November 2, 2020 to November 6, 2020

Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd is just around the corner and millions of Americans all around the country have already voted. Here are some final thoughts for Tuesday:

1. Make your vote plan now. 
   • If you received your ballot by mail, it is now too late to mail it back. You must drop it off in person before 3pm on Tuesday, November 3rd. 
   • If you are voting on Election Day, what time will you vote? Where do you vote? Who else do you need to check in on? If you’re not registered, you can still register on election day at your polling location by bringing a photo ID and proof of residency. 
   • If you encounter any problems while voting, you can call the national election protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
2. Manage your expectations on election night. Many races, including the presidential race, may not be called on election night. This is because ballots may still be in the process of being counted. And that’s okay. We should let our elections officials do their jobs to make sure all ballots are counted.
3. Plan for after November 3. While we don’t know what will happen after November 3, there may be others who will try to use this period to stop the vote counting or may refuse to accept results. If that happens, we’ll be ready. The United States has always held elections and upheld the results, even in times of great crisis. Together we’ll make sure that every vote is counted and swear in a government elected by and for us.
4. The fight continues on. Regardless of the outcome of this election, we know that our work continues. We at CAAL will continue to fight for our priority issues of education, economics, and immigration. We will continue to build leaders and develop our network of powerful Asian Americans. And we’ll continue to act in solidarity with all communities to dismantle injustice and fight for shared liberation. 

So, be a voter with us. Vote early on November 2nd or on Election Day, November 3rd. And afterwards, join us as we keep fighting for a better world. 

Until then, power, resilience, and solidarity.

Bo Thao-Urabe
Executive and Network Director
 

Teeb Lee (he/him) Program AssociateTeeb is a young passionate, community organizer and movement builder. His self-awareness of how he shows up in the world, as a young Hmong man has been a building block which he comes from, to understand himself through the lens of education, race, gender, and culture.Aside from working at CAAL, Teeb volunteers his time at the non-profit organization, ManForward, that works towards ending gender-based violence, building new practices of siblinghood, and bringing gender equity into the world. In ManForward, he co-facilitates workshops, photographs, and documents the spaces created in ManForward and the ManForward network for Southeast Asian masculine identifying folks.Teeb saw that in his Hmong community, gender equity was not the norm. He believes in a world free from gender-based violence and the power of collaboration in social justice movements. Much of Teeb’s learning has been spent on developing a gender analysis lens, polishing his leadership skills in storytelling, facilitating workshops, creating healthy and intimate relationship building, and community organizing.

Juthi Dewan (she/her) InternJuthi is a junior at Macalester College, studying Applied Mathematics and Statistics with a concentration in Urban Studies. At Macalester, she also serves as a board member of Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans in Coalition (APIDAC). She is a member of a Bangladeshi indigenous tribe called Chakma and was born and raised in Chittagong, Bangladesh. In 2016, Juthi and her family immigrated to the United States and moved to Redlands, California where she attended high school before moving to Minnesota for college. In her free time, Juthi enjoys looking at maps, gushing about public transit and watching Youtube vlogs of people being productive.

CAAL ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

2020 Get Out the Vote Phone Banking

Join CAAL and CAPI USA in our efforts to get out the vote and ensure our communities actively participate in the electoral process. We will be making calls to our immigrant and BIPOC communities to make sure they have the resources and information they need to vote. Let’s reclaim our voices! Sign up to volunteer today!

You can volunteer from the safety of your home. We will provide the training, materials, scripts, support, and fun!

Looking for more opportunities to get out the vote? You can also sign up to volunteer with Release MN 8 and Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP).

SOAR Writing Retreat
Friday, November 6, 2020 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Saturday, November 7, 2020 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Our Director of Programs and Partnerships, KaYing Yang along with other CAAL Leaders will lead a discussion about finding your voice and overcoming barriers to become strong advocates at a two day virtual retreat.

Through self-reflection, peer to peer support, group discussion, and journaling, participants will shed light on their subconscious narratives and beliefs that shape their everyday lived experiences. The retreat will culminate in participants writing letters of wisdom for future publishing consideration by Hmong Women Achieving Together. If cost is a barrier, please contact Jessica Rust at jessica@mnhum.org before registering. Register today!

State of Asian Minnesotans: Radically Reimagining Our Future
Friday, November 13, 2020 from 3-4:30 PM

Join us in the aftermath of the November elections for our State of Asian Minnesotans: Radically Reimagining Our Future session, featuring Scot Nakagawa (ChangeLab), Nausheena Hussain (Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment) and Ananya Chatterjea (Ananya Dance Theatre)! We will address the results of the November 3 election and understand what the current political moment means for our future as Asian Americans. We will also hear from Minnesotan organizers about their work to create visionary alternatives to the world as it is, knowing that regardless of who is in office, we must continue our work to dream and build a world where all of us can thrive. Register today!

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES & EVENTS

Black Community COVID-19 Hotline

The African American Leadership Forum (AALF) and Phyllis Wheatley Community Center (PWCC) are working together to help Minnesota’s Black community navigate available resources and services needed to cope with the Health & Wellness, Economic Development, Education and Family & Culture impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Please help them spread the word about thhe MN Black Community COVID-19 Hotline (612-254-1145), a fully staffed and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide callers with important info about where to find assistance for pandemic-related challenges and concerns.

Job Opening for Office Manager of Theater Mu

Theater Mu is in search of a part-time organizational virtuoso to join its fun and hard-working team. The Office Manager is instrumental in keeping the company running smoothly and will be greatly appreciated for helping to maintain administrative sanity. The hours can be flexible, but will require consistent time in the office (not a remote position), as well as in the community. Application closes and submissions will be reviewed on November 6. Share with your networks or apply today!