Anaheim, CA - The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) celebrated its 25th anniversary convention in Anaheim, California from August 18 to 20, 2017. The convention was attended by close to 650 participants from dozens of unions and community partners who united under the theme “25 Years of Resistance: Organize & Fight.”

Highlights included two separate solidarity actions, including a solidarity march and vigil for those who were killed and injured during the violent KKK and Neo-Nazi demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia. The convention elected Monica Thammarath from the National Education Association as the new APALA President – the youngest National President APALA has elected to date. The other officers elected were Tracy Lai, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Michael Yee, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW); Kim Geron, California Faculty Association; and Johanna Hester, American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) who had served as APALA’s president for the past six years.

The convention also marked the passing of the torch from Greg Cendana who served for seven years as APALA’s executive director, to Alvina Yeh, the new executive director. The convention was also joined by a delegation of two dozen labor and peace activists from Okinawa and Japan who have been mobilizing against the proposed expansion of U.S. military bases on the island of Okinawa. The APALA convention unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the end to U.S. military base expansion on Okinawa. Other international guests were from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Maldives.

Speakers included California State Treasurer John Chiang, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre, AFSCME President Lee Saunders, and Women’s March Co-Chair Linda Sarsour. The 25th anniversary banquet honored Steven Moy from IBEW, Arlene Inouye from AFT, undocumented immigrant youth activist Yves Gomes from UFCW, and SEIU’s Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus.
The “resistance” theme of the convention emphasized APALA’s rejection of Trump’s and his administration’s racism, sexism, and homophobia, and his anti-worker and anti-immigrant positions. The convention delegates represented the rich diversity of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, and brought hundreds of young workers and youth activists to the forefront.

Pre-convention activities included organizing and political training for hundreds of young workers, rank-and- file union activists, and community allies. The convention passed a constitutional amendment to expand the ranks of APALA to include young workers, community allies, and other workers who are not currently union members but who embrace the fight for social and economic justice.

`UAW 2121 from Connecticut attendee and delegate Christopher Nguyen said, "The unity and power I felt from this APALA 25th anniversary convention will remain with me. We're here to stay—and I want our community to be empowered to RESIST, ORGANIZE, AND FIGHT!" 
 
Maria Castaneda, Secretary-Treasurer of 1199SEIU United Health Care Workers East and President of the SEIU API Caucus, commented: "APALA's role to grow the labor movement is vital. Organizing the unorganized, especially immigrant, formerly incarcerated, and young workers, and training rank and file workers into union leadership are so needed to build the power of our community and to broaden our movement to be more inclusive of everyone, including those at the margins." 
 
Donald Tanaka of UA Local 250, a retiree and convention delegate from Gardena, CA, stated, "We must continue to strive to educate and inform workers on the important issues facing our country and our communities. We must work to build out partnerships in the building trades and other industries. Workers must have a voice, and it has to be heard on a national and international scale — APALA is that voice." 
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Jennifer Li of IFPTE Local 21 concluded: "This APALA convention was my first and I am so ready to kick down some doors. This is the first time in the 6 years that I've been in the labor movement that there is a place for me. I've always kept my head down and just did my work, because I knew it would be useless to acknowledge the problems within labor by myself. APALA felt like something I've NEVER felt in labor -- like home."

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Anaheim, CA - The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) elected its new National President Monica Thammarath of the National Education Association (NEA) during its 14th Biennial Convention, “25 Years of Resistance: Organize & Fight,” this past weekend for the 2017-2019 National Executive Board term. President Thammarath is the youngest ever National President to hold this elected office.
 
“APALA has always held a special place in my heart. I am honored to have been elected as the new National President, and I am excited to strengthen our chapters, our community and labor partnerships, and elevate the voices of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers and workers of color everywhere,” stated APALA National President Monica Thammarath.
 
Johanna Puno Hester of the United Domestic Workers, AFSCME Local 3930, who had served as APALA’s president for the past six years, added: “Monica’s drive, commitment, and leadership to APALA is unparalleled. Her heart to bring the broader AAPI community together with the labor movement and her track record as an organizer will be critical to pushing APALA forward as it begins its next twenty five years.”
 
Alvina Yeh, APALA Executive Director, concluded: “I will always be grateful for the leadership of President Emeritus Johanna Puno Hester and outgoing Executive Director Gregory Cendana. Under Monica’s leadership, I am confident that APALA’s future is bright and our path forward for workers is clear. Monica is a champion for our communities, and I can think of no better sister to lead us in the fights we know we will experience ahead.”
 
Thammarath is joined by the other elected officers: Tracy Lai, American Federation of Teachers; Michael Yee, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Kim Geron, California Faculty Association; and Johanna Hester, AFSCME.

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​Anaheim, CA – The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) condemns the brazen acts of hate and violence during the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA this past weekend.  APALA demands for justice for the deceased and all injured and joins thousands of labor partners, advocates and community allies to organize, resist, and fight back in response.
 
Johanna Puno Hester, APALA National President and Assistant Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers, AFSCME Local 3930, stated: “The despicable acts of hate and racism we saw this past weekend cannot be called anything else but acts of terror. To water down the true intent and meaning of such a vitriolic rally is to be complicit in a system that accepts the debasement and dehumanization of communities of color and all marginalized groups.”
 
“We applaud the many peaceful counter protesters who stood shoulder to shoulder in the larger fight to dismantle racism,” commented APALA Executive Director Alvina Yeh. “Moving forward, we must remember the power that our communities have in numbers, especially in these times when our communities are under constant attack. We will not be silenced nor will we back down to the KKK, Neo-Nazis, and the administration, which continues to push policies of white supremacy and nationalism.”
 
Hester concluded: “APALA condemns this ongoing trend of white supremacy, racism, and outright bigotry, and we will continue to partner with coalitions and networks that build power for ours- and allied- communities and work towards a more equitable and just society.”
 
During APALA’s 14th Biennial Convention, APALA will be holding a vigil in solidarity of the deceased and the injured at the Hilton Anaheim on Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 7:00pm. Please join us and send a message that the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and our allies will not accept racism and acts of hate and violence. Click here to RSVP.

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