Mission Statement

The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan educational organization based in Washington, D.C., that strives to pursue a mission of increasing participation of individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage at all levels of the political process, from community service to elected office. Founded in 1994 by former Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, APAICS serves as an informational resource to Congress about the Asian Pacific American (APA) community, and as a base for the development of a politically active APA citizenry.

To that end, APAICS sponsors a number of programs, including a Gala Dinner, held annually in Washington, D.C., and a Leadership Academy for Asian Pacific American Elected Officials, whose participants are given training in the skills needed to become effective leaders, including campaigning, fundraising, media relations and coalition building. APA elected officials are also invited to apply for the Congressional Fellowship Program, which provides the opportunity to be mentored by a member of Congress.

Cognizant of the importance of early exposure to political processes in the development of actively-involved citizens, APAICS also offers Fellowship and Summer Internship programs to graduate and undergraduate students, respectively. The programs bring highly-qualified students of APA heritage from all over the country to work in the Legislative and Executive Branches in Washington, D.C., and to obtain first-hand experience in the development of United States public policy. Current Fellowship programs include the George R. Aratani Foundation/Senator Daniel K. Inouye Fellowship, the Anheuser-Busch/Congressman Frank Horton Fellowship, and the Sodexho USA Health Policy Fellowship. In 2007, The Coca-Cola Foundation teamed with APAICS to create two Coca-Cola Foundation/Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta Fellowship, and the Wal-Mart/Governor George R. Ariyoshi Fellowship was created with the co-sponsorship of Wal-Mart. 

APAICS also pursues working partnerships with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) to form the Tri-Caucus, as well as with corporate and community leaders.

By maintaining these educational and informational activities, APAICS seeks to keep pace with the growing presence of APAs in the political arena. As the APA community continues to advance up the political ladder and become full participants in the creation of American public policy, APAICS understands the need to adapt to the changing needs of the community and remains committed to encouraging a viable political consciousness among APAs.   

(2008 Summer Interns at the Tri-Caucus Reception)