We are working hard to address recent incidents that have brought grief and hardship to Asian Americans throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area and across the country. This is a critical moment to resist anti-Asian hate and bigotry and stand together for immigrant justice and multiracial solidarity. Read on to learn more about what our team, our friends, and our allies are doing to keep our communities safe and to secure justice for all.
CAA Joins Cross-Bay Organizations in Condemning AAPI Violence
On February 9, CAA and our local Coalition for Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ) partners held a press conference denouncing the recent attacks against Asian elders, and demanding action. More than 70+ organizations signed onto our public statement, calling for increased investments in victim and survivor services, intervention and prevention-based community programs, and cross-cultural education and healing. The press conference was followed by an inter-cultural and multiracial Weekend of Action with events in San Francisco and Oakland, featuring speakers including Eddy Zheng of the New Breath Foundation, Connie Wun of AAPI Women Lead, Tinisch Collins of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, and Rev. Norman Fong of the Chinatown Community Development Center.
CCSJ is a coalition co-founded by CAA and the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA), the Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYC), and the New Breath Foundation (NBF). To support the victims and survivors of racial violence in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, you can donate to the CCSJ Victims and Survivors Fund here.
Stop AAPI Hate Raises National Awareness, Addresses Hate Incidents
In response to the attacks against Asian Americans — and specifically, Asian elders — in New York, San Francisco, and elsewhere, CAA has spoken to dozens of journalists, academics, and business leaders about the root causes of anti-Asian violence and what can be done to address racism and xenophobia in our communities. In the past few weeks, Stop AAPI Hate has made appearances in the Guardian, MSNBC, and the San Francisco Chronicle, and earned the support of public and private institutions across the country.
In California, state lawmakers set aside $300,000 for Stop AAPI Hate to address anti-Asian racism. Moving forward, our coalition will put this funding towards tracking and documenting incidents; developing victim and survivor resources; building public-private partnerships; and continuing to advocate for community-based solutions to racial violence. Stop AAPI Hate was established last spring, in a collaboration between CAA, Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON), and the Asian American Studies Department at San Francisco State University (SFSU AAS).
CAA Champions Language Access for the Unemployed
Last month, CAA Legislative Director Santosh Seeram-Santana joined a multiracial coalition of non-English speaking community members at a state assembly budget hearing to demand improvements in language access at the EDD, the state agency that handles unemployment claims. Their testimony paid off when, on February 4, Asm. David Chiu introduced Assembly Bill 401. The legislative process could take months, but if successful, Chiu’s bill could alleviate language barriers for millions of Californians by requiring EDD to increase the number of multilingual phone lines, ensure the translation of application forms and other critical documents, and require EDD to communicate with claimants in their preferred language.
CAA Helps AAPI Communities Navigate Changes to U.S. Immigration Policy
From the restoration of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to the reunification of families separated during the Trump administration, President Biden has made a number of sweeping changes to U.S. immigration just weeks into his first term. To keep our communities informed about the future implications of a Biden-Harris administration for Chinese immigrants, CAA facilitated several virtual events, including an immigrant rights workshop and a media briefing where community members, immigrant advocates, and members of the Chinese-language press asked questions and shared concerns about family-based immigration, the naturalization process, and the future of the public charge rule, to name a few.
CAA has launched its first Cantonese language audio workshop this month. Hosted by Immigrant Rights Program Manager Jose Ng and Civil Engagement Program Manager Crystal Van, each workshop provides information on immigrant rights, economic justice, language access, and more. The first workshop on tenant’s rights during the pandemic is available for listening here.
CAA Job Opportunities
Our small team is growing, and fast. We are currently seeking a Director of Advocacy, Chinese Digital Engagement Advocate and an AACRE Director of Operations. Visit our website to learn more about career opportunities at CAA and affiliated organizations.
CAA in the News
Economic Justice Advocate Amos Lim joined KQED for a conversation about the demand for EDD language access, and the many challenges facing non-English speakers who qualify for unemployment benefits.
In an NBC News article about high rates of poverty and unemployment among Asian Americans, Director of Programs Annette Wong discussed food insecurity in Chinese immigrant communities, and the role of CAA in delivering food aid to struggling households.
To address the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to immigration reform, KTSF shared highlights from CAA’s First 30 Days press event in a Chinese-language broadcast earlier this month.
In a segment about attacks against Asian elders, The Daily Show’s Ronny Chieng directed viewers to both CAA and Stop AAPI Hate.
