Colorism, ethnic hierarchy, anti-Blackness: how oppression shows up within AANHPI spaces and what to do to unpack these dynamics.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities are often treated as monolithic—flattened into a single narrative that erases the vast differences in history, migration, language, class, and experience across these populations.

But oppression doesn't only come from outside AANHPI communities. It also operates within them—through colorism, ethnic hierarchies, anti-Blackness, class divides, and the ways that proximity to whiteness and model minority narratives create internal stratification and harm.

In nonprofit organizations that serve or are led by AANHPI communities, these dynamics often go unexamined. Leadership may center certain ethnic groups while marginalizing others. Hiring practices may favor those with specific language skills, educational backgrounds, or immigration statuses. Colorism may shape whose voices are elevated and whose labor is visible. And anti-Blackness—rooted in both historical context and ongoing systems of white supremacy—may show up in organizational culture, coalition work, and community relationships.

This strategy session invites AANHPI leaders and those working within or alongside AANHPI communities to examine how oppression operates internally—and what accountability and healing require in response.

This session will not be recorded in order to protect honest dialogue, and participants who attend live will receive curated resources and tools they can adapt and tailor for their own organizational contexts.

What we'll explore together:

• How AANHPI communities have been constructed in the United States through racialization, immigration policy, and the model minority myth

• The ways oppression shows up within AANHPI communities—including colorism, ethnic hierarchy, anti-Blackness, and class divisions

• How these dynamics manifest in nonprofit organizations through hiring, leadership pipelines, program design, and coalition building

• What it means to build solidarity across difference within AANHPI spaces—and between AANHPI and other communities of color

• How organizations can move from surface-level representation to deeper accountability and justice

What you'll leave with:

• A deeper understanding of how internal oppression operates within AANHPI communities and organizations

• Language and frameworks for naming and addressing colorism, ethnic hierarchy, and anti-Blackness in organizational spaces

• Ideas for creating workplaces and programs that honor the full diversity of AANHPI experiences

• For those who attend live, guiding questions to help examine your organization's culture, leadership norms, and community relationships

Who this is for:

• AANHPI leaders in executive, management, and senior roles

• Board members and governance leaders shaping organizational direction

• HR, operations, and program leaders who influence hiring, workplace culture, and service delivery

• Leaders committed to building organizations rooted in solidarity, accountability, and justice—both within AANHPI communities and across racial identities