The mission of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA) is to promote the advancement of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Americans through active participation and leadership in civic and public affairs. The organization educates the public about public policy and provides opportunities for our youth to gain firsthand knowledge and experience in governmental and public affairs. APAPA is a non-profit, non-partisan and grassroots organization founded in 2001 by C.C. Yin and a pioneering group of fellow civic-minded friends and community leaders. APAPA was established with the primary mission of empowering Asian Pacific Islander (API) Americans in civic and public affairs through education, active participation, and leadership development. To accomplish this objective, APAPA developed voter registration events, internships, scholarships, voter education forums, and leadership, mentoring, and networking programs designed specifically for the education, betterment, and advancement of the API community.