In conjunction with Pushing Boundaries, we’re spotlighting local organizations and groups that advocate for Asian and Pasifika communities. Hear their on-air spots throughout the month of May and learn more about how they're making a difference in the community.
Based in South King County, UTOPIA Washington provides services to our Queer and Trans communities across Washington state. Their Mapu Maia Clinic provides free access to gender-affirming care, health and harm reduction tools, mental health services, primary care, and peer support groups. They approach their work through an intersectional and cultural lens as UTOPIA is founded and led by Pasifika trans women who identify as Faʻafafine, a cultural identity native to Samoa. UTOPIA also provides cultural workshops, youth programs, legal and immigration support, as well as systems and policy work.
To learn more, visit www.utopiawa.org
Massage Parlor Outreach Project is a grassroots formation of Asian/Asian American community members organizing to provide support for migrant Asian massage parlor workers, sex workers, and care workers in the Seattle Chinatown/International District and greater Seattle area. Our goal is to build worker power through organizing and leadership development. We connect workers to local resources, assist with language access, and provide political education and other training to increase community safety and multiracial solidarity, centering those who face the harms of gender-based violence, colonization, and criminalization.
To learn more, visit www.mpopsea.org.
The Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Awareness Group (APICAG), founded by Andres "Andy" Pacificar in the early 90s at Clallam Bay Corrections Center, was borne out of necessity when there were no true resources for a growing population of API prisoners -- many of whom were non-English speakers, and still struggling with the traumas of a refugee's journey. With chapters statewide, they provide prisoners with a platform for true growth and liberation through cultural preservation -- while building community and creating safe spaces for healing. They have been united by the love for their people, a radical love for themselves, and a hope for something better. Read APICAG's Felix Sitthivong writings here.
