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Non-profit

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)

Website:

www.napawf.org
Location:

Chicago, IL
Tax ID:

36-4799986
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $7,327,574
Expenses: $5,670,369
Assets: $18,238,029
Type:

Advocacy group
Formation:

1996
Executive Director:

Sung Yeon Choimorrow
Budget (2023):

Revenue: $8,192,880
Expenses: $5,211,102
Net Assets: $20,397,793 24

References

  1. National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part I). 2023.

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is a left-of-center organization that advocates on issues affecting Asian and Pacific Islander American women. Its focus areas include expanded abortion access and health benefits for illegal immigrants. 1

Donors to the NAPAWF include billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Rockefeller Family Fund, and the Tides Center. 2

Background

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum was founded in September 1996 by 157 Asian and Pacific Islander American (AAPI) female activists at a gathering in Los Angeles, California. It emerged from the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, where its founders recognized the need for a “national, progressive, multi-issue movement of AAPI women in the United States.” The founders developed a platform around six issues, including civil rights, economic justice, educational access, ending violence against women, health, and immigrant and refugee rights. 3

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum is focused on “forging a grassroots progressive movement for social and economic justice and the political empowerment of Asian and Pacific American women and girls” through research, education, organizing, and advocacy. 4 As of 2025, it has chapters in Illinois, Florida, Georgia, New York, and Texas. 5

Work Areas and Advocacy

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum’s focus areas are expanded abortion access, equal pay for Asian and Pacific Islander American (AAPI) women, healthcare for AAPI immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, and racial activism. 1

The NAPAWF has a policy and governmental affairs team in Washington, D.C. that actively monitors and advocates for policies and legislation associated with its focus areas, working to advance “the progressive priorities of AAPI women and girls.” 6

At local chapters the NAPAWF organizes gatherings, civic actions, and trainings to get members involved. Its Voter Engagement Program, which was established in 2018, educates and mobilizes voters. 7 1

The AAPI Gender Justice Collaborative was established by NAPAWF in 2023 to support left-of-center gender advocacy. It has eight partner organizations including Apna Ghar, Daya Houston, the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Resource Project, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, HEART Women and Girls, Jahajee Sisters, KAN-WIN, and the Laotian American National Alliance. 8

Intersections of Our Lives is a collaborative that includes the In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. 9 The collaborative has eight strategic partners, including Black Women for Wellness, The Black Women’s Health Imperative, SisterLove Inc., SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, and the Afiya Center. 10 It advocates for women, gender-expansive individuals, and racial minorities, focusing on left-of-center issues including abortion access and gender advocacy, claiming that “women of color bear the brunt of deadly and restrictive abortion laws and xenophobic policies.” 11

The NAPAWF is a member of the HEAL Coalition (Health Equity and Access Under the Law) in partnership with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice which advocates the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act. The bill would remove the five-year waiting period for immigrants to enroll in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), let illegal immigrants enroll in the healthcare marketplace, and create a state plan to expand Medicaid and CHIP to illegal immigrants. 12 13

In 2024, the NAPAWF rallied at the U.S. Supreme Court in support of abortion access and continued to advocate for the HEAL Act. 14 Along with Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the NAPAWF filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect access to medication abortion. 15

In June 2024, the NAPAWF launched the Abortion Access Now campaign, along with the ACLU, the Center For Reproductive Rights, the National Women’s Law Center, Reproductive Freedom for All, and URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity. As part of the campaign, these organizations pledged $100 million to advance abortion access in the United States through lobbying, public education, and communications. 16

In January 2025, the NAPAWF claimed that many of the executive orders being signed by President Donald Trump “undermine gender justice, reproductive justice, economic security, and the well-being of the AAPI women, gender expansive individuals, and all marginalized communities.” 17 It also condemned the passage of the Laken Riley Act , which requires the detention of illegal immigrants who have been charged with or convicted of crimes, claiming that it is a “backdoor to mass detention and deportation.” 18

Funding

In December 2023, billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gifted $3 million to the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. 19  “NAPAWF Receives $3 Million Gift From Mackenzie Scott to Build Power With Asian American & Pacific Islander Women and Girls.” NAPAWF Press Release. December 7, 2023. Accessed March 30, 2025. https://napawf.org/news/gift-from-mackenzie-scott/[/note]

Additional donors to the NAPAWF include the research and education fund of Public Wise, Onward Together, the In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, the Progressive Multiplier Fund, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Rockefeller Family Fund, the Tides Center, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. 2

Leadership

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum founders included abortion access supporter Sono Aibe, who was with the Population and Reproductive Health Program at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and Lisa Hasegawa, the executive director of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development. 20

