We have taken very intentional steps to be more inclusive and listened to the community to inform our work. We launched the Queer Joy campaign to recognize the intersectionality of the AAPI and LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and others) communities, which included hosting our first LGBTQIA+ event, Jade Julibee and visits to legislators. We conducted a Community Needs survey. We took several trips to the border to see the challenges of the migrant communities and understand how we can best help. This year, we celebrated our 41^st anniversary, where we commemorated the 25^th anniversary of the racially motivated murder of Filipino American Joseph Ileto, and paid tribute to the tireless advocacy against hate and gun violence by his mother, the late Lilian Ileto. As we enter 2025 and face a second Trump Administration, we remain resolute in our mission. Initiatives like Project 2025 and the myriad campaign promises President-elect Trump made, portend a dangerous agenda that threatens the stability and safety of the communities we are from and serve. The new administration signals a much more aggressive approach to immigration, targeted attacks on queer and trans rights, and sustained threats to reproductive health. AJSOCAL will fortify our core work to:

• Advocate for funding and resources to make sure that all immigrants have access to legal representation or support.
• To fight alongside our allies nationwide to protect our communities from the coming inhumane, mass deportation and immigrant removal efforts that Trump has promised.

Ensure that all asylum-seekers, living here or abroad, are able to exercise their statutory right to seek asylum. Fight discrimination, anti-Asian hate, and protect hyper-vulnerable AAPI communities with intersectional identities. Together, we will create a world that is more inclusive and equitable for everyone. With heartfelt gratitude, Connie Chung Joe