Advocating for a Pathway to Citizenship for All Sign the petition: Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressional Democrats can and must provide a pathway to citizenship immediately – We won’t take no for an answer. This is the year we will win citizenship for millions. Sign the petition: Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressional Democrats can and must provide a pathway to citizenship immediately. Adhikaar along with Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP) releases the following statement urging the Senate to disregard the Parliamentarian and provide green cards to millions. “This third rejection by the Parliamentarian clearly shows that she has no intention of approving any form of immigration relief to be included in the Build Back Better Act, despite very clear and significant budgetary impact. Senators must not allow a non-elected Senate staffer to subvert the will of the people via a purely advisory opinion. Senators must fulfill their duties to our communities and legislate what is right. The only way to do this is by including permanent residency in the Build Back Better Act.” Read their full statement here: 400 YOUTH WALKED OUT OF 6 CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOLS TODAY TO DEMAND #CITIZENSHIP4ALL!Immigrant youth ORGANIZED and ROLLED OUT to demand @SenatorDurbin deliver citizenship to their families in #BBB. It’s your move, Senator. Will you listen to our city’s youth? pic.twitter.com/5b9939VPNz— HANA Center #Citizenship4All! (@HANACenter) December 15, 2021 With your support, we can continue pressuring electeds on their promise of forming a pathway to #Citizenship4All for undocumented immigrants. https://t.co/phYHgwHsj3— AdvancingJustice|Chi (@AAAJ_Chicago) December 28, 2021 We echo our call to @VP Harris, @SenSchumer , @SpeakerPelosi and Democratic leaders that we must ignore the parliamentarian. Be BOLD and KEEP YOUR PROMISE – CREATE A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP FOR ALL NOW!!! pic.twitter.com/j0lfhkX022— Adhikaar (@adhikaar) December 17, 2021
Help Fund Excluded Workers in New York DESIS RISING UP AND MOVING: We will continue the fight to fully Fund Excluded Workers! Thousands of eligible New Yorkers are being shut out from the fund. NY must boost the fund. Stay connected to organizations like DRUM to join the fight and stay informed about next steps. In the News: New York Set Aside $2.1 Billion for Undocumented Workers. It Isn’t Enough. The Fund Excluded Workers Coalition is calling on Gov. Hochul and NYS Legislature to add $3 billion to the fund to cover workers who have been shut out from the fund. Visit the Fund Excluded Workers Resource Page here! Essential workers like Afshana who fought to #FundExcludedWorkers were shut out of the fund. We cannot leave any worker behind!@GovKathyHochul the workers are demanding: $3 billion to FULLY #FundExcludedWorkers! pic.twitter.com/GsVIbKPjfC— DRUM #FreePrakashChuraman (@DesisRisingUp) January 6, 2022 NEW: #FundExcludedWorkers Coalition Responds to @GovKathyHochul’s State of the State.“If Governor Hochul truly wants to make history, she’ll make New York the first state in the country to open the safety net to excluded workers — for good.” pic.twitter.com/LeMLHAww1u— #FundExcludedWorkers (@FEWCoalition) January 5, 2022 ⚠️ We need your help! Call @GovKathyHochul & tell her to:💸 Replenish the Excluded Workers Fund with $3 billion🗽 Support the #ExcludedNoMore proposal to ensure workers are never in this position againOur whole state suffers when workers are denied access to the safety net. pic.twitter.com/PaTlov6COS— #FundExcludedWorkers (@FEWCoalition) January 5, 2022 As @GovKathyHochul lays out her plan for economic recovery in NYS and her commitments to workers, will she also support essential immigrant workers excluded from state relief? #StateOfTheStateNY #FundExcludedWorkers— DRUM #FreePrakashChuraman (@DesisRisingUp) January 5, 2022
Advocate for Your Community Through Redistricting Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP): “Dao Vang, who handles redistricting outreach for Hmong Innovating Politics in South Sacramento, hopes that the city’s Hmong population and other AAPI communities in the area can one day be unified under one district, as well. “There’s a lot of Hmong folks, not just in the Detroit Boulevard area,” Dao Vang said, adding that there are similar split neighborhoods along Interstate 5 and elsewhere in districts 7 and 8. “I think they don’t share really similar values and really similar interests. Folks in the Pocket, economically, they’re just really different,” Vang said.” ICYMI: District lines have divided communities of color and diluted our voting power. We can change that. Nobody knows our communities better than the people who live in them. In a CapRadio article reported by Sarah Mizes-Tan, community advocates from Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) and Detroit Boulevard Neighborhood Association, and our ride-or-die 4 Sacramento Deputy Director illustrate some of the 3(!)