The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans Welcomes New Members: Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) and the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)

Washington, DC—NCAPA is pleased to welcome two new member organizations into our national coalition: Empowering Pacific Islander Communities and the Asian Real Estate Association of America.

EPIC was founded in 2009 by a group of young Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) professionals based in Southern California. Their mission is to promote social justice by fostering opportunities that empower the NHPI community through culturally relevant advocacy, research, and development. Since then, EPIC serves the community through its development of an NHPI Policy Platform, leadership empowerment programs, nonpartisan civic engagement campaigns, and continued advocacy at the local and national level.

EPIC Executive Director, Tavae Samuelu stated: "EPIC is excited to be joining NCAPA and honored to be in the company of distinguished organizations pursuing justice and equity for AAPI communities. It’s a move that will no doubt bolster our efforts to establish a unified national voice for Pacific Islanders."

Founded in 2003, AREAA is a nonprofit professional trade organization dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities by creating a powerful national voice for housing and real estate professionals that serve this dynamic market.

AREAA Executive Director, Hope Atuel: “AREAA represents the voice of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through real estate and are pleased to announce our addition to NCAPA’s growing list of coalition members. The AAPI community is the fastest growing demographic in the United States, yet still faces several challenges in homeownership and mortgage-readiness. We are pleased to align our organization alongside other NCAPA members as we continue to advocate for the AAPI community in the real estate and mortgage industries and the federal agencies that regulate them.”

NCAPA National Director, Gregg Orton said: “I am thrilled to welcome both Empowering Pacific Islander Communities and the Asian Real Estate Association of America to NCAPA. Both organizations bring a strong track record of advocacy on behalf of the AAPI community and their inclusion into our coalition makes us stronger. With EPIC, we will make much-needed progress towards being more inclusive and elevating the Pacific Islander voices that are often left out when we talk about ‘AAPI.’ For AREAA, their policy expertise in housing and financial services will have an immediate impact in solidifying our housing and economic justice work.

The timing of their additions could not be better—our goal at NCAPA is to build a unified AAPI movement that uplifts our diversity as a strength. Adding these two new members will make our collective voice louder, and our resolve deepened knowing that we have new allies standing together.”

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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 33 national Asian Pacific American organizations that serves to represent the interests of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and to provide a national voice for our communities’ concerns. Our communities are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, currently making up approximately six percent of the population.