In March 2020, ECC launched Minority Defense Initiative to aid vulnerable minorities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. ECC partnered with Asia Society, a Rockefeller institution, to hold the "Stand Against Racism in the Time of COVID" forum that features Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Congressman Ted Lieu, CNN hosts Van Jones and Lisa Ling, renowned singer Wang Leehom, actor Tzi Ma, and ECC President Bincheng Mao.[5][2] In the following month, ECC was named a recipient of NYU Social Impact Grant and Annual Global Service Award for creating a global network in service of the vulnerable.