AAU exists so that people of Asian ancestry in Philadelphia exercise leadership to build their communities and unite to challenge oppression.
AAU supports youth to become individually, socially, and politically aware; to exercise their voice; and to participate in active struggles for justice.
AAU fights for time and space to honor, celebrate, and remember so that our communities will have roots, embrace memories and know the power of passing on traditions.
“Building community strengthens our capacity to fight for justice. When we create a street festival, teach folk arts, grow a community garden, or build a school – we create connections among people, honor the knowledge of the elders in our communities, activate people, and value our own cultures. This work is fundamental to social justice work.”
— Ellen Somekawa
You like boba tea and believe in civic empowerment? Join hotpot! Philly, AAPI PA Power Caucus, Asian Americans United, Asian Mosaic Fund, Philadelphia Student Union and VietLead for a Get Out the Vote phone banking event—aka GOTV Boba Bank—on Sunday, October 25 from 2pm to 5pm. Bring your awesome self (virtually) and drinks are on us!
REGISTER (via VietLead volunteer form) HERE: bit.ly/bobabank
Our goal is Black and Asian solidarity and to encourage young voters (especially BIPOC, immigrants, and folks with limited English proficiency) to exercise their right to vote this November. We also believe in satiating thirst and supporting local businesses while we dial. Please join us and bring your friends!
Please share!!
Bit.ly/phamisnotfamily
Stand with movement leaders who have been and continue to speak out against the atrocities enacted by ICE on immigrant, refugee, and poor Black and Brown people. Sign-on and circulate the national statement demanding the retaliatory charges by ICE Director, Tony Pham, for the September 8th protest, be dropped. Call on the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney, Shannon Taylor, to drop the charges and stand with community leaders and groups fighting who are fighting for justice and holding ICE accountable for the violence they are inflicting on communities. And donate and circulate the fundraising effort to your networks to support the organizers fight their legal case.
#phamsnightmare9 #fine9 #uprisingagainstice #AbolishICE #phamisnotfamily #AbolishPolice #DropTheChargesShannon
Nancy Nguyen, the Executive Director at VietLead, has finally been released to her kids and family after 21 hours in detention by the Philadelphia Police Department on trumped up charges at the 8th and Race Roundhouse, at the threat of being extradited to Virginia. She was handcuffed while changing her 1-year-old’s diaper.
Nancy was targeted for speaking out publicly against ICE Director Tony Pham for using his Viet refugee status to spearhead their detentions and deportations campaign against immigrant and refugee communities. As City Council Member Kendra Brooks just stated “Make no mistake about this, her arrest was to send a message to all our sister, brothers, cousins in the immigrant communities and activists throughout Philadelphia.”
The news of her release came after a nationally organized call storm and media campaign to #FreeNancy. The Philadelphia Police Department repeatedly and purposefully obscured, withheld, and gave the public misleading and false information to deter our efforts. Many, many comrades, youth and beloved local and national community worked tirelessly to make sure that Nancy came home.
AAU is grateful to work alongside @VietLead every day in Philadelphia and for the tireless leadership of @NancyNguyen. THANK YOU for showing up in the face of state violence and intimidation and for showing them the love that we are made of. Please donate to help support her legal costs that are not finished yet by donating here:
tinyurl.com/y24vyo9y
Help us keep Nancy Nguyen Home - Support the Legal Defense Fund
tinyurl.com
Please support the legal defense fund for longtime community advocate and beloved comrade, Nancy Nguyen. She was unjustly arrested by Philadelphia Police in collaboration with federal law enforcement ...Please share widely and make calls to demand Nancy's release now!!!
Today at 6pm!!
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival Everyone! Wishing you and your family warmth, health and prosperity.
Just a reminder that if you missed our program last week, you can still watch the recording on Youtube and here on Facebook (more information at tinyurl.com/aau2020)!
P.S. Our scavenger hunt has been extended, so get your entries in while you still can!
【Help us to get the work out】We only have 3 days away from the 2020 Census deadline, make sure you, your families and friends, getting count into #2020Census.
#apia42020census #apiacount #2020年人口普查
【Help us to get the work out】We only have 3 days away from the 2020 Census deadline, make sure you, your families and friends, getting count into #2020Census.
VietLead Woori Center 우리센터 Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia (CAGP) CAIR - Philadelphia Chapter Asian Arts Initiative Northeast Philadelphia Development Corporation- 費城東北區發展會 Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH) Laos in town Seamaac, Inc. Children's Village Penn Asian Senior Services (PASSi) Cambodian American Girls Empowering Asian Bank Chineseinusorg-费城华人在美东 Chinatown Learning Center
#apia42020census #apiacount #2020年人口普查 #phillycount #phillyapiacount
This year, Asian Americans United is celebrating 25 years of hosting Philadelphia Chinatown’s Mid-Autumn Festival!
