National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF)

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is a non-profit organization founded in 1996. We build power with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls to influence decisions affecting their lives, families, and communities. We use a reproductive justice framework to elevate AAPI women and girls and impact policy, driving systemic change in the United States. We mobilize and build power in 11 cities across the country, showing solidarity with other women of color experiencing injustice.

We advocate for policies that give AAPI women and girls full agency in their lives. Our work includes organizing communities in key states, engaging lawmakers and government officials to promote an intersectional AAPI women’s agenda, sharing our views through media, events, and research, and collaborating with other organizations to advance reproductive justice. Our key issue areas include reproductive freedom, economic justice and equal pay, access to quality and affordable healthcare regardless of immigration status, and freedom from hate and racism for AAPIs and all people of color.

NAPAWF operated as an all-volunteer group for its first seven years, hiring its first Executive Director in 2003. We have used “the dancing woman” as our logo since 2003; it symbolizes AAPI women, heritage, and connectedness. For example, we advocated in the 2015-16 Purvi Patel case, fighting the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes, and responded to the Atlanta Spa Shootings in March 2021 by holding vigils and working to reshape the public narrative of AAPI women. Christina Baal-Owens is our Executive Director.

Our mission is to build collective power with AAPI women and girls so they can have full agency over their lives, families, and communities. We founded NAPAWF to amplify AAPI women’s stories and experiences, centering their lived experiences within the public narrative.

Our work is guided by a reproductive justice lens. This approach is based on the belief that all individuals deserve the resources and autonomy to make decisions for their families and communities. It recognizes that personal experiences are shaped by intersecting identities that influence life choices. Our leadership is grounded in social justice values, with a commitment to dignity, equity, and collective power.

We have a team of 11-50 employees. We focus on strengthening our internal culture. Our leadership provides clarity, care, and vision, fostering an environment where a deep commitment to our mission is present. We nurture leadership and advocate for justice for AAPI women, girls, and gender expansive individuals.