A bold new project is meeting the current political moment and redefining American history as one shaped by, intertwined with, and inseparable from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) experiences.
Under the direction of accomplished scholars Karen Umemoto, Ph.D. and Kelly Fong, Ph.D., the UCLA Asian American Studies Center has launched “Foundations and Futures: Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook” — the most comprehensive collection of AAPI histories ever made available online and freely accessible for students, educators, and the general public.
Written by more than 100 leading scholars, journalists, organizers, and community historians, the textbook spans over 20 AAPI ethnic communities across the U.S., its territories, and the Pacific. With an extensive archive of videos, photographs, audio clips, poems, and interviews, plus lesson plans for high school and college learners. “Foundations and Futures” turns classrooms into laboratories of empathy, critical thinking, and social change.
“The histories featured in the textbook expand our understanding of the world in transformative ways. It helps us grow understanding of who we are and mutual respect across differences,” said Dr. Karen Umemoto, director of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, adding that the textbook “deepens knowledge about growing societal problems and shares intergenerational wisdom to make positive change in the world.”
More than a textbook, “Foundations and Futures” is part of a national movement to transform how America sees itself. From Japanese American incarceration to Pacific Islander diasporas, from South Asian community organizing to the cultural contributions of Southeast Asian refugees, it reveals how AAPI communities have shaped the U.S. — and why their stories are essential to a more just, inclusive democracy.
Origins of a Rising Tide and Movement
Umemoto and Fong conceptualized the multimedia textbook in 2020 to address two urgent needs: the rise of anti-Asian violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and the glaring absence of quality AAPI educational content in schools. “Foundations and Futures” is a critical response to political polarization, rising anti-Asian violence, and educational censorship considering that:
- 3 in 5 Asian Americans have experienced discrimination because of their race/ethnicity
- Over 1 in 4 Americans believe Asian Americans are more loyal to their country of origin than the U.S.
- Only 28% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders and 23% of Asian Americans feel accepted in the U.S. for their racial identity
- Over 23,000 book bans have been recorded since 2021, including many Asian American and Pacific Islander stories
(Statistics according to The Asian American Foundation’s (TAAF) STAATUS Index Survey and Pen America)
The UCLA Asian American Studies Center’s mission to bring Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies to each and every home launched a nationwide collaboration and movement to make accessible over 50 years of AAPI studies scholarship and knowledge. By honoring the past and responding to the challenges of the present, “Foundations and Futures” empowers students, families, and lifelong learners to shape a dignified future for all.
“Why can’t we make Asian American history an essential part of how we teach American history?” said Fong. “I hope this book changes perceptions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, defies the incorrect monolithic stereotype of our community as the ‘model minority’ and instead recognizes the diversity in our community.”
Growing Push for Ethnic Studies
The movement to mandate ethnic studies in K–12 schools has grown significantly over the past decade, with California leading the way. “Foundations and Futures” is an instrumental resource for teaching and learning as the fight for ethnic studies continues.
On Aug. 17, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill AB 1468, requiring all students enrolled in the 23 California State University campuses to take a three-unit class in Native American studies, African American studies, Asian American studies, or Latina and Latino studies. The courses fulfill a new General Education Area F: Ethnic Studies.
In October 2021, the California Legislature passed and Newsom signed Assembly Bill 101, a landmark law making California the first state to require ethnic studies as a high school graduation requirement. The law requires students in the Class of 2030 to complete one semester of ethnic studies, with schools required to offer the courses starting in the 2025-26 school year. The curriculum centers on the histories, cultures, and contributions of African American, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Native American communities.
A total of 22 states now have statutes requiring ethnic studies, with California, Oregon, Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, and Connecticut among those that include AAPI studies in their academic standards. Oregon developed ethnic studies standards within its social studies curriculum; Connecticut required all high schools to offer courses in Black and Latino studies beginning in the fall of 2022.
Despite the progress in California, a critical challenge remains: AB 101 was written to take effect “upon appropriation,” and since 2022, the California Department of Finance has maintained that no appropriation has been made to implement the mandate, leaving ethnic studies funding still pending and creating significant uncertainty about the law’s full implementation, despite recent studies from San Francisco that show ethnic studies courses are linked to higher grades and UC eligibility.
Honoring 50 Years of History
“Foundations and Futures” brings forward voices, stories, and histories that have long been left out of mainstream education. Built on an innovative, ADA-compliant digital platform, the project offers translation tools, reading supports, and customizable display features to ensure access for learners of all abilities.
As states across the country adopt ethnic studies and AAPI curriculum requirements, “Foundations and Futures” gives schools, districts, and communities a powerful, scholar-informed, classroom-tested resource — free, online, and ready to use.
“I was inspired by the thought of my 15-year-old Indian/Pakistani American niece seeing herself and her community represented in a major textbook. I thought, how empowering and affirming would that feel for a young Asian American today?” said Uzma Quraishi, educator and contributing writer.
“Just as importantly, because the ‘Foundations and Futures’ project expansively includes so many Asian American communities, it can be a means of building solidarity between these otherwise varied and diverse community members.”
UCLA Asian American Studies Center’s multimedia textbook includes:
- Curricula and stories written by over 100 world-renowned journalists, filmmakers, community organizers, and scholars in ethnic studies and AAPI studies.
- 50 unique chapters covering over 20 AAPI communities across all regions of the U.S., its territories and jurisdictional associations. While the majority of chapters are available now, the remainder will be released on a rolling basis.
- 1,500+ multimedia assets including videos, photographs, audio, poetry, and interviews, housed in a searchable digital archive.
- Over 250 corresponding lesson plans written by experienced classroom teachers and curriculum specialists in ethnic studies for grades 9-14.
- Accessibility features and digital learning tools designed to create a more engaging reader experience, enhance student comprehension, and grow users’ digital literacy skills, including translation capabilities, reading masks, and customizable text size, spacing, and font options.
- Collaborations with educational and community organizations across the country including the Smithsonian Asian Pacific Center, National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, South Asian American Digital Archive, Densho, Japanese American National Museum, Asian Women United and more.
To access the book, visit www.foundationsandfutures.org.