What Asian Culture and Media Alliance does

Asian Culture and Media Alliance (ACMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media-arts organization founded in 2013 by Cathlyn Choi and headquartered in San Diego, California, with an operational hub launched in Los Angeles in March 2024. ACMA's core function is twofold: (1) producing and distributing AANHPI-focused documentary content via the Asian Pacific Voices television series and Asian Pacific Voices Radio podcast, aired through a broadcast partnership with Television Korea 24, Inc. (TVK24) that reaches over 30 million U.S. households across cable, YouTube, and podcast platforms, and (2) operating free vocational media-arts training programs — primarily the 12-week TAKE ONE Media Arts Academy for transitional youth ages 16-24, a Film Media Arts Fellowship, and a STEAM CTE Media Arts Program — that develop screenwriting, production, directing, editing, and digital marketing skills.

ACMA's program portfolio extends to cultural events (Asian Pacific Cultural Festival at Balboa Park, Anniversary Gala, Drive and Dine Golf Tournament, E4Women and MediActivism webinars), community engagement programs (L.E.A.D., Shared Roots Initiative, Food for Life Documentary, Stand Against Hate PSA series), youth-produced short films (Kimchi Pasta, Butterfly, The Gift, Dim Sum Dating), a Studio Rental service at the TVK24 facility in Koreatown, LA, and Digital Media Services performed by youth interns for other nonprofits and small businesses. The technology base is conventional professional video production equipment, editing software, broadcast studio facilities, and standard digital distribution platforms.

ACMA's business model is a nonprofit funding stack with four primary revenue streams: government and foundation grants (California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Academy Foundation, Conrad Prebys Foundation, Northrop Grumman, Comcast NBCUniversal, City of San Diego); individual and corporate donations/sponsorships; event revenue (ticketing and event sponsorship); and earned income from Studio Rental and Digital Media Services. All youth-facing programs are provided free of charge. ACMA distributes its content and programs through a hybrid model combining broadcast television, YouTube/podcast streaming, direct program enrollment, and in-person events.

Name

Asian Culture and Media Alliance

Legal name

Asian Culture and Media Alliance

Website

https://asianculturemediaalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Asian Culture and Media Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces AANHPI documentary television and radio via Asian Pacific Voices, delivers free vocational media-arts training (TAKE ONE) to transitional youth ages 16-24, and operates cultural festivals and events across Southern California, funded by grants, donations, and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Arts Nonprofit Media Organization

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts & Culture Appreciation (Art History, Film Appreciation, Music Appreciation) (EDAAAGAO), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Media arts education
• Youth media training
• Cultural programming
• Community media production
• Documentary filmmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: ACMA receives significant grant funding from government arts agencies and private foundations including California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Conrad Prebys Foundation, and others. Grants support specific programs including Asian Pacific Voices, TAKE ONE media arts training, and organizational operations.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, ACMA accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporate sponsors. Direct donations support organizational mission and programs. Corporate sponsorships fund specific events and programs.
3. Event Revenue: Ticket sales and sponsorship for annual events including the Anniversary Gala, Culture and Media Awards, and cultural festivals generate revenue while advancing organizational mission.
4. Studio Rental and Digital Media Services: ACMA offers studio rental at TVK24 facilities in Los Angeles and digital media production services. Youth participants provide digital marketing and media production services to other nonprofits and small businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACMA delivers free vocational media arts training to transitional AANHPI youth ages 16-24 through its TAKE ONE Media Arts Academy and produces original documentary television and radio programming (Asian Pacific Voices) showcasing underrepresented Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander stories. The organization also hosts cultural festivals and community events, and offers paid digital media production services and studio rentals at its LA Media Arts Hub facility to small businesses and nonprofits.

Product overview

Asian Culture and Media Alliance (ACMA) is a nonprofit media organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services centered on media arts education, cultural programming, and youth empowerment. The core offerings include Asian Pacific Voices (documentary TV series and radio podcast) and TAKE ONE Media Arts Academy (vocational youth training program), which together form the foundation of ACMA's mission to amplify underrepresented voices. Additional programs include Film Media Arts Fellowship and STEAM CTE Media Arts Program as advanced training pathways, Digital Media Services and Studio Rental as revenue-generating offerings, and community engagement initiatives such as the Asian Pacific Cultural Festival, E4Women webinars, MediActivism, L.E.A.D., Shared Roots Initiative, and Food for Life Documentary Series. ACMA also produces original short films and operates the Asian Pacific Community Connection directory. The organization hosts an annual Anniversary Gala and provides various community-focused programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Asian Pacific Voices: Award-winning documentary television series and radio podcast featuring Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, stories, and cultural programming.
• TAKE ONE Media Arts Academy
• Asian Pacific Cultural Festival
• E4Women

