Milestone For Youth
On April 23, the Asian American Institute honored the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center’s youth group, Fighting Youth Shouting Out for Humanity (FYSH), with the Milestone Award. The prize is granted each year to acknowledge those who have made great strides in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. FYSH is a group of 16 outstanding high school and college students committed to organizing and advocating for issues important to the community. By allowing youth to empower themselves, FYSH is fostering future leaders that are dedicated to promoting equal rights for all.
Making Migration Waves
Labor and immigrant rights activists spanning from four continents congregated in Los Angeles on May 31 to present at a community symposium organized by the Korean Resource Center (KRC), the May 31st Memorial Foundation, NAKASEC, and Young Koreans United. The event linked efforts for immigrant rights in the United States with efforts made by migrant workers in Asia. More than 150 participants enjoyed the all-day program, which included a cultural performance featuring KRC’s HanNuRi Cultural Troupe and Ju Yeon Ryu.
Get Out The Vote!
For the June 3 elections in California, the KRC carried out a comprehensive civic participation and voter empowerment campaign that included registration, education and Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) efforts. More than 5,000 new voters were registered, and 11,447 registered Korean Americans received a voter guide that included information about Proposition 98, a failed statewide ballot measure that if passed, would’ve ended rent control, as well as place limitations on affordable housing and tenant rights. To mobilize the Korean American community against Proposition 98, a GOTV campaign was conducted. Out of the 4,813 Korean American voters who received phone calls, 89 percent said they would vote against Proposition 98; out of the 1,897 homes that were visited, 90 percent also said they would vote to defeat the proposition.
“Voice Your Vote NY” Campaign Kick-Off
The Young Korean American Service Education Center (YKASEC), in collaboration with other organizations, launched the “Voice Your Vote NY” campaign to empower Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through joint programs including voter outreach, GOTV, phone banks, multilingual voter guide production and distribution, and exit polls. The mission is to provide voters with the information and tools needed to fully participate in their civic duties.
Quick Updates
> On June 3, NAKASEC and the KRC, in collaboration with other civil rights and labor groups, held a community forum to advocate for equal access to public higher education institutions in Orange County. Seventy students, parents and educators participated to learn about state laws that allow eligible immigrant students to register and pay in-state tuition in California public colleges and universities.
> More than 600 community members have been served through YKASEC’s expanded Immigrant Rights Legal Program. The multilingual service program offers assistance in labor law, immigration, housing and green card renewal.
