Written by Kaitlin Carmona, Development Intern.
As a summer intern with Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), I had the honor of helping coordinate and participate in our annual Summer Service Event on July 17. It was an afternoon filled with teamwork and collective action as Corporate and Community partners, volunteers along with AJSOCAL staff and interns came together to support immigrant communities across Southern California.
Held in our Los Angeles office, the event brought together an incredible mix of volunteers, staff, and partners to assemble DIY Red Card Kits and Know Your Rights folders. These are critical tools that help prepare our immigrant communities to safely assert their constitutional rights amid escalating immigration enforcement.
Throughout the afternoon, volunteers watched insightful videos highlighting AJSOCAL’s multilingual legal helplines, which serve as the first point of contact for thousands of individuals seeking legal assistance in their native language. Between workstations, staff speakers, including AJSOCAL’s Vice President of Programs, Ronnette Ramos, and Director of Individual Giving, Janelle Hu, shared reflections that helped connect the materials we were assembling to the real people who rely on them every day. These moments reminded us that behind every folder and Red Card is a person who may one day need it.
At the heart of the event were the Red Cards, pocket-sized tools that explain core rights such as the right to remain silent, the right to refuse entry without a signed warrant, and the right to speak with a lawyer. Each card includes a message directed to ICE officers stating the individual is asserting their rights. Red Cards were available in eight languages: Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), English, Khmer, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Thai.
To get the job done, we organized four tables with different responsibilities. Three language-specific tables focused on Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese. These teams worked together to cut, count, and fully assemble over 1,000 Red Cards in each language and over 1,500 Know Your Rights folders. Each folder included in-language informational flyers and multiple red cards.
The fourth table took on the task of cutting Red Cards for five more languages: English, Khmer, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai. Each language aimed to produce 4,000 cards, which were then bundled and stored for future outreach.
Scissors snipped, folders snapped shut, and volunteers encouraged one another as they made progress. AJSOCAL Event leaders Georgia Archer, Bonnie Fong, and Janelle Hu instructed and encouraged everyone as they worked at their tables. It was incredible to see how quickly everyone found their rhythm and worked side by side toward a common goal. The sense of purpose was strong, and the joy in the room was even stronger.
We were thrilled to be joined by volunteers from Amazon Web Services, SoCalGas, UPS, The Walt Disney Company, and our own AJSOCAL staff and interns. The mix of first-time and returning volunteers created a welcoming and enthusiastic atmosphere.
To keep everyone fueled, we enjoyed delicious eats catered by L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. Plates were filled with spam musubi, comforting chicken, fresh spring rolls, and tropical flavors that gave everyone the boost they needed to keep going strong. Over shared meals and conversation, the room felt more like a community gathering than just a volunteer event.
As the event came to a close, everyone gathered at the photo station to snap pictures with their teams, completed folders, and bright orange shirts. Smiles, peace signs, and proud poses captured the spirit of the day. The photos were a meaningful reminder of what we accomplished together.
By the end of the afternoon, we had
- Cut over 1,000 red cards in each of the eight languages.
- Fully assembled 500 Know Your Rights folders in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
- Educated volunteers about AJSOCAL’s multilingual helplines through videos and live staff reflections
- Engaged dozens in hands-on action to support immigrant rights.
Summer Service 2025 was a powerful reminder that community care comes in many forms. Whether it’s folding flyers, cutting cards, or showing up to support a neighbor, every action matters. I am proud to have been part of this experience and thankful to everyone who showed up to make it a success.
View more photos here.