Asian Americans United

AAU EXISTS SO THAT PEOPLE OF ASIAN ANCESTRY IN PHILADELPHIA EXERCISE LEADERSHIP TO BUILD THEIR COMMUNITIES AND UNITE TO CHALLENGE INJUSTICE. AAU'S ARTS AND CULTURE WORK CREATES SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN: BUILDING LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY, REALIZING COMMUNITY MEMBERS' INHERENT ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE POTENTIAL, AND BUILDING PRIDE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE. AAU'S YOUTH WORK EXISTS SO THAT THE YOUTH BECOME INDIVIDUALLY, SOCIALLY, AND POLITICALLY AWARE; EXERCISE THEIR VOICE; AND PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVE STRUGGLES FOR JUSTICE. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE CREATE LEADERS WHO SUSTAIN, FIGHT FOR, AND GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

SEE SCHEDULE O AAU WORKS DILIGENTLY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS STILL IMPACTED BY ANTI-ASIAN RACISM AND LINGERING IMPACTS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC. AAU PROVIDED MUTUAL AID SUPPORT TO CHINATOWN'S SMALL BUSINESSES AND UPLIFTED WORKING-CLASS STORIES THROUGH THE "OUR CHINATOWN" STORYTELLING PROJECT, WHICH WILL PROVIDE AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE NEW TO PHILADELPHIA'S ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY. OUR CIVC ENGAGEMENT (CE) TEAM CONTINUED TO PROMOTE ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP BY HOSTING CITIZENSHIP CLINICS, SCREENING PEOPLE FOR CITIZENSHIP AND GREEN CARD APPLICATIONS, N- 400, I-90, AND I-912 APPLICATIONS, AND REVIEWING AND REFERRING ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES TO OUR LEGAL PARTNERS FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE CE TEAM ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE U.S. CITIZENS TO EXCERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE BY HOSTING VOTER REGISTRATION EVENTS IN CHINATOWN AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THEY CONDUCTED GET OUT THE VOTE EVENTS INCLUDING PHONE BANKING, TEXT BANKING, DOOR KNOCKING AND MAILINGS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE, AND POLLING MONITORING TO CONTINUE ENFORCEMENT OF LANGUAGE ACCESS AS REQUIRED UNDER THE FEDEERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT. AS AAU SERVED OUR COMMUNITY BASE, AAU WORKED TO ORGANIZE A COLLECTIVE VOICE AND PEOPLE POWER AGAINST THE ARENA PROPOSAL THAT THREATENS OUR PRECIOUS CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD. AAU CONVENED HUNDREDS OF ALLIES AND SUPPORTERS ACROSS DOZENS OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS, EDUCATIONAL TEACH-INS, ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL EVENTS, AND OTHER GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THIS ATTACK ON CHINATOWN'S VERY EXISTENCE. AAU IS ANCHORING THE SAVE CHINATOWN COALITION AND WORKED WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY TO FIGHT DISPLACEMENT OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND WORKING-CLASS COMMUNITIES, LIFTING UP MARGINALIZED VOICES AND STUDYING THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE MASSIVE ARENA DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION TO PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY, AAU ALSO WORKED TO PRESERVE AND CELEBRATE OUR CULTURE AND NURTURE OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. THROUGH OUR YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, AAU YOUTH: LAUNCHED A STORYTELLING PROJECT HIGHLIGHTING RESIDENTS AND WORKERS OF CHINATOWN; FACILITATING MEETINGS AND BROUGHT THE INCH-BY-INCH GARDEN TO LIFE IN THE SPRING; TAUGHT DOZENS OF ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL YOUTH ABOUT MULTICULTURAL LITERACY AND EDUCATION FOR LIBERATION; RALLIED FOR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS AND AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN EDUCATION; AND MOBILIZE HUNDREDS OF YOUTH PEERS TO MARCH AGAINST THE PROPOSED ARENA. THE CHINESE YOUTH ORGANIZING PROJECT (CYOP) HELD IN-PERSON MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR PROVIDING SAFE SPACES FOR IMMIGRANT YOUTH TO EXPLORE ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THEM; CYOP SUMMER YOUTH SURVEYED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ABOUT THE ARENA AND INFORMED BUSINESSES ABOUT THE 76 PLACE ARENA PROPOSAL. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OVER 300 YOUTH VOLUNTEERED TO STAFF OUR 28TH ANNUAL MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL WHICH WAS FULLY IN-PERSON AND FEATURED PERFORMANCES, ARTS ACTIVITIES, CARNIVAL GAMES, RESOURCE INFORMATION AND CULMINATED WITH OUR LANTERN PARADE.