AAU’s Mid-Autumn Festival, however, will be a bit different this year. We recognize the need and the power of bringing people together to honor, celebrate and remember our communities especially during these unprecedented times. However, for the health and safety of our volunteers and participants of the festival, we have decided to transform the festival into a live virtual celebration.
We are teaming up with Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) to celebrate #NationalVoterRegistrationDay on September 22nd! Let’s have the largest AAPI turnout in election history this November. Check to see if you’re #VoteReady and register to vote now! → Rock.vote/aau
#AAPI2020 #NationalVoterRegistrationDay #VoteReady
2020 National Voter Registration Day with Asian Americans United, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, Northeast Philadelphia Development Corporation- 費城東北區發展會 @华人在美东-费城 @费城Live
Mid-Autumn Festival is just 2 weeks away! This week, we'll be showing our love for the Chinatown businesses that have supported Mid-Autumn Festival during the past five years. During the pandemic, it is especially important to support small businesses and follow COVID-19 guidelines to keep ourselves and our communities safe and healthy.
Today, #Congress rejects the racist #antiAsian rhetoric that has resulted in Asian Americans being verbally & physically attacked. We stand for inclusion, diversity, respect & tolerance. #HRes908 #COVID19
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Today, Rep. Grace Meng's (NY) bill, H. Res. 908 Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19 was officially passed by the House of Representatives on a 243-164 and one present vote! Check out NCAPA's press release here: https://www.ncapaonline.org/condemning-anti-asian-sentiment-house-resolution/
📖 Read more:
➡️https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/17/covid-19-house-vote-condemn-anti-asian-discrimination/5806530002/
➡️https://www.adl.org/blog/reports-of-anti-asian-assaults-harassment-and-hate-crimes-rise-as-coronavirus-spreads
➡️http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/stop-aapi-hate/
#HRes908 #AntiAsianHate #RejectRacism #AAPI2020
Join Philadelphia’s immigrant community leaders, voting rights advocates, and election officials as we discuss the power of the immigrant vote and showcase voter guides in 12 languages.
Join Philadelphia’s immigrant community leaders, voting rights advocates, and election officials as we discuss the power of the immigrant vote and showcase voter guides in 12 languages.
Mid-Autumn Festival is just 2 weeks away! This week, we'll be showing our love for the Chinatown businesses that have supported Mid-Autumn Festival during the past five years. During the pandemic, it is especially important to support small businesses and follow COVID-19 guidelines to keep ourselves and our communities safe and healthy.
Introducing our 2020 MAF Scavenger Hunt! It is now LIVE, which means that you can start playing now!
Head on over to our Instagram @AsianAmericansUnited for the rules and more information!
Deadline:
Last date to play is Friday, 9/25. Winners will be announced during our virtual Mid-Autumn Festival live stream and on social media Saturday, 9/26.
If you have any questions, feel free to DM us! Have tons of fun!!!
Our Arts & Crafts downloadable kit for this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival is now LIVE! You can head to our website (link in bio) for links to each project. From coloring pages to fun crossword puzzles, you can celebrate in your very own home and stay busy until our festival on Saturday, 9/26. Have fun and make sure to tag us if you try them out!
Mid-Autumn Festival is just 2 weeks away! This week, we'll be showing our love for the Chinatown businesses that have supported Mid-Autumn Festival during the past five years. During the pandemic, it is especially important to support small businesses and follow COVID-19 guidelines to keep ourselves and our communities safe and healthy.
Join AAU and many of our local members on Thursday morning to talk about the power of immigrant voters and showcase voter guides in 10 languages.
With: Pennsylvania Immigration & Citizenship Coalition (PICC), CAIR - Philadelphia Chapter , KACP 한인유권자연대, Africom-Philly , VietLead , Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, All Voting Is Local Seamaac, Inc. Woori Center 우리센터
Mid-Autumn Festival is just 2 weeks away! This week, we'll be showing our love for the Chinatown businesses that have supported Mid-Autumn Festival during the past five years. During the pandemic, it is especially important to support small businesses and follow COVID-19 guidelines to keep ourselves and our communities safe and healthy.
East PA - Virtual Vote Townhall: Get Counted and Ready to Vote
Monday, Sept 14, 2020 from 7:00 PM-8:30 PM
on Facbeook Live
(www.facebook.com/pagacapaa)
- Special Address from Governor Tom Wolf
Distinguished Guests:
- Mayor Jim Kenney (City of Philadelphia Government),
- Vice-President Hai-Lung Dai, Temple University , and more!
