Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month—a time to honor the history, vibrant cultures, and significant contributions of AAPI communities across the country. As we celebrate, we reaffirm the importance of uplifting AAPI voices in our democracy. Engaging AAPI voters and increasing turnout are vital steps toward building a more inclusive and representative future, and at DSPolitical, we remain committed to ensuring these communities are heard loud and clear at the ballot box.
We’re especially proud of our work supporting diverse candidates, including outstanding AAPI leaders. Check out the AAPI candidates we partnered with here.
Engaging the AAPI Community in 2025: Strategies for Authentic Digital Outreach
As the AAPI population continues to grow, Democratic campaigns must engage them with authenticity, respect, and cultural awareness. According to the Pew Research Center, Asian Americans have been the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the United States over the past two decades, increasing by 15% since 2020.
In 2025, digital strategies can no longer rely on generic messaging. They must evolve to reflect the complex identities, languages, and media consumption habits that define AAPI communities.
Understanding the Diversity Within the AAPI Community
The AAPI umbrella encompasses a wide array of communities—including South Asian, East Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander groups—representing more than 50 ethnicities and over 100 languages. Each of these communities brings distinct cultural traditions, immigration histories, and political perspectives to the table.
Despite this rich diversity, political outreach too often treats AAPI voters as a monolithic group, missing critical opportunities to connect in meaningful and personal ways. Campaigns must develop specific messaging that speaks directly to the lived experiences of different AAPI communities—whether it’s addressing language access, economic opportunity, immigration reform, or combating anti-Asian hate.
Meeting this challenge requires sophisticated tools and methods. DSPolitical’s Deploy platform makes it easier than ever for campaigns to deliver tailored digital ads with precision and authenticity. Through self-service access to premium targeting and inventory, Deploy empowers campaigns to move beyond generic outreach and truly engage AAPI voters where they are, with messaging that resonates, respects, and reflects their unique experiences.
Language Accessibility
Effective digital outreach to AAPI voters must be intentional and inclusive. According to AAPI Data, 72% of Asian American voters speak a language other than English at home. This means investing in multilingual content is essential for messaging that is both accessible and culturally resonant.
Language plays a crucial role in accessing information and building trust in political messages. For many AAPI voters, particularly first-generation immigrants and older adults, receiving information in their primary language can make the difference between feeling empowered to participate and feeling overlooked or excluded.
Recognizing this need, DSPolitical offers an award-winning language preference model that empowers campaigns to deliver culturally relevant, multilingual creative — helping voters receive ads in the language or dialect they are most comfortable with. Without intentional language approaches, barriers to information can limit access to critical voting resources, campaign platforms, and calls to action, ultimately impacting voter turnout and civic engagement.
Crafting Content That Truly Resonates
Beyond language, campaigns must focus on creating community-specific content that feels credible and relatable. A one-size-fits-all creative approach simply won’t cut it, and it risks alienating audiences that campaigns should be striving to connect with.
Culturally resonant creatives (ads, videos, graphics, and social media content) should intentionally reflect the values and identities of individual AAPI communities. This means more than just translating text; it’s about using culturally meaningful imagery, trusted voices, and storytelling that speaks directly to the lived experiences of specific groups.
There is a deeper need to prioritize AAPI audiences, as a September 2024 survey by AAPI Data found that 27% of Asian American voters reported they had not been contacted by either major political party during the 2024 election season. While this marks an improvement from the 42% reported in the April–May 2024 AAPI Data survey, significant gaps remain. To truly mobilize and empower AAPI voters, campaigns must continue to invest in thoughtful, community-centered strategies.
Authentic representation also means partnering with creators, influencers, and media outlets within AAPI communities who already have the trust of their audiences. These partnerships can amplify reach, lend credibility to campaign messages, and demonstrate a genuine investment in the communities campaigns seek to mobilize.
Moving Forward
Building on the momentum of recent elections requires recognizing the diversity and complexity within AAPI communities. Tailored, culturally competent efforts—including multilingual communications, partnerships with community organizations, and strategies to reach these diverse communities—will be key to increasing turnout and participation.
The rise of AAPI voter turnout is a powerful story of growth and possibility. With meaningful engagement, this momentum can translate into lasting political impact and support AAPI voices that help shape the future of American democracy.