Bystander Intervention 101 You have the power to stop identity-based bigotry and harassment. Learn more at a FREE virtual bystander intervention training. This FREE 1.5-hour, interactive training in partnership with Houston Coalition Against Hate teaches Hollaback!’s 5D’s of bystander intervention methodology. Click this link to register!
Action Alert: Sign Constituent Letter of Support for HF 1691/ SF 2003 Our government must pass bold reforms that address this issue so we can accurately count and combat hate in our state. Communities Combating Hate have momentum to make system-wide change to better combat hate in MN. On 3/26/2021, HF 1691 passed out of it’s second MN House committee! HF 1691/SF 2003 would: 1. Close loopholes that misclassify hateful incidents. 2. Allow victims to report hate incidents to non-law enforcement entities, like community organizations and the MN Department of Human Rights. 3. Provide support for the victims of hate crimes. Take Action Now by contacting your representatives to take immediate action to combat hate in Minnesota. In case you missed the press conference with AAL to pass this legislation in MN: <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>
You, Me & White Supremacy Continues: MARCH 10-APRIL 7 4-part webinar series will touch on the anti-Asian violence that has been in recent news, as well as the longstanding history of sinophobia in the United States that has allowed for this escalation. We will also be doing a brief bystander intervention training that will allow participants to walk away from this webinar with some information about de-escalation and non-carceral options for communities to explore when harm or violence does occur. Register for the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Advancing Justice Atlanta (@advancing_justice_atl)
Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) AARW, APIs CAN – Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network, and our partners and allies and enraged, devastated, and committed to organizing for long-term community safety. Full statement text here. Register for the town hall next week here. Posted by Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) on Thursday, March 18, 2021 Asian American Leaders Call for Community-Centered Response FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2021 CONTACT INFORMATION James C. Woo 404.585.8446 x 104 [email protected] Atlanta, GA — Yesterday evening eight people were killed at three separate spas in North Georgia. Six of the people killed were Asian and all but one were women. “We are heartbroken by these acts of violence. Six Asian women lost their lives. Now is the time to hold the victims and their families in our hearts and in our light. We’re calling on our allies across communities of color to stand with us in grief and solidarity against racist violence in all its forms. When our most vulnerable community members are targeted, we all need to band together,” shared Stephanie Cho, Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta. While the details of the shootings are still emerging, the broader context cannot be ignored. The shootings happened under the trauma of increasing violence against Asian Americans nationwide, fueled by white supremacy and systemic racism. While anti-Asian violence is woven throughout our nation’s history, the Trump administration’s relentless scapegoating of Asians for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased the incidences of hate and violence against Asian Americans around the country. According to the most recent data, hate incidents targeting Asian Americans rose by nearly 150% in 2020, with Asian American women twice as likely to be targeted. Stop AAPI Hate received 3,800 reports of anti-Asian hate since March 2020 to February 2021, with 35% of discriminatory acts happening at businesses and with women reporting hate incidents twice as men. “That the Asian women murdered yesterday were working highly vulnerable and low-wage jobs during an ongoing pandemic speaks directly to the compounding impacts of misogyny, structural violence, and white supremacy,” said Phi Nguyen, Litigation Director at Asian American Advancing Justice – Atlanta. In Georgia, as in many states across the country, systemic disinvestment from and criminalization of communities of color means that we do not have the infrastructure or resources in place for effective community safety, a robust social service safety net, and in-language support. In addition, white supremacy devalues the lives and experiences of immigrant communities, Black communities, and other communities of color while heightening xenophobia and divisions among us. At a time where we could be building bridges of understanding and support, white supremacy continues to diminish our already fractured society. During this time of crisis for our AAPI community, we call on our local and state government to provide robust and responsive crisis intervention resources, including in-language support for mental health, legal, employment, and immigration services. It is time for Georgia to invest in transformative justice that begins with cross racial dialogue and community-building that address the root causes of violence and hate. