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CALL TO ACTION: AAPI’s Support Child Refugees

By August 14, 2014No Comments

Before heading off to a five-week recess, Congress chose to ignore the suffering of unaccompanied refugee children facing expedited deportations and living in detention facilities. National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) are asking Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to stand in solidarity with the children and families under attack by House of Representatives, which most recently voted to deport children back to their deaths. Like our Central American brothers and sisters, AAPI communities have overcome similar challenges, such as fleeing war and violence as refugees, and combating xenophobia, language barriers, and prejudice here in the United States. We must stand in solidarity to show compassion for these children and their parents. As Americans, we must put politics aside and provide humanitarian relief to the refugee children fleeing escalating violence in their native countries.

Here’s how you can help amplify the call to protect children:

1) Engage: Help us build a groundswell of support from AAPIs for refugee children and families by submitting your story or photo message by Friday, August 29 to present to Congress when they return from recess: http://aapi-refugee-solidarity.tumblr.com/

Below is a sample for those who’d like to share their messages:

“Hello-
As the daughter of a Vietnamese refugee & Korean immigrant, I wish you continuing strength and courage. Like my parents’ journey, yours is not without struggle, and I adore your bravery and resilience. I would not be here without my family’s sacrifices & vision for a better future; it is without a doubt that hope and optimism also lie within you. Stay in the light.
LOVE & RESPECT,
-Melanie
NAPAWF*Colorado”

2) Educate: Use the 2014 National Immigration Scorecard to find out if your Congressmember supports fair and humane immigration reform, and let them know you care about human rights and due process for all immigrant and refugee children and families.

3) Act: Sign a postcard to President Obama demanding administrative relief inclusive of protecting refugee children and DACA recipients as part of NAKASEC’s national postcard campaign.

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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).

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