As Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, We Will Resist
We stand at a critical juncture in world history. The election of Donald Trump as president of the United States represents a direct threat to millions of people’s safety and to the health of the planet. As Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) committed to equality, inclusion, and justice, we pledge to resist any efforts by President-Elect Trump’s administration to target and exploit communities, to strip people of their fundamental rights and access to essential services, and to use rhetoric and policies that divide the American people and endanger the world.
Mr. Trump’s campaign used explicit racial appeals to win the support of disaffected white voters, promising to restore their economic and social standing by deporting millions of immigrants, building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, creating a Muslim registry, banning Muslim immigration, and punishing Black dissent. He also engaged in deeply misogynistic language and behavior throughout his campaign. He insulted all people of color; people with disabilities; and women – all of whom amount to the majority of America. In the global arena, he has signaled at a new nuclear arms race, promised to expand the use of torture, and disparaged the United Nations.
Since his election, Mr. Trump has chosen known white nationalists, corporate moguls, religious zealots, climate deniers, hawkish ex-generals, anti-Islam spokespersons, and anti-government crusaders to serve in his Administration. Right-wing extremists now dominate his party, which will control all three branches of the federal government and the majority of state legislatures, and are positioned to jeopardize the future of the Supreme Court for the next generation and beyond. Together this new realignment of forces seeks to turn back the clock on civil rights and environmental protections, to maximize corporate profits by privatizing the public sector, and to create a racially and culturally exclusive America.
This is not business as usual, and we will not engage in business-as-usual tactics and strategies.
As AAPIs, our lives are rooted in the long arc of U.S. history, which was born out of racial violence and has been shaped by the struggles for freedom of oppressed peoples domestically and internationally. Some of our ancestors first arrived in what is now the United States as subjects of European empire over 400 years ago. Some of us are indigenous to this country as our ancestors’ lands were occupied and colonized by the United States as they sought to expand their global military and economic power. In the centuries since, AAPIs have faced indentured servitude, exclusionary immigration laws, bars to citizenship and land ownership, mass deportation, mass incarceration, war, sexual and gender-based violence, forced displacement, vigilante violence, surveillance, and racial and religious profiling.
Today our movements include Southeast Asian refugees organizing to end criminalization and deportation; Muslims, Arabs, Sikhs and South Asians fighting surveillance, profiling, war, and hate violence; women reclaiming their bodies against trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation, and criminalization; low-wage workers standing up against wage theft, poor working conditions, and abusive employers; Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders building a generation to fight against generational poverty caused by loss of sovereignty, militarization of lands and people, forced displacement, and criminalization; and trans, gender-non-conforming, and queer people putting their bodies on the line to demand a different, more humane world. We have always fought injustice, and we are resolute to continue doing so.
The majority of AAPI voters rejected Mr. Trump’s candidacy. Indeed, while Mr. Trump won the Electoral College – a problematic system with its own deep history rooted in slavery and racial inequities – he lost the popular vote. And with only 58% of eligible voters casting ballots in this election, the vast majority of American voters did not vote to elect Mr. Trump. He and his Administration have no mandate to govern.
For all of these reasons, we commit to the following principles and ask all AAPIs to join us:
- We will center and stand up for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members who are likely to face increased levels of hate violence, targeting, and policing. We will center and uplift the experiences and calls to action of undocumented immigrants, Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim, refugees, women, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) community members. We will also support the organizing and resistance strategies of AAPI groups and our allies closest to the ground in local communities.
- We will defend all targets of bigotry, repression, and hate made by Mr. Trump’s Administration, or caused by the Trump Effect, with a broad principle of solidarity: “An attack on one is an attack on all.”
- We will refuse to legitimate or normalize Mr. Trump’s Administration, which has already violated the core principles of American democracy by using explicit appeals to racial and religious bigotry, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and misogyny to gain political power. We will reject ideas, statements, and policies that strengthen the incoming Administration’s legitimacy, including divide-and-conquer tactics or strategies that position AAPIs as a racial wedge against other communities of color.
