CAPAW is the Premier Organization Developing AAPI Women to be impactful and influential leaders.
Who We Are
The Center for Asian Pacific American Women is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to the enhancement and enrichment of leadership skills for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women through education, networking, and mentorship.
“APAWLI gave me the strength to embrace my authentic self, to conquer my fears and to lead with my whole heart.”
Jessica Li, APAWLI Class of 2015
The Center strives to nurture our Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities by expanding leadership capacity, fostering awareness of AAPI issues, creating a supportive network of AAPI women leaders, and strengthening community.
In 1995, APAWLI
was founded by the “Warrior Sisters” who wanted to address the challenges faced by AAPI women and to nurture trusteeship within our communities.
Left to Right: Martha Lee and Puanani Burgess.
In corporate America during the mid to late 1990s, very few AAPI women were in prominent leadership positions. Stereotypes about AAPI women, race and sex discrimination, lack of leadership and professional development opportunities, and AAPI women’s beliefs about their own leadership qualities all created significant barriers to providing a seat for AAPI women at leadership tables. To address this dearth of AAPI leadership in corporate America, Martha Lee and 18 other successful Asian American women (who call themselves “the Warrior Sisters”) founded the Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute (APAWLI) in 1995. The overarching goal of APAWLI was to develop, prepare, and support AAPI women for leadership roles in the United States. Since then, APAWLI’s signature program has been its training institute, which each year selects a group of outstanding women to embark on an intensive three-week leadership development training course and complete a community impact project that would positively change the lives of at least 25 people.
APAWLI commissioned a research study, Leadership Challenges and Opportunities: An Asian American and Pacific Islander Women’s Lens, and worked with the Gallup Organization on the report Closing the Gap on leadership strengths that AAPI women bring to their work and communities. Today, CAPAW has expanded its scope and programming to include not only APAWLI, but also one-day regional conferences and national leadership summits as a way to reach the broader community and impact more AAPI women across sectors in the United States.
“Every Action, No Matter How Small, Makes a Difference”
We believe that everyone has strengths and the potential to make significant changes in the lives of others. Our inspiration and logo come from the Starfish Story:
Join Our Sisterhood
For over 20 years, the Center has provided a variety of professional development programs –including our unique APAWLI Leadership Program -- to address the specific needs of AAPI women across the country. Our vision is to develop ethical and compassionate AAPI women to take leadership roles in the private and public sectors.
Since 1996, over 150 AAPI women have graduated from the APAWLI Program. These #APAWLI fellows have gone on to make a significant impact in their communities, within their professions, and across the country. In May 2017, The Center conducted a survey to find out where these fellows are today, and how the APAWLI Program shaped their experiences and opened up leadership opportunities.
indicated that the APAWLI Program was either effective/extremely effective in connecting them to a network of other AAPI women leaders from across the country.
noted that the Program was effective/extremely effective in providing them with emotional, spiritual, and physical guidance
noted that their learning projects provided personal growth and meaning
“APAWLI helped me understand my internal spirit, and that new understanding gave me clarity on how to fight systems and pursue a different type of career path for myself.”
Tuyet Duong, APAWLI Class of 2011
