NAPABA invites you to join us on May 22-23 in Washington, DC for NAPABA’s 12th annual Lobby Day, taking place in-person for the first time in three years!
The NAPABA Annual Lobby Day is an opportunity for NAPABA members from across the country to educate members of Congress and Congressional staffers on issues of importance to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Lobby Day also gives members an active role in promoting NAPABA’s mission of advocating for justice, equity, and opportunity for AAPIs.
Lobby Day activities and events include:
3-Part Training Event
Hill Visits
Happy Hour Debrief
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Congressional Reception (Open to the public. Pre-registration is required.)
On February 25th, 2023, AABANY held its Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic at Homecrest Community Services Bensonhurst Center where dedicated volunteers came together to provide free legal services to the community. In partnership with Homecrest and other community partners, the Clinic provided an opportunity for individuals to meet with attorneys to discuss legal issues related to housing, criminal law, and immigration. The volunteers were able to offer guidance on the legal process, discuss potential legal solutions, and help clients understand their rights.
The Clinic was made possible by volunteers who generously donated their time and expertise to help those in need. These volunteers included attorneys, law students, and our community partners who worked together to make a difference in their community. The Clinic provides vital support to those who may not have the resources to access legal services, and the volunteers’ dedication to pro bono work demonstrates the importance of giving back to those in need.
Please consider joining us at our upcoming clinics:
The Pro Bono Clinic is organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee. To learn more about the Committee’s work visit here. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated volunteers who made the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic such a success:
Thank you AABANY, Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, VNS Chinatown Community Center, and our dedicated volunteers for volunteering on February 18, 2023 at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic! We met 24 clients and discussed issues relating to housing, divorces, and guardianships.
Clients’ surveys included the following feedback:
“These services are much in need for the non-English speaking community.”
“Very happy thx services I got.”
“The lawyers were very nice and professional! Thank you!”
Please consider joining us at our upcoming clinics:
Are you a mid-career attorney looking to cultivate your leadership style and build community? NAPABA invites you to apply for the 2023 NAPABA Leadership Advancement Program (LAP). Seize your opportunity to transform as a leader, ground your career vision, and foster genuine relationships with peers within the profession. Don’t just take our word for how extraordinary the program is, keep reading to hear directly from alumni on just how transformative of an experience it was. Learn more about this year-long experiential program. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2023.
Apply here, and click on the image below for a great testimonial
This AAPI Life is an ode to our rich, lived experiences and how they reflect more broadly across our country. We are making a national call for your stories of what it means to be AAPI. Please join us by submitting your story here.
We plan to share these stories as part of launching This AAPI Life for AAPI Heritage Month in May 2023. If you have any questions, please email Shannon Chang and Rose Yan at [email protected].
WASHINGTON – February 28, 2023. President Joe Biden nominated Julie Ann Su to serve as Secretary of Labor. NAPABA applauds this historic announcement, and endorsed Ms. Su’s nomination earlier this month.
“Julie Su is one of the most qualified individuals to be nominated to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor,” said Sandra Leung, President of NAPABA. “If confirmed, she will be the first Asian American to lead an executive department in the Cabinet of the Biden Administration. We are proud that an accomplished member of the Asian American legal community and NAPABA can serve the country in this role. We thank President Biden for honoring his commitment to diversity within the Administration and urge the Senate to quickly confirm Julie Su as Secretary of Labor.”
“Julie Su is an experienced labor rights advocate and attorney, with a long record of protecting workers’ rights and fighting for social justice,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “She is an experienced leader and public servant who has dedicated her career to protecting the rights of workers of all backgrounds across the country. A recognized leader within the legal and Asian American community, we can think of no better nominee to serve our country.”
In 2014, NAPABA honored Ms. Su with its highest honor, the Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award, which recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of attorneys who have paved the way for the advancement of others in the community.