- We will reject any attempts by the Trump Administration to use AAPIs to make a case for their legitimacy and diversity, and will not compromise our values and agency to gain a “seat at the table” in pursuit of narrow benefits. Nor will we conflate marginal visibility for genuine power and influence for our communities.
- We agree to be transparent about our engagement with the Trump Administration, and to be held accountable for our organizational strategies and decisions.
- We will raise awareness about how AAPI communities are affected by discriminatory and divisive rhetoric and policies, and will stand firm in opposing them.
- We will support those who assume personal and organizational risk to defend democratic institutions and practices including human, civil, and constitutional rights, against unjust laws and actions by the government, any group, or individual.
- We will seek unity in pursuit of shared goals, knowing that defending democracy will require various kinds of movements and tactics to weather the coming period of increased repression, and to build a more humane and sustainable world.
- We will work tirelessly toward an inclusive and democratic vision that ensures the safety, self-determination, and wellbeing of all people, and we will model this in our resistance and solidarity efforts.
Signatories (as of February 6, 2017):
- 18MillionRising.org
- AAPI Feminism Workshop
- Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE)
- Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education
- Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL)
- Alliance of South Asians Taking Action
- Anakbayan-USA
- API Council – SF
- API Equality – LA
- API Equality – Northern California (APIENC)
- API Rainbow Parents
- Asian American Action Fund
- Asian American Alliance – Columbia University
- Asian American Association – The Ohio State University
- Asian American Law Journal
- Asian American Leadership Forum for Youth
- Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
- Asian American Millennials Unite
- Asian American Organizing Project
- Asian American Psychological Association
- Asian American Resource Workshop
- Asian American Student Union at UMCP
- Asian American Student Union at University of Maryland
- Asian American Student Union (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities)
- Asian American Studies Graduate Student Association, UCLA
- Asian American Studies Program, California State University Fullerton
- Asian American Studies, UC Davis
- Asian American Writers’ Workshop
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Asian Law Caucus
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Los Angeles
- Asian Americans United
- Asian Americans / Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
- Asian-American Women’s Political Initiative
- Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation
- Asian Coalition for Equality (ACE)
- Asian Counseling and Referral Service
- Asian Educators Alliance
- Asian Pacific American Coalition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, University of Pennsylvania
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA)
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Alameda Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Los Angeles Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – New Jersey Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – New York Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Sacramento Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – San Diego Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – San Francisco Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – San Jose/San Mateo/Santa Clara Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Seattle Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Texas Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Washington, DC Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute
- Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)
- Asian Pacific Americans for Action (APAA) @ Cornell
- Asian Pacific Americans for Progress
- Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN)
- Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment
- Asian Pacific Islander Coalition for Action and Diversity (Sarah Lawrence College)
- Asian Pacific Islander Queer Sacramento Coalition
- Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council (A3PCON)
- Asian Prisoner Support Committee
- Asian Services in Action (Cleveland)
- Asian Women United
- Asians for Black Lives (A4BL) — San Diego
- Asians4BlackLives
- Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm Arts)
- Baltimore Asian Resistance in Solidarity
- BAYAN USA
- Berkeley AAPI Alumni Association
- Brandeis Asian American Task Force
- Burma/Myanmar Student Association at the University of Washington, Seattle
- CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities
- California Asian & Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus
- Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell
- Chicago Desi Youth Rising
- Chinese for Affirmative Action
- Chinese Progressive Association – Boston
- Chinese Progressive Association – San Francisco
- Chinatown Community for Equitable Development
- CHOW Project
- Church and Society Committee, Buena Vista United Methodist Church
- Coalition for Asian American Children & Families
- Coalition for the Revitalization of Asian American Studies at Hunter College
- Critical Ethnic & A/PIA Studies Graduate Working Group at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Critical Filipinx Scholars Collective
- DAMAYAN
- DC Asian American and Pacific Islander Democratic Caucus
- Densho
- Department of Asian American Studies, UC Davis
- DRUM – Desis Risng Up & Moving
- East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU)
- Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
- Equality Labs
- FIGHT (Formerly Incarcerated Group Healing Together)
- Filipino Advocates for Justice
- Filipino American Democratic Club of New York
- Filipino Migrant Center
- Florida Asian American Student Union
- Freedom at Emory University
- Freedom Inc.
