’s Million Dollar Staircase. (Photo credit: Sabrina Flores/Relentless Awareness)
Albany, NY (February 10, 2026) – Today, over 100 advocates, service providers, and community leaders from the AAPI-led and -serving community-based organizations from the AAPI Equity Budget Coalition (EBC) rallied in front of Capitol’s Million Dollar Staircase in support of equitable funding for New York State’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
The coalition was joined by AAPI Equity Budget champions Senator John Liu and Assemblymember Grace Lee, who amplified our call to Governor Kathy Hochul and both houses of the New York State Legislature to include the $54.35 million AAPI Equity Budget in full in the FY27 New York State Budget.
Other lawmakers who spoke or were in attendance at the rally included Senator Jeremy Cooney, Assemblymember Sam Berger, Assemblymember Ed Braunstein, Assemblymember Chris Burdick, Assemblymember Ron Kim, Assemblymember Steven Raga, Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, Assemblymember Gabriella Romero, and Assemblymember Nily Rozic.
The AAPI Equity Budget is a holistic assessment of New York State’s AAPI community’s needs and has been included by Governor Hochul, NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and NYS Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie in the New York State Budget since FY2023. This year, the EBC is advocating for a $54.35 million investment in the State Budget, and is recommitting its push for even greater budget parity in order to achieve true equity within AAPI communities.
Funds will be used to support critical social and health services, community programs that promote the safety and well-being of communities, and that combat bias and hate throughout New York State.
“New York’s immigrant communities are facing unprecedented threats in our modern history, and community-based organizations are on the front lines ensuring they are protected,” said Senator John Liu, a champion of the AAPI Equity Budget. “Since the pandemic, the AAPI Equity Budget has filled a crucial role in ensuring New York’s historically underfunded Asian American communities have the resources needed to keep delivering services, defending civil rights, and uplifting our immigrant communities. In the face of growing hostility from the Trump White House, this investment is more critical than ever to ensure the Asian American community is not left behind and our support systems are able to continue meeting the growing needs of the families, workers, and small businesses who need it most.”
“Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic in New York, yet for far too long our communities have been overlooked and chronically underfunded,” said Assemblymember Grace Lee, Chair of the Asian Pacific American Task Force. “Fully investing $54.35 million in the AAPI Equity Budget is about more than dollars — it is about ensuring our communities are seen, heard, and valued. This funding will deliver real, tangible support, from after-school programs for at-risk youth and nutritious meals for our seniors, to lifelines for struggling small businesses and protections for our immigrant neighbors. New York must match its values with its budget and fully fund the AAPI Equity Budget to show that we truly stand with Asian American communities across our state.”
“The AAPI Equity Budget was established to help correct years of historical underinvestment by earmarking funds to support community-based organizations that serve Asian American and Pacific Islander New Yorkers by providing culturally-competent social services, crisis intervention, and programming. I will continue to work with my APA Task Force colleagues and the Governor to ensure that this important funding is again included in the final state budget,” said Assemblymember Edward C. Braunstein.
“The AAPI community is the fastest growing population across all of New York State,” said Senator Jeremy Cooney. “It’s our responsibility to support these growing communities, and make sure that from community development to combating hate crimes, we are giving them the resources they need to succeed. In the last few budgets we’ve secured substantial resources for the AAPI community, and I’m committed to making sure we deliver big once again this year.”
"In Suffolk County, I am proud to celebrate the dedication to community advocacy, student volunteerism, and academic excellence fostered by regional organizations like the Asian American Association for Greater Stony Brook, Long Island Youth Development, the Turkish Cultural Center, Long Island Chinese Society, and countless others,” said Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay. “These organizations, led by members of our local AAPI community, make our community at large more vibrant, safe, and harmonious. The funding we are advocating for is not only much-needed but also well-deserved, supporting our grassroots organization as they combat hate, celebrate culture, and further inclusiveness in our region."
“As we look toward the FY27 budget, it is critical that we continue investing in AAPI communities across New York State. Last year’s historic $30 million allocation made a real difference, supporting mental health services, programs combating anti-Asian hate, food access initiatives, and community-based organizations that serve thousands of New Yorkers. I proudly stand with the AAPI Equity Budget Coalition in urging continued and expanded investments to ensure AAPI New Yorkers are safe, supported, and can access the resources they need,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic.
“At a time when New York State’s AAPI families are under strain due to cuts and uncertainty around critical federal social safety net programs, community-based organizations from Buffalo to Brooklyn continue to step up to provide the support our community members need to put food on their tables and get the culturally and linguistically accessible services they need. CACF is proud to co-lead the Equity Budget Coalition’s push for Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to include the $54.35 million AAPI Equity Budget in full in the Fiscal Year 2027 State Budget,” said Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung, Co-Executive Directors of the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families. “The past three years have seen historic investments in our diverse AAPI communities by Governor Kathy Hochul, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl Heastie. CACF and our members and partners will continue to push for continued funding for the most vulnerable among us alongside our AAPI Equity Budget champions Assemblymember Grace Lee and Senators John Liu so that every New Yorker — regardless of their age, income, or the language they speak — can thrive.”
