UCLA Asian American Studies Center

Higher Education Research / Ethnic Studiesaasc.ucla.edu

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center is an academic research center at UCLA, founded in 1969, that produces scholarship, statistical portraits, and educational resources on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, serving students, K-12 educators, community organizations, and policymakers.

Company typePrivate
Founded1969
HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

What UCLA Asian American Studies Center does

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center (AASC) is an academic research center within UCLA founded in 1969 as one of the first ethnic studies centers in the United States. It conducts and disseminates research on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities through scholarly publications, educational resources, policy reports, and event programming. The center operates AASC Press, which publishes peer-reviewed journals (Amerasia Journal, AAPI Nexus, Intersections), books, and the CrossCurrents newsmagazine. Through its Center for Immigration and Community, AASC functions as an official U.S. Census Information Center, producing annual statistical portraits of AAPI populations and co-running the Asian Pacific American Community Development Data Center (APACDDC) with CAPACD.

AASC's product portfolio spans core publications, the $12 million Foundations and Futures: Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook (a free digital resource released in May 2025 after eight years of development by 100 contributors), and supporting resources such as lesson plans, video archives, oral history collections, the Ethnocommunications media program, and policy research briefs. Distribution combines a self-serve website for free downloads, AASC Press e-commerce for scholarly publications, regional in-person events, and partnerships with academic distributors such as Taylor & Francis.

The center is funded primarily through UCLA institutional support via the Institute of American Cultures, philanthropic donations including a $10 million pledge from Helen and Morgan Chu in 2024 and endowed chairs funded by donors such as the Korea Times-Hankook Ilbo founders and the Terasaki Family Foundation, and external grants including the Ford Foundation's Building Economic Security over a Lifetime Initiative. Pricing is freemium: most educational resources and data products are free to educators and the public, while academic publications are sold through AASC Press and partner distributors. The center's primary user constituencies are UCLA students and faculty, K-12 educators nationwide, AAPI community organizations, and state and federal policymakers.

UCLA Asian American Studies Center firmographics

Firmographics

Name: UCLA Asian American Studies Center
Legal name: UCLA Asian American Studies Center
Website: https://aasc.ucla.edu
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1969
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: The UCLA Asian American Studies Center is an academic research center at UCLA, founded in 1969, that produces scholarship, statistical portraits, and educational resources on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, serving students, K-12 educators, community organizations, and policymakers.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

UCLA Asian American Studies Center industry classification

Industry

Product category: Higher Education Research / Ethnic Studies
NAICS: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Libraries and Archives (51921)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
akta.pro primary industry: Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)
akta.pro secondary industries: Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG), Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

Keywords

Ethnic studies research
Academic publishing
AAPI educational resources
Policy research briefs
Scholarly journals

Where UCLA Asian American Studies Center is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Los Angeles
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

UCLA Asian American Studies Center business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

University Funding: As part of UCLA and the University of California system, the center receives institutional funding support through the Institute of American Cultures.
Donations and Philanthropy: The center accepts donations through UCLA's giving platform, with endowed chairs and research fellowships funded through private philanthropy such as the $10 million Chu pledge.
AASC Press Publications: Sale of scholarly publications including books, journals (Amerasia Journal, AAPI Nexus, Intersections), and research reports.
Grant Funding: Research projects supported by foundation grants including the Ford Foundation's Building Economic Security over a Lifetime Initiative and Asian and Pacific Islander Equity Budget.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Freemium	Pay-as-you-go	Free educational resources for educators and students
Subscription	Annual	Academic publications and scholarly journals

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

UCLA Asian American Studies Center product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center is an academic research center that conducts, publishes, and disseminates scholarship on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Its primary offerings include a free digital AAPI multimedia textbook, peer-reviewed academic journals (Amerasia Journal, AAPI Nexus, Intersections), a newsmagazine (CrossCurrents), policy research reports, statistical portraits of AAPI populations, library special collections, video archives, and K-12 lesson plans, supported by events, conferences, and a publishing arm (AASC Press).

Product overview

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center is an academic research center offering a diverse portfolio of educational and scholarly products. At its core is the Foundations and Futures: Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook, a free digital resource developed over eight years. The center operates AASC Press, its publishing arm, which produces peer-reviewed journals (Amerasia Journal, AAPI Nexus, Intersections), the CrossCurrents newsmagazine, and books. The Center for Immigration and Community (CIC) serves as an official U.S. Census Information Center, providing annual Statistical Portraits of AAPI populations. Additional offerings include the AAPI Policy Initiative, Video Archives, Lesson Plans, Student & Community Projects, Ethnocommunications media program, and Library Special Collections. These products collectively support research, education, and community engagement for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

AASC Press: Publishing arm of the center publishing books on Asian American studies
Foundations and Futures: Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook
Amerasia Journal
AAPI Nexus
CrossCurrents