Ms. Su currently serves as Deputy Secretary of Labor and previously served as California Labor Secretary. She has a demonstrated commitment to public service, having been California Labor Commissioner, Litigation Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, and taught at UCLA Law School and Northeastern Law School. Ms. Su was a recipient of the 2019 American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Award and a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Grant. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Stanford University.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting APA communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.
Thank you AABANY, VNS Chinatown Community Center, and our dedicated volunteers for joining us on January 14, 2023 at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic. Shoutout to Gary Yeung, co-chair of the Mentorship Program, for coming out to our clinics twice in a row!!!
We met with 15 clients who had questions about tort, family law/matrimonial, and housing.
Reading through our client satisfaction surveys, these are the remarks from our clients:
“Just appreciate your advice and services.”
“Made me more comfortable about my situation.”
For all law students/law graduates who are seeking to complete the 50 pro bono hours requirement, remember to reach out to us to get more information about the process and what other projects we have on hand at [email protected].
Please vist the AABANY’s Calendar and sign up for a listing of events and sign up for upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
On January 7, 2023, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and dedicated volunteers staffed the Pro Bono Clinic at AAFE’s Flushing Community Center in Queens, New York.
The clinic met with 14 clients who had questions about tort, contracts, and housing laws.
Clients who filled out the clinic’s satisfaction surveys remarked:
“Hope there are more of these activities. Helps the community greatly.”
“Extremely grateful! Thank you guys very much.”
“Come frequently.”
Volunteering attorneys have asked clinic staffers about how to learn more about areas of law in which they do not practice. The best way to learn about new, developing areas of the law is from other attorneys. AABANY’s Pro Bono clinics are a great chance to connect with other attorneys.
For law students and law school graduates seeking to complete the 50 pro bono hours requirement, remember to reach out to clinic staffers to learn about the requirement fulfillment process and other ongoing projects at [email protected].
Thank you Eugene Kim, co-chair of the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, for bringing the wealthy cupcakes (fat go) to share with the volunteers!
Please check AABANY’s Calendar for a listing of events and the upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
On February 21, Mayor Adams announced the appointment of Muhammad Faridi, past AABANY member, as the first Muslim-American representative to the Handschuh Committee, an oversight panel for police practices to investigate political activity.
AABANY Membership Director, Christopher Bae, attended the Mayor’s announcement in City Hall, and offered the following quote:
“Asian-American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) applauds Mayor Adams for appointing Muhammad Faridi as the civilian representative to the Handschu Committee, the first Muslim-American to hold the role,” said Christopher Bae, membership director, AABANY. “With the Handschu Committee charged to ensure that the NYPD is not improperly investigating the Muslim community, it’s long overdue that the Muslim community have representation on the committee. When a government has full participation from its multiracial and diverse religious communities, we are all better for it.”
Congratulations to Muhammad Faridi on this historic and important appointment. To read the full press release, click here.
Kate Rigg, MC at AABANY’s Annual Dinner, invites everyone to see her latest show. Here’s her full message below:
The event disOrienatlism is coming back to Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater on Feb 28 at 7pm. We all need a boost and it is a great way to uplift our community, because supporting and uplifting Asian American writers and performers help us turn the tide of prejudice that has been eating away at us since the pandemic and before …
If you can’t come, consider buying a seat for a student or artist to support the show! You can email me the seat numbers and I will make sure someone very deserving gets them. But even better I would love to see you!
The show is disOrientalism part 3: Michelle Yeoh vs. Godzilla. It is an incredible night designed to amplify, connect and empower NYC’s best Asian American Artists in one electrifying night of music, comedy, spoken word, dance and variety. The show was created in response to the upswing in racism and xenophobia towards AAPI people during the pandemic. Hosted and curated by legendary American Asian comedian/activist Kate Rigg and former child star turned Broadway Actor and activist Olivia Oguma. #stopasianhate #aapi #asianamericanartist #hellokitty
All tickets only $25 ($20 after applying the discount code).
Use the friends of AABANY discount code “GODZILLA” and HIT THIS LINK.