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is the first nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities in Georgia and the Southeast. For more information about Advancing Justice-Atlanta, visit https://advancingjustice-atlanta.org. See Press Release here Stop Asian Hate: Together, We Can Make a Difference We must act now. Support the AAPI Community Fund to uplift and protect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The following provides resources to different organizations that uplift the AAPI community. Fundraisers for AAPI Justice Help the families and individuals affected by attacks against the AAPI community, ranging from vandalism and stealing to violence. Take action by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page, or by donating to the AAPI Community Fund, supporting AAPI organizations. Donate → Click here to support more AAPI fundraisers for justice. Fundraisers for AAPI safety Help AAPI communities regain their sense of security with safety devices, increased protection efforts, and more. Take action by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page or by donating to the AAPI Community Fund supporting various verified organizations. Donate → Click here to support more fundraiser for AAPI safety. Fundraisers to uplift the AAPI community Support various AAPI efforts determined to increase awareness around inequalities, create solutions, and inspire hope within the community.Take action by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page or by donating to the AAPI Community Fund, supporting various AAPI organizations. Donate → Click here for fundraisers that uplift the AAPI community. Fundraisers for AAPI Neighborhoods Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) neighborhoods have been struggling to survive since the beginning of COVID-19. Take action to revitalize and preserve AAPI culture in your local community by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page, or by donating to the general fund supporting various AAPI organizations. Donate → Click here for fundraiser for AAPI neighborhoods. Asian Organizations Across the Bay Area Join Forces to Demand Action Against Violence On February 9, 2021, the undersigned organizations released the following press announcement denouncing violence against members of Asian American communities in San Francisco, Oakland, and the greater Bay Area. We stand in solidarity with victims, survivors, and families who have suffered loss and pain. =================================================================================== Asian Organizations Across the Bay Area Join Forces to Demand Action Against Violence FEBRUARY 9, 2021 Yamuna Hopwood, Communications Manager, 415-274-6760 x319 [email protected] (English) Jin Xia Niu, Chinese Language Media Specialist, 415-274-6760 x313 [email protected] (English, Mandarin) We, the undersigned organizations, denounce violence against members of Asian American communities in San Francisco, Oakland, and the greater Bay Area. We stand in solidarity with victims, survivors, and families who have suffered loss and pain. These violent assaults have made the especially difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic even more painful. From our Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese elders to our youth, our Asian American communities are traumatized, afraid, and outraged during a time when we are also experiencing disproportionate impacts of the pandemic. These include mass unemployment, safety risks to frontline workers, insecure housing, the shuttering of our local small businesses, and a surge in anti-Asian racism. In the past year, we have seen an escalation of violence and other incidents against Asian American communities. The Stop AAPI Hate reporting center documented 2,808 hate incidents in 2020. Over 700 of these occurred in the Bay Area. And while we should not make any assumptions about the reasons behind these recent incidents — whether racially motivated or not — they have profound impacts on our Asian communities across the country and internationally. Our elderly community members, along with their families, are fearful of being in public alone, simply going for a walk, and living their daily lives. And survivors of interpersonal violence and their families have historically not received enough culturally-competent and language-accessible support across government systems. We recognize that violence affects all of us and all of our communities. We must invest in long-term community-centered solutions that create spaces for cross-racial healing that address underlying causes and create ways for all to thrive. We believe that our strength is in unity, not division, and that our histories and our futures are intertwined. That is why we are committed to working with Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Pacific Islander communities for long-term shared vision and solutions to stop the violence in all our communities. We also recognize that it is up to us to keep our communities accountable and to holistically respond to generational trauma and violence. It is up to us to imagine what real safety could look like for our people, and to build the future we want to see — one that is grounded in accountability, justice, and care for each other. As the Lunar New Year approaches, we must all come together to protect the safety of our community members who are feeling vulnerable during what should be a celebratory time. The cities of San Francisco and Oakland leadership must immediately increase culturally-relevant and trauma-informed investments that: Ensure victims and survivors of all backgrounds and language abilities receive full supportive services so they can recover and heal. Expand intervention- and prevention-based programs and invest in basic needs and community-based infrastructure that we know will end the cycle of violence and keep all of us safer. Resource cross-community education and healing in Asian American and Black communities that humanizes all of us rather than demonizes or scapegoats any community of color. As organizations with a long history of protecting and advancing the rights of communities of color, we know that an over-reliance on law enforcement approaches has largely been ineffective and has been disproportionately harmful to Black communities and other communities of color. We believe the solution to violence is to empower our communities with resources, support, and education — this is how we make all of our communities safe. See