The United Asian American Organizations is established to work in unity with various Asian/Pacific Islander American groups on campus to provide education on issues facing Asian/Pacific Islander Americans, to promote awareness of Asian/Pacific Islander American cultures, and to establish a communication core for the Asian/Pacific American organizations and individuals at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
TRACK 1
United Asian American Organizations (UAAO)
The important work of activists in the Civil Rights Movement is often forgotten. This workshop will explore A/PIA activism and solidarity in the Civil Rights Movement, investigating important work from leaders such as Grace Lee Boggs and Yuri Kochiyama. Grace Lee Boggs used nonviolent strategies to fight for racial and economic justice in the Civil Rights and Black Power Movement. After her experiences living in an internment camp, American political activist Yuri Kochiyama was empowered to be a Civil Rights leader in hopes that the rights of minorities would not be violated and their voices not silenced. She also nurtured and supported immigrants and worked closely with Malcolm X throughout the Black Liberation Movement.
Uncover: A/PIA
Speak Up, Speak Out: Reworking Activism Through Social Media
Uncover: A/PIA provides a platform for members of our communities to share their narratives with the focus of promoting awareness of the Asian/Pacific Islander American (A/PIA) experience and encouraging conversations about A/PIA issues.
From our experience of reaching out to potential writers for Uncover, the most common response we receive is “I don’t have a story to share.” We push back against this notion: Each experience is unique and valid. In this interactive workshop, our goal is to help participants recognize that everyone has a story worth sharing. We aim to encourage discussion amongst participants about the value of sharing personal narratives. We also hope to encourage participants to use Uncover and other social media spaces as platforms to incorporate activism into their everyday lives. Oftentimes, social media activism is frowned upon for its perceived ineffectiveness. However, through our workshop, we hope to show how social media activism can act as a starting point in raising awareness about various social issues, and that it can lead into further engagement with social justice past social media.
Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA)
Social Justice 101
Using the lens of race and ethnicity, MESA engages the campus community and transforms the student experience to build inclusive spaces and equitable opportunities for all.
What is social justice? What about diversity, inclusion, and equity? What are these buzzwords? And why is social justice important to the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APID/A) Community? Come learn about the world of social justice as it relates to the APID/A community in this workshop. This workshop is intended for those wanting to explore their understanding of social justice and is meant to be introductory.