Products and services

• Asian Pacific Voices Award-winning documentary television series featuring stories of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, showcasing artists, creators, social justice advocates, educators, and cultural organizations. Aired on TVK Channel 1484, Yurview Cox, and Time Warner Spectrum and now in its sixth season.
• Asian Pacific Voices Radio Weekly radio podcast series featuring stimulating conversations about AANHPI culture and community, available on most podcast platforms including Podbean.
• TAKE ONE Media Arts Academy A 12-week hands-on vocational youth media arts training and internship program for transitional youth ages 16-24, teaching film production skills including story development, screenwriting, production, producing, and directing. Provided free of charge through grant funding.
• Film Media Arts Fellowship Three-month paid fellowship program for outstanding TAKE ONE graduates, providing funding and mentorship to write and produce their own short films.
• STEAM CTE Media Arts Program High school STEAM internship program integrating media arts with science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education.
• Digital Media Services Digital marketing and media production services offered to small businesses and nonprofit organizations, featuring youth-intern-produced content as workforce development and earned revenue.
• Studio Rental State-of-the-art professional video production studio located at TVK24 in Koreatown, Los Angeles, available for rental for creative projects through the LA Media Arts Hub partnership.
• Asian Pacific Cultural Festival Annual cultural festival celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities through performances, food, arts, and community engagement, held at Balboa Park International Cottages in partnership with House of Pacific Relations and API Houses.
• E4Women Webinar Series Bi-monthly career and personal development webinar series for aspiring filmmakers and women of color.
• ACMA Films Collection of original short films produced by ACMA including Roses, The Gift (Seonmul), Butterfly, Dim Sum Dating, Kimchi Pasta, and the Voices of Change documentary, reflecting the organization's film production portfolio enabled by Take One program graduates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of youth trained in media arts since 2016
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• San Diego Toyota Dealers AssociationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 May 2026Title Sponsor of the 13th Annual Asian Pacific Cultural Festival. Support for local communities and cultural initiatives through diversity, heritage, and community connection.
• House of Pacific RelationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2025Partnership with House of Pacific Relations (founded 1935) and API Houses including Chamorro, China, India, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, and USA for annual Asian Pacific Cultural Festival at Balboa Park International Cottages. Festival celebrating API heritage through performances, cultural experiences, and community engagement.
• Television Korea 24, Inc. (TVK24)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Groundbreaking partnership with TVK24, a prominent cable broadcast network reaching over 30 million households across the US. Grants ACMA access to studio and facilities establishing a dynamic LA Media Arts Hub. TVK24 has aired Asian Pacific Voices TV series since 2013 and all of Cathlyn's Korean Kitchen cooking shows. TVK24 is certified as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).
• Carma Media ProductionscoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-owner Eric Michelson serves as ACMA Creative Director. Production partner for Asian Voices TV series and all ACMA film productions including Kimchi Pasta, Butterfly, and The Gift. Provides mentoring and hands-on media workshops for Take One program participants.
• Asian Americans Advancing JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Stand Against Hate PSA video series addressing Covid-19 related racial hate crimes and cultural bias targeting Asian American community. Advancing Justice is one of the nation's leading legal advocacy organizations for Asian Americans.
• OCA – Asian Pacific American AdvocatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization dedicated to advancing social and political well-being of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Provides hate crime reporting resources and pro bono legal resources shared on ACMA platforms.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates: National AANHPI advocacy organization with chapters nationwide, already partnered with ACMA on hate crime reporting resources. Comparable as a national AANHPI infrastructure organization that shares overlapping mission alignment but focuses on advocacy rather than media production.

Broad incumbents

• Japanese American National Museum: Los Angeles-based major museum and cultural institution dedicated to preserving Japanese American history and broader AANHPI experiences. Comparable as a larger, established AANHPI cultural institution with educational programming and community engagement.
• Asia Society: Global nonprofit with arts, education, and policy programs focused on Asia and the Pacific. Comparable as a major institutional AANHPI arts and cultural programming organization with significantly broader scope and resources.

Direct peers

• Center for Asian American Media (CAAM): San Francisco-based nonprofit that funds, produces, and distributes Asian American films and media. Directly comparable as a leading AANHPI media arts organization with grant-making capacity, filmmaker development, and content distribution.
• East West Players: Los Angeles-based Asian American theater organization founded in 1965, producing theatrical works and running artistic development programs. Comparable as an established Asian American performing and media arts nonprofit in Southern California.
• Asian American Film Lab: New York-based nonprofit offering the 72-Hour Film Shootout and other programs supporting Asian American filmmakers. Comparable as an AANHPI media arts training and filmmaker development organization with similar educational programming.
• Visual Communications: Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to creating, preserving, and presenting Asian American media arts through film, video, and photography. Directly comparable as an Asian American media arts nonprofit with youth programs and documentary production.
• Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE): Los Angeles-based nonprofit that champions AANHPI representation in entertainment through programs like CAPE New Writers Fellowship. Comparable as an AANHPI entertainment industry nonprofit focused on representation and career pathways.

Emerging players

• Kollaboration: National nonprofit empowering Asian Americans through arts and entertainment programs, including talent showcases and creative development. Comparable as an AANHPI arts-focused nonprofit with community-based programming and youth engagement.

Regional players

• Pacific Arts Movement: San Diego-based nonprofit that presents the San Diego Asian Film Festival and Spring Showcase. Directly comparable as a San Diego AANHPI film/media arts organization serving the same regional community ACMA operates in.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acmasocal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@asianpacificvoices/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/ACMA.Socal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acmasocal
• Instagraminstagram.com/acma.socal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Asian Culture and Media Alliance