- Voter Rights & Vote by Mail Information
- Tools for a smart final push on Census for your communities and neighborhoods
Happy Wednesday! For our virtual festival this year, we have created an Arts & Crafts downloadable kit for you to complete at home by yourself or with loved ones! This super fun kit is all ages appropriate and will be released on Friday, September 11th.
You will be able to access it on our website (link in bio)! The kit will include activities such as coloring pages, an illustrated short story, a crossword puzzle, word search puzzle, thoughtful writing prompts, and a DIY paper lantern. Each activity will be in both English and Chinese 🙂 Who's excited? More details TBA.
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为了今年的线上中秋节活动，我们创建了一个美术和工艺工具包给您或您和您的家人一起下载和完成。这个超级好玩的工具包适合任何的年龄段，并在9月11号（星期五）发布。您将可以在我们的网站上找到它，这个工具包包括着色纸，带插图的短故事，填字游戏，单词搜索游戏，深思的写作题目和DIY纸灯笼等等活动。每个活动都会有中英文翻译，你感到兴奋吗？更多详细信息待定。
📸: Quyen Truong
Are you ready for the 2020 general election? Have you registered to vote? Here is the link that you can registered to vote with AAU:
register.rockthevote.com/registrants/new?partner=37928
【Help us to registered more voters by resend this post to your Friends and family OR Re-post in your Facebook】
register.rockthevote.com
You can't vote unless you register. Register to vote using our quick and easy online voter registration tool.Create a Mid-Autumn Festival card for a Chinatown elder! Write a special message and decorate a card online with the easy-to-use MAF card template (check it out below!) AAU will print out your card and deliver it to one of 400 seniors during the week before the Festival.
Join us in connecting with elders by requesting your very own MAF card template by filling out this quick form: forms.gle/i79x1CwQcThbPK8v7
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为唐人街长辈制作中秋节贺卡吧！写一条节日祝福语，并在网络上使用中秋节卡片模板装饰您的贺卡（请查看下面的网址！）. 亚裔联合会（AAU）将打印出您的贺卡并在节目前一周将贺卡送到400位老人家。 和我们一起，通过填写以下的表格来制定您自己的中秋节贺卡模板，与长辈联系吧：https://forms.gle/i79x1CwQcThbPK8v7
Check out FACT School Welcome Back to School message to students and families. September 8th is the first day for grades 1st-8th. Thank you FACTS teachers, staff and families !!! 🎏🎏🎏
This year, Asian Americans United joined together with other Asian American organizations to form the first Asian American electoral organization in Pennsylvania - the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance. Watch our debut Facebook Live on Tuesday September 1 at 12PT/3ET to meet us and hear us discuss how the Trump administration's attacks on immigration have impacted all of our communities, from H1B visas to the international student ban to citizenship for all.
Watch our debut Facebook Live on Tuesday September 1 at 12PT/3ET to meet the organizations that came together to form Pennsylvania's 1st Asian American electoral organization. Hear us discuss how the Trump administration's seemingly disparate attacks on immigration impact all the communities that NAKASEC Asian Americans United & VietLead represent- from H1B visas to the international student ban to citizenship for all.
facebook.com/live/apipennsylvania
Watch Now - Community Meeting with the School District of Philadelphia hosted by AAU, CAGP, and Vietlead from Wednesday 8/19. Students and parents shared concerns and asked questions of School District representatives. If you have concerns or questions about the start of school - feel free to reach out to AAU.
API Townhall with School District of Philadelphia
Last week, on August 14, AAU was quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer. We want to share AAU's statement (the full context for our quote which was placed in and then quoted from a community meeting zoom chat) in response to the charges being brought by the D.A.’s office in the case of the assault on Mrs. Chen and her daughter that included the yelling of a racial slur in late July by a homeless woman in center city Philadelphia and the debate over whether to include “ethnic intimidation” with the defendant’s charges.
Thank you for reading; it is a long piece.
This year, our annual Mid-Autumn Festival is going to look a little different. We will be hosting a virtual event on Saturday, Sept. 26th to celebrate 2️⃣5️⃣ years of promoting culture and the well-being of our community.
While we may be going virtual, we will still embody the same values and spirit of our festivals held in the past and continue to feature family-friendly performances, arts & crafts activities and lots more!!
Stay tuned and check in often for details and updates!
#phillymaf2020 #philly #phillychinatown #midautumnfestival #moonfestival #togetherbutapart #strongertogether
Join Teamster Local 502: CASA TOMORROW @ 5PM at Comcast headquarters to push for more reliable, more accessible internet for Philadelphia students!
⚡Read more here: tinyurl.com/studentsneedinternet
Please share!!
