The Next 45 Years and Beyond
Dear friends,
After nearly 17 years away, I am thrilled to be back in the Pacific Northwest and to serve as ACRS’ new executive director. I want to take a moment to thank Diane Narasaki who retired after 23 years of incredible service to ACRS and to this community. She’s a fierce advocate who has made a lasting impact to advance civil rights, equity and social justice. She transitions leaving an organization stronger than ever. For this, I’m grateful to her.
As I begin in this position, I think about ACRS’ 45 years of service to the community and what it means. At the recent 45th anniversary gala, I learned very quickly the answer to that question. There, I saw the presence of an electrified crowd of 850+ friends, community leaders and members, elected officials, past and present staff and board members, volunteers, donors, as well as leaders from our region’s finest academic, corporate and philanthropic institutions. Their presence demonstrated that ACRS is about the power of our community and how much we can accomplish when we all work together. And through this collective community effort, ACRS has become what it is today – a major advocacy voice for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and other communities of color or vulnerability – as well as a leader in linguistically accessible, culturally relevant services.
I appreciate how ACRS is about all of us and reflect on my own 15 year tenure leading a very similar agency in Ohio working with a passionate and committed AAPI community. In Cleveland, I saw firsthand how working side-by-side with community members and leaders, policymakers, and other key allies that we were able to create a health center for AAPI immigrant and refugee communities so they no longer needed to take a midnight bus to New York City to access care in their language and care that recognized their cultural background. There, too, AAPI communities fulfilled their vision to have a stronger advocacy voice, and came together from all corners of the state of Ohio to organize the annual AAPI Legislative Day to communicate with our policymakers about the needs of the community.
We are at a very challenging moment in our history that will test our community’s resolve. The Muslim ban last year has resulted in members of our Muslim community feeling unsafe. The increased presence and action of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) means the separation and detention of parents and their children. There are also proposed changes at the federal level that will make it more difficult for our community members with limited means to apply to become a U.S. citizen, or force lower income AAPI families to choose between accessing basic public assistance of food, healthcare, and housing or becoming a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). Hate crimes against our community and others are also on the rise – a recent Seattle Times article using data from the FBI indicates a dramatic rise in our area; faster than the national average. Lastly, there continues to be threats to the most vulnerable members of our community, including transgender people, who are members of our families and our friends, as proposed policy changes seek to eliminate the recognition of transgender people.
Over the next year, I look forward to meeting with and listening to our community, ethnic and faith-based partners who are working on the frontlines with ACRS at the local, regional, state and national levels, our elected officials, leaders and members of our Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, along with our business, academic and philanthropic partners. To better understand and appreciate how the organization makes such an incredible difference in the lives of so many people, I will spend time with our staff, board, donors, volunteers and those who are served by ACRS’ programs and services. The future will be full of many one-on-one conversations, community discussions about the key policy issues and priorities, and other opportunities to work together on shared values.
As ACRS moves forward into the next 45 years and beyond, we will continue to advance immigrant and refugee rights; AAPI engagement and inclusion in the upcoming Census; protection of AAPI and other vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted by unhealthy air quality and global warming threatening the homelands of our people from the Pacific Islands; law enforcement reform and police accountability to ensure our communities feel safe and experience improved police relations; and other emerging issues that directly impact our community.
Just as Diane worked hard to defend and protect the services, programs and rights long fought for by our community, I am committed to doing the same. The resilience and resolve of this amazing community are strengths stemming from our roots. Together, we will ensure that we uphold and protect our American values of democracy, equity, fairness, diversity and civil and human rights. Together, we will prevail and create a brighter future free of hatred, bigotry, racism, and homophobia. I look forward to the opportunity
to work with you.
With deep gratitude and respect,
Michael Byun
Executive Director
