When we asked AAPI staff members and community collaborators which organizations or businesses they would like to highlight this month, API Chaya came up repeatedly. For the past 25 years, API Chaya has supported Asian, South Asian, and Pacific Islander survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking to gain safety, connection, and wellness. Their work… [ Keep reading ]
Too often, the stories and voices of South Asians are not represented in conversations around the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) experience. Tasveer, a local non-profit organization is changing that. The organization was founded in 2002 by Farah Nousheen and Rita Meher, two South Asian immigrant women who experienced hate crimes in the wake of 9/11. For the past two… [ Keep reading ]
What is your ethnicity and generation in the United States? “I am Japanese American, I am Sansei- my grandparents came to this country. I grew up on Bainbridge Island.” How long have you/your family been gardening at your P-Patch? “I started gardening at Ravenna in 1982, the year after it opened…. [ Keep reading ]
The dynamic music duo, Sendai ERA, collaborated with ALEKSA MANILA on this short video depicting immigrant roots and national pride from a FilipinX perspective. The music is inspired by the song, “Bayan Ko” (My Country), one of the most recognizable patriotic songs in the Philippines that, because of its popularity, is sometimes… [ Keep reading ]
In a way, husband and wife team Chera Amlag and Geo Quibuyen ended up in the food-service industry by accident. In 2013, the couple organized a Filipino-American pop-up dinner to raise money for a family trip to the Philippines. The meal was received with such enthusiasm that they decided to grow it into a monthly series called Food & Sh*t. Soon after, requests came flooding in for Amlag’s neighborhood famous ube cheesecake,… [ Keep reading ]
What is your ethnicity and generation in the United States? “I am third-generation Chinese American. My family is from Southern China so they speak Cantonese. Actually, my grandmother was born in Hawaii, which at the time was a territory considered part of the United States, so my family has been… [ Keep reading ]
“Always realize that not to get involved when you should get involved is an act of violence. You should always work for peace…Peace is the most empowering and productive way to go.” Aki Kurose Aki Kurose spent her life advocating for peace and social justice. As a teacher and an activist, she worked… [ Keep reading ]
It is easy to miss the unassuming message board secured to the outer east wall of the historic Louisa Hotel in the Chinatown International District (CID). Sitting beneath a red and green flared eave at the corner of Seventh and King St, the Chinatown Community Bulletin Board provides a window into the neighborhood’s history, culture, and community. Throughout the late 1800s, many Chinese immigrants came to Seattle seeking… [ Keep reading ]
Over the past 30 years, Phnom Penh Noodle House has seen its share of ups and downs. But through it all, there have been a couple of constants; deep family dedication and unwavering community support. Though the majority of the restaurant’s dishes have been served in the Chinatown International District in Seattle, its story starts three generations ago in Battambang, Cambodia. … [ Keep reading ]
Artist/activist Sara Porkalob (she/her) joins us for some story sharing and truth telling in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Video Script (deviates slightly from video) “Hi friends, my name is Sara Porkalob. My pronouns are “she/her” and I am speaking to you from the unceded territories of… [ Keep reading ]
