National CAPACD

10/15/2026

"My childhood block in Rhode Island tells a story of U.S. foreign policy, displacement, and labor, a story I wasn't taught growing up."

In a powerful essay for Next City, National CAPACD’s Managing Director of Coalition Mobilization, Vimala Phongsavanh, reflects on growing up in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and how her family’s journey connects directly to the history of the Secret War in Laos, an American covert bombing campaign in Laos that many do not know about.

Her piece is part of Next City’s “Not My Narrative” podcast and essay series, which debunks pervasive myths that justify neglect and inequity by offering counter-narratives rooted in community experience and leadership.

Vimala explores an untold chapter of American history, where U.S. military intervention abroad shaped migration, working-class cities, and the communities that refugees built across the country. By telling our stories, we can challenge harmful narratives, deepen our understanding of our communities and their histories, and recognize our shared responsibility to build a more just future where all communities have the resources and opportunities to thrive.

📖Read her essay ➡️ link in comments
🎧Listen to the companion podcast on Apple or Spotify.

10/14/2026

National CAPACD, alongside over 40 coalition members and national partners, submitted comments opposing proposed changes that would weaken the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

For decades, we have advocated for stronger bank accountability and equitable investments in historically underinvested and underserved communities, including access to affordable housing and small business capital.

We urge the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to withdraw the proposed changes and work with the Federal Reserve to develop a consistent CRA framework that strengthens, rather than weakens, investment in historically redlined and disinvested communities.

Read our full statement ➡️ link in comments

10/12/2026

On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, National CAPACD recognizes and honors the land we occupy, the ancestors who came before us, and the Indigenous communities who continue to steward these lands today.

Our Washington, D.C. and Oakland, CA offices exist on the ancestral homelands of the Piscataway, Nacotchtank, Ohlone, Muwekma, and Confederated Villages of Lisjan peoples, past and present. We express continued gratitude and honor the land, water, and people who have stewarded this land throughout generations. We invite you to join us in standing in solidarity with Indigenous communities by respecting Tribal sovereignty, supporting self-determination, and continuing to learn from Indigenous leadership and knowledge.

As we advocate against the gentrification and the displacement of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, we recognize the historical and active displacement of Indigenous communities from their land over generations across our country. This includes Indigenous Pacific Islanders, particularly in U.S. colonies and territories like Hawaiʻi, Guam, and American Samoa, who have been dispossessed of their lands and faced cultural suppression under U.S. rule.

We share our deep respect for and commitment to Indigenous sovereignty today and every day.

To learn more, explore Land Back resources (https://ndncollective.org/land-back/).

LAND BACK RESOURCES POWER BUILDING LIBRARY COLLECTIVE ABUNDANCE CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION ECONOMY & TRADE ENERGY INDIGENOUS REGENERATIVE...

10/09/2026

This week, National CAPACD hosted the Empowerment Economics Summit in Oakland!

We brought together practitioners from across the country, representing Apex Fund for Economic Opportunity - Apex Fund, CAPI, Chinese Community Center of Houston, Chhaya Community Development Corporation, EBALDC, HANA Center, Hawaiian Community Assets, Hawaiian Lending & Investments (HLI), Pakini Loan Fund, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, Pacific Island Knowledge 2 Action Resources, Rise Now, and Thai Community Development Center. Together, the cohort explored how to build wealth and power in their communities using cultural connections, community drivers, and narrative change.

Grounding this work in place, EBALDC led a tour of Oakland Chinatown, where we visited SparkPoint Oakland and walked through EBALDC’s very first renovation project, the Asian Resource Center.

To close out the week, each participant identified a specific challenge in their program, built a tailored action plan, and received peer feedback before heading home to implement real change.

Thank you to this dedicated cohort of leaders for a powerful week of shared wisdom and deep relationship-building grounded in our commitment to our communities. 💙

10/09/2026

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans - NCAPA, in partnership with Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) and AAPI Data, has developed a toolkit that provides a standardized, evidence-based, and field-tested set of facts and messaging resources to help community organizations, news media, funders, and other relevant stakeholders better understand and engage AA and PI communities.

When our communities are accurately understood, our collective voice grows stronger.

