Center For Asian Americans United For Self-Empowerment Inc

CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICANS UNITED FOR SELF EMPOWERMENT CAUSE IS A 501C3 NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO ADVANCE THE POLITICAL AND CIVIC EMPOWERMENT OF THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN APA COMMUNITY THROUGH NONPARTISAN VOTER OUTREACH, TRAINING, AND EDUCATION AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. FOUNDED IN 1993, CAUSE IS COMPRISED OF COMMITTED PROFESSIONAL, BUSINESS, COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL LEADERS, AND HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A UNIQUE NONPARTISAN APA ORGANIZATION DEDICATED MAINLY TO APA CIVIC AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION. BASED IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CAUSE'S INFLUENCE REACHES THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. CAUSE?S PRIMARY PROGRAMS FOCUS ON THREE MAIN AREAS: VOTE - VOTER OUTREACH, TRAINING, AND EDUCATION VOTE INITIATIVES EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO BE ACTIVE POLITICAL PARTICIPANTS, VOTE IN ELECTIONS, AND SHARE RESOURCES THAT EDUCATE APA COMMUNITIES ABOUT ELECTIONS. THIS INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT IN-LANGUAGE RESOURCES, VOTING PROCESSES, AND INSIGHTS

THE CAUSE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLA FOR STUDENTS IS A NINE-WEEK INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC POLICY, AND ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN APA COMMUNITY ISSUES. THROUGH CLA, STUDENTS ARE EXPOSED TO THOUGHT LEADERS AND POLICYMAKERS WHILE GAINING A DEEPER AWARENESS OF THE CIVIC ISSUES FACING THE APA COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA. INTERNS LEAVE THE PROGRAM WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO ENGAGE IN LOCAL POLITICS AND AFFECT THE CHANGE THEY WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. TRADITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF FOUR ELEMENTS: THE INTERNSHIP, CIVIC LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT, AND AN ANNUAL CAPITOL SUMMIT. GRADUATES OF THIS PROGRAM HAVE GONE ON TO RUN FOR POLITICAL OFFICE AND BECOME LEADERS IN POLITICS, BUSINESS, AND NONPROFITS.

CAUSE ELEVATES ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN VOICES THROUGH VOTER OUTREACH, TRAINING, & EDUCATION VOTE INITIATIVES BY CONTINUING TO PROVIDE IN-LANGUAGE ACCESS AND EDUCATE APA VOTERS ABOUT ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN 2020, CAUSE HELD TWO EVENTS WITH THEN-SECRETARY OF STATE, ALEX PADILLA, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE APA COMMUNITY, THE FASTEST-GROWING SECTOR OF VOTERS, ABOUT MAIL-IN VOTING AND COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS. THIS INITIATIVE ALSO INCLUDED CROSS CULTURAL DIALOGUES FOCUSED ON A SERIES OF MULTIETHNIC STATEWIDE COMMUNITY POLLS CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HISPANAS ORGANIZED FOR POLITICAL EQUALITY AND LOS ANGELES URBAN LEAGUE, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE LOS ANGELES TIMES. THE POLL CAPTURED PERCEPTIONS OF RACE RELATIONS AND IDENTITY, RESPONSES TO COVID-19 EFFORTS, AND INSIGHTS INTO ISSUES INCLUDING ELECTIONS, IMMIGRATION, POLICE BRUTALITY, AND HATE CRIME.

THE CAUSE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE CLI FOR PROFESSIONALS, IS A 6-MONTH COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY TRAINING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM FOR HIGH-POTENTIAL PROFESSIONALS WITH SEASONED LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND A PASSION FOR SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS APA COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE THE PROGRAM ARMED WITH THE SKILLS AND CONNECTIONS VITAL TO ADVOCATE FOR THE APA COMMUNITY. GRADUATES OF THIS PROGRAM HAVE GONE ON TO CHANGE THE CIVIC LANDSCAPE IN THE REGION THROUGH ELECTED OFFICE AND LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NONPROFIT SECTORS.