Last night, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California celebrated our 39th Anniversary with a vibrant indoor/outdoor VIP reception at the Japanese American National Museum. With a connection to past recent years, the theme was UNITED: ART IN ACTION, representing the power of API creativity and expression in social justice. With over 500 API guests and allies from the worlds of social justice, arts and entertainment, we gathered those who stood united with our cause: the fight against anti-Asian hate.
Emceed by Denise Dador, ABC7 Correspondent, the program included highlights of the evening such as the Joseph Ileto Courage Award presented to Jamie Yancovitz—CEO and founder of SurvivalArts, dedicated to protecting and healing victims from violence through indigenous arts.
“For us, every day is a battlefield. And, when we step outside in the face of violence, we must invoke our own inner strength, standing loud in a world that tries to silence us, taking up space in a world that tries to erase us. Our histories are long and ancient. Our cultures are rich. Our languages are incredible. Let us remind ourselves of where we come from: the journey of our parents and grandparents, the struggles of all of those before us. To call in the power we need to fuel through the day. To rise up and defeat hatred once and for all. ”
Jamie Yancovitz, founder of Survival Arts
3rd Annual Joseph Ileto Courage Award
Our 39th Anniversary gala marked the debut of the outdoor JANM exhibit and flash card series An American Vocabulary: Words in Action by Audrey Chan and jason chu, the two fellows of the Artists at Work program, an AJSOCAL collaboration with JANM.
“For the last year, we’ve been working on using our arts to promote anti-racism and to create something that could be a foundation and a beginning… of more awareness of our AANHPI history in all the ways that it can inform not just the AANHPI communities, but all Americans as the truth of our history and the foundations of our future.”
jason chu, Hip-hop Poet
Fellow of Artists at Work Program
Among artists in attendance were: Audrey Chan, visual artist (ARTISTS AT WORK), Jason Chu, hip hop poet (ARTISTS AT WORK), Paget Kagy, actor (BIG SHOT), Sueann Han (HUSTLE & FLOW), Cheryl Koh, singer/songwriter (CRAZY RICH ASIANS), Mei Melancon, actor (THE L WORD), Kelly Li Mi, actor (BLING EMPIRE), MAX WANG, cinematographer (ANIMAL WORLD), Samuel Ameen, cinematographer (MY NAME IS LOPEZ), Kevin Tancharoen, director (MORTAL KOMBAT), Kevin Tran, actor (GREATEST BEER RUN EVER), Ciara Riley Wilson, actor (LA’s FINEST), Anthony Dominici, executive producer (LEGO MASTERS), Rich Kim, director (MASTERCHEF), Grace Lee-Toumanidis, executive producer (SPARKING JOY WITH MARIE KONDO), KiKi Yeung, comedian (CRAZY WOKE ASIANS), Yoonj Kim, actor/producer (TAKEPART LIVE), and Bao Nguyen, director (BE WATER).
Among leaders of the AANHPI community were: Connie Chung Joe, CEO, AJSOCAL, Rob Bonta (CA ATTORNEY GENERAL), Denise Dador, correspondent (ABC7 News), Honorable Mike Eng (former CA STATE ASSEMBLY), Mike Fong, (CA STATE ASSEMBLY), Judge Ernest Hiroshige (LA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT), Stewart Kwoh, API civil rights attorney (AJSOCAL), David Ryu, former LA City Councilmember, and Ileto Courage Award Honoree Jamie Yancovitz (SURVIVALARTS).
Among AJSOCAL Board of Directors in attendance were: Paul Chan (BIRD MARELLA), Vincent Gonzalez (SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS), Peter Huh (PACIFIC AMERICAN FISH COMPANY), Jackie Jackson (ECHO GLOBAL LOGISTICS), Joon Kim (COMCAST), Phillip Lee (JAMISON SERVICES), San San Lee (LAW OFFICE OF SAN SAN LEE), Jade Leung (THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY), John Lim (LIMNEXUS), Olivia Samad (SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON), Sandy Sakamoto (LIMNEXUS), Anne Shintaku (MICROSOFT), Nita Song (IW GROUP), Vanna Tran (NIELSEN), Spring Wang (54 Green Street Realty), Calista Wu (CALISTAR), and Jack Yeh (Sidley Austin).
Performances included: Farishtey, Bhangra dance group; St. James’ School, Korean drummers, and DJ Gingee, Filipina American percussionist/vocalist.
Our CEO Connie Chung Joe spoke on AJSOCAL’s goals for the coming year by saying:
“The rise in anti-Asian hate has galvanized our API communities to say we will no longer accept the model minority myth. America has for too long assumed that we are docile, submissive, and won’t stir up problems, but that allows us to be overlooked and dismissed. We can’t ask for justice, we must demand it.
We’re investing deeper into impact litigation to demand systemic changes for our communities. We are looking at city departments, school districts, and other public entities, to demand that they take anti-Asian hate seriously by documenting, investigating, and addressing it when it happens, as opposed to letting it slide by because it’s not really their priority. We’re looking at major retailers to identify which sites have repeated incidents of Asian customers being harassed or attacked to demand that they do more to protect their Asian customers and create a safe environment. I’m so proud to be a part of AJSOCAL with our team of some 80 attorneys and staff who are ready to fight for the rights of our community members. Because sometimes, what this country needs is a pain in the ass API attorney with a bit of a potty mouth to demand accountability and force systemic change. But as APIs, we must also think about how we work in interracial coalitions to address structural racism.
To all of us in the room today, our job is to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, kick up dirt, and protect one another from attacks because we’ve got a multiracial democracy to protect.”
- Shutterstock Photos
- Furious Photographers Photos (pw: aaaj)
All photo credits:
John Salangsang/Shutterstock for AJSOCAL
Furious Photographers
