We are building a movement for Southeast Asian American equity

Friends and family,

This past September, as part of my job as the communications director at Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), I had the privilege of traveling to DC to help speak out in support for justice — justice that is transformative, restorative, family-centered, and community-built.

The press conference was on a Tuesday morning in front of the US Capitol, and in the preceding days dozens of Southeast Asian American community leaders and advocates had flown in from all parts of the country. Among these were individuals who are directly impacted by this country's shameful immigration policies that continue to inflict trauma on their families and many other refugee and immigrant families.

But despite the circumstances that brought us all together, what I witnessed in DC was a display of hope, healing, and love. It was a celebration of community power years in the making. And for the impacted speakers, it was a demonstration of sheer courage and resilience, of fighting to keep their families, and all families, together.

And that's why I am proud to be in my fifth year raising funds for SEARAC, to be part of a movement for the rights of Southeast Asian Americans – and all marginalized communities – to heal, to be seen, and to family.

We’re working to amplify the stories of refugee resilience and move SEARAC’s communities from the margins to the center. Will you support our work in 2023 and beyond?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

ABOUT SEARAC.

SEARAC is proud of the work that we have accomplished in the past year centering our communities, including:

• Reversing harmful policies: by successfully advocating for the Biden administration to lift sanctions against Laos, a policy put into place by the previous presidential administration that prevented loved ones from being reunited
• Bringing healing to communities: through developing a series of in-language videos in partnership with community-based health organizations, demonstrating how to properly take an at-home COVID-19 test
• Empowering our leaders: by training more than 30 rising Southeast Asian American leaders to advocate with members of Congress during our 2022 Digital Advocacy Training
• Making our stories visible: by convening a national coalition of organizations committed to data equity and advocating for the passage of data disaggregation legislation, including a bill signed into law in New York this summer
• Leading national, community-driven policies to protect our families from deportation: through introducing the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act (SEADRA), groundbreaking legislation that will halt deportations of thousands of Southeast Asian Americans
• Spotlighting SEA mental health: by co-hosting listening sessions across the state of California to understand the mental health needs of Southeast Asian Americans in the state and publishing a report highlighting the impact of historical and institutional oppression, as well as our community-driven healing solutions
• Revolutionary internal healing policies: through our 4-day, 32-hour work week, which values our staff’s needs and paves the way for other organizations to reimagine what health, sustainability, and impact look like in the work environment.

READ OUR ANNUAL REPORT HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SEARAC'S IMPACT