below for a list of the 40+ Asian American and Asian immigrant Signatories AAPIs for Civic Empowerment Education Fund (AAPI FORCE-EF) Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus APA Family Support Services APALA – Alameda County Chapter API Equality – Northern California Asian Immigrant Women Advocates Asian Pacific Islander Council of San Francisco (API Council) API Equality Northern California (APIENC) Asian Pacific Environmental Network Asian Pacific Fund Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council Asian Refugees United Asians 4 Black Lives AYPAL: Building API Community Power Bay Rising Cal-Nev Philippine Solidarity Task Force (UMC) Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) Chinese for Affirmative Action Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco Chinese Progressive Association Community Youth Center CSU East Bay Ethnic Studies Department East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) Family Bridges Filipino Advocates for Justice Filipino Community Center Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco NAPAWF Bay Area New Breath Foundation NICOS Chinese Health Coalition North East Medical Services (NEMS) Oakland Asian Cultural Center Oakland Rising Pin@y Educational Partnerships Pine United Methodist Church – San Francisco Rose Pak Democratic Club Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown San Francisco Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines San Francisco Rising SFSU: Department of Asian American Studies Silicon Valley Rising SOMA Pilipinas: Filipino Cultural Heritage District South Bay Youth Changemakers Southeast Asian Development Center (SEADC) Stop AAPI Hate Building Upon AAPI Organizing During the 2020 Election Reflecting on the community mobilization and organizing they engaged in during the 2020 election, our network partners are committed to continuing to defend and protect the right to vote, increase AAPI voter turnout and representation, and organize to make sure policies and elected officials reflect our community concerns and conditions. Read some of the statements and campaigns our network partners have released after the 2020 election, showcasing how they plan to continue the fight for democracy, the strategies they utilized and learned, and how you can get involved in future elections and their civic engagement efforts. After the election, DRUM – Desis Rising Up and Moving announced the tasks they had of defending the right to vote, defending the integrity of election results, and getting organized to continue building independent working-class power. As community members are facing, “imminent evictions, facing unemployment, still grieving their loved ones lost to the pandemic, being brutalized by the police, or waiting in long food pantry lines,” DRUM recognizes that our interests and needs are not being reflected, thus reinforcing the need for us to continue to build community power. Read more about their campaign and how you can learn here: http://bit.ly/PowerSafetySolidarity Hmong Innovating Politics noted that, “despite millions of dollars stacked against them, our young people, volunteers, and outreach specialists did an outstanding job in mobilizing residents in Fresno and Sacramento. They spent countless hours on the phone, engaged thousands of first time voters, helped contact 35,000 AAPI voters throughout the Central Valley, and were part of a multi-racial, multi-generational coalition that drove the largest AAPI voter turnout in the history of California.” HIP is committed to continuing to train leaders, build with their allies to ensure immigrant communities are represented in politics and decisions, and connect with community members who are still disconnected and are not civically and politically engaged. Read HIP’s entire post-election reflection here. Reflecting on the 2020 election and beyond, Freedom Inc stated: “We won because we engaged over 13,000 Black and Southeast Asian folx in Dane County and raised consciousness around the multiple oppressions we are living through. We won because we have learned how this current system works and we know we are better equipped to govern ourselves. We won because we mobilized roughly over 3,000 people to the streets, to show that WE, THE PEOPLE, hold COLLECTIVE POWER, and when WE MOVE, our oppressors shake. We organized our communities to envision liberation; that vision mobilized our communities to demand change and deliver this win.” Freedom Inc. will continue to fight to hold systems accountable to community demands through mutual aid efforts and grassroots community-led campaigns. Read their entire statement here and sign up to volunteer with Freedom Inc. to help build power at bit.ly/CPBvolunteer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hmong Innovating Politics (@hipcalifornia) Organizing Against ICE and Protecting Immigrants and Refugees Our network partners have been advocating for immigrant and refugee rights and protections as they organize against ICE, defend asylum, advocate to end deportations in our communities, and work to free our community members from immigration jails, prisons, and detention facilities. View and read more about some of the campaigns and advocacy efforts our network partners are involved with and find out how you can help: Adhikaar has joined the Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP) with four other immigrants rights and grassroots organizations to amplify the needs and experiences of the African, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, Arab/Middle Eastern, and Asian/Pacific Islander (API) communities. This collaboration was founded based on the need to build power, mobilize, and galvanize within our communities. Together, they will fight for permanent residency for all TPS holders. Support their efforts by donating here: bit.ly/adhikaardonate HANA Center participated