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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Yappie, an Asian American Journalists Association-supported project, will receive $75,000 to expand its Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) civic journalism after finishing in second place in the 2022 Gold Futures Challenge.
The national grant competition—organized by Asian American Futures, Gold House, and GoFundMe.org—aims to drive philanthropic funding towards AAPI causes and awards 10 grants totaling $500,000 to eligible community organizations. Prize amounts are determined by a public vote.
The Yappie was named one of the competition’s 10 finalists by the Gold Futures Challenge selection committee in August and received 4,653 votes over a five-week public voting period that ended Sept. 27, according to official results.
“We are deeply grateful to the thousands of readers who turned out to support our work, and to Asian American Futures, Gold House, GoFundMe.org, and the Gold Futures Challenge selection committee for your willingness to invest in our mission to spearhead more nuanced and comprehensive AAPI stories,” said Andrew Peng and Andrew Huang, co-founders of The Yappie. “It was an honor to learn from and compete with so many worthy community organizations, and much love goes to the Asian American Journalists Association, whose fiscal sponsorship and generosity made our participation in this competition possible.”
“Congratulations to The Yappie for placing second in the Gold Futures Challenge,” said Naomi Tacuyan Underwood, Executive Director of the Asian American Journalists Association. “We hope that this funding will allow for additional resources and support for The Yappie and stories on AAPI civic and policy engagement.”
“This year, the Gold Futures Challenge drove over 12,000 people to get involved in the philanthropic process and cast their votes for the change they want to see in their communities,” said Jeremy Tran, Executive Director of Gold House. “We are proud to support The Yappie’s work as they deliver news coverage that furthers civic engagement in AAPI communities.”
“Voter participation in the Gold Futures Challenge is indicative of this critical moment for AAPIs,” said Helena Berbano, Partnerships and Outreach Director at Asian American Futures. “Our communities are even more engaged, excited, and hungry to support organizations like The Yappie—youth-led, innovative, and focused on centering community.”
“GoFundMe.org’s AAPI Community Fund was established to support nonprofits working to uplift, empower, and protect our AAPI communities,” said Yoshiko Inoue, Executive Director of GoFundMe.org. “This year’s grant recipients are perfect examples of community-based organizations taking steps towards achieving a more fair and equitable future for all AAPIs.”
Founded in 2019, The Yappie is a nonpartisan publication dedicated to tracking the policy news and activism affecting AAPI communities.
With the $75,000 grant, the newsroom plans to invest significant resources into investigative projects and move to fairly compensate journalists for their work. As a Gold Futures Challenge winner, The Yappie will also receive mentorship and organizational development opportunities through Gold House Futures and the Node Institute.
About The Yappie: The Yappie is a nonpartisan publication fiscally sponsored by the Asian American Journalists Association and dedicated to tracking Asian American and Pacific Islander power, politics, and influence. Learn more at theyappie.com/about.
