Without Vision, the People Perish: APANO's Future

As APANO celebrates our 5th anniversary as an independent 501c3 organization, and nearly 20 years as a critical space for Asian & Pacific Islanders to work together for social justice, we are taking a big step back to do evaluation and develop new goals. We’re working with a great team from the University of Oregon Labor Research & Education Center: Raahi Reddy, Dan HoSang and Barbara Byrd. We hope to be sharing back a new strategic plan in mid-2016, engaging members every step of the way and kicking off our next phase at the October 1, 2016 APANO Statewide Convention.

Over the last 3 months we’ve been listening deeply to you. As we wrap up hundreds of surveys, interviews, focus groups and think tanks, we’ll be synthesizing and shaping a renewed strategic direction that builds on our APANO mission. We’ve found broad agreement in our continued aims to build power so our families and communities have the recognition, rights and resources to thrive, and in our commitment to strong and meaningful partnerships within and beyond our Pan-Asian Pan-Pacific Islander constituency. Some key themes are already emerging including:

• Articulating a political bearing that sharpens our role in the movement for social justice and distinguishes the systems change and policy advocacy work we do. What is our political analysis and theory of change that guides us?

• Strengthening year-round community organizing, and building on the successes we’re having with youth, college, and parents, and considering new areas that intersect in the Jade International District and through our Strong Families gender and reproductive justice work.

• Investing in powerful and intensive leadership development programs that build a shared analysis and set of practices across the organization and in coalitions that help us win concrete change in our communities.

• Recognizing the value of art in the social change process, and integrating visual and performing arts into our cultural work, place-making and communications.

Thank you for being a part of the APANO family. I want to extend my gratitude to all our members who are taking time not only to give constructive feedback but helping lay the groundwork for the next era of APANO. I look forward to connecting with you in the next phase of our organization’s work!

For more info contact: joseph@apano.org