The TEAACH Act in Illinois Illinois has become the first state to mandate that Asian American history be part of its public school curriculum thanks to advocacy efforts from numerous individuals and organizations, largely led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago. Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (TEAACH) Act (HB 376) will paint a more complete picture of our shared history by adding Asian American history to the Illinois School Code. The TEAACH Act will ensure that Asian American stories and experiences are highlighted in Illinois, not just the stories of Asians outside the United States. NBC Chicago: Pritzker Signs Law Making Illinois First State to Require Asian American History Be Taught in Schools “Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday [July 9, 2021] signed into law a new measure making Illinois the first state in the U.S. to require Asian American history be taught in public schools. Pritzker signed House Bill 376, the Teaching Equitable Asian American History or TEAACH Act, at Niles West High School in suburban Skokie. The new law requires every public elementary and high school in the state to devote a unit of curriculum to the history of Asian Americans in the United States.” “We are setting a new standard for what it means to truly reckon with our history,” Pritzker said in a statement. “It’s a new standard that helps us understand one another, and, ultimately, to move ourselves closer to the nation of our ideals.” “The curriculum must include “the events of Asian American history, including the history of Asian Americans in Illinois and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of Asian Americans toward advancing civil rights from the 19th century onward,” the legislation reads.” “These events shall include the contributions made by individual Asian Americans in government and the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as the contributions of Asian American communities to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States,” per the new law. The law takes effect on Jan. 1 and the requirement begins with the start of the 2022-2023 school year.” Read more about the TEAACH Act from Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago, who was the lead organization in this effort. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Advancing Justice-Chicago (@advancingjusticechicago) View this post on Instagram A post shared by HANA Center (@hanacenterchicago)
DACA Program Reinstated On December 4, 2020, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to fully reinstate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, allowing eligible immigrants to file new applications for protection from deportation under the program. Read more about the DACA program, who is eligible, how to apply, and resources in multiple languages at https://homeishere.us/. View this post on Instagram A post shared by United We Dream (@unitedwedream)
Action Alert: Save Your NOLA Library Campaign Help protect public libraries in New Orleans from a 40% budget cut by voting in Louisiana’s runoff election on December 5, 2020! VAYLA New Orleans has joined the Save Your NOLA Library coalition and a growing number of diverse organizations, library workers, and citizens in supporting libraries by voting NO on Proposition #2 on the December ballot. Proposition #2 would dramatically reduce library funding for services and resources, disproportionately impacting low income communities of color. Stand with VAYLA to vote NO on #2 and save NOLA libraries. “We live in a world where children’s success means access to a library. The fifteen libraries in New Orleans serve over a million individuals and families every year–for communities of color, New Orleans public libraries are an extension of home, a means of access, and sacred space of possibilities.” – says Jacqueline Thanh, Executive Director Read VAYLA’s press release here http://www.vayla-no.org/blog/save-our-nola-libraries and learn more about the Save Your NOLA Library campaign at https://www.saveyournolalibrary.com/