The SEIU 1021 API Caucus invited union siblings to the Just Dance Ballroom in Oakland last Friday, May 29, for a beautiful celebration filled with food, photos, guest speeches, and dances. The colorful festivities included performances that have roots from China, the Philippines, and even a drag show celebrating the queer Asian community. 

“It was a huge success,” said SEIU 1021 API Caucus Chair Yeon Park. ”We really appreciate our guest speakers Barbara Lee and Aisha Wahab, two women breaking the ceiling for women’s rights as well as showing their commitment to cross cultural solidarity.” 

This year’s theme was “Together We Are Golden: Our Moment to Shine,” inspired by the wildly popular KPop Demon Hunters movie. The movie highlighted values aligned with the API Caucus values, encouraging API members to get active and be proud of their heritage by stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight—just as the soundtrack’s top song goes, “We’re going up, up, up it’s our moment… you know together we’re glowin’, gonna be gonna be golden. I’m done hiding, now I’m shining like we’re born to be.”

“So this “Golden” theme is really a testament to how far our AAPI community has come,” said Mariette Shin the Marin area representative on the SEIU 1021 Executive Board. “However, in my life I have noticed that many Asian Americans are too timid to step out of the shadows and speak up, mostly due to their Asian cultural influences that advise reserved behavior and avoiding conflict, but also due to the fear of racial backlash. In Korea’s last Joseon dynasty, women were not allowed to speak up in public or hold any public offices. They were shut down and told to be quiet, and any violations brought severe punishment.  But we’re not in the Joseon Dynasty anymore! And it’s time to break out of those chains and emerge fully out of the shadows. Be confident, speak up and shine!”

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee shared that her own stepmother was a Japanese woman who helped raise her, and that she vows to protect residents against Asian hate. “It’s something no one tolerates in this city, we stand in solidarity and beside you to beat back any hate that permeates the API community. Oakland is such a beautiful city because we have so many people with roots and ancestors in other countries. You are such an important part of the fabric of this city.”

While State Senator Aisha Wahab of the East Bay, who is running for Congress, reminded the group that Afghani people like herself are also part of the Asian community. “When we saw the immigration raids happen in