Week 1: Looking Back--A Historical Perspective

Tues. (6/16) @ 12-1: A Brief History of Allyship and Division Between Asian & Black Communities in the U.S.

Introduction: Dale Minami

Speakers: 

Prof. Bill Hing, University of San Francisco School of Law

Prof. Daniel Widener, University of California, San Diego

Thurs. (6/18) @ 1-2: Asian Solidarity and Division in the Age of COVID-19 and BLM

As moderated by Zathrina Perez, Professor Russell Jeung will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and Black Lives Matter on the relationship between the APA and Black communities. The presentation will include a discussion on the Peter Liang and Tou Thao police cases. Russell Jeung is Chair and Professor, Asian American Studies at the San Francisco State University. Zathrina Perez is President of the California Asian Pacific American Bar Association (Cal-APABA).

Week 2 : Looking Forward--Hate Crimes & Police Reform

Tues. (6/23) @ 12-1, the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association (SCCLA) Presents: "Hate Crimes: Then And Now"

Moderator: Vicki Chou, Hueston Hennigan LLP

Speakers:

Mack Jenkins, AUSA, Chief of the Public Corruption, Civil Rights Section

Manjusha P. Kulkarni, Executive Director, A3PCON

Brian Sun, Of Counsel at Jones Day – former AUSA, Deputy General Counsel to the Christopher Commission

It has been over 25 years since the Rodney King acquittals and the Christopher Commission, which was convened to address issues with the LAPD, yet how much has really changed? Join our panelists to discuss the history of hate crimes in our country, including those that have been inflicted on Asian Americans. What lessons have we learned? What can we do to prepare for or address the hate crimes to come?

Moderator: Kristy Young Coleman, Goodwin 

Speakers: 

Alisa Blair, Deputy Public Defender at Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office

George Gascón, Former San Francisco District Attorney and Former LAPD Assistant Chief of Police

Erin Haney – Senior Counsel at Cut50

John Rappaport, Asst. Professor, U. of Chicago School of Law

Week 3 : Looking Outward--Allyship Strategies 

Tues. (6/30) @ 12-1:  Together We Rise: Areas of Solidarity for Asian and Black Communities.

Sung Yeon Choimorrow, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum

Diane Fujino, UC Santa Barbara

Paul Jung, API RISE

Audee Kochiyama-Holman, Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus

Thurs. (7/2) @12-1:  Beyond Allyship: The Case for Repeal of Prop 209  

David Chiu, California State Assembly

Vincent Pan, Chinese for Affirmative Action

Eva Paterson, Equal Justice Society

Moderator: Lisa Mak, Minami Tamaki LLP

Week 4: Looking Inward--Addressing Anti-Blackness

Tues. (7/7) @ 12-1:30, Presented by Rudhir Krishtel: Working With Our Anti-Black Racism

Anti-Black racism is a pervasive part of American life, including in the APA community. It’s time to take a look inward. Let's investigate the Anti-Black racism in our own community. This is where "the work" starts.

In this workshop, we will generate a mindful dialogue around understanding and being with this reality. What false narratives have we internalized, and why? How can we shift this sentiment within ourselves and those around us? This progress comes from within and will emanate outwards to have a positive impact on your communities and the world at large. We will offer different tools, practices and perspectives on ways to address our own Anti-Black racism and explore your own path within this journey. Within this broader toolkit, you'll find the tools that and perspectives that are right for you.

Getting a better understanding of our constructs on race is a heavy task to take on, but a burden that we urgently need to share. Let's work together, learn as a community how problematic narratives that harm Black people also harm the APA community, and explore ways of shifting these narratives to ultimately make progress towards eliminating anti-Black racism and create a world where everyone can flourish.