Vietnamese American Roundtable

THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN ROUNDTABLE (VAR) ENVISIONS A STRONG AND UNIFIED VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT WORKS TOWARDS IMPROVING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. TO THIS END, VAR FOCUSES OUR MISSION TO ORGANIZE, ADVOCATE, AND EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH MOBILIZATION, ADVOCACY, AND EDUCATION - MOBILIZATION THROUGH EVENTS AND COALITION BUILDING, ADVOCACY THROUGH EMPOWERING AND STRATEGY, AND EDUCATION THROUGH PANELS, WORKSHOPS AND CULTURAL EVENTS.

WORKING PARTNERSHIPS USA - WORKER EDUCATION | AS A PART OF THE FAIR WORKPLACE COLLABORATIVE IN SERVICE OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, VAR ORGANIZED MONTHLY VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON WORKERS RIGHTS TRAININGS FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED EMPLOYEES AND LABORERS. THESE TRAININGS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED RESOURCES REGARDING UNLAWFUL LABOR PRACTICES AND WERE DISSEMINATED TO OVER 2000 CONSTITUENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR

COVID19 AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH | SIERRA HEALTH/CZI GRANT | VAR PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, ALONG WITH OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, TO PROVIDE OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND INFORMATION REGARDING COVID-19 TESTING AND VACCINATION EQUITY. WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS AND BI-WEEKLY ETHNIC RADIO SHOWS WERE BROADCAST TO DISTRIBUTE UPDATES AND INFORMATION REGARDING WELFARE PROGRAMS, FOOD DISTRIBUTION, EDD/UNEMPLOYMENT, AND HOLISTIC CARE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT REACHED OVER 30,000 FACEBOOK VIEWS AND ENGAGEMENTS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. AS A PART OF OUR VACCINE AND TESTING EQUITY CAMPAIGN, WE DIRECTED 100+ COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GET VACCINATED, AND DISTRIBUTED OVER 2000 COVID-19 RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS AT SEVERAL CULTURAL EVENTS.

VAR'S RACIAL JUSTICE PROJECTS AIM TO AMPLIFY AND UPLIFT THE HISTORIES, IDENTITIES, NARRATIVES, AND EXPERIENCES OF REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS, AND THEIR DESCENDANTS AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF SOCIAL AND RACIAL INEQUITY. THE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION FOR DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS (SEEDS) SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM ANNUALLY HOSTS 20-30 YOUNG LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGIATE LEADERS AGES 14-24 TO PARTICIPATE IN PROJECT-BASED WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES TO IDENTIFY CIVIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES AND DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE LET'S BE RIEU (LET'S BE REAL) PROGRAM IS A MONTHLY FACILITATED CONVERSATIONS ON TOPICS OF RACIAL JUSTICE (ANTI-AAPI HATE, BLACK LIVES MATTER, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION) THAT HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER INQUIRING YOUTH TO OPEN UP AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON CONTEMPORARY MATTERS RELEVANT TO THEIR EXPERIENCES AND IDENTITIES. COM GIA DINH IS A HYBRID ANTHOLOGICAL PROJECT IN PROGRESS THAT AIMS TO CAPTURE THE NARRATIVES OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS GENERATIONS AND LANGUAGES THROUGH FOOD AND STORYTELLING. THE COM GIA DINH PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF ANTI-ASIAN HATE AND VIOLENCE BY COLLECTING, COMPILING, AND PRESENTING THE HUMANISTIC EXPERIENCES OF ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CALL SAN JOSE AND SANTA CLARA COUNTY HOME.