“True liberation comes from recognizing and embracing our interconnectedness.” -Yuri Kochiyama February is significant not only because we celebrate Black History Month, but also because we join countries around the world in celebrating the Lunar New Year. I can’t think of a better time to reflect on the importance of racial solidarity than on the…
Last month, we met with our Operations & Development Coordinator, Thy Vu, to help us kick off the new year. Thy shared about how she came to work at New Breath Foundation, what kind of work she does as Operations and Development Coordinator, and what she looks forward to in 2024. Thy is based in…
I want to embrace the New Year with an open mind and heart. The year will bring me my freedom! May I be free. – Eddy Zheng, 2002 I wrote these words on December 31, 2002, while in solitary confinement, or “the Hole.” This was my second time in the Hole, where I stayed for…
We sat down with NBF Board Member McArthur “Mac” Hoang, who joined the Board earlier this year and now serves on the NBF Fundraising Committee. We asked Mac about his relationship with NBF and experiences serving on the Board. We are in deep gratitude to Mac for his service and for sharing his reflections with…
“I now understand the need for affirmative action,” my mother said after the 1988 U.S. presidential election. As a first-generation immigrant from Japan, she lacked context and knowledge of U.S. history—until this election laid bare the extent of white privilege that enabled Dan Quayle to become Vice President of the United States. I am a…
In the past three years, I have driven across the continent five times, visited cities and states I’ve never seen before, met with dozens of organizations around the country, and learned so much about incredible and diverse AANHPI communities fighting systemic violence and racism. During the ongoing pandemic, at a time when so many people…
Earlier this year, we sat down with Micky Huihui, Executive Director of Hawai’i People’s Fund (HPF), an organization that exists to specifically address the needs of grassroots progressive movement building in Hawai’i. Established in 1972, they are a model for progressive social change and participatory, activist-advised grantmaking. Micky is the first Native Hawaiian ED at…
My name is Ly Ia. I am currently a 3rd-year student at UC Berkeley, majoring in Asian and Asian American Diaspora Studies. For 9 months of the school year, I had the pleasure of working at New Breath Foundation (NBF) as a Fellow through MOVE, an Asian American community organizing fellowship program. During my fellowship,…
Happy New Breath, all my relations. I hope this message finds you and your loved ones healthy and safe during this life-changing time with COVID-19 and shelter-in-place. As reality sinks in forcing us to adjust to a new way of living, I reflect on the 11 months I spent in San Quentin’s solitary confinement. The…
The COVID-19 crisis has added to the tension, racism, and hatred that has already existed across our communities. In light of this, New Breath Foundation joins Revolve Impact and AAPI Women Lead in addressing the systemic and community-centered ways that we can end anti-Asian, xenophobic, anti-Black, sexist, homophobic, anti-indigenous, and transphobic violence. Please read our…