March 23, 2020 to March 27, 2020
These are unprecedented times, and we are all learning to adjust and manage through this rapidly changing situation together. We are sending you, your families and communities wishes for health, safety and care during this time. As we continue to adapt our work to respond to COVID-19, we want to keep you updated on our ongoing actions to ensure we are building with you as things develop. We have not lost sight of the things we were working on, but we are pivoting to be in this moment with you.
If history can provide insights on how to get through this, it’s the reminder that historically marginalized communities who had unequal access to services, funding, and systemic decision-making power will have even less now. So, it’s up to us to be inclusive and intentional as we craft our solutions. Which means, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) cannot just be the good intentions of leaders, companies, government agencies and communities, DEI must be the center of practice as we develop responses to this pandemic.
That’s why we believe that we need even more community-centered leadership now, not less. In that spirit, we will continue to invest in you and the power-building work we have been doing together so that no community is left behind as solutions are created to get us through this time. Our job is to listen well, to inclusively and innovatively invest in, and to carry forward practices that ensure care is provided for all Minnesotans, regardless of immigration status, English language ability, income, race and ethnicity, education status and so on.
Even though we’ve fully enforced physical distancing, we are grateful that so many of you have continued to help us make important decisions. Your guidance, creativity, input, and support allows us to move forward knowing that we are in this together. Below you’ll read about upcoming programming and find information about how you can participate in, support, and continue to help us co-create solutions for the near and far future.
Please stay in touch, and contact any of us if we can be here for you in any other ways.
In solidarity,
Bo Thao-Urabe, Cameron Yang, Consuelo Gutierrez-Crosby, Emily Oh, Jenny Srey, Kay Moua, KaYing Yang, Natasha Victa, and Taylor Her
NETWORK WEAVING
Webinar (April 3, 2020, 3:00pm-4:30pm) Self & Community Care In Times of Crisis Webinar
Community care is community power. As our families and communities weather the COVID-19 pandemic together, we want to build a space for social solidarity. This virtual gathering is the first of a few that brings together Asian Minnesotans to share our stories, unpack our challenges, gift our resources and knowledge to each other, and lean into our collective healing. Sign up to be part a part of these conversations and shape how we spend this time meaningfully as a community. This first virtual gathering will be hosted by Jae Hyun Shim, Kara Carmosino, Sook Jin Ong, and Mysee Chang, in collaboration with CAAL MN. Register HERE to join us on April 3.
Not only are communities having shift to a new normal to respond to COVID-19, but Asian Minnesotans’ also now indicate that their safety is compromised because of increasing xenophobic and racist behaviors. Stories are emerging about harassment, discrimination, and bias that’s making community members feel targeted. This webinar will feature Dr. Erika Lee, one of the nation’s leading immigration and Asian American historians and Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero. Learn more about our history, what measures are in place to protect communities, and consider what we might do more of to ensure everyone is safe.
Please REGISTER here to join this webinar.
This is the first in our series on the State of Asian Minnesotans. If you are interested in helping to create future content for this series, please contact Bo Thao-Urabe.
CelebrAsian
We want to celebrate community s/heros, especially during this difficult time. Do you know an Asian Minnesotan leader who is doing something worthy of celebration to meet community needs, solve community challenges, innovate the future? Age does not matter. Title does not matter. Who do you want to us to collectively celebrate? We’re turning to you to submit your nominations to help us highlight and uplift Asian in this moment. Nominations will open in April, so think of individuals who deserve our collective appreciation now, and submit a nomination soon.
#MinneAsianStories: The Power of Me Launch
Our May 1 event to launch our 2020 #MinneAsianStories and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month has been cancelled. We are working with storytellers and artists to redesign an on-line celebration, because more than ever, staying connected and seeing each other’s humanity is needed.
We are pleased to bring another year of #MinneAsianStories, our award-winning storytelling project to all Minnesotans. Please stay in touch and help us virtually celebrate historical milestones, honor our community’s stories, and lift up the rich diversity of Asian Minnesotans.
Use any of the following methods to join us:
- Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook.
- Subscribe to #MinneAsianStories and have one story emailed to you each day in May. Subscribe Here.
- Purchase the #MinneAsianStories Graphic Book! This year’s dynamic graphic book of selected #MinneAsianStories is illustrated by five local Asian Minnesotan artists, Leyen Trang, Ry Macarayan, Shouazong Hang, Tori Hong, and Han Soundrarajan.
COMMUNITY PRIORITY ISSUES
Many of CAAL’s activities to advance the community priorities of economics, education, and immigration will take place virtually for the rest of March and April.
We will continue with our economics research to better understand the unique economic challenges, as well as to understand community assets and family-based money sharing practices within different Asian Minnesotan communities. We will reschedule most of the focus groups, but invite all of you to complete the on-line Qualitative Survey. It should only take 15 minutes. The monthly economic work group meeting has been cancelled for April, but we will be hosting a small conversation to understand all the recent executive orders and legislative actions and how they impact Asian Minnesotans. If you are interested in this, please contact KaYing Yang.
Because community leadership and voice matters even more now, the Asian Minnesotans at the Capitol on Thursday, April 2nd will now be a virtual event. This will be the first of its kind, so please register by March 25th.
On April 6 we’ll host a virtual education work group meeting. We’ll discuss the Minneapolis Public School’s Comprehensive District Design, Saint Paul Public School’s teachers strike, and the COVID-19 pandemic and how each impacts our children and families. Please register today to attend this meeting.
Many of you know that we have been proactively supporting many impacted families who are threatened by deportation policies to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. All those activities will now be carried out via teleconferencing. We also are paying attention to ICE check-in and detention center policies to strongly advocate for the release of individuals to their families and communities during this crisis. We are also partnering with other communities to ensure that mixed status families have access to financial support to help them through this period. Anyone interested in our immigration work can contact Jenny Srey.
LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
MOVEE Summer Program for Social Justice Movement Leadership
In times like this, we need to invest more in community-centered and social justice movement leaders. You can join this summer cohort and build on your knowledge and skills to be effective and sustainable in social justice. APPLY and be a part of MOVEE’s Summer program. Applications are due on Friday, April 3, 2020 at 5:00 PM. We are looking into all formats and are anticipating that a virtual program is being planned.
We believe every person can do something for the community at this time. We encourage you to apply, especially if there are immediate needs or gaps you want to address given the current pandemic and responses so far. Example projects include using the funds to hold spaces for segments of the community to connect, artists using funds to address xenophobia, creating resources for community members who might otherwise be left out of the system, and providing virtual mental health services, and so on.
APPLY today for a Spark Leadership Fund to carry out your idea today. Applications are accepted on a rolling deadline and decisions are made weekly till funds run out.
Becoming Organizers, Becoming Advocates
Our youth leaders will continue to host programming every month to stay connected. We’ve heard young people sharing that they are feeling isolated, uncertain, and disengaged. BOBA spaces for young people will be announced soon so that young folks can hold space for one another. If you are a young person or know a young person who is looking to connect with other youth during this time, please reach out to Kay Moua.