- Freedom Trainers
- GABRIELA USA
- Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY)
- Greater Chinatown Community Association
- Guam Communications Network
- HEART Women & Girls
- Hep Free Hawaii
- Hepatitis Education Project
- Hmong Innovating Politics
- Hmong National Development
- INHERITANCE magazine
- Institute for Asian Pacific American Leadership & Advancement
- Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Student Association
- Iu Mien Student Union (IMSU at Berkeley)
- Jahajee Sisters Empowering Indo-Caribbean Women
- Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
- Japanese American Citizens League – New York
- Japanese American Citizens League – Olympia
- Japanese American Citizens League – Seattle
- Japanese American Service Committee
- KAYA: Filipino Americans for Progress
- Khmer Girls in Action
- Khmer Health Advocates
- KmB / Pro-People Youth
- Korean American Resource and Cultural Center
- Korean American Student Association (KASA), University of Southern California
- Korean Resource Center
- Kuya Ate Mentorship Program
- Latinx Medical Student Association (LMSA) of Brown University
- Lionswrite Communications
- Many Languages One Voice
- MekongNYC
- Micronesian Islands Club
- Midwest Asian American Students Union
- Minidoka Pilgrimage
- National Alliance for Filipino Concerns
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – New York City
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – Philadelphia
- National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
- National Education Association (NEA) Asian Pacific Islander Caucus
- National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
- National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
- National Organization for Women’s (NOW) Inaugural Virtual Chapter: Young Feminists and Allies
- New Directions Consulting
- Nikkei Progressives
- Northeast Union of Vietnamese Student Associations (Northeast UVSA)
- OneAmerica
- Paradox
- Pasifika PRIDE
- Penn Taiwanese Society, University of Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia South Asian Collective
- Philippine Student Association – UIUC
- Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc. (UniPro)
- Princeton Asian American Students Association
- Progressive Asian Network for Action (PANA)
- Progressive Hmong American Organizers
- Project ALOFA
- Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM)
- Rad Azns
- Raha Iranian Feminist Collective
- REACH! Asian Pacific Islander Recruitment and Retention Center
- Reappropriate
- Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA)
- Sacramento Hmong LGBTQIA
- Satrang
- Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission
- Service Employees International Union API Caucus
- Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN)
- SHK Global Health
- Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority Inc.
- Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
- South Asian Fund For Education, Scholarship and Training (SAFEST)
- South Asian Network (SAN)
- Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
- Southeast Asian Campus Learning Education and Retention (SEA CLEAR)
- Southeast Asian Coalition
- Southeast Asian Education Coalition
- Southeast Asian Freedom Network (SEAFN)
- Southern California Korean College Students Association
- Spectrum LGBTQ of Alpert Medical School
- Spice Collective, University of Pennsylvania
- Stanford Asian American Activism Committee
- Swarthmore Asian Organization (SAO)
- Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL)
- Taiwanese Americans United
- The W.O.W Project
- This Filipino American Life Podcast (TFALPodcast)
- TIGRA – Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research & Action
- UCLA Asian American Studies Center
- Ugnayan Youth for Justice and Social Change
- Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest
- University of Colorado Boulder CollaborASIAN
- UPenn Asian Pacific Student Coalition
- UPLIFT
- Utah Asian American Pacific Islander Democratic Caucus
- UXO Clearance Laos
- Vanderbilt South Asian Cultural Exchange
- Vanderbilt University Asian American Student Association
- VAYLA New Orleans
- Visceral Crew
- VietLead
- Vietnamese Student Association – Boulder
- VietUnity – Bay Area
- VietUnity – Los Angeles
- Views From the Edge (dioknoed.blogspot.com) AAPI perspectives
- VISIONS
- Visual Communications
- Wakefield Asian Club, Arlington, Virginia
- Writ Large Press
- Yale Asian American Studies Task Force
- Yellow Rage