The Georgia Asian American Community Archives Initiative aims to identify, collect, preserve, and promote materials related to the history and experiences of Asian Americans in Georgia. This community is large and diverse, with a rich history in the state. Our goal is to amplify and celebrate the vibrant voices and perspectives within the Asian American community, with current projects focusing on the Atlanta metropolitan area. 

GAACAI was launched in the spring of 2024 by Emory librarians Erica Bruchko, Pakeeza Hameed, Saira Raza, Gautham Reddy, and Chella Vaidyanathan. The group had been collaborating to explore and improve resources for Asian American Studies, a field of increasing interest at Emory and in the greater Atlanta area. As part of their efforts, they reviewed local archives, university special collections, and historical societies to identify relevant resources. They were surprised to find that materials focused on Asian Americans in the South were scarce. Even more surprising was the realization that no historical or cultural preservation organizations in Georgia were actively working to build collections in this area.