in Chicago’s #FreedomTogether car caravan with other immigrants rights groups from across Illinois. They called on President-elect Biden and Congress to end deportations and family separation, pass inclusive COVID-19 relief regardless of immigration status, and introduce legislation with citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants. Support the HANA Center and find out ways you can volunteer here Asian American Resource Workshop: “On November 19th, the Trump administration proposed a new rule to ban work permits for people on Orders of Supervision (OSUP): those who have been ordered deported but are temporarily released from custody. This includes tens of thousands of Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees who have resettled to the US and rebuilt their lives after being displaced by the war in Southeast Asia. Join us in protecting our friends, families, and community members by submitting a public comment opposing the proposed work ban on work permits by Monday, December 21st.” Learn more and take action at https://tiny.cc/ProtectWorkPermits View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mekong NYC (@mekongnyc_) Support Community Building and Mobilization in 2021 As 2020 comes to an end, we are reflecting on the monumental advocacy and community organizing that took place to address anti-AAPI racism, increase allyship and solidarity with other communities of color, respond to the socioeconomic and health challenges during COVID-19, and encourage voter participation and increase AAPI representation in the 2020 elections. As we continue to build power and fight for an equitable recovery in 2021, there are many ways you can help support our network partners and contribute to their community outreach and engagement services, programming, and campaigns. Here are some of our network partner campaigns you can support: Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon: “At APANO, we will continue to cultivate that strength, connection, and care in 2021 as we heal, rebuild, and create the future our communities deserve. In 2021, APANO will continue to respond to community needs as we have done throughout this year. We have distributed over $1 million in relief including meals to BIPOC households, gift cards to community members, and grants to API-owned small businesses. Amidst it all, we continue to build the power of Asian and Pacific Islander leaders and communities. We have shown up for each other in this difficult year, and we will need to do so in 2021 as we recover and reimagine our world. While we understand that giving may be challenging this year, if you are able, please make a year-end gift to help APANO support, mobilize, and nourish our community.” Donate to our Grassroots Asian Environmental Leadership Fund now to support our organizing in 2022 and beyond. Asian Pacific Environmental Network: “Since 1993, we’ve been building deep roots in California’s Asian immigrant and refugee communities. From cultural events like Rice & Water Festival in Richmond to our annual International Women’s Day event in Chinatown, we work year-round to build community in working-class immigrant and refugee neighborhoods across the East Bay. Our communities sustain our cultures and our families. And if there’s one thing this year has shown us, it is that we all depend on each other — on strong, resilient communities — for our health, our wellbeing, and our survival. This #GivingTuesday, build community in working-class Asian immigrant and refugee neighborhoods across California by donating to APEN. We need to raise $10,000 by the end of the year to power our community organizing in 2021 and beyond. Will you help us reach our goal? Donate now at donate.apen4ej.org/EOY or please SHARE if you are unable to donate at the moment!” Chinese for Affirmative Action: “As 2020 comes to an end, CAA’s mission to build a multiracial democracy is more important than ever. This year, there are several ways for folks to demonstrate their support. Whether you make a direct donation at givedirect.org/caa/donate2020 or finish your holiday shopping on smile.amazon.com [and select CAA as your charity of choice], this is your chance to join us in championing civil rights, education equity, immigrant justice, and more.” Chinese Progressive Association of San Francisco: “With rapid shifts in the political and economic landscapes, we’re expanding our capacity and doubling down on civic engagement and political education with our base, lifting up their voices in advocating for economic and racial justice! We know we need all of us to keep each other safe, protected, and thriving. Together, you can be a part of our movement to shape the future of our communities.” Contribute at https://bit.ly/3q4o3zg The Coalition of Asian American Leaders: “An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish. A group of one thousand origami paper cranes (折鶴, orizuru) held together by strings has come to stand as a universal symbol of hope and healing. At the end of a tumultuous year heightened by natural disasters, COVID-19, and civil unrest, CAAL launches its month-long #PaperCraneWish campaign from December 1 – December 31, 2020 as a much needed symbol of hope. Every crane you fold brings us one step closer to our year-end fundraising goal of $20,000 to support our fight for a more equitable and just future.” To make a donation today and learn more about this campaign, visit www.caalmn.org/papercranewish. CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities: “It’s been a chaotic time, but also a time full of openings and charged with energy. Throughout the pandemic, CAAAV has been organizing our communities both virtually and on the ground to build grassroots tenant power! And we know that despite what happens, the future is ours to build. We need to imagine a world in which local elected officials are actually accountable to the people. In 2021, we will continue to build militancy within our membership to stop eviction, fight for full funding in public housing, and for the cancellation of rent. Can you help us continue the fight in 2021? Donate now to our The Future is Ours To Build fundraiser! Every dollar supports organized working-class people and the fight for a more equitable New York City.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Reviving Sisterhood (@revivingsisterhood) CPA has had a 500% increase in requests for help this year! Help CPA continue to build power and fight for an equitable recovery this #GivingTuesday!https://t.co/pD6EDdonEF pic.twitter.com/QcPrHVNuoK — CPA Justice (@CPAJustice) December 1, 2020 Post navigation ← Older posts Newer posts →