-decades-long frustrations from misshapen district boundaries that split a mostly Hmong and Latine neighborhood.. With a neighborhood split into 2 districts, organizing for city services that benefit working-class immigrant communities has been sidelined by differing values and interests of wealthier residents. One neighborhood association member said “we kind of felt sometimes like we were left waiting, like that’s the last thing they’ll handle.” District lines not only determine which city council member will represent a neighborhood, but also which neighborhoods will be voting together in future elections. With the lines of power being redrawn, we’re coming together for fair districting which sets the foundation for the next 10 years.. Visit your city’s website and get to know how local lines are being redrawn. Don’t like drafted districts? Speak on behalf of your community thru public comment. https://www.capradio.org/…/this-south-sacramento…/ Give your feedback on Raleigh's local redistricting at the City of Raleigh's public listening sessions! You'll have the opportunity to learn about redistricting in Raleigh, as well as comment on the maps.Learn more about ways to provide input here: https://t.co/ZQX5hO8UHA pic.twitter.com/XsBQTFZbFd— NCAAT (@ncaatogether) December 8, 2021 The three judge panel admitted that the Republican maps are “incompatible with democratic principles and subject our state to ridicule” but still upheld the maps. The NC Supreme court will now decide.#ncpol #FairMapsNC #NCredistrictingtrial #gerrymandering pic.twitter.com/MtyQY7MSAI— NCAAT (@ncaatogether) January 13, 2022
HR5665 – Combating International Islamophobia Act LEGISLATIVE ALERT: #HR5665, Combating International Islamophobia Act passed in the House 219-212. @Ilhan thank you for your leadership in standing against Islamophobia and hate. #StopIslamophobia pic.twitter.com/1A8xg5ztQv— National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (@NCAPAtweets) December 17, 2021 H.R.5665 – Combating International Islamophobia Act – This bill passed in the House on December 14, 2021 and goes to the Senate next for consideration. This bill establishes within the Department of State the Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia and addresses related issues. The office shall monitor and combat acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement in foreign countries. The bill establishes the position of Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia, who shall head the office. The bill also requires certain existing annual reports to Congress about human rights and religious freedom in foreign countries to include information about Islamophobia, such as information about (1) acts of physical violence or harassment of Muslim people, (2) instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote hatred or incite violence against Muslim people, and (3) actions taken by a country’s government to respond to such acts. The office shall coordinate and assist in preparing these portions of the reports. No funds made available pursuant to the bill may be used to promote or endorse a boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement ideology (i.e., economic measures against Israel or Israel-related individuals or organizations) or used to promote or endorse a Muslim ban.
Calling on Biden to End the China Initiative NBC ASIAN AMERICA: “Asian American groups call on Biden to end controversial China Initiative Advocates say the Trump-era national security program to address Chinese economic espionage unfairly targets ethnic Chinese scientists and harms their families. “Over the past year, Asian American advocacy groups have increased pressure on the Biden administration to end the initiative, which they say unfairly targets ethnic Chinese scientists and brings emotional and financial harm to their families. “’The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars,’ said Gisela Kusakawa, a staff attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, or AAAJ. ‘It’s based on the premise that all scientists of Chinese descent or [who] have connections to China should be treated with suspicion.’ A year ago, AAAJ launched the Anti-Racial Profiling Project to persuade lawmakers to end the China Initiative and assist people targeted by the Justice Department. The group has provided legal and advocacy support to more than 70 academics, many of whom lost their jobs. “Thu Nguyen, the executive director of OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, a nonprofit advocacy group, said the program has created a climate of fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the U.S., she said, has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China. The China Initiative, she said, affects not only professors and working scientists but also students, many of whom may hesitate to apply for scholarships or pursue careers in science and technology out of fear of prosecution. In recent months, OCA has been lobbying lawmakers to end the program. In November, the group visited senators and mobilized chapter members to speak out about the issues at legislative sessions.” New in @NBCAsianAmerica: Our Executive Director Thu Nguyen explains how the China Initiative unfairly targets people of Chinese descent — and what we’re doing to end the federal government’s profiling of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants. https://t.co/JanPtPJAaY https://t.co/vfbFgXCkk7— OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates (@OCANational) January 3, 2022 Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC: On May 29, 2020, six armed FBI agents raided Professor Shaorong Liu’s home, interrogated him and his wife, and arrested them. Professor Liu, who teaches at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry