Written by Alina Lee and Amanda Young (1882 Foundation interns, summer 2023).

The 1882 Foundation hosted a conversation with four key changemakers who played monumental roles in building today’s AAPI nonprofit organizations at the I Street Conference Center on Saturday, July 22. The speakers were: Phil Tajitsu Nash, professor in the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Maryland and the founding Executive Director of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice AAJC; Paul Igasaki, appointed by President Bill Clinton to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1994-2002; Karen Narasaki, appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 2014 and the former Executive Director of AAAJ/AAJC; Daphne Kwok, current VP of DEI AAPI audience strategy at AARP, formerly appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as Chair of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian American Pacific Islanders.

The speakers discussed their journey to becoming community leaders, early organizing efforts, memorable moments, AAPI representation in government, and advice for future generations.

When discussing his experience organizing as a Japanese American, Igasaki noted the importance of broader racial and pan-ethnic solidarity. “We found that being Asian American made us more powerful. If we worked together, and then worked with other people of color who were fighting discrimination, we were all more powerful,” he said.

Kwok described the AAPI nonprofit community as a “family,” noting that they worked together for decades and have stayed friends ever since. Nash added that they all held different roles but were part of a greater “social justice ecosystem.”

“We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us,” Narasaki said.

For the future generation of AAPI leaders and activists, this is what our panelists say to you:

“Find a way to make a difference, to fight the hardest fights. Find people who will make you believe you can overcome, even though it doesn’t look so good sometimes. Inspiration is something that keeps us going.” – Paul Igasaki

“It’s important to have connections with people you don’t 100% agree with because you learn something when having to defend your own position, and sometimes there are kernels of truth that can help lead you to better strategies, better solutions.” – Karen Narasaki

“Develop a Cultural Competence Toolkit so you can work with a broad range of people and fight against those who are trying to limit us.” – Phil Tajitsu Nash

“I encourage the younger generation to hold more of these sessions with the elders and the OGs to ask about what it was like back then, so people can learn about, appreciate, and take that wisdom to move the community forward.” – Daphne Kwok

Talk Story Director Stan Lou said that the event was a “wonderful example of the importance of maintaining the dialogue between generations within the AAPI community.”

“We have to understand the points of view that are held by the respective older and younger generations in order for us to be united in our efforts to advocate for social justice. We need to be open and authentic with each other, each expressing their views and listening respectfully,” Lou said.

This event was organized and moderated by 1882 Foundation intern Alina Lee. “When I first heard snippets of stories about the early days of AAPI nonprofit work in D.C, I immediately knew this was a story every generation needed to hear. These individuals persisted despite challenges and changed the AAPI experience,” Lee said. “As a young professional, it was an honor to engage in conversation with these trailblazers and learn from them. I hope that the community continues to engage in intergenerational conversations so that we can learn from each other and advance the rights of AAPIs the best we can, all together.” 

The entire event recording is available below:

https://1882foundation.orgwww.youtube.com/watch?v=I31x9b25LwA

Special thanks to speakers Phil Tajitsu Nash, Paul Igasaki, Karen Narasaki, and Daphne Kwok; 1882 Foundation staff; and I Street Conference Center staff for their help and support. 

The 1882 Foundation hosted a joint discussion with Edward Tepporn, director of Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, and Stephen Lean, director of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation’s American Family Immigration History Center, at the I Street Conference Center on Sunday, June 28. 

Addressing over 200 in-person and Zoom attendees, Tepporn and Lean shared the history of their respective immigration processing centers, addressing the operations, roles, and common misconceptions of each. They highlighted notable moments in immigration history, such as the Immigration Act of 1917, Emergency Quota Act of 1921, and National Origins Act of 1924. In addition, they discussed current operations at each museum center.

 

According to Lean, Ellis Island—noted for welcoming the tired and poor—processed about 12 million immigrants when it was in operation. Many immigrants identified as Italian, Jewish, German, or Polish, but there were also a number of people from Pacific Islander, Indian, Korean, and Turkish backgrounds. Initially, most people were processed within a few days, but detention times became longer from the 1920s to 1954, reflecting a political climate more hostile to immigration.

Tepporn said that Angel Island, at its core, was a detention center. About 1 million people were processed in total: 500,000 on their way in, and 500,000 on their way out. The length of detention depended on the person’s country of origin; the standard time was a couple of days, but the Chinese were often detained for a few months, or even up to two years.  

The event ended with a Q&A moderated by 1882 Foundation Executive Director Ted Gong. Audience members asked about the idea of the United States as a “nation of immigrants,” using Ellis Island and Angel Island for genealogy research, experiences of immigrants once they had passed through Ellis Island or Angel Island, and more.

The entire event recording is available below:

https://1882foundation.orgyoutu.be/eicRpzJQFzg

Special thanks to speakers Edward Tepporn and Stephen Lean, 1882 Foundation staff, and I Street Conference Center staff for their help and support.