AYPAL

What AYPAL does

AYPAL (Building API Community Power) is a nonprofit community-organizing organization founded in 1998 and based in Oakland, California, legally operated through the Center For Empowered Politics Education Fund as a collaborative project of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN). It serves low-income Asian and Pacific Islander (API) immigrant and refugee youth and families in Oakland — with a specific focus on Southeast Asian communities affected by the wars in Southeast Asia — through peer-led political education, leadership development, arts activism, and grassroots campaigning on education equity and anti-displacement.

Its core programs are SEAYCA (Southeast Asian Youth Community in Action), VOYCE (Voices of Oakland Youth for Community Empowerment), twice-weekly after-school Political Education workshops, and an Arts Activism program anchored by two annual public events — the Fresh Off the Block Youth Art Show (winter) and the May Arts Festival (spring). The organization operates with a small staff of approximately 4-6 led by Co-Directors Rhummanee Hang and Stanley Pun, a structured youth leadership pipeline (youth member → youth intern → youth campaign organizer), and no proprietary technology platform; its "technology" is popular-education methodology and ethnic-studies curriculum delivered in person.

AYPAL is funded through government grants (notably California Arts Council awards totaling $19,950 in 2020), individual donations processed via ActBlue, and likely additional foundation support; all programs are free to youth participants. It has secured a landmark policy win — the first-of-its-kind Disaggregated Data Resolution with the Oakland Unified School District's Office of Equity (2016, expanded 2019-2021) — and operates core partnerships with OUSD, Urban Peace Movement, and the statewide Campaign for Quality Education coalition.

Name

AYPAL

Legal name

Center For Empowered Politics Education Fund

Website

https://aypal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AYPAL is a nonprofit, Oakland-based community organization founded in 1998 that empowers low-income Asian and Pacific Islander immigrant and refugee youth and families through peer-led political education, leadership development, arts activism, and grassroots campaigning on education equity and anti-displacement in Oakland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Community Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAH

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDALAHAF

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Activities, Clubs & Campus Life

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Community organizing services
• Political education programs
• Arts activism programming
• Ethnic studies education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: California Arts Council grants including $15,200 Local Impact grant and $4,750 Youth Arts in Action grant awarded in 2020. The organization likely receives additional government and foundation grants for youth development and community organizing programs.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through ActBlue online platform and checks payable to Center For Empowered Politics Education Fund. All donations support youth programs and community power building.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AYPAL provides free youth leadership development, political education, arts activism, and community organizing programs to low-income Asian and Pacific Islander immigrant and refugee youth and families in Oakland, California. Its core offerings include two youth leadership sites (SEAYCA and VOYCE), twice-weekly peer-led Political Education workshops, and two annual community arts events (Fresh Off the Block Youth Art Show and May Arts Festival), supplemented by youth-led campaigns such as #WeHere focused on education equity and anti-displacement.

Product overview

AYPAL is a community organizing and youth leadership development organization offering ethnic studies-based programs in Oakland. The core offerings include two main youth leadership sites: SEAYCA (Southeast Asian Youth Community in Action) and VOYCE (Voices of Oakland Youth for Community Empowerment). These are supplemented by Political Education workshops, Arts Activism programs (including the Fresh Off the Block art show and May Arts Festival), and campaign work centered on the #WeHere campaign against gentrification and the Disaggregated Data Resolution policy initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SEAYCA (Southeast Asian Youth Community in Action) A youth leadership site centering Southeast Asian American history, culture, identity, and issues, particularly for refugee communities from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam affected by the wars in Southeast Asia who have resettled in Oakland. It engages Southeast Asian American youth in community organizing, cultural education, and civic leadership.
• VOYCE (Voices of Oakland Youth for Community Empowerment) A youth leadership site focused on social justice topics, identity exploration, and arts activism for Filipinx, East Asian, and pan-Asian youth in Oakland. Interns support workshop facilitation, presentations, event planning, flyer creation, and outreach as part of the leadership pipeline.
• Political Education Workshops Peer-led workshops using popular education models offered twice a week after school, free to anyone who attends. These workshops engage participants as co-learners to critically reflect on community issues and take action, and are typically how youth first get involved in AYPAL as community leaders.
• Arts Activism Program Cultural arts activism program featuring two annual community art events: the Fresh Off the Block (FOB) Youth Art Show in winter showcasing visual arts, videography, and fashion; and the May Arts Festival in spring during API Heritage Month featuring traditional cultural dances, guerrilla theatre, spoken word, and murals. The program integrates AYPAL's political campaign work while uplifting youth voice through art and culture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ Youth Leaders developed since founding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core, major and minor.

• Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Office of EquitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep partnership on education equity initiatives. AYPAL collaborated with OUSD's Office of Equity to pass and implement the historic Disaggregated Data Resolution in 2016, expanding identification options for Asian Pacific Islander, Latinx, and African immigrant students. Also partners with OUSD's Meaningful Student Engagement Program and Family, Schools and Community Partnerships unit.
• Urban Peace MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Youth Platform Against Gentrification. AYPAL youth created Oakland's first platform against gentrification in partnership with Urban Peace Movement, working together on anti-displacement campaigns.
• Campaign for Quality Education CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAYPAL is engaged in this statewide coalition, serving on the Core Coordinating Committee and the Grassroots Subcommittee. This partnership extends their education justice work to statewide policy advocacy.
• Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEN is the parent organization of AYPAL. AYPAL is described as 'a collaborative project of Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN).' APEN provides organizational infrastructure and shared mission alignment around environmental and social justice.
• Oakland Asian Cultural CenterminorOthersHost venue for annual Fresh Off the Block Youth Art Show. Located in Oakland Chinatown, the center provides space for AYPAL's arts programming and youth showcase events.
• Local Artists of ColormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAYPAL collaborates with local artists of color for their two annual community art events. Artists work with youth participants as teaching artists for visual arts, spoken word, dance, and other creative disciplines.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA): San Francisco-based API civil rights and civic engagement nonprofit. Operates API youth programs, education equity advocacy, and immigrant integration work — directly comparable in mission, demographic focus, and Bay Area geography.
• Chinese Progressive Association (CPA): San Francisco-based grassroots API community organizing nonprofit. Comparable in immigrant community focus, youth leadership development, education and housing justice campaigns, and multi-generational family engagement model.
• Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN): Parent organization and collaborative project sponsor of AYPAL. Oakland-based API-led environmental and social justice nonprofit with overlapping community base, leadership, and mission alignment — directly comparable in geography, demographics, and organizing model.
• Khmer Girls in Action: Long Beach-based youth-led Southeast Asian (Khmer/Cambodian) community organizing nonprofit. Closest direct comparable to AYPAL: similar Southeast Asian refugee focus, youth leadership pipeline, political education methodology, and campaign-driven model.

Broad incumbents

• Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC): National SE Asian American policy and advocacy organization based in Washington DC. Operates at broader geographic and policy scale than AYPAL but addresses the same Southeast Asian refugee and immigrant communities AYPAL serves locally.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC: National API civil rights organization with broad policy, legal, and education equity portfolio. Larger and more nationally focused than AYPAL but operates in overlapping education equity and immigrant rights space.

Regional players

• Asian Health Services: Oakland-based community health center serving API communities. Comparable in Oakland API demographic focus and community-based service model, though focused on healthcare rather than youth organizing.
• Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI): San Jose-based API community services nonprofit with health, youth, and education programs. Comparable in Bay Area geography and multi-service API community model, though broader in scope than AYPAL's youth organizing focus.
• Asian Law Alliance: San Jose-based API legal services and civil rights nonprofit. Comparable in Bay Area geography, API community focus, and advocacy for immigrant and low-income families, though focused on legal aid rather than youth organizing.
• Oakland Asian Cultural Center: Oakland Chinatown-based arts and cultural nonprofit serving Asian American community. Direct venue and programming overlap with AYPAL's arts activism events (Fresh Off the Block, May Arts Festival) and shared Oakland API cultural community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AYPAL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzBb7F0RFnFJKq7YKfX4l3A
• Facebookfacebook.com/AYPAL
• Instagraminstagram.com/aypal_oakland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aypal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 AYPAL