CONTACT INFORMATION:
comms@ncapaonline.org
[***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***]
RELEASE DATE
July 3, 2026
NCAPA Reflects on the 250th Anniversary of the United States
The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), a 45-member coalition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community leaders, celebrates and reflects on 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and where the country stands today. Recent survey data suggests that 64% of AAPIs say the U.S. used to be a great place for immigrants, but is not anymore.
For many Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, America’s 250th birthday comes at a time when, despite believing in this country, and despite our numerous contributions to it, it is difficult to ignore how America has become less tolerant, more hostile, and ultimately less welcoming.
As we approach Independence Day, a celebration of democracy and advancement, current leaders are trying to push a narrow idea of who is American. To them, the America they celebrate and yearn for is the one where immigrants are exploited to fuel American success, but those same communities are denied full access to the American Dream.
We reject the idea that this country belongs to a select few. We firmly believe that America was founded on the ideals of freedom and opportunity, and it belongs to us all. This is the spirit and legacy that NCAPA celebrates on Independence Day: The American Dream should not be denied to people based on how they look, how they worship, or whom they love, but rather, it is a pursuit open to everyone and built together.
For 250 years, civil rights and community leaders have courageously worked to advance our shared ideals of equal opportunity. Love for country isn’t measured by passive acceptance of the status quo. It exists in our acts as everyday Americans demanding better for ourselves, our neighbors, and our communities.
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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 45 national Asian Pacific American organizations. We represent the diverse interests of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, providing a national voice for our communities’ concerns.