Asian American Leaders Call for Community-Centered Response FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2021 CONTACT INFORMATION James C. Woo 404.585.8446 x 104 [email protected] Atlanta, GA — Yesterday evening eight people were killed at three separate spas in North Georgia. Six of the people killed were Asian and all but one were women. “We are heartbroken by these acts of violence. Six Asian women lost their lives. Now is the time to hold the victims and their families in our hearts and in our light. We’re calling on our allies across communities of color to stand with us in grief and solidarity against racist violence in all its forms. When our most vulnerable community members are targeted, we all need to band together,” shared Stephanie Cho, Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta. While the details of the shootings are still emerging, the broader context cannot be ignored. The shootings happened under the trauma of increasing violence against Asian Americans nationwide, fueled by white supremacy and systemic racism. While anti-Asian violence is woven throughout our nation’s history, the Trump administration’s relentless scapegoating of Asians for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased the incidences of hate and violence against Asian Americans around the country. According to the most recent data, hate incidents targeting Asian Americans rose by nearly 150% in 2020, with Asian American women twice as likely to be targeted. Stop AAPI Hate received 3,800 reports of anti-Asian hate since March 2020 to February 2021, with 35% of discriminatory acts happening at businesses and with women reporting hate incidents twice as men. “That the Asian women murdered yesterday were working highly vulnerable and low-wage jobs during an ongoing pandemic speaks directly to the compounding impacts of misogyny, structural violence, and white supremacy,” said Phi Nguyen, Litigation Director at Asian American Advancing Justice – Atlanta. In Georgia, as in many states across the country, systemic disinvestment from and criminalization of communities of color means that we do not have the infrastructure or resources in place for effective community safety, a robust social service safety net, and in-language support. In addition, white supremacy devalues the lives and experiences of immigrant communities, Black communities, and other communities of color while heightening xenophobia and divisions among us. At a time where we could be building bridges of understanding and support, white supremacy continues to diminish our already fractured society. During this time of crisis for our AAPI community, we call on our local and state government to provide robust and responsive crisis intervention resources, including in-language support for mental health, legal, employment, and immigration services. It is time for Georgia to invest in transformative justice that begins with cross racial dialogue and community-building that address the root causes of violence and hate. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is the first nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities in Georgia and the Southeast. For more information about Advancing Justice-Atlanta, visit https://advancingjustice-atlanta.org. See Press Release here
Stop Asian Hate: Together, We Can Make a Difference We must act now. Support the AAPI Community Fund to uplift and protect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The following provides resources to different organizations that uplift the AAPI community. Fundraisers for AAPI Justice Help the families and individuals affected by attacks against the AAPI community, ranging from vandalism and stealing to violence. Take action by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page, or by donating to the AAPI Community Fund, supporting AAPI organizations. Donate → Click here to support more AAPI fundraisers for justice. Fundraisers for AAPI safety Help AAPI communities regain their sense of security with safety devices, increased protection efforts, and more. Take action by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page or by donating to the AAPI Community Fund supporting various verified organizations. Donate → Click here to support more fundraiser for AAPI safety. Fundraisers to uplift the AAPI community Support various AAPI efforts determined to increase awareness around inequalities, create solutions, and inspire hope within the community.Take action by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page or by donating to the AAPI Community Fund, supporting various AAPI organizations. Donate → Click here for fundraisers that uplift the AAPI community. Fundraisers for AAPI Neighborhoods Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) neighborhoods have been struggling to survive since the beginning of COVID-19. Take action to revitalize and preserve AAPI culture in your local community by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page, or by donating to the general fund supporting various AAPI organizations. Donate → Click here for fundraiser for AAPI neighborhoods.
