To many in the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, the massacre of six Asian American women by a white man on March 16 felt like an inevitable escalation of anti-AAPI hate speech and violence that has been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, according to Stop AAPI Hate, there have been almost 3,800 incidents of hate reported since the pandemic began. These incidents of discrimination, harassment and violence are a damaging result of xenophobic rhetoric, sexism and misogyny, as well as the "model minority" and "perpetual foreigner" narratives that persist in our society. Join us for this conversation to discuss the effect of hate on AAPI communities, a historical look at how we got here and specific actions philanthropy can take to stop the violence and hate speech. 

Representative Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, is calling for March 26, the day of our call, to be recognized as a national day to speak out against AAPI hate. We encourage you to stand in solidarity with communities against hate and understand what you and your foundation can do.

Speakers

Patricia Eng, President & CEO of Asian Americans Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP)

Patricia Eng (she/her/hers) is the president and chief executive officer of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP). She comes to AAPIP after serving as chief service officer at the Mayor’s Office of the City of New York where she worked to deepen and expand civic engagement through volunteer and service programs. Pat has served in various positions within the philanthropic and non-profit communities. She founded the New York Asian Women’s Center, the first organization on the East Coast working with battered immigrant Asian women. At the Ms. Foundation for Women, Pat innovated grantmaking strategy in several areas including early support for men’s efforts to address masculinity and violence and supporting the emerging movement to prevent child sexual abuse. At the New York Women’s Foundation, she launched and managed the NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of Color, the first collaborative fund in the country focused on young women and gender non-binary youth of color. A graduate of Hunter College School of Social Work and Princeton University, Pat studied community organizing and politics. 

 

Jamie Lee, Director of Community Initiatives at Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, Board Chair of International District Emergency Center (IDEC) and Community Recorder of AAPI hate crimes

Jamie oversees community-focused projects at the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda). With senior leadership, she supports external relations of the organization and oversees funding and operations of community initiatives and Hing Hay Coworks.

Jamie has over ten years in the nonprofit sector focusing on community engagement and nonprofit management, including working with individuals experiencing homelessness and launching a transitional housing program for homeless women. She also worked at the University of Washington’s Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center, networking with over 300 nonprofit organizations in the Seattle area and connecting them with undergraduate and graduate students looking to integrate service into their studies. Jamie has been active in the CID since 2005, with the Chinese Information Service Center and the International District Chinatown Library in their after school programs, the International District Housing Alliance (now InterIm CDA) on their fund development committee, and the board of the Washington Asian Pacific Islander (WAPI) Community Services. She currently serves on the board of Sanctuary Art Center, Historic South Downtown, the Chinatown International District Business Improvement Area and the CID Public Safety Council. She has a master's degree in social work and public administration from the University of Washington.

Helen Zia, Activist and Author

HelenZ_Headshot_Square.jpg

Helen is a Chinese-American journalist and activist for Asian American and LGBTQ rights. She is a considered a key figure in the Asian American movement. Helen's latest book, "Last Boat of out Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution," traces the lives of migrants and refugees from another cataclysmic time in history that has striking parallels to the difficulties facing migrants today. She was also co-author, with Wen Ho Lee, of "My Country Versus Me: The First-Hand Account by the Los Alamos Scientist Who Was Falsely Accused of Being a Spy." She is also a former executive editor of Ms. magazine. A Fulbright Scholar, Helen first visited China in 1972, just after President Nixon’s historic trip. A graduate of Princeton University, she holds an honorary doctor of law degree from the City University of New York School of Law and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Eligibility 

Participation in this meeting is open to philanthropic organizations that currently make grants. This includes corporate giving offices, private and public foundations, community foundations, government grantmakers and CDFI institutions with a philanthropic focus. You do not need to be a Philanthropy Northwest member to participate, but do need to represent an organizational philanthropic institution. Please do not join this call if you are a nonprofit organization. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact Nancy Sanabria.