Opening Affiliate Convening of 2018

Nearly 60 attendees, including many of our affiliates’ executive directors, had the opportunity to connect and network at our first affiliate convening of the year on January 11, 2018 focused on “Policy Issues Update and What’s at Stake in 2018.”

Moderated by AAPIs for Civic Empowerment Director Timmy Lu, the session covered the current Administration’s policies and the turbulent environment it has created for both the immigrant and broader Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community:

Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus Executive Director Aarti Kohli discussed the immigration policy landscape and the impact the current Administration’s anti-immigrant policies have had specifically on the API community.

VietUnity Campaign Organizer Tracy Nguyen offered her first-hand experiences and lessons learned on organizing and mobilizing her immigrant community. She talked about balancing short-term responses to the recent deportations of Vietnamese Americans with long-term efforts to build political power within and for her community. (Presentation)

Asian Health Services’ Director of Community Health and Research Thu Quach, PhD, shared her thoughts about the importance of an intersectional strategy that connects service delivery, community identity and policy. (Presentation)

Participants came away with a deeper appreciation for the importance of aligning with and collaborating across different communities and a feeling of hope for the future despite the uncertainty ahead.

The Asian Pacific Fund provides quarterly convenings for our network of 70+ affiliates and community partners. Convenings educate leaders about new policies, create spaces to share strategies and best practices, and train participants with the skills they need to build thriving, sustainable and resilient organizations. These convenings are part of our broader Capacity-Building & Civic Engagement Initiative.