A Major Victory for Public Education in California
Today we are celebrating a major victory for public schools, education equity and access to higher education in California. Over the past several months, our policy team worked closely with the College for All Coalition and California Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino) to secure more than $547 million to ensure all California high school students have access to the course requirements to attend one of our state’s outstanding public universities.
The fact that only half of California’s students graduate with the A-G course requirements to attend a UC or CSU is unacceptable. The…
As Pride Month comes to a close our celebration of our community continues throughout the year. We want to acknowledge the important intersection of race, gender, and sexuality and our community members and partners who identify with the LGBTQ+ community. Here are a few organizations who support Asian American LGBTQ+ folks in SoCal:
PFLAG / PFLAG SGV (API specific chapter)
PFLAG works to support LGBTQ people through education, loving families, and advocacy. It is the nation’s “the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies.”
PFLAG — San…
This Pride month, Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Los Angeles wants to highlight queer and trans Asian American leaders who have inspired us and so many others. As we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, it is also crucial that we take the time to acknowledge artists, activists, and change makers who have brought us to where we are and continue to fight for justice. Asian Americans in queer and trans spaces have done incredible work addressing the issues faced at the intersection of identities, building community and empowering some of the most vulnerable in our communities. …
Thirty-nine years ago on June 19 in Michigan, Vincent Chin was out at a local bar for his bachelor party. While he was enjoying the evening with his friends, two men confronted Vincent. The two men were Chrysler workers and they confused Chin, who was Chinese American, for being Japanese, shouting racial slurs and saying, “It’s because of you little motherf — ers that we’re out of work.” They later found Vincent in the area, took a baseball bat, and cracked open his skull. Four days later on June 23, Vincent died.
The men were charged, convicted of manslaughter in…
One of the key tenets of a strong democracy is the active participation of the people, in politics and civic life. The institutions that make up our government must work for its people, providing the means and opportunities for community members to lead productive, healthy lives. We know from the last four years that our democracy is fragile and for it to work its members must be able to voice concerns, act collectively, and ultimately hold public officials accountable.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Los Angeles (Advancing Justice — LA) is committed to ensuring our communities are informed on the…
Normally, we would honor volunteers that have gone above and beyond for our organization at our in person Pro Bono Advisory Council (PBAC) Mixer. However, given the current circumstances, our PBAC hosted a Game Night fundraiser. We are excited to gather with our friends, supporters and volunteers. This year, these three ladies helped advance our mission, serve and provide much needed guidance to the community through services and education.
Maria Cabal was a Citizenship client in 2019 and passed her naturalization test in 2020. …
Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Los Angeles appreciates and celebrates all who volunteer with us in various capacities. In this episode of Connie’s Comments, Connie is joined by the Honorable Casimiro Tolentino (Cas), who has been on the board and volunteering his time and services with Advancing Justice — LA since its genesis in 1983. As long time friends, our founder and President Emeritus, Stewart Kwoh, also joins Cas in this conversation as they take a trip down memory lane and talk about their hopes for the future of not only Advancing Justice — LA, but our AANHPI communities.
How…
In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week, we would like to spotlight Ariel Tu. Ariel interned with Advancing Justice-LA last summer under our Development and Communications unit. During her internship which was entirely remote, she helped with numerous projects. Some of the projects she assisted with were preparation for our first ever virtual gala and hosting a remote event with her fellow interns to discuss the importance of the Census and voting.
How did you learn about Advancing Justice-LA?
I learned about Advancing Justice-LA through my mom’s friend in her Rotary Club in Taiwan. It is surprising how the organization’s name…
Dear Community,
I know you are hurting. I know you are enraged.
The number of hate incidents against Asian Americans in our country continues to grow. Most recently here in Los Angeles, the attack against a Korean American U.S. military veteran in his own neighborhood is horrific. While this insidious violence is finally being talked about more widely, you might be asking about where you can turn for help or what can you do to stop this racism.
I want you to know that we are here. Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Los Angeles has free resources and services.
When she spoke, she harbored a familiar, thick accent, one that I had just a few years ago. She asked me where the “C” building was and she paused after every other word, trying hard to mask her accent. I started speaking in Tagalog and I saw her visibly sigh in relief.
As we walked to her class, she told me she was struggling to navigate through our school and she was placed in the English Learner program. She told me about her frustrations because she felt like she couldn’t express clearly what she wanted to say. She wasn’t accustomed…
Advancing Justice-LA
Advancing Justice-LA is the nation's largest legal aid and civil rights organization serving the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community
