named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Kundiman Community
National network of Asian American writers supported through events, readings, and professional development opportunities.
Kundiman Fellowship
Annual retreat and mentorship program for emerging Asian American poets and writers, offering workshops, craft sessions, and community building.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Literary Events & Workshops 3 activities
- Leads thematic community writing initiatives and collaborative projectsConducts annual or time-bound creative projects such as the Postcard Poem Exchange (on themes like shelter and AAPI futures), action calendar commissions, and Poetry & Environmental Justice programming, often in collaboration with national networks like the Poetry Coalition.
- Offers online and in-person writing workshops and classes for writers of colorProvides ongoing writing instruction through four-week workshops, one-day craft classes, and online courses focused on genres including poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Offers scholarships for participation and includes specialized offerings such as Food Writing Intensive and Poetics of Disability Justice.
- Organizes regional and national literary events and programmingHosts 30 to 40 readings, workshops, walking tours, open mics, and special events annually across multiple U.S. cities and internationally through a network of 10 regional groups. Events include faculty readings, memorial readings, debut author showcases, and collaborative projects such as the Poetry Coalition initiatives.
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Emerging Filmmaker Support Programs 2 activities
- Administers fellowship program for Asian American writersRuns a structured fellowship program that supports the sustained development of Asian American writers through multi-year access to retreats, mentorship, and community-building opportunities. Fellows have collectively published over 460 works since 2004 and have been admitted to top MFA and doctoral programs.
- Hosts annual creative writing retreat for Asian American and Pacific Islander writersOrganizes an annual multi-day retreat that brings together nearly 300 Fellows and over 50 faculty members, featuring readings, writing circles, craft classes, and mentorship opportunities to support the development of AAPI writers. The program has expanded to include fiction writers and offers a multi-year participation model allowing Fellows to attend up to three retreats.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$528K
Contributions & grants$505K96%
Program service revenue$9K2%
Investment income$13K2%
Other revenue$302
expenses
Total expenses$1.04M
Program expenses48%
Admin / overhead34%
Fundraising18%
Salaries & benefits$557K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$652K
Cash$361K
Investments$266K
Liabilities$34K
Net assets$617K
Liquid reserves7.2 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -24.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEREIDA TRUJILLO | ACTING DIRECTOR AS OF 6/2024 | 40 | $71K |
| CATHY LINH CHE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNTIL 6/2024 | 40 | $34K |
board members · 18
- ANDY CHEN — SECRETARY
- CHIA-CHEE CHIU — BOARD MEMBER
- CHING-IN CHEN — TREASURER
- DAVID MURA — BOARD MEMBER
- J MAE BARIZO — BOARD MEMBER
- JACK RICAFRENTE — BOARD MEMBER
- JOSEPH O LEGASPI — PRESIDENT
- KATRINA VENTURINA — TREASURER
- KAZIM ALI — BOARD MEMBER
- LESLIE NORTON — BOARD MEMBER
- NINA M CHUNG — SECRETARY
- RANA TAHIR — PRESIDENT
- RICCO SIASOCO — PRESIDENT
- SARAH GAMBITO — BOARD MEMBER
- SEEMA YASMIN — BOARD MEMBER
- STEPHEN SOHN — BOARD MEMBER
- TIMOTHY YU — BOARD MEMBER
- WYLIE CHEN — VICE PRESIDENT
relationships · 30
Who they work with
- Academy of American Poets Network — Member of the Poetry Coalition, a national alliance convened by the Academy of American Poets.
- Asian American Literary Review Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support Asian American literature.
- Asian American Writers’ Workshop Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support Asian American literature.
- Bamboo Ridge Press Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support Asian American literature.
- Bookshop.org Partner — Hosts a curated page featuring books by Kundiman Retreat Fellows and Faculty.
- Canto Mundo Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support writers of color.
- Cave Canem Partner — Guided Kundiman in its early days; model for Kundiman's Retreat program.
- Chicago Poetry Center Partner — Co-sponsored the Blue Hour Reading and Workshop Series with Kundiman Midwest.
- Elliott Bay Book Company Partner — Hosted the AWP 2023 Offsite Event: Growing From Our Roots: An Asian Debut Author Showcase with Kundiman South.
- Evan Chen Partner — Participant and contributor reflecting on the impact of Kundiman’s programs.
- FAWC Online Partner — Co-presents a craft class on memoir and autobiographical fiction with Bushra Rehman.
- Foundation of Asian American Independent Media Partner — Co-hosts "Modern Portraits: An Evening of Short Films and Poetry" with Kundiman Midwest.
- In-Na-Po Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support Indigenous poets.
- Kaya Press Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support Asian American literature.
- Kearny Street Workshop Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support Asian American literature.
- Laureen Dumadag Laglagaron Partner — Fellow affiliated with Kundiman through the fellowship program.
- Literary Arts Partner — Hosted a Kundiman Salon at Portland’s Literary Arts Center with writing exercises, community discussion, and open-mic.
- Literary Cleveland Partner — Co-organized "The Open Spaces of We: Asian American Writers on the Legacy of Toni Morrison" as part of "Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison."
- Massage Parlor Outreach Project Partner — Ching-In Chen is a core member of the Massage Parlor Outreach Project, indicating an ongoing organizational partnership.
- Medicine for Nightmares Bookstore & Gallery Partner — Hosted a multi-genre reading, Veins and Tributaries: Tracing the Burmese Diaspora, with Kundiman Northern California.
- Mixing Innovative Arts Honolulu Partner — Co-hosted an evening reading with Kundiman Hawai‘i focused on poetry and community building.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Government funder supporting the Kundiman Retreat.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Government funder supporting the Kundiman Retreat.
- Ohio Humanities Partner — Co-organized "The Open Spaces of We: Asian American Writers on the Legacy of Toni Morrison" as part of "Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison."
- Poetic Research Bureau Partner — Hosted a book launch party and reading for Angela Peñaredondo’s book with Kundiman Southern California.
- Poetry Coalition Coalition — Kundiman is a founding member of this national alliance of nearly 30 organizations promoting poetry’s cultural value.
- Pratt Institute Partner — Host institution for the Kundiman Retreat in Brooklyn.
- RAWI Partner — Works in solidarity with Kundiman to support Arab American writers.
- SITE Sante Fe Partner — Hosted a poetry reading, Permission to Travel, with Kundiman Southwest in conversation with artist Helen Pashgian’s sensory works.
- Weller Book Works Partner — Hosted a literary reading with Kundiman Mountain West featuring Teow Lim Goh, Addie Tsai, and Paula Mendoza.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Centered Mentorship and Literary Developmentmethodology: community-centered_mentorshipBy creating safe, rigorous, and community-centered spaces that integrate mentorship, intergenerational dialogue, and culturally grounded pedagogy, the organization supports the development of Asian American writers and advances equity in the literary landscape because sustained relational support and identity-affirming practice increase artistic confidence, retention, and transformative expression.
- Culturally Grounded and Transformative Writing Pedagogymethodology: culturally-grounded_writing_pedagogyBy integrating race, identity, and history into structured and emotionally engaging writing instruction, the organization fosters authentic, courageous poetic development because pedagogy that centers lived experience and cultural context enables deeper artistic risk-taking and resilience among writers of color.
- Intergenerational Literary Community Buildingmethodology: cultural_community_buildingBy nurturing writers and readers across generations through retreats, fellowships, and national collaborations, the organization builds a sustainable Asian American literary community because intergenerational connection strengthens cultural continuity, collective identity, and long-term field transformation.