The Asian Media Initiative at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is the only national program dedicated to supporting and sustaining in-language and community-based news media for and by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Founded in 2022, and housed at the Center for Community Media, the AMI produces groundbreaking original research, convenes peer-to-peer resource exchange networks for journalists working in AAPI news media, offers specialized programming for and about AAPI news media in the U.S., and builds communities of practice with Black and Latine media. In 2023, AMI published the first interactive map and directory of more than 650 outlets serving AAPI across the U.S. in 54 languages, which it followed up in 2024 with a sweeping report on the evolution of AAPI news media from the 19th century through the present day. AMI is preparing forthcoming research on engagement with AAPI media in social media, as well as programming on engaging AAPI voters in U.S. elections.

ABOUT THE RECIPIENT: Dedicated to organizing and fostering sustainability for community media among AAPI communities across the U.S., the Asian Media Initiative at the City University of New York has pioneered the creation of the first-ever national directory and map of in-language and community-based news media for and by AAPI individuals across the U.S. and its territories.

This groundbreaking effort eliminates any excuses for individuals unable to locate AAPI community media to support. It has empowered us to stand united for visibility in funding and support.

However, this undertaking is no easy feat. Each of the 653 news outlets listed in the directory undergoes independent review and verification against open-source and public information. The directory also incorporates a map and visualizations to enhance accessibility and utilization of the data.

Through the directory, users can discover magazines tailored to Iranian American brides, resources for Punjabi American truckers and tips for Japanese American executives. Additionally, it highlights new fact-checking sites and digital platforms combating disinformation, oral and community history archives, human rights documentation, investigative reporting projects, and community-centered, in-language literary and arts anthologies.

The Initiative is actively engaged in building sustainability through needs assessment and targeted programming. Furthermore, it seeks to establish communities of support and practice across diverse AAPI media by fostering peer-to-peer resource exchange networks and dedicated spaces.

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