"Within the past year, federal funding cuts and freezes have created confusion and increased hardship for vulnerable Asian New Yorkers. It became harder for community members to qualify for assistance they needed; families were unsure if they were getting their SNAP benefits, people are at risk of losing healthcare coverage. That's why it is so urgent for Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to include the $54.35 million dollar AAPI Equity Budget in the Fiscal Year 2027 State Budget," said Catherine Chen, Chief Executive Officer of the Asian American Federation. "This funding will go towards supporting the essential, life-saving social services that Asian-serving organizations throughout the state provide. The AAPI Equity Budget is how we make an affordability agenda truly equitable—ensuring that our nonprofits can help low-income, immigrant, limited-English-proficient, older adult, and other vulnerable Asian New Yorkers navigate changes in policies and get the support they deserve. As budget hearings begin in Albany, we thank Assemblymember Grace Lee and State Senators John Liu and Jeremy Cooney for their ongoing leadership in championing a budget that invests in all New Yorkers."
The AAPI Equity Budget takes a comprehensive approach to supporting the rapidly growing AAPI community. It funds more than 150 nonprofits providing culturally responsive, language-accessible services, while supporting mental health, addressing social inequalities, and strengthening language, arts, and cultural programs. This investment is essential to the well-being of the AAPI community, and we are proud to be part of this effort,” said Wei Qin, President and Founder of Asian Arts New York (AANY).
“Asian American Institute for Research and Engagement (AAIRE) advocates for the AAPI Equity Budget because our communities cannot afford to be invisible in state funding decisions,” said Farrah Mozawalla, the founder and CEO of AAIRE. “Every day, we support families navigating language barriers, accessing mental health care, securing food and immigration assistance. This budget represents investment in culturally responsive, linguistically accessible services that our communities rely on.”
As a member of the AAPI Equity Budget Steering Cmt. and a Board Member of an organization - AWAKE - that is a recipient of the APPI Equity Budget Community Development Fund grant, I can tell you first hand what a game changer this funding has been for our ability to change life affirming and changing services to our South Asian victims of domestic violence,” said Bhavana Pahwa of AWAKE. “We thank Senator Liu and Assemblymember Meng for their unwavering support and the members of the NY State Senate and Assembly who have committed these funds for the AAPI community.
"At Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York (KCS), we see every day how underinvestment in AAPI communities directly impacts access to essential services- from behavioral health and social services to workforce support and civic engagement,” said Myoungmi Kim, CEO at Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York. “As the needs of our community continue to grow, culturally and linguistically responsive organizations like KCS are being asked to do more with fewer resources. The AAPI Equity Budget is a critical investment that recognizes the unique challenges our communities face and ensures AAPI-led organizations have the funding necessary to provide life-saving, community-rooted services. We urge state leaders to act with urgency and fully fund the AAPI Equity Budget so our communities are not left behind.”
“Mekong NYC urges our state legislators to support and pass the $54.35 million AAPI Equity Budget,” said Socheatta Meng, Executive Director of Mekong NYC. “For the Southeast Asian community in the Bronx, consisting of predominantly Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees and immigrants, the need for investment is rooted in histories of war, genocide, and forced displacement that continue to shape our lives today. Southeast Asians were resettled in the Bronx, one of the most underresourced boroughs in New York City, and yet we are expected to survive without the culturally responsive, language-accessible services our families rely on every day. From anti-deportation defense to food access to building the leadership of Southeast Asian youth, Mekong NYC does critical work to ensure our community can live with safety and dignity. The AAPI Equity Budget is an urgent and necessary investment in organizations like ours that are filling gaps left by decades of disinvestment.”
"New York's AAPI population grew nearly 38% in the last decade--five times faster than the overall population--with Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities among the fastest-growing in the state," said Kavita Mehra, Executive Director of Sakhi for South Asian Survivors. "As a survivor-led organization serving South Asian and Indo-Caribbean survivors of gender-based violence for over 37 years, we know that safety looks different for our communities--where immigration status can be weaponized, where family is both lifeline and pressure point, and where healing must happen in our own languages and cultural contexts. AAPI-led organizations like Sakhi are providing services that mainstream systems were never designed to offer. The AAPI Equity Budget ensures New York's investment finally matches our communities' presence and contributions. We are proud to stand alongside our legislative champions Senator John Liu and Assemblymember Grace Lee and the APA Legislative Caucus in fighting for the resources our communities need and deserve."
Photos from Tuesday’s rally can be downloaded here. Please credit Sabrina Flores/Relentless Awareness in all usages.
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About the AAPI Equity Budget Coalition: Co-led by CACF and AAF, the Equity Budget Coalition is made up of over 130 AAPI-led and -serving community-based organizations from across New York States who are committed to advocating for funding and linguistically and culturally accessible resources in New York State's budget.
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