of the University of Oklahoma, and his wife were charged with stealing years of research funding, even though they did the research, resulting in over a dozen academic articles and a U.S. Patent.In our latest blog, hear from Professor Liu’s daughter, Di Liu, about the devastating impact being targeted by the government’s racial bias and profiling through the “China Initiative” had on her family.”My parents have lived here in the U.S. for most of their lives. They are proud American citizens. They are not spies. They are academics who have committed their lives to improving life for everyone. Why has this man-made tragedy been forced upon them? What have they done to deserve the scorn, rather than protection of their own government?”Read the full blog here: bit.ly/diliublog. #StopProfilingUs Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC: A new study shows that over 50% of scientists of Chinese descent working in the U.S., regardless of citizenship, fear they are under surveillance by the U.S. government. Read our Anti-Racial Profiling Project Intern Alex Liang’s latest on the reverberating effects of the “China Initiative” within the scientific community, and the dangers of it coming at a time when the pandemic and climate change have become predominant threats to Americans’ health and prosperity. Why Ending the Justice Department’s “China Initiative” is Vital to U.S. Security
Advocating for AAPI Data Disaggregation Nationwide AAPIs have the biggest wealth gap of any ethnic group in the US. Disaggregating AAPI data is essential in helping to address the needs of underserved groups within our communities. We applaud @GovKathyHochul for signing this bill into law. https://t.co/0KZx6xg2xS— APIAVote | #StopAsianHate (@APIAVote) December 31, 2021 N.Y. enacts ‘groundbreaking’ law to change how Asian American populations are counted Gov. Kathy Hochul quietly signed a bill last week requiring state agencies to separate data among different Asian ethnic groups. State agencies in New York will now be required to break down data for individual ethnic groups under the Asian American Pacific Islander umbrella. A bill signed last week by Gov. Kathy Hochul mandates that any state department collecting information about ethnicity or ancestry will have to use different categories for each major Asian group, including the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Laotian, Cambodian, Bangladeshi and Hmong communities, which the bill names. The same will be done for individual Pacific Islander groups, including Native Hawaiians, Guamanians, Chamorros and Samoans. Civil rights organizations have advocated for such action for decades, saying there is a lack of understanding about lower-income, minority Asians whose data is often lumped together with that of higher-earning groups. Coalition for Asian American Children and Families – Victory After Over a Decade of Advocacy: Asian American Pacific Islander Community Commends NY Governor Kathy Hochul for Signing Data Disaggregation into Law: Data disaggregation is just the first step for accurate representation of Asian American, especially Southeast Asian, issues. https://t.co/nMcjkmXvni— Demand Cuomo #PardonJamesNow ! Links in bio (@MekongNYC) December 24, 2021 NBC ASIAN AMERICA: White House adds new initiative for Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian visibility – As communities slowly recover from the pandemic’s devastation, advocates hope the new initiative will help with data disaggregation and language access for federal programs. “Asians and Pacific Islanders are not a monolith. Our health data should reflect the breadth of ancestries present in our City’s API communities, so we may better understand and address health inequities.” https://www1.nyc.gov/…/dohmh-releases-api-report.page
Launch of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders President Biden Announces Intent to Appoint Commissioners to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders DECEMBER 20, 2021 WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden announced his intent to appoint the following leaders as commissioners to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders: The Commission will advise the President on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The Commission is also charged with advising the President on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face. The Commission will include civic leaders from across the country and will reflect the rich diversity of AANHPI communities across the United States. Today, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders was officially launched! We look forward to the important work ahead with Co-Chairs Katherine Tai and Xavier Becerra, and Executive Director Krystal Ka'ai.