CAA was founded in 1969 to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. Today, CAA is a progressive voice in and on behalf of the broader Asian and Pacific American community. We advocate for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial injustice.
CAA and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Jointly Published in the Asian American Law Journal Following a Supreme Court decision which struck down two voluntary school integration programs in Washington and Kentucky, CAA's Christina Wong and AALDEF's Khin Mai Aung respond to the decision's impact on APIs, and the options available for schools to integrate their classrooms. Read article here
Prop 8 Passes but Equality Advocates Won't Give Up Fight Fueled by misinformation, distortions, and lies, the discriminatory measure Proposition 8 passed by a narrow margin. Despite this outcome, civil rights advocates know that freedom, fairness, and equality will be ours someday. The tremendous grassroots and volunteer network that was built during this historic struggle will continue fighting until full equality under the law becomes reality here in California. To support our efforts, please make a donation to our API Equality project through CAA's donation site. To stay connected to the fight, sign-up to volunteer with API Equality or join our listserve by emailing info@caasf.org.
Ballot Measure Results from the November 4th Election CAA reviewed all San Francisco and California ballot measures and provided recommendations on those that significantly affected the most marginalized in our communities or had significant immigrant rights, language diversity, and racial justice impacts. Though we were disappointed in the defeat of Prop 5 and the passage of 8, 9, and 11, we were pleased to see Prop 4 and Prop 6 defeated. In San Francisco, we endorsed Prop A, B, and F. We applaud the passage of Prop A and wait to receive final tallies on Prop B. Prop F did not pass.
Photos from the Candidate Forums
Photos from the CAA candidate forums held in October for the District 3 Supervisor, San Francisco Board of Education, and City College Board of Trustees races.
Friday 11/7 Happy Hour and Fundraiser for CAA APIs for Change Launch Party and Post-Election (H)API Hour Co-Hosted by Phil Ting; CAA Board Members Stephanie Ong Stillman, Dexter Ligot-Gordon and Keith Kamisugi; and APIs for Change members Richard D. Pio Roda, Ace Climaco, Susan Sun, Tina Lee, Lisa Ang, Eddie Ahn, Steve Ngo, Johnny Wang, and Beverly Ng Friday, November 7 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Mercury Lounge 1582 Folsom St, San Francisco * $10-20 suggested donation at the door with proceeds going to CAA RSVP on Facebook Only days after Barack Obama's historic victory, join us to celebrate the launch of "APIs for Change" a new group which seeks to provide a next-generation political forum for Democrats in the Asian American Pacific Islander community. The group's focus is to capture, harness and leverage the political energy of newly activated Democrats in the API community by creating a self-sustaining, member-driven and member-supported organization that facilitates dialogue and inspires action. Drop by Mercury Lounge on Friday and celebrate the launch of APIs for Change and the continued work of CAA. hapihour.org
Election Day Central You have rights as a voter in San Francisco. Stay informed by downloading CAA's Guide to Voting, available in both English and in Chinese. Once you are ready to vote, consult CAA's Endorsement List to see how we rated various state and local propositions for their impact on immigrant rights, language diversity, and racial justice. You can also view the results of our candidate questionnaire to see how the candidates running for District 3 Supervisor, Board of Education, and City College Board prioritized issues of concern to our community. Lastly, don't forget to vote on November 4! Whether you're voting by mail or at the polls, it's important that your voice is heard.
Historic Victory: California Supreme Court Affirms Marriage Equality for Same Sex Couples, CAA and API Equality Applaud Decision The California Supreme Court ruled in a historic 4 - 3 decision that same sex couples in trusting, loving, and committed relationships will be able to enjoy the freedom to marry, a decision announced on May 15th. The positive ruling will impact thousands of Asian and Pacific American families in the state, who form a highly visible portion of California’s population of same-sex couples and their children. API Equality, a project of CAA, and its coalitions of supporters are thrilled by this momentous Supreme Court decision, which is a victory for all Californians who cherish fairness and equality. Read more about the ruling on API Equality's website and in our May 15th press release.
CAA Staff Honored as "Local Hero" by KQED Public Broadcasting and Union Bank of California CAA's Director of Community Initiatives, Christina Wong, has been selected as a "Local Hero" for her fierce advocacy for educational equity on behalf of Asian and Pacific Americans. Wong, a CAA staff member for the past nine years, was chosen for her accomplishments on a wide range of school policy issues, including school integration, language access, parental involvement, multilingual programs, and violence prevention and intervention. Wong will be receiving her award at KQED and Union Bank's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration on May 7th. For more information, see our press release in the Media section.
CAA Op-Ed in the San Francisco Chronicle Executive Director Vincent Pan writes: "In the week since Barack Obama delivered his landmark speech on race, many people have swooned, and some have even patted themselves on the back. Of course, there has been some grousing, but according to recent polls, Americans want meaningful racial reconciliation, and welcome guidance on how to get there..." Read the entire Op-Ed on SFGate.com.
CAA Hosts Community Briefing on New SFPD Langauage Access Policy Due to two years of persistent advocacy by CAA and community partners, the San Francisco Police Commission voted last October to unanimously approve a groundbreaking new policy to ensure effective and accurate communication between the SFPD and the limited-English proficient (LEP) communities they serve. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in ensuring that LEP communities are aware of this new policy and of their rights in their interactions with the SFPD. CAA hosted a community briefing on February 21 to inform community agencies, their LEP constituents, and the broader community of their rights under these new provisions. Read the press coverage here in English and Chinese.
Chinatown Campus Coalition Receives Community Award Friends of Educational Opportunities in Chinatown (FEOC) -- the CAA-led coalition for a permanent City College campus in Chinatown -- was recently selected by World Journal newspaper for its 2007 "Person of the Year" Award. FEOC was chosen out of a field of 28 other candidates for its efforts to expand educational opportunities for new immigrants. This annual honor is given to individuals or organizations who have provided exceptional service to or exemplify the best in the Chinese American community. Read more about the award in our Media section.