💡 Explore and share the toolkit today: https://www.ncapaonline.org/resources/voter-data-and-narrative-toolkit-2026/

📸: Chhaya Community Development Corporation Voter Registration Drive

10/05/2026

Tomorrow, join National Council of Asian Pacific Americans - NCAPA and AAPI Data for a national community briefing with critical information you need about the elections, including the 2026 AAPI Voter Survey, NCAPA’s policy primers, and the newly released State of AANHPIs report.

National CAPACD CEO Seema Agnani will be joining a panel discussion alongside fellow community leaders to unpack housing insecurity, the impacts of the “model minority” myth on low-income communities, and strategies for equitable community development.

📅Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 9:30am PT | 12:30pm ET
📍Register today: aapidata.com/oct6briefing

09/30/2026

Last week, our Community in the Capital (CITC) fellows joined us in Washington, D.C. for the 2026 CITC Advocacy Institute. 🏛️✨

Together, the fellows amplified local grassroots experience in federal advocacy on Capitol Hill. We began the week by working on our scripts, refining our messaging, and running mock Hill visits and committee meetings with coaching from National CAPACD staff, Gregg Orton of National Council of Asian Pacific Americans - NCAPA, Bob Sakaniwa of Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), and Kham Moua of Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC). Putting practice into action, the fellows met with staff from their elected officials’ offices to advocate for small businesses, neighborhood preservation, and the CRA, and shared how recent federal policy changes are being experienced locally. We also met with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and closed our Hill visits with Steve Chang at the Senate Small Business Committee to share stories about the importance of immigrant small businesses in our neighborhoods and places.

A big thank you to our National CAPACD team for guiding this powerful week, and to our incredible 2026 CITC fellows for sharing their stories and expertise in D.C.and their ongoing leadership and dedication to our communities.

Learn more about CITC and our fellows through the link in our comments.

📸: Photos captured by Nahida Uddin

09/29/2026

National CAPACD is proud to support the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) virtual !

The APAICS Technology Summit brings together industry and community leaders alongside Members of Congress to discuss top-line technology policy concerns that are affecting AA and NH/PI communities and other communities across the country.

Our CEO Seema Agnani moderated the “Building Financial Freedom and Wealth Equity" panel, highlighting how emerging AI technologies and digital tools impact homeownership. As the financial landscape evolves, we must uphold trusted counseling and equitable language access for limited English proficient consumers.

To learn more and register, visit apaics.org/tech-summit-2026.

09/22/2026

Meet our 2026 Community in the Capital (CITC) Fellows! 🏛️✨

This week, the CITC fellows are in Washington, D.C., for the Advocacy Institute, a culmination of their fellowship. Throughout the week, they will meet directly with federal policymakers to build strategic relationships and advance their communities’ priorities.

For 15 years, our CITC fellowship has equipped leaders from local AA and PI community-based organizations to bridge the gap between local experience and federal advocacy, ensuring community voices are included and amplified on a national scale.

Join us in welcoming this year’s leaders to D.C. as they bring local community power to the capital!

🔗 Meet the 2026 fellows and learn more about their work: link in comments

SoCal PICRT, Friends of Little Saigon - Seattle, Little Tokyo Community Council - LTCC, Seattle Chinatown Int'l. Dist. Preservation and Development Authority, Little Tokyo Service Center, HAP, Chhaya Community Development Corporation

09/18/2026

Today at “The Work of Revolution” joint conference hosted by the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) and the National Council on Public History - NCPH, National CAPACD’s Managing Director Vimala Phongsavanh shared the story behind her award-winning exhibit, 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘢.

The exhibit weaves together photographs and family keepsakes to trace Vimala’s family’s story of loss, strength, and migration, from a village in Laos to the mill towns of Rhode Island. Centered on her grandmother, Khamhoth, 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘢 honors her quiet courage through war, displacement, and rebuilding a new life in America. It also uplifts the collective resilience of Woonsocket’s immigrant families and confronts a history often forgotten: the Secret War in Laos.

Alongside her presentation, Vimala officially accepted awards from both the AASLH and the NCPH for her commitment to public history and truth-telling.

National CAPACD congratulates Vimala and applauds her dedication to community-centered storytelling and cultural preservation. 👏✨