➡️ https://t.co/5o9xMC0NFg pic.twitter.com/AKgN1Ssfwu— Advancing Justice | AAJC (@AAAJ_AAJC) December 9, 2021 Advancing Justice – AAJC Statement in Response to White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders: Washington, D.C. — December 9, 2021 — Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (Advancing Justice | AAJC) responds to the official launch of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI). John C. Yang, Advancing Justice – AAJC president and executive director states: “We are excited to begin working WHIAANHPI to ensure coordination between government agencies, national groups, and community organizations. Advancing Justice – AAJC also applauds the selection of WHIAANHPI’s co-chairs Katherine Tai, the first woman of color to head the Office of U.S. Trade Representative, and Xavier Becerra, a former Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus member and ally to the Asian American community. With longtime Asian American rights champion and civil rights advocate Krystal Ka’ai as the Executive Director, we are confident that WHIAANHPI will fulfill its mission to better serve the AANHPI community.” Today’s official launch of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders marks an historic moment of representation and belonging for the AAPI community. Congratulations to Co-Chairs, @AmbassadorTai and @SecBecerra for their leadership. pic.twitter.com/DQqU7J2dGl— The Asian American Foundation (@taaforg) December 9, 2021 Today is the official launch of @WHIAANHPI!We look forward to working with Co-Chairs @AmbassadorTai & @SecBecerra and Executive Director Krystal Ka'ai to continue our shared goals of uplifting our communities and protecting our civil rights.Read more:https://t.co/4t7PhRxwDX— APIAVote | #StopAsianHate (@APIAVote) December 9, 2021 We are thrilled that @POTUS has launched the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI)! Thank you to @NCAPAtweets for working with @WhiteHouse and @HHSgov on this important initiative. @SEARAC statement: https://t.co/fm3Lo8RUAd— SEARAC (@SEARAC) December 9, 2021 NCAPA Coalition Celebrates the Launch of WHIAANHPI: Washington, D.C.—NCAPA issued the following statement after the administration announced the official launch of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and the Initiative’s new Co-Chairs Katherine Tai and Xavier Becerra. The Initiative will be housed under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Sign On to Join AAPI Orgs Fighting for Voting Rights Join AAPI organizations around the country in sending a clear message to the U.S. Senate that voting rights are fundamental to a healthy democracy and must be protected. Call on the Senate to proceed and pass H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. Sign on here! We are in a moment where we need to show up to protect the right to vote. The Senate has an opportunity to vote on landmark civil rights legislation, but we need your help. We’re asking every Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander organization that believes in our democracy to sign onto this letter. Today, the House passed the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. We support legislation that makes it easier to vote and restores critical protections of the Voting Rights Act, including for language equity. The Senate must now act to #FightforVotingRights. pic.twitter.com/AHpPnWN1YT— National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (@NAPABA) January 13, 2022 STATEMENT: AAPI Victory Alliance Urges Biden Administration for Action on Federal Voting Rights Legislation Ahead of Georgia Speeches, Midterms AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore issued the following statement: “Voting rights is the pillar of our democracy. AAPI Victory Alliance stands with fellow advocates in urging the Biden administration to shepherd across the finish line federal legislation that will protect the right to vote as we head into midterms, and beyond. As AAPIs were responsible for the highest increase in electoral engagement than any other in the 2020 election, voting rights stands at the central core of our newfound electoral empowerment. It is our sincere hope that, beyond advocacy and vocal support, President Biden and Vice President Harris will today outline a concrete plan of action for protecting the most bedrock American rights: the right to vote in free, fair, and secure elections that are not tainted by partisan manipulation.” “Voting rights is a national issue and, at this very moment, those rights are at stake. In Georgia, where Biden and Harris will speak today, after constituents decisively voted for new leadership in 2020, Republicans in the legislature decided that they could not win on the merits of their ideas alone. Instead, extremist lawmakers passed a voter suppression law that simply cuts out the electorate they know won’t vote for them. Georgia is far from the only state overtly acting against the ideals of democracy.” “Ahead of the speeches, and in lieu of fanfare, we urge President Biden to give us a plan of action to protect and expand the right to vote. The Senate must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act; the fate of our democracy depends on it.” Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta: We urge President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to come up with a concrete plan to pass federal voting laws immediately. We need action now! Phi Nguyen, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, addressed the President and vice president, saying, “We beg you to stay in Washington tomorrow because we don’t need you here in Georgia. We need legislation that will ensure that our democracy accurately reflects the growing diversity of this state and of this country. Mr. President and Madam Vice President, we beg you to ground that plane the same way that we continue to beg you to ground the planes of so many of our community members who are being deported because we still lack a pathway to citizenship.” Whether it’s language access, long lines, voter intimidation, or being unable to vote during working hours, we all require and deserve the right to safely and knowledgeably vote in each election.The #FreedomtoVoteAct and #JohnLewisVotingRightsAct are pivotal first steps. (2/3) pic.twitter.com/O2lj28ebq0— VAYLA New Orleans (@VAYLANOLA) January 13, 2022
Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) Joint Statement: Southeast Asian Americans Unite in Solidarity and Demand Justice for Soobleej Kaub Hawj Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) has issued a joint statement to demand justice for the murder of Soobleej Kaub Hawj on June 28, 2021, at the hands of officers while fleeing the Lava Fire in California. Moreover, we demand that Siskiyou County officials and the Board of Supervisors end their discriminatory water ordinance and invest in resources to build meaningful relationships with Hmong and SEA communities. Read the full joint statement that was signed by 11 community partners and TAKE ACTION! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hmong Innovating Politics (@hipcalifornia)
Support Workers’ Rights and Labor Organizing As workers are standing up for their benefits and rights, various community organizations have been advocating for immigrant, essential, and/or excluded workers during the pandemic and the pandemic recovery. Read more about some of the campaigns and news on workers’ rights and labor organizing coming from our Shared Liberation Network Partners and how you can get involved below: DRUM – Desis Rising Up & Moving will continue the fight to fully Fund Excluded Workers! Thousands of eligible New Yorkers are being shut out from the fund. NY must boost the fund. Stay connected to organizations like DRUM to join the fight and stay informed about next steps. In the News: New York Set Aside $2.1 Billion for Undocumented Workers. It Isn’t Enough – DRUM leader Afshana was featured in NYT article about the Excluded Workers Fund. Excluded workers like Afshana who have been shut out from the fund they fought for are calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to expand the fund by $3 billion! The Fund Excluded Workers Coalition is calling on Gov. Hochul and NYS Legislature to add $3 billion to the fund to cover workers who have been shut out from the fund. Visit their Excluded Workers Fund Resource page for more information. Justice for Muslims Collective – Muslim Immigrant Workers of Washington, DC Exihibit – Muslim immigrant workers are essential workers who remain an integral part of the backbone of Washington, D.C. In late 2020 and early 2021, we conducted oral and visual histories of five Muslim immigrant workers through the DC Oral History Collaborative for inclusion in the city’s official records. These interviews focus on how the workers are treated at their workplace, the obstacles and discrimination they face, and their journeys of joining and participating in labor movements. We have excerpted passages from these interviews and organized them into the following exhibit themes. Please continue supporting Muslim workers by considering a donation to the Muslim Workers Fund. The fund provides direct support to community members in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area who were directly impacted by COVID-19. With your contribution, the fund is able to continue its mission to serve our essential workers in their time of need. JMC COVID 19 Townhall with Workers – JMC also held their first public event and townhall on the impact of COVID19 on Muslim communities based on their report on the impact of COVID19 that you can read here. During the townhall, they discussed the findings from the report, heard from community members, and shared information about their new fund that is open for essential workers here. Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) is a nonprofit that educates, organizes and empowers the low-income and working class immigrant Chinese community in San Francisco to demand better living and working conditions and justice for all people. CPA has been organizing with workers in San Francisco’s Chinese immigrant community since the 1970s. CPA’s Tenant Worker Center programs include wage theft case support, hospitality job training program, community education and outreach, grassroots leadership development and policy advocacy. Read about how workers at a popular Chinatown restaurant won $1.61 Million in a massive wage theft settlement. Southeast Asian Freedom Network – SEAFN – Last week (AUGUST 2021), the Senate approved a $3.5 billion budget resolution that included a pathway to citizenship for dreamers, farmworkers, TPS holders and essential workers. As the budget reconciliation moves forward, we must make sure we reject any criminalization of our communities. ** BREAKING *** This fund recognizes the labor + contributions undocumented + other excluded workers have made + creates an institutionalized structure to support those workers. This victory is BY AND FOR excluded workers + our communities.#FundExcludedWorkers #BuildingPower pic.twitter.com/a06i9lY75G — DRUM #FundExcludedWorkers (@DesisRisingUp) April 6, 2021 View this post on Instagram A post shared by CPASF (@chineseprogressiveassociation) View this post on Instagram A post shared by CPASF (@chineseprogressiveassociation) View this post on Instagram A post shared by CPASF (@chineseprogressiveassociation)