Washington, DC: The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) unveiled its "Uncovering Our Stories" campaign today. The campaign highlights experiences of Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people with the broken immigration system and is part of NQAPIA's efforts to mobilize communities around comprehensive immigration reform. As Congress adjourns for the August recess, NQAPIA is working in local communities to bring our stories forward and call for real reform that includes all our families.
As a federation of LGBT AAPI organizations, NQAPIA seeks to build the capacity of local LGBT AAPI organizations, invigorate grassroots organizing, develop leadership, and challenge homophobia, racism, and anti-immigrant bias. "Uncovering Our Stories" brings a broader diversity of stories previously ignored to the national debate on comprehensive immigration reform. The campaign notably articulates the honest and raw voices of people in our communities and puts a human face to the policy debate calling for change, including:
-a path to citizenship for the undocumented;
-expanded visa programs for non-immigrant workers and students;
-legal protections for immigrants; a streamlined process to apply for political asylum; and
-protection of family immigration, including extending family sponsorship for adult children, siblings, and same-sex couples.
"Uncovering Our Stories" is a multi-media campaign that includes personal videos and compelling narratives on the NQAPIA website: http://www.nqapia.org/wpp/programs-campaigns/uncovering-our-stories/
"As communities that face overlapping forms of discrimination such as racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and transphobia, we are redefining what it means to be affected by immigration reform," said Ben de Guzman, NQAPIA Co-Director for Programs. "Our 'Uncovering Our Stories' campaign is a multi-media collection of stories with folks from across the country to fight the stereotype that immigration reform only affects immigrants and non-citizens. As an Asian American, LGBT U.S. Citizen who is part of our campaign, Linda Khoy shouldn't be told that the current immigration laws do not threaten to tear her family apart while her sister Lundy awaits deportation. The complexities these stories reveal are reflective of the complicated lives immigrants, non-citizens and citizens alike lead in the U.S. and the need for reform."
At this key moment in history while immigration reform moves warily through Congress, our stories aim to bring attention to the urgency of policy reform to both our communities and our lawmakers. To access these stories, go to our website: www.nqapia.org/wpp/programs-campaigns/uncovering-our-stories/ .
