Objective

Since 2020, The Asian American Foundation’s (TAAF) annual Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. (STAATUS) Index has been the leading national study of Americans' perceptions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, serving as a must-read report for journalists, policymakers, and advocates interested in understanding how the public forms views about the country’s fastest-growing racial group. Over the past five years, the STAATUS Index has uncovered eye-opening insights, including:

• Most Americans are unable to name a famous Asian American or a single significant event in Asian American history.
• 4 in 10 Americans see Asian Americans as more loyal to their countries of origin than to the U.S.
• Significant portions of Asian Americans do not fully feel they belong or are accepted.

This year, as the United States marked its 250th anniversary, we felt there was no better time to strengthen the survey and reimagine its thematic scope to explore how Americans view this fundamental question: what does it mean to be truly American? The result was the sixth annual STAATUS Index, which we released on May 1, 2026, with three key goals in mind:

1. Bolster the survey’s methodology and credibility, and ensure it gives the AAPI perspective in conversations happening around America’s milestone anniversary.

2. Expand the STAATUS Index’s focus to include timely policy developments and current events.

2. Examine in unprecedented detail what is fueling the disconnect between how AAPIs experience life and how the rest of the country perceives them.

Strategy

EXECUTION & TACTICS

TAAF used several new tactics to maximize the visibility of the 2026 STAATUS Index and improve its usefulness:

Survey design: 

TAAF partnered with NORC at the University of Chicago–one of the nation’s most trusted independent research institutions–to strengthen the STAATUS Index’s methodology, ensure alignment with the standards of major newsrooms, and introduce broader awareness of the survey among polling editors. 

Consistent with past practice, we convened an academic advisory committee of leading scholars and experts to develop questions pertaining to fresh and timely topics including America’s 250th anniversary; how U.S. adults think about the impact of federal policies on Asian Americans amid mounting federal crackdowns on immigration, safety concerns, and trade wars; and the growing cultural influence of AAPIs, which has been in the spotlight in recent years. 

Data analysis: 

We worked with NORC to conduct a survey of 1,778 U.S. adults from January 16 to February 4, 2026, using a probability-based sample of U.S. households to collect scientifically rigorous and nationally representative data. 

NORC’s Amplify AAPI Panel, the first and largest survey panel designed to scientifically represent AAPI communities, was also used.

All data was analyzed by TAAF’s data and research team.

Visual identity:

Our brand team, in partnership with data visualization agency The DataFace, developed a unique visual identity for STAATUS 2026 that frames our annual research as a scorecard for quantifying and qualifying public perception of AAPIs. Referencing a nostalgic era of American education—report cards, scantrons, testing booklets, and transcripts—we leaned into an analog period of information sharing and communication. Archival, organic, and handcrafted design elements along with grid layouts, lines, and duotone imagery were applied throughout a PDF report, social graphics, and a dedicated microsite.

Amplification: 

The STAATUS Index has become the go-to source for journalists reporting on AAPI communities and issues, especially during AAPI Heritage Month in May. To maximize our visibility, we previewed our findings under embargo to dozens of mainstream, industry-specific, and AAPI-serving media outlets in the weeks leading up to May 1—intentionally expanding our outreach to a more diverse mix of podcasts, newsletters, and Instagram pages that now play a prominent role in the news diet of younger Americans.

Separately, TAAF created a digital toolkit and launched a months-long social media campaign to highlight key findings on May 1, utilizing platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn to drive traffic to our final report. Following our launch, we tapped major figures at our annual AAPI Heritage Month Summit in New York City to create additional in-house social content to post later in the year, ensuring that the STAATUS Index remains top of mind beyond May. For example, we recently posted a “STAATUS Trivia” video featuring Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Khare, Ashley Alexander, Cassey Ho, Asif Ali, David Suh, and Alex and Maia Shibutani.

Results

The rollout of the 2026 STAATUS Index was a success and helped to shape the national conversation around AAPI communities during AAPI Heritage Month.

BY THE NUMBERS

• The survey was covered by 30+ major mainstream, AAPI, and global news outlets, with an estimated potential reach of 2.42 billion.
• We secured substantive original stories and citations of the STAATUS Index in the Associated Press, The New York Times, Axios, CBS News, NBC News, Washington Post Creator, and more.
• Our findings also blanketed a wide array of Asian or Asian American-serving outlets like the South China Morning Post, Nikkei Asia, World Journal, Korea Daily, Sing Tao Daily, AsianFeed, and New India Abroad.
• Between May and July 2026, STAATUS Index-related content garnered 431,000+ impressions on social media, with a combination of organic posts by TAAF and collaborations with creators.
• The STAATUS Index was cited by lawmakers and academics, including members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Media

Video for TAAF’s STAATUS Index 2026