Asian Organizations Across the Bay Area Join Forces to Demand Action Against Violence On February 9, 2021, the undersigned organizations released the following press announcement denouncing violence against members of Asian American communities in San Francisco, Oakland, and the greater Bay Area. We stand in solidarity with victims, survivors, and families who have suffered loss and pain. =================================================================================== Asian Organizations Across the Bay Area Join Forces to Demand Action Against Violence FEBRUARY 9, 2021 Yamuna Hopwood, Communications Manager, 415-274-6760 x319 [email protected] (English) Jin Xia Niu, Chinese Language Media Specialist, 415-274-6760 x313 [email protected] (English, Mandarin) We, the undersigned organizations, denounce violence against members of Asian American communities in San Francisco, Oakland, and the greater Bay Area. We stand in solidarity with victims, survivors, and families who have suffered loss and pain. These violent assaults have made the especially difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic even more painful. From our Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese elders to our youth, our Asian American communities are traumatized, afraid, and outraged during a time when we are also experiencing disproportionate impacts of the pandemic. These include mass unemployment, safety risks to frontline workers, insecure housing, the shuttering of our local small businesses, and a surge in anti-Asian racism. In the past year, we have seen an escalation of violence and other incidents against Asian American communities. The Stop AAPI Hate reporting center documented 2,808 hate incidents in 2020. Over 700 of these occurred in the Bay Area. And while we should not make any assumptions about the reasons behind these recent incidents — whether racially motivated or not — they have profound impacts on our Asian communities across the country and internationally. Our elderly community members, along with their families, are fearful of being in public alone, simply going for a walk, and living their daily lives. And survivors of interpersonal violence and their families have historically not received enough culturally-competent and language-accessible support across government systems. We recognize that violence affects all of us and all of our communities. We must invest in long-term community-centered solutions that create spaces for cross-racial healing that address underlying causes and create ways for all to thrive. We believe that our strength is in unity, not division, and that our histories and our futures are intertwined. That is why we are committed to working with Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Pacific Islander communities for long-term shared vision and solutions to stop the violence in all our communities. We also recognize that it is up to us to keep our communities accountable and to holistically respond to generational trauma and violence. It is up to us to imagine what real safety could look like for our people, and to build the future we want to see — one that is grounded in accountability, justice, and care for each other. As the Lunar New Year approaches, we must all come together to protect the safety of our community members who are feeling vulnerable during what should be a celebratory time. The cities of San Francisco and Oakland leadership must immediately increase culturally-relevant and trauma-informed investments that: Ensure victims and survivors of all backgrounds and language abilities receive full supportive services so they can recover and heal. Expand intervention- and prevention-based programs and invest in basic needs and community-based infrastructure that we know will end the cycle of violence and keep all of us safer. Resource cross-community education and healing in Asian American and Black communities that humanizes all of us rather than demonizes or scapegoats any community of color. As organizations with a long history of protecting and advancing the rights of communities of color, we know that an over-reliance on law enforcement approaches has largely been ineffective and has been disproportionately harmful to Black communities and other communities of color. We believe the solution to violence is to empower our communities with resources, support, and education — this is how we make all of our communities safe. See below for a list of the 40+ Asian American and Asian immigrant Signatories AAPIs for Civic Empowerment Education Fund (AAPI FORCE-EF) Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus APA Family Support Services APALA – Alameda County Chapter API Equality – Northern California Asian Immigrant Women Advocates Asian Pacific Islander Council of San Francisco (API Council) API Equality Northern California (APIENC) Asian Pacific Environmental Network Asian Pacific Fund Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council Asian Refugees United Asians 4 Black Lives AYPAL: Building API Community Power Bay Rising Cal-Nev Philippine Solidarity Task Force (UMC) Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) Chinese for Affirmative Action Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco Chinese Progressive Association Community Youth Center CSU East Bay Ethnic Studies Department East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) Family Bridges Filipino Advocates for Justice Filipino Community Center Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco NAPAWF Bay Area New Breath Foundation NICOS Chinese Health Coalition North East Medical Services (NEMS) Oakland Asian Cultural Center Oakland Rising Pin@y Educational Partnerships Pine United Methodist Church – San Francisco Rose Pak Democratic Club Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown San Francisco Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines San Francisco Rising SFSU: Department of Asian American Studies Silicon Valley Rising SOMA Pilipinas: Filipino Cultural Heritage District South Bay Youth Changemakers Southeast Asian Development Center (SEADC) Stop AAPI Hate
