For Immediate Release
December 5, 2013
Contact: Emily Kessel, eakessel@nakasec.org, 651-399-9016
NAKASEC fasters meet with Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and Democratic Leader Pelosi
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Day 23 of the Fast for Families Campaign, DJ Yoon, Executive Director of NAKASEC and Reverend Eun-Sang Lee, a Methodist minister from Utah and NAKASEC board member, met with members of Congress at the Capitol to share why they are fasting with Eliseo Medina of SEIU, Cristian Avila of Mi Familia Vota, and Lisa Sharon Harper of Sojourners and to seek support for immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship and preserves family unity.
DJ Yoon said: “I thanked CAPAC Chair Judy Chu for her unwavering support of me during my fast, and for visiting the Fast4Families tent three times over the past three weeks. CAPAC’s leadership has been critical to the congressional debate on immigration reform. At today’s meeting, we renewed our commitment to work together to ensure that AAPI voices are a part of the continuing the movement to pass comprehensive immigration reform and that the stories of our families are not forgotten.”
During the meeting with the CAPAC (Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus), Congresswoman Judy Chu stated: “For more than three weeks, DJ Yoon placed his own health and well-being on the line to draw attention to the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform. As he and three others endured 22 days of deprivation, the conscience of our nation was touched and the plight of families being torn apart was front and center once again. As Christian, Lisa, Eliseo and DJ pass the fast onto a new group of champions for reform, I stand firmly with their cause and dedication. And as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I will work to ensure the needs of the AAPI community are addressed in any reform package. Together, we will continue the fight to keep families together.”
Reverend Eun-Sang Lee, who met with Leader Nancy Pelosi before the CAPAC meeting, commented: “Yesterday, DJ passed his fast to me after 22 days. I am honored to continue this act of moral consciousness and push forward on our goal of getting humane and just immigration reform. This afternoon, I had the chance to meet with Leader Pelosi and was encouraged by her steadfast commitment to immigration reform. She shared with us that as a representative of a district that has such a vibrant immigrant community; her belief in immigration reform and keeping families together is in her soul. She said that she believes strongly that like the nourishment that the fasters are now taking in, immigrants are nourishment for the United States.”
With today’s news about Congressman Joe Kennedy’s passing of the fast for immigration reform to Congressman Juan Vargas (D-CA), the “Fast for Families” effort to inspire religious, labor, political, civil rights, and youth leaders to take action continues to grow.
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The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) was founded in 1994 by local community centers to project a progressive voice and promote the full participation of Korean Americans on major social justice issues. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center) and Los Angeles (Korean Resource Center).
