Community Forces Global Asian Studies (GLAS) at UIC

In this episode, we learn about the significance of Asian American youth development and mentorship from Wasinee Siewsrichol, a UIC student who drew on her relationships in her local Thai community as part of her internship with Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago, and Steve Hosik Moon, Wasinee’s mentor.
 
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago is the leading pan-Asian organization in the Midwest, with a mission to empower the Asian American community through advocacy, research, education, and coalition-building.
To learn more, visit advancingjustice-chicago.org
Participating in the Kansha Project organized by the Chicago Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League comprised an important step on Wasinee’s path to becoming an advocate.The Kansha Project brings young adults from the Midwest on an immersive educational trip to Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood and the Manzanar National Historic Site. Through workshops with local experts and community activists, historical tours, and group reflections, participants work to interpret and promote the stories, lessons, and the legacy of the Japanese American confinement site experience. More information is available at jaclchicago.org/programs/kansha-project/ 
 
Steve gained valuable insights about the connections between educational institutions and communities, and how students can influence their own education and shape the universities they are part of while pursuing his MA in Asian American Studies at UCLA. Learn more about UCLA’s Asian American Studies program at asianam.ucla.edu. 
 
Steve described how the mentorship of Glenn Omatsu (whose work also influenced the name of our podcast!) impacted his approach to youth development and community organizing. Glenn continues to teach at California State University, Northridge.
 
Recommended reading by Glenn Omatsu includes: 
Omatsu, Glenn, "The 'Four Prisons' and the Movements of Liberation: Asian American Activism from the 1960s to the 1990s." In Asian American Studies Now: A Critical Reader, edited by Jean Yu-wen Shen Wu and Thomas C. Chen, Rutgers University Press, 2010: 298-330.
Omatsu, Glenn, “Listening to the Small Voice Speaking the Truth: Grassroots Organizing and the Legacy of Our Movement.” In Asian Americans: The Movement and the Moment, edited by Steve Louie and Glenn Omatsu. Los Angeles: UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press: 2006: 306-316.
 
As a firm believer that young people have led, are leading, and will lead the movements for positive social change that make our world more just and equitable, Steve Moon supports the urban arts youth development organization Kuumba Lynx as a board member.  Visit kuumbalynx.com to learn more about what they do.
 
Community Forces is a project of the Global Asian Studies (GLAS) program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). To learn more about course offerings and ways to get involved with GLAS, visit glas.uic.edu
 
Community Forces was created by Dr. Karen Su and Dr. Corinne Kodama, and this episode was produced by Sarah Eli Lu with production help from Caroline Lee and Lubna Shah.
For more information on internship opportunities with Asian American community organizations, visit go.uic.edu/GLASinternships . 
 
Ari Schwartz composed our theme music. To connect with Ari, visit ariharp.com
 
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions, sessions.blue
 
Hana Choi designed our logo. To follow Hana, visit her youtube channel
 
For full episode transcripts and more Community Forces content, visit go.uic.edu/CommunityForces

As an intern with the Japanese American Service Committee (JASC) in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, Pablo Cisneros finds meaningful connections between his own experiences as a Mexican-American, Chicano identified child of immigrants and the histories of Japanese Americans. 
 
The Japanese American Service Committee 
 
Formed in 1946, the Japanese American Service Committee (JASC) was created to serve the needs of approximately 20,000 Japanese Americans who were forcibly moved to the city following incarceration by the U.S Government’s War Relocation Authority during WWII. Many needed support to find employment, housing, religious services and education as they “resettled” to Chicago after living in internment camps.



The JASC remains an important resource for the Chicagoland Japanese American community, and currently provides social services for seniors, and a range of cultural and educational programs for children and adults. 
 
To learn more about the Japanese American Service Committee, visit jasc-chicago.org
 
Tsuru for Solidarity
 
For more information about Tsuru for Solidarity, a nonviolent, direct action project of Japanese American social justice advocates working to end detention sites and support front-line immigrant and refugee communities, visit tsuruforsolidarity.org
 
Tsuru Rising, June 6-7, 2020
 
Tsuru Rising was a virtual protest aimed at ending the detention of migrant children at the U.S./Mexico Border in June 2020. For video highlights and to learn more, visit tsuruforsolidarity.org/tsururising2/
 
See Pablo Cisneros’ marketing and design work on his portfolio page (link), where you can also get in touch.
 
Special thanks to:
 
Joan Ambo
Naomi Negi Sensei
Kay Kawaguchi
JJ Ueunten
 
Community Forces is a project of the Global Asian Studies (GLAS) program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). To learn more about course offerings and ways to get involved with GLAS, visit glas.uic.edu
 
Community Forces was created by Dr. Karen Su and Dr. Corinne Kodama, and this episode was produced by Sarah Eli Lu with production help from Caroline Lee and Lubna Shah.
 
For more information on internship opportunities with Asian American community organizations, visit go.uic.edu/GLASinternships . 
 
Ari Schwartz composed our theme music. To connect with Ari, visit ariharp.com
 
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions, sessions.blue

Hana Choi designed our logo. To follow Hana, visit her youtube channel
 
For show notes, full episode transcripts and more Community Forces content, visit go.uic.edu/CommunityForces

In this episode of Community Forces, we hear from a diverse range of students serving Asian American communities in Chicago and some of the community leaders that they work with.
 
The busy UIC quad bustling with people eager to make connections at the beginning of the 2019 school year provided the ideal setting to kick off the Community Forces podcast. The Asian American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) organized an ice cream social to connect UIC students with opportunities for community engagement and to welcome students to campus. Representatives of the 40+ registered Asian American-interest student organizations at UIC, Asian American serving community organizations, as well as campus resources interacted with new and returning students curious about opportunities to learn about, uplift, and engage Asian American community.
 
Featured Organizations:
 
Anakbayan, Anakbayan Chicago Chapter Instagram: @anakbayan_chicago
 
Arab American Cultural Center at UIC
 
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago
 
HANA Center
 
Project Vision
 
Special thanks to: 
 
The Asian American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) at UIC
Abby Mohann
Glo Choi
Niha Ahmad
Renae Mijares Encinas
Anita Das 
Anish Tailor
 
Community Forces is a project of the Global Asian Studies (GLAS) program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). To learn more about course offerings and ways to get involved with GLAS, visit glas.uic.edu
 
Community Forces was created by Dr. Karen Su and Dr. Corinne Kodama, and this episode was produced by Sarah Eli Lu with production help from Caroline Lee and Lubna Shah.
 
For more information on internship opportunities with UIC campus units and Asian American community organizations, visit go.uic.edu/GLASinternships. 
 
Ari Schwartz composed our theme music. To connect with Ari, visit ariharp.com
 
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more at sessions.blue

Hana Choi designed our logo. To follow Hana, visit her youtube channel
For full episode transcripts and more Community Forces content, visit go.uic.edu/CommunityForces