Products and services

Foundations and Futures: Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook A free digital AAPI history textbook developed over eight years by 100 contributors including curriculum developers and illustrators. Provides comprehensive educational materials covering underrepresented AAPI communities, struggles, and achievements. Targeted at K-12 and post-secondary educators nationwide.
Amerasia Journal Peer-reviewed academic journal published by AASC Press covering research on Asian American and Pacific Islander studies. Distributed through Taylor & Francis Online.
AAPI Nexus Academic journal published by AASC Press focusing on Asian American and Pacific Islander policy issues and research.
Intersections: Asian and Pacific American Transcultural Studies Academic publication by AASC Press covering transcultural studies related to Asian and Pacific Americans.
CrossCurrents Newsmagazine of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, bridging research and community since 1969.
Center for Immigration and Community (CIC) Official U.S. Census Information Center co-partner with the National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development. Provides statistical portraits and research on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations.
AAPI Policy Initiative Policy research initiative addressing issues affecting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through summits and policy reports, including the annual AAPI Policy Summit co-organized with the California AAPI Legislative Caucus.
Asian Pacific American Community Development Data Center (APACDDC) Partnership between the National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD) and UCLA AASC providing census data services to AAPI community-based organizations.
AASC Press Publishing arm of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center that publishes academic journals, books, and other scholarly materials on Asian American studies.
Statistical Portraits Annual statistical portraits of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations produced for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, providing census data, population projections, and research.
Ethnocommunications Program Media arts program including student film catalogue and projects documenting Asian American experiences.
Student & Community Projects Unit (SCP) Coordination unit engaged in student leadership development, service learning, community internships, research and curriculum support, and campus-community collaborations.
Library and Special Collections Research library with special collections including the Herzig Papers and Okura Collection, supporting scholarship on Asian American studies.
Sa I Gu: Korean & Asian American Journalists Writing Truth to Power Scholarly book edited by Russell C. Leong, Karen Umemoto, and Soo Mee Kim, with Vince Leus, documenting the work of Korean and Asian American journalists writing truth to power.

Quantifiable outcome

Free AAPI Multimedia Textbook available to all educators nationwide
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use UCLA Asian American Studies Center

Customer profile

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

UCLA Asian American Studies Center technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

UCLA Asian American Studies Center partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Asian Pacific American Community Development Data Center (APACDDC) to serve the census data needs of CAPACD members and other Asian and Pacific Islander community-based organizations. The center serves as an official U.S. Census Information Center as co-partner with CAPACD.
Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on research including the Student Research Brief Series analyzing language access in voting for Asian American voters in Los Angeles County.
California Asian American & Pacific Islander Legislative CaucuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the annual AAPI Policy Summit, with the caucus advocating for equity budget funding that supports the center's critical work.
Commission on Asian & Pacific Islander American AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 2024 AAPI Policy Summit: 'Moving from Collective Knowledge to Action'.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint editor and publisher of 'Untold Civil Rights Stories' (2009), the first national guide of its kind for students, teachers, and communities.
Visual CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOldest Asian American media arts non-profit in the country; co-organizer of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival where the center's materials are featured.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

UCLA Asian American Studies Center competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: National museum-based AAPI cultural institution with broader federal scope. Comparable in mission (preserving AAPI history, community storytelling, exhibitions) but operates at national scale with different funding base.
Japanese American National Museum: Established AAPI-focused museum and cultural institution in Los Angeles. Lily Anne Welty Tamai (AASC faculty) previously served as Curator of History. Overlapping AAPI history scholarship, exhibitions, and educational programming.

Direct peers

UCLA American Indian Studies Center: Sister center within UCLA's Institute of American Cultures. Comparable operating model, funding structure, and mission scope focused on American Indian/Alaska Native communities, with shared governance and grant administration.
Association for Asian American Studies: National scholarly society for Asian American Studies. Awarded the AASC faculty book award in 1997, co-organizes conferences, and convenes the academic field that AASC has shaped for 55+ years.
UC Berkeley Ethnic Studies Department: Founding ethnic studies program at a sister UC campus. Comparable academic research, publications, and policy/community engagement scope across AAPI, African American, Chicano, and Native American studies fields.
NYU A/P/A Institute: Asian/Pacific/American Institute: University-based AAPI research, arts, and cultural center at NYU. Comparable mission of advancing AAPI scholarship through publications, events, exhibitions, and community programming with similar endowed chair and visiting scholar infrastructure.
UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center: Sister ethnic studies center at UCLA under the same Institute of American Cultures. Operates with analogous structure: research, publications, endowed chairs, community partnerships, and policy initiatives focused on Chicano/Latino communities.
UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies: Fourth ethnic studies center under UCLA's Institute of American Cultures. Directly comparable in scope, endowed chairs, and policy/community engagement functions, focused on African American Studies.

Emerging players

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD): National community development coalition and AASC partner through APACDDC. Comparable focus on AAPI community data, policy research, and equitable resource allocation for community-based organizations.

Regional players

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles: Legal advocacy organization co-publisher of 'Untold Civil Rights Stories' with AASC. Comparable AAPI policy advocacy and community engagement focus in the Los Angeles region with overlapping civil rights portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

UCLA Asian American Studies Center financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

UCLA Asian American Studies Center leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

UCLA Asian American Studies Center subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries9 records

UCLA Asian American Studies Center funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

UCLA Asian American Studies Center M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about UCLA Asian American Studies Center

What does UCLA Asian American Studies Center do?

Is UCLA Asian American Studies Center a public or private company?

UCLA Asian American Studies Center is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was UCLA Asian American Studies Center founded?

UCLA Asian American Studies Center was founded in 1969. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is UCLA Asian American Studies Center based?

UCLA Asian American Studies Center is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.

How does UCLA Asian American Studies Center make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. University Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropy, AASC Press Publications and grant Funding.

Who are UCLA Asian American Studies Center's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and Japanese American National Museum. Direct peers are UCLA American Indian Studies Center, Association for Asian American Studies, UC Berkeley Ethnic Studies Department, NYU A/P/A Institute: Asian/Pacific/American Institute, UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center and UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies. National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD) is listed as an emerging player. Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles is listed as a regional player.

Does UCLA Asian American Studies Center have an API?

No public API is recorded for UCLA Asian American Studies Center.

What industry is UCLA Asian American Studies Center in?

UCLA Asian American Studies Center's product category is Higher Education Research / Ethnic Studies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAI, Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems, with a secondary code of EDAHAAAG, Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.