Sung Yeon Choimorrow became executive director in 2017. She is an Aspen Institute fellow. Previously, she was a director for Interfaith Worker Justice. 21

Miriam Yeung became board chair in December 2023. 22 She was a previous executive director for the NAPAWF and an activist-in-residence at Smith College in Massachusetts, where she is described as a “longtime women’s rights, LGBT and reproductive justice organizer.” 23

References

  1. “About.” NAPAWF. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://napawf.org/about/
  2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer search. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&q=36-4799986&sort=best&submit=Apply&year%5B%5D=2022&year%5B%5D=2023
  3. “National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum.” CAPAA Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://capaa.wa.gov/asian-pacific-american-directory/national-asian-pacific-american-womens-forum
  4.  “NAPAWF Platform Papers.” Accessed from a WayBack Machine September 11, 2015 capture. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20150911222158/https:/napawf.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/all_platforms.pdf
  5. “Become a Member.” NAPAWF. Accessed March 30, 2025. https://napawf.org/membership/
  6. “Policy and Structural Change.” NAPAWF. Accessed March 30, 2025. https://napawf.org/policy/
  7. [1] “Organizing and Civic Engagement.” NAPAWF. Accessed March 30, 2025. https://napawf.org/organizing-and-civic-engagement/
  8. “AAPI Gender Justice Collaborative.” NAPAWF. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://napawf.org/gender-justice-collaborative/
  9. “Priorities for Women of Color.” Intersections of Our Lives. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://intersectionsofourlives.org/
  10. “About Us.” Intersections of Our Lives. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://intersectionsofourlives.org/about/
  11. “Collaborative of Leading Reproductive Justice Organizations Announce New Policy Priorities for 2025.” Intersections of Our Lives. December 3, 2024. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://intersectionsofourlives.org/repro-justice-policy-agenda/
  12. [1] “The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act of 2023.” NAPAWF. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://napawf.org/heal/
  13. “S. 2646 (118th): HEAL for Immigrant Families Act of 2023. Govtrack.us. July 27, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/118/s2646/text
  14. LinkedIn – National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF). Posted December 2024. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/napawf/posts/
  15. Women of Color Groups File Amicus Brief to U.S. Supreme Court in Support of Medication Abortion.” Advancing Justice. February 2, 2024. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/press-release/women-color-groups-file-amicus-brief-us-supreme-court-support-medication-abortion
  16. “Leading Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Organizations Launch ‘Abortion Access Now’ Campaign and $100 Million Investment.” Reproductive Freedom for All. June 24, 2024. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/leading-reproductive-health-rights-and-justice-organizations-launch-abortion-access-now-campaign-and-100-million-investment/
  17. “”We Must Protect The Most Vulnerable Among Us.” NAPAWF Pushes Back at ‘Cruel’ Executive Orders.” India Currents. January 21, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://indiacurrents.com/we-must-protect-the-most-vulnerable-among-us-napawf-pushes-back-at-cruel-executive-orders/
  18. “NAPAWF Condemns Passage of the Laken Riley Act.” NAPAWF Press Release. January 23, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://napawf.org/news/condemns-passage-of-the-laken-riley-act/
  19. “Gifts.” Yield Giving search results. Accessed March 30, 2025. https://yieldgiving.com/gifts/?q=napawf
  20. “Founding Sisters.” NAPAWF. Accessed from a WayBack Machine July 15, 2017 capture. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20170715233628/https://napawf.org/about/founding-sisters/
  21. LinkedIn – Sung Yeon Choimorrow. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sung-yeon-choimorrow-58140224/
  22. National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part VII). 2023.
  23. “”Lead With Love”: Smith’s Activist-in-Residence.” Smith College. February 22, 2017. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.smith.edu/news-events/news/lead-love-smiths-activist-residence
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: March 1, 2018

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $7,327,574 $5,670,369 $18,238,029 $904,500 N $7,291,506 $16,748 $30,473 $283,575
    2021 Dec Form 990 $11,283,698 $5,139,261 $16,095,448 $341,005 N $11,292,690 $0 $3,694 $0
    2020 Dec Form 990 $5,258,461 $2,580,495 $9,795,664 $185,658 N $5,253,196 $0 $5,265 $0
    2019 Dec Form 990 $6,475,099 $2,337,234 $7,119,379 $187,339 N $6,461,890 $0 $9,629 $0 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $3,930,783 $1,136,608 $2,846,078 $51,903 N $3,931,429 $0 $674 $0 PDF

    National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)


    Chicago, IL