In September, we welcomed the following organizations into GArab American Action Network, Chicago, IL; Asian American Advocacy Fund, Atlanta, GA; Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities, Stockton, CA; Laal, NY; Hmong Innovating Politics, Fresno & Sacramento, CA; Jakara Movement, Fresno & Central Valley, CA; Muslims for Just Futures, DMV Area; OPAWL, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, OH; Red Canary Song, Queens, NY; and Rising Voices, MI.

In our continual work to build a national network of grassroots organizations rooted in working-class Asian communities, GAR hosted a peer exchange of over 40 participants, staff, and members, from 15 of our member organizations. Building a Working Class Base gave space for folks to share tactics that worked in bringing in working-class members and strategize over struggles that we all faced. This organizing work is crucial as the working class must be the center of our movement work.

Eight new member groups joined the seven original members (APEN, AYPAL, CAAAV, CPA, DRUM, PrYSM, SEAC) that also serve as GAR’s coordinating committee. The size of the new cohort demonstrates that there is a strong demand for what GAR offers: tailored support to member-led organizations working in diverse Asian communities to bolster community safety, defend longtime residents from gentrification, and rein in over-policing and surveillance.

A year after the Gold Spa shooting in Atlanta, GAR hosted a gathering of 60 participants, staff and adult/youth members, from 15 grassroots organizing organizations of working-class Asian organizations. We Keep Us Safe presented the work that GAR member organizations have been undertaking to combat violence against and within Asian communities. The forum gave participants the opportunity to discuss more deeply progress and challenges to building community based responses that do not rely on police and carceral systems. You can listen here for a recording of the Building Lasting, Effective and Just Responses to Violence Against Asians presentations and discussions.

The Asian American Racial Justice Toolkit has been downloaded over 5,100 times by organizers, educators, activists, and individuals! With your donation, GAR is hopeful to begin the translation process of key workshops into multiple Asian languages to further reach our working-class pan-Asian communities.