2023 - A Year of Growth
Dear AAPI Victory Alliance Community,
Although off-years are usually “quiet years,” 2023 was anything but slow for us. We were proud to grow internally with the appointment of our new chair Katie Kalvoda, while also merging with Emerging Voters and incubating our network’s newest AAPI 501(c)4 organization, Rise AAPI Alaska.
The growth of our staff and organization this year allowed us to serve and provide programming at an unprecedented levels. Read on for a review of our crucial moments in 2023.
Serving as a Leader in Gun Violence Prevention
After the devastating shootings in Monterey Park, CA and Half Moon Bay, CA, our AAPI community came together in unprecedented ways to work through the harrowing trauma. As a leading organization working to stop gun violence, AAPI Victory Alliance, with the AAPI Against Gun Violence Coalition, hosted a press conference on the urgency of enacting gun safety legislation.
This organizing led us to kick off a Corporate Accountability Campaign in March to pressure banks like Wells Fargo to do the right thing: stop financing the NRA and gun manufacturers. It’s horrifying that banks take your paychecks and use those funds to loan money to these dangerous entities. You can see our letters here and here.
This campaign culminated in a community demonstration in April, in partnership with March for Our Lives and local partners in the Bay Area.
Alongside the AAPI Against Gun Violence Coalition, we were proud to co-host the Second Annual Convening for AAPI advocates in Washington, DC. This historic convening provided our community a space to start forming connections and partnerships to address the root causes of gun violence. Most importantly, the June convening provided a more public space to ensure that the AAPI voice is not lost in the national narrative about gun violence.
For those who could not attend in person, we were proud to host a virtual webinar to recap the conference and provide another platform for AAPI advocates working in gun violence prevention.
After yet another horrific shooting in Allen, Texas at a shopping mall this June, we called upon the Department of Justice to investigate the incident as a hate crime, while also investigating the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), which has exhibited a pattern of concerning behavior. In May 2022, when 3 Korean women were shot in a Dallas hair salon, local authorities and DPS immediately dismissed concerns about racially motivated bias as motivation. It was not until after the AAPI community rallied that officials began seriously investigating the Dallas shooting as racially-motivated. The suspect in this shooting was later indicted on hate crimes charges.
Our advocacy this year also included requesting that the Federal Trade Commission investigate the gun industry’s marketing ploys to profit off our community’s fear from anti-AAPI hate and violence by presenting guns as a solution.
Combating Climate Change and Fighting for Climate Justice
We were honored to host a first-of-its-kind convening for local and national AAPI leaders, while uplifting the voices of Native Hawiians, Pacific Islanders and other indigenous communities who have long sounded the alarm on climate change. This conference provided structural resources for organizers, such as learning how to leverage the Inflation Reduction Act, while also providing workshops for personal rejuvenation.
I’m proud to share that the final product of this convening was the foundation of a strong national and local coalition ready to fight for, and deliver on, the progress we need to make to safeguard our planet and our democracy.
#AAPIMovement: Building a Network of AAPI Leaders
This year, we were proud to start building a nationwide network for state elected officials to support our pipeline of AAPI leaders. We have been able to bring state elected officials together to share resources and answer questions about issues like anti-AAPI land laws and anti-AAPI education policies. Rise AAPI has been particularly helpful in working with our Texas lawmakers to track anti-AAPI land laws in their state.
Endorsing Candidates in Virginia
In Virginia, we were proud to endorse Saddam Salim, whose election helped maintain Democratic control of the Virginia Senate while Democrats flipped the House. These victories allowed Democrats to block Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin’s 15-week abortion ban.
Ahead of this year’s statewide elections in Virginia, we were proud to partner with Lake Research Partners to survey 600 registered AAPI voters. This poll showed that gun violence is a top issue for AAPI voters in Virginia, a shift from past polling that showed healthcare, the economy, and education as top issues. Gun violence is now a bellwether issue for our community and voters across the country.
As we gear up for 2024 elections, we know that issues like gun control and climate justice will be front and center. Let’s recommit to working together to ensure that our community is empowered to use its voice to advocate for our freedom to be safe in our communities. Join our movement here.
In solidarity,
Varun Nikore