Denver-Based Nonprofit Asian Girls Ignite Awarded $2,000 to Share Community Stories About AAPI Community

DENVER — Encounters with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) girls and women are rare. In fact, only 3.4% of the entire U.S. population identifies as AAPI and 1.7% of Colorado’s K-12 population. That's why Asian Girls Ignite (AGI) was formed to provide AAPI girls and women in Colorado with the positive representation and safe spaces of belonging they may be missing. For its equity-minded efforts, Colorado Equity Compass (CEC) has awarded AGI a $2,000 grant to create a series of stories and products educating the public about various parts of AGI’s mission:

• A short video collection of AAPI mother-daughter pairs speaking about their innate power and strength, individually and collectively. The intention is to illustrate that power shows up in a multitude of different ways, which allows them to combat stereotypes of AAPI women and girls.

• An infographic on the lack of AAPI representation using data from the CEC. This image would serve as evidence of how important spaces of belonging and connection are to our community.

• A monthly Q&A blog featuring AGI students and their stories.

• A storytelling photography project where Colorado AAPI girls and women submit photos showcasing individual and collective power.

• A collection of testimonials from AGI girls and their families on AGI’s impact as a positive space of belonging and representation.

These products are below:

• Asian Girls Ignite Mother-Daughter Series: Melody & Joanne

• Asian Girls Ignite Mother-Daughter Series: Abby & Filipina

• Asian Girls Ignite Mother-Daughter Series: Kayla & Julia

• Asian Girls Ignite: Building Spaces of Belonging and Community

• Asian Girls Ignite Mother-Daughter Series: Janelle & Janice

• Asian Girls Ignite Mother-Daughter Series: Emmy, Saige, & Amber

• Asian Girls Ignite Mother-Daughter Series: Katie & Jennifer

• Asian Girls Ignite Student Spotlight Series: Saige J.

• Asian Girls Ignite Student Spotlight Series: Elise Y.

• Asian Girls Ignite Student Spotlight Series: Katie B.

• Asian Girls Ignite Student Spotlight Blog Series: Sienna G.

• Asian Girls Ignite Student Spotlight Series: Janelle A.

"AGI knows that every AAPI girl and woman has innate power — and a positive environment can unleash those strengths. When no one in your community looks like you, your inherent value may be overshadowed by feelings of loneliness and isolation," adds Mehgan Yen, Co-Founder and COO of AGI.

“Nationally, between 2015 to 2018, major depressive episodes increased in AAPI youth ages 12-17. Last year, the national leading cause of death for AAPI youth ages 15-24 was suicide,” AGI organizers say. “Without the proper role models for support and guidance, many AAPI girls are left to navigate the nuances of mental health, racism, and sexism on their own. Therefore, the social determinants of health (SDOH) that are impacting our community includes social support networks.”

“The CEC is pleased to award Asian Girls Ignite a $2,000 award to support its story products created in support of the AAPI community,“ said CEC Project Lead Dr. Rachele Espiritu. “Positive representation and safe spaces are key, alongside the social determinants of health (SDOH), to ensuring long-term health and wellbeing for Asian Girls.”

About Asian Girls Ignite Asian Girls Ignite (AGI) is a non-profit organization building a strong community of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) girls and women to celebrate their individual and collective power through shared stories. AGI’s programs are based on social-emotional learning and centered around storytelling. It’s through shared stories that they elevate their voices, explore their identities, and care for their wellbeing. Programs include events, outdoors, summers, and mentorship (coming soon). AGI welcomes all AAPI middle and high school students (grades 6-12) who identify as a girl, queer, or gender-expansive.

About the Colorado Equity Compass Across Colorado, communities are facing inequities that impact their health and wellbeing. Different factors, including systemic racism, a lack of affordable housing, and environmental concerns, contribute to these inequities.

As a project of The Colorado Trust, CEC helps communities — and the organizations that serve them — better understand these issues and advocate for change using data and stories. This work consolidates diverse resources, connects peers, and both aligns and empowers communities and institutions via its Equity Data Navigator. The model showcases inequities and the social determinants of health (SDOH) across communities. CEC also serves as a hub for community storytelling and information-sharing.

For more information and to view the data model, visit coequitycompass.org. For media inquiries, contact at hello@coequitycompass.org.