2021 is upon us, and Chinese for Affirmative Action looks forward to strengthening ties with local activists, elected officials, and organizations and forging a more equitable, more inclusive path toward racial justice. See below to find out what else is in store.
CAA Reaffirms Support for Immigration Reform
In the week before President Joe Biden’s inauguration, CAA joined 14 other organizations at the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission’s special hearing on Immigration Reform and COVID-19 Recovery. Our presentation, made by CAA Programs Director Annette Wong, reaffirmed CAA’s support for immigrant rights and advocated for the reversal of President Donald Trump’s harmful immigration agenda, including the repeal of the public charge rule; the reinstatement of the Dream Act; and the withdrawal of USCIS fee increases and waiver restrictions. Wong’s statement was echoed by CAA Outreach Specialists Christina Ping and Anny Zhang.
Stop AAPI Hate Responds to Biden’s Memorandum on Anti-Asian Bias
Shortly after Inauguration Day, and the late-December release of Stop AAPI Hate’s Georgia Report, the racial justice coalition — which was co-founded by CAA — issued a press statement commending President Joe Biden for his disavowal of anti-Asian bias amid the coronavirus pandemic, explaining that that is a necessary first step and calls for further action. The statement specifically outlined recommendations for combating anti-Asian animus including the elimination of the China Initiative and the funding of restorative justice activities. Read the full statement and recommendations here.
CAA Calls on EDD to Improve Language Access for Monolingual Communities
CAA Legislative Director Santosh Seeram-Santana gave her public testimony at a California State Assembly budget hearing on the California Employment Development Department (EDD). In her remarks, she noted that “language access is fraud prevention in our immigrant communities.” She continued, “when EDD is inaccessible to applicants who have limited to no proficiency in English this paves the way for people to take advantage of them.” Santana was joined by several monolingual community members in calling for language accessibility for the seven million non-English speaking individuals living in California. An assembly bill addressing this important issue is expected to be introduced later this legislative session.
CAA Joins Chinatown Communities in Ringing in the Winter Solstice
Every December, CAA comes together with friends, neighbors, and community members to celebrate the Winter Solstice. In 2020, our seasonal festivities moved online, and more than 120 families joined us for our weekend festivities. Together, event participants played games, shared talents, and discussed CAA’s various contributions to Chinese immigrant communities in 2020.
The Hospitality and Vocational Training Program Graduates its Fourteenth Cohort
CAA held a virtual graduation event for the 16 students who participated in the Hospitality Vocational Training (HVT) Program’s 2020-2021 cohort. Established in coordination with the Chinese Progressive Association and City College of San Francisco, HVT has provided 300+ low-English proficiency job seekers with the skills, expertise, and connections needed to navigate a competitive job market. While, in the past, classroom instruction was supplemented with forums, roundtables, and hotel site-tours, we had to reimagine the program from start to finish, trading classrooms for conference calls and on-site tours for online forums with past graduates and prospective employers. We also set aside time to accommodate students who were unfamiliar with video conferencing and other communications technologies.
Upcoming
February 4 and February 18: “Understanding and Preventing Anti-Asian Bias”: a Two-Part Webinar Series
In partnership with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), CAA’s Co-Executive Director Cynthia Choi will join Stop AAPI Hate leadership in presenting a two-part series dedicated to understanding and preventing anti-Asian bias. Registration is free:
Register here to join us on Thursday, February 4 (10-11 AM Pacific) to learn about bias prevention as it applies to employers, housing providers, business owners, and state-funded organizations. MCLE credits offered.
Register here to join us on Thursday, February 18 (10-11 AM Pacific) to learn about bias prevention as it applies to employees, tenants, consumers, community members, and social service organizations.
CAA in the News
CBS News | Biden to Address Racism Toward Asian Americans During Pandemic with Executive Action
NBC News | The Mental Health Toll of Being a Model Minority in 2020
World Journal | Immigrants Learning Through Adversity Graduate from Training Program
Yahoo! News | Asian American Divide on Affirmative Action Debunked by Activist
