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Celebrate with Service: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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Employee
Employee

One student team's civic project for the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership Academy was to organize and recruit for a College Application Workshop, targeting high school students who would be the first generation to attend college. This photo shows APALI students leading breakout groups to address topics including "Successful and Unsuccessful UC essays, Prompts, and Topics" and "Applying for Financial Aid".One student team's civic project for the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership Academy was to organize and recruit for a College Application Workshop, targeting high school students who would be the first generation to attend college. This photo shows APALI students leading breakout groups to address topics including "Successful and Unsuccessful UC essays, Prompts, and Topics" and "Applying for Financial Aid".

At Southwest, we believe in Loving People, building resilience, and living responsibly by investing in diverse partnerships and programs that help accelerate social, environmental, and economic advancement in our communities.

 

Two partners who demonstrate our principles in the AAPI community are the  National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship and Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) Scholarship Fund. These organizations champion the AAPI community by providing resources, equipping leaders, and uplifting the people who are making a difference, and we’re honored to be a part of their mission.

 

National ACE

Group of women receiving Southwest Airlines sponsorship plaque at the National Ace Lunar New Year Reception.Group of women receiving Southwest Airlines sponsorship plaque at the National Ace Lunar New Year Reception.

National ACE, the National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship, works to improve the overall economic, political, and social well-being of the AAPI community. They help grow businesses and advocate for business interests at the federal and local levels. In 2022 alone, National ACE distributed 217 grants to AAPI small businesses!

 

Southwest also proudly sponsors National ACE as it brings together business owners, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and government officials from across the country. As the official airline of the organization, we provide roundtrip travel for business owners to attend conferences and regional trainings to grow their businesses.

 

APIA Scholars

Group of students at the APIA Scholars Dinner.Group of students at the APIA Scholars Dinner.

 

APIA Scholars is the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund and it supports first-generation AAPI students. They provide mentoring services and leadership training to help Scholars transition from the classroom to the workforce. APIA Scholars provides resources to increase access to higher education while promoting academic, personal, and professional success. The organization has awarded scholarships to 7,200 students since its founding in 2003!

 

Southwest supports their programming and provides roundtrip travel for scholars to visit home to see family while pursuing higher education. We’re proud to remove the barrier of travel so students can stay connected with their families and communities while gaining an education.

 

Other partners that help us celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month include:

  • Asian Corporate and Entrepreneur Leaders (ACEL)
    • Southwest supports their mission to bring together Asian American professionals and provide opportunities for their success through leadership development, career advancement, and community impact.
  • Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment Inc. (CAUSE)
    • CAUSE connects their Leadership Academy for Students program participants to AAPI leaders in political, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. Southwest’s donation creates opportunities to bring AAPI advocates together and build solutions for community challenges.
  • The Center for Asian Pacific American Women (CAPAW)
    • CAPAW has a long-standing fellowship program since 1996 called APAWLI for AANHPI women to expand their leadership skills with an approach of developing the whole person.
    • Southwest is the official airline of the organization and supports their Unleash the sHERO in You Fellowship Programs.
  • Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute
    • APALI programs give civic leadership training especially in the underrepresented leadership of the government, nonprofit, education, and business sectors.
    • Southwest is a long-standing partner of more than 10 years and has most recently supported them with donated travel for giveaway use at events.

These organizations are just a few examples of the community partners we are working alongside to celebrate AAPI month. Share in the comments how you lead with Heart!

 

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