Research within REACH uplifts Asian American+ community members to uncover, center, and amplify their voices through accessible, community-driven research, data, and storytelling.

We believe research should be within reach— owned, led, and interpreted by the people it impacts, not just institutions— because the people closest to the work, and the questions, have always been closest to the answers.

Photos by PortraitsbyAmi

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Research within REACH is a community-centered initiative making research more accessible, approachable, and grounded in lived experience.
It challenges the idea that research belongs only in academic or institutional spaces by equipping individuals, especially those from underrepresented communities, with the tools, skills, and confidence to explore, document, and share knowledge rooted in their own lived realities.
Our program focuses on storytelling as a form of inquiry, emphasizing how community narratives and participatory methods can inform advocacy, learning, and social change.
Research is often perceived as inaccessible, extractive, and disconnected from the communities it aims to represent.
This is especially true for many Asian American communities and other communities of color, who are frequently:
- Treated as monolithic groups
- Underrepresented or misrepresented in data
- Excluded from shaping the knowledge and narratives that impact them
As a result, there is both a lack of trust in research systems and a lack of access to accessible, community-rooted research education.
We build pathways for individuals to engage with research in ways that are participatory, accessible, and culturally grounded.
Our initiative operates through a multi-layered model:
Cohort-Based Learning
- 3-month cohorts with 8–10 participants
- Guided learning in diverse research methods (e.g., oral histories, storytelling, surveys, participatory approaches)
- Support for developing participant-led projects grounded in community questions and interests
Community Workshops
- Open-access workshops in partnership with local organizations (e.g., libraries, community groups)
- Designed as entry points for foundational research skills and critical thinking
Community Engagement & Partnerships
- Participation in local events, gatherings, and community spaces
- Collaboration with schools, nonprofits, and cultural organizations to expand access to learning
This program is for Asian American+ community members who are:
- Curious about research but unsure where to start
- Already engaged in community work, organizing, communications, or advocacy
- Looking to build skills that can support careers in policy, research, or social impact
- Interested in storytelling, data, and making meaning from lived experiences
No prior research experience is required, just curiosity and a willingness to learn.
Theory of Change
If communities have the skills, guidance, and space to investigate their own questions, they will produce knowledge reflecting their true realities, amplify marginalized voices, and strengthen community-driven impact.
Beyond the Program
This program isn’t just about learning research, it’s about sharing it.
Our goal is that participants leave not only with new skills, but with the confidence to:
- Apply these tools in their own work and communities
- Support others in engaging with research and data
- Help shift the narrative that research is inaccessible or exclusive
By building collective knowledge, we move toward a future where research belongs to all of us.

“Research is seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought”

— Albert Szent-Györgyi

Research within REACH equips Asian Americans+ with the tools, confidence, and community to investigate their own questions, collect and interpret data, and transform insights into stories that shape policy, funding, and public narratives.

Mission

&

Vision

To empower Asian Americans+ to investigate questions that matter to them/their communities, transform their insights into stories and creative expression, and use this knowledge to amplify their voices, influence policy, and strengthen civic power.

A world where communities own, interpret, and lead their own research, ensuring that all voices, especially those historically invisible, are seen, heard, and valued in shaping public narratives, policies, and resources.

Cohort Learning Model

Our inaugural program invites Asian women+ to explore the stories that shape their communities. Through reflection, curiosity, and creativity, participants will investigate community narratives, listen to lived experiences, and transform what they learn into meaningful creative expression.
Across three sessions, participants will build trust with one another, engage their communities through curiosity-driven conversations, and create projects that amplify voices and stories that are often overlooked.
Through this program, participants will:
- Build foundational research and storytelling skills
- Learn how to turn questions and lived experiences into meaningful insights
- Gain hands-on experience that can be translated into resume content, work samples, or interview talking points
- Develop confidence in engaging with data and research processes
Eight participants will receive a $300 stipend for their time and participation across 3 sessions.
We begin by asking an important question: What stories are missing from the narratives about our communities?
In this first session, participants build relationships and establish a space of trust and connection. Together, they explore the stories that are often overlooked or underrepresented in their communities.
Participants will:
- Connect with one another and build a supportive learning community
- Reflect on the narratives that shape their communities
- Identify a question or story they are curious to explore
- Design a small “curiosity mission” to learn from their community members
By the end of this session, each participant will have a question they want to explore and a plan for listening to their community.
After connecting with their communities, participants return to share what they discovered.
Together we ask: What did we learn from listening to our communities?
Participants reflect on their curiosity missions and begin identifying patterns, themes, and powerful stories from what they heard.
In this session participants will:
- Share insights and experiences from their community conversations
- Identify patterns and themes in what they discovered
- Reflect on how these stories connect to larger community narratives
- Begin transforming their discoveries into creative expression
Participants can explore many forms of storytelling such as:
- Photography
- Oral history interviews
- Narrative storytelling
- Cultural cooking or baking
- Visual art or creative displays
In our final session we ask: How can we turn our insights into stories that inspire change in our communities?
Participants finalize their creative projects and share the stories they uncovered. This session is both a celebration and an opportunity to think about how storytelling can be a powerful tool for community advocacy.
Participants will:
- Complete and present their creative projects
- Share the stories and insights they discovered
- Celebrate their collective work and learning
- Reflect on how they can continue using storytelling and curiosity in their communities
By the end of the program, participants will leave with new skills, deeper community connections, and creative tools to continue uplifting stories from their communities.

“Fight for the things that you care about… do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

–Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Our Values

Community Ownership

Collective Growth

Civic Engagement

Democratizing Knowledge

Reciprocity

Access

Participants retain ownership of their data and stories. Research is stewarded within community, not extracted for external benefit.
Research should not be gatekept by academic institutions. Knowledge production is a civic right.
We build peer networks that extend beyond the cohort and strengthen collective action.
Communities should benefit directly from the research conducted within them. Stories are not collected without return.
Research shapes policy. By equipping participants with tools to generate and interpret data, we strengthen their ability to influence public decisions.
No prior research experience required. We use plain language, interactive learning, and practical tools.

“We realize the importance of our voices only when they are silenced.”

–Malala

Shubhecchha Dhaurali

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR

Shubhecchha Dhaurali (pronounced sue-betcha dur-all-e) is a 1.5-generation Nepalese-American immigrant and the first woman in her family to complete higher education.

Shubhecchha is passionate about challenging whose knowledge is valued and equipping community members with tools to tell their own stories through data and research. She has led initiatives bridging academic research and grassroots advocacy, with a focus on health equity, youth empowerment, and narrative change in her current and past roles.

Research within REACH was borne from her Civic Incubator Fellowship with the National Asian American Women’s Political Initiative (AAWPI), and reflects her commitment to building community-led research infrastructure and transforming how knowledge is produced and used.