Tell Comcast’s CEO to support Black students! Comcast could get over 20,000 students online by opening up their residential hotspots, increasing internet speeds and extending their discount program’s free period. Instead they have put their money towards funding the Philadelphia Police Federation, an institution that criminalizes and brutalizes Black and brown communities. Tell Comcast to divest from the police, and invest in Black futures by getting our students online! actionnetwork.org/letters/internet-is-essential
actionnetwork.org
In coronavirus times, “back to school” is a joke unless every single child gets high speed, affordable or free, online access. In Philadelphia, and in dozens of cities nationwide, Comcast is the m...The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) National Office is launching a hotline for activists and lawyers to report incidents of federal repression, such as FBI “door-knocks” at activists’ homes, grand jury investigations and subpoenas, and any other federal law enforcement efforts to undermine civil rights, such as federal grab squads and the use of unidentified federal agents to police protests. The line is live at: 212-679-2811.
NLG Announces Federal Defense Hotline
www.nlg.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: massdef@nlg.org The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) National Office is launching a hotline for activists and lawyers to report incidents of federal repression, such as F...The youth attending this summer’s CYOP program have been working hard all summer on a project to amplify the voices of the Chinese-speaking community to discuss and respond to the Philadelphia school district’s reopening plan. Today they will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting
Hi AAU Community! The youth attending this summer’s CYOP program have been working hard all summer on a project to amplify the voices of the Chinese-speaking community to discuss and respond to the Philadelphia school district’s reopening plan. Today they will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 4pm on Zoom to share their findings as well as field any questions or concerns from the community. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
TOMORROW @ 1PM PST/4PM EST, NAKASEC will be tweeting, calling, and writing letters to our Senators. Take half an hour out of your day to learn more about COVID-19 relief legislation in Congress and target your own Senators!
"The Philadelphia Worker Relief Fund was established with the critical support and advocacy of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Coalition to Respect Every Worker, a coalition of worker-focused organizations composed of legal aid groups, non-profits, and labor unions. The Philadelphia Worker Relief Fund provides emergency direct cash assistance to workers and families impacted by COVID-19 who were left out of all federal and state relief. The goal of the cash assistance is to improve the economic security, health, and safety of more Philadelphia families."
⚡Link to fill out the Philadelphia Worker Relief Fund Interest Form: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfK6QZvL5Yx7jT76NNn_5IgDANs66caFxUxjQkzU3B9dMJ3kA/viewform
Mutual Aid Philly is a community-powered group that provides direct aid in South Philly and Center City in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. They are looking for more volunteers for in-person services and for volunteers who speak Mandarin, Indonesian, and Spanish. Check out their FB and IG accounts and mutualaidphilly.com for more information!
This year, Asian Americans United is holding its 25th Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival. AAU’s Mid-Autumn Festival, however, will be a bit different this year. We recognize the need and the power of bringing people together to honor, celebrate, and remember our communities especially during these unprecedented times. However, for the health and safety of our volunteers and participants of the festival, we have decided to transform the festival into a live virtual celebration. The event will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2020 and hosted on Zoom or a similar platform. We also plan to stream the live broadcast on this page. Although virtual, this year’s event will embody the same values and spirit as Mid-Autumn Festivals past and continue to feature family-friendly performances, arts and crafts demonstrations, and lots more! Please check back for festival related details and announcements!
In June the Supreme Court determined that DACA can continue. If you want to consult for a lawyer about your DACA status or applying for DACA, Nationalities Services Center is offering phone consultation on Tuesdays from 1 - 3pm. Call 215-893-8400. The first consultation is free.
THIS FRIDAY 7/17!!
See below from Kay Yoon (long-time AAU member) and Ken Hung (AAU Board of Directors). AAU has many Central students in our programs. This call for equity - led by Black students - needs to be heard!
Kay Yoon
Thanks to Philadelphia Public School Notebook for covering Central High School’s Black students’ demands for greater equity at their school and a faculty statement written by Ken Hung and several of his colleagues.
“Students and the faculty statement call for the elimination of test scores as a criterion for admission, favoring a more holistic approach and active recruitment of students from mostly Black elementary and middle schools in areas of the city that rarely send students to Central. Students and alumni from Masterman, widely regarded as the most elite high school in the city, are demanding a similar rethinking.
“‘We want standardized testing removed as an admissions requirement given that it historically and currently serves to restrict access to magnet schools and maintain racial and class hierarchies,’ says a faculty statement, which as of Wednesday had 57 signatures of current and former staff. ‘Standardized tests measure relative family and community wealth more than individual academic ability.’”
thenotebook.org
The Notebook | Philadelphia Public Schools - Philly education news and views, independent and reader supported.