Building Upon AAPI Organizing During the 2020 Election Reflecting on the community mobilization and organizing they engaged in during the 2020 election, our network partners are committed to continuing to defend and protect the right to vote, increase AAPI voter turnout and representation, and organize to make sure policies and elected officials reflect our community concerns and conditions. Read some of the statements and campaigns our network partners have released after the 2020 election, showcasing how they plan to continue the fight for democracy, the strategies they utilized and learned, and how you can get involved in future elections and their civic engagement efforts. After the election, DRUM – Desis Rising Up and Moving announced the tasks they had of defending the right to vote, defending the integrity of election results, and getting organized to continue building independent working-class power. As community members are facing, “imminent evictions, facing unemployment, still grieving their loved ones lost to the pandemic, being brutalized by the police, or waiting in long food pantry lines,” DRUM recognizes that our interests and needs are not being reflected, thus reinforcing the need for us to continue to build community power. Read more about their campaign and how you can learn here: http://bit.ly/PowerSafetySolidarity Hmong Innovating Politics noted that, “despite millions of dollars stacked against them, our young people, volunteers, and outreach specialists did an outstanding job in mobilizing residents in Fresno and Sacramento. They spent countless hours on the phone, engaged thousands of first time voters, helped contact 35,000 AAPI voters throughout the Central Valley, and were part of a multi-racial, multi-generational coalition that drove the largest AAPI voter turnout in the history of California.” HIP is committed to continuing to train leaders, build with their allies to ensure immigrant communities are represented in politics and decisions, and connect with community members who are still disconnected and are not civically and politically engaged. Read HIP’s entire post-election reflection here. Reflecting on the 2020 election and beyond, Freedom Inc stated: “We won because we engaged over 13,000 Black and Southeast Asian folx in Dane County and raised consciousness around the multiple oppressions we are living through. We won because we have learned how this current system works and we know we are better equipped to govern ourselves. We won because we mobilized roughly over 3,000 people to the streets, to show that WE, THE PEOPLE, hold COLLECTIVE POWER, and when WE MOVE, our oppressors shake. We organized our communities to envision liberation; that vision mobilized our communities to demand change and deliver this win.” Freedom Inc. will continue to fight to hold systems accountable to community demands through mutual aid efforts and grassroots community-led campaigns. Read their entire statement here and sign up to volunteer with Freedom Inc. to help build power at bit.ly/CPBvolunteer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hmong Innovating Politics (@hipcalifornia)
Organizing Against ICE and Protecting Immigrants and Refugees Our network partners have been advocating for immigrant and refugee rights and protections as they organize against ICE, defend asylum, advocate to end deportations in our communities, and work to free our community members from immigration jails, prisons, and detention facilities. View and read more about some of the campaigns and advocacy efforts our network partners are involved with and find out how you can help: Adhikaar has joined the Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP) with four other immigrants rights and grassroots organizations to amplify the needs and experiences of the African, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, Arab/Middle Eastern, and Asian/Pacific Islander (API) communities. This collaboration was founded based on the need to build power, mobilize, and galvanize within our communities. Together, they will fight for permanent residency for all TPS holders. Support their efforts by donating here: bit.ly/adhikaardonate HANA Center participated in Chicago’s #FreedomTogether car caravan with other immigrants rights groups from across Illinois. They called on President-elect Biden and Congress to end deportations and family separation, pass inclusive COVID-19 relief regardless of immigration status, and introduce legislation with citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants. Support the HANA Center and find out ways you can volunteer here Asian American Resource Workshop: “On November 19th, the Trump administration proposed a new rule to ban work permits for people on Orders of Supervision (OSUP): those who have been ordered deported but are temporarily released from custody. This includes tens of thousands of Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees who have resettled to the US and rebuilt their lives after being displaced by the war in Southeast Asia. Join us in protecting our friends, families, and community members by submitting a public comment opposing the proposed work ban on work permits by Monday, December 21st.” Learn more and take action at https://tiny.cc/ProtectWorkPermits View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mekong NYC (@mekongnyc_)
Support Community Building and Mobilization in 2021 As 2020 comes to an end, we are reflecting on the monumental advocacy and community organizing that took place to address anti-AAPI racism, increase allyship and solidarity with other communities of color, respond to the socioeconomic and health challenges during COVID-19, and encourage voter participation and increase AAPI representation in the 2020 elections. As we continue to build power and fight for an equitable recovery in 2021, there are many ways you can help support our network partners and contribute to their community outreach and engagement services, programming, and campaigns. Here are some of our network partner campaigns you can support: Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon: “At APANO, we will continue to cultivate that strength, connection, and care in 2021 as we heal, rebuild, and create the future our communities deserve. In 2021, APANO will continue to respond to community needs as we have done throughout this year. We have distributed over $1 million in relief including meals to BIPOC households, gift cards to community members, and grants to API-owned small businesses. Amidst it all, we continue to build the power of Asian and Pacific Islander leaders and communities. We have shown up for each other in this difficult year, and we will need to do so in 2021 as we recover and reimagine our world. While we understand that giving may be challenging this year, if you are able, please make a year-end gift to help APANO support, mobilize, and nourish our community.” Donate to our Grassroots Asian Environmental Leadership Fund now to support our organizing in 2022 and beyond. Asian Pacific Environmental Network: “Since 1993, we’ve been building deep roots in California’s Asian immigrant and refugee communities. From cultural events like Rice & Water Festival in Richmond to our annual International Women’s Day event in Chinatown, we work year-round to build community in working-class immigrant and refugee neighborhoods across the East Bay. Our communities sustain our cultures and our families. And if there’s one thing this year has shown us, it is that we all depend on each other — on strong, resilient communities — for our health, our wellbeing, and our survival. This #GivingTuesday, build community in working-class Asian immigrant and refugee neighborhoods across California by donating to APEN. We need to raise $10,000 by the end of the year to power our community organizing in 2021 and beyond. Will you help us reach our goal? Donate now at donate.apen4ej.org/EOY or please SHARE if you are unable to donate at the moment!” Chinese for Affirmative Action: “As 2020 comes to an end, CAA’s mission to build a multiracial democracy is more important than ever. This year, there are several ways for folks to demonstrate their support. Whether you make a direct donation at givedirect.org/caa/donate2020 or finish your holiday shopping on smile.amazon.com [and select CAA as your charity of choice], this is your chance to join us in championing civil rights, education equity, immigrant justice, and more.” Chinese Progressive Association of San Francisco: “With rapid shifts in the political and economic landscapes, we’re expanding our capacity and doubling down on civic engagement and political education with our base, lifting up their voices in advocating for economic and racial justice! We know we need all of us to keep each other safe, protected, and thriving. Together, you can be a part of our movement to shape the future of our communities.” Contribute at https://bit.ly/3q4o3zg The Coalition of Asian American Leaders: “An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish. A group of one thousand origami paper cranes (折鶴, orizuru) held together by strings has come to stand as a universal symbol of hope and healing. At the end of a tumultuous year heightened by natural disasters, COVID-19, and civil unrest, CAAL launches its month-long #PaperCraneWish campaign from December 1 – December 31, 2020 as a much needed symbol of hope. Every crane you fold brings us one step closer to our year-end fundraising goal of $20,000 to support our fight for a more equitable and just future.” To make a donation today and learn more about this campaign, visit www.caalmn.org/papercranewish. CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities: “It’s been a chaotic time, but also a time full of openings and charged with energy. Throughout the pandemic, CAAAV has been organizing our communities both virtually and on the ground to build grassroots tenant power! And we know that despite what happens, the future is ours to build. We need to imagine a world in which local elected officials are actually accountable to the people. In 2021, we will continue to build militancy within our membership to stop eviction, fight for full funding in public housing, and for the cancellation of rent. Can you help us continue the fight in 2021? Donate now to our The Future is Ours To Build fundraiser! Every dollar supports organized working-class people and the fight for a more equitable New York City.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Reviving Sisterhood (@revivingsisterhood) CPA has had a 500% increase in requests for help this year! Help CPA continue to build power and fight for an equitable recovery this #GivingTuesday!https://t.co/pD6EDdonEF pic.twitter.com/QcPrHVNuoK — CPA Justice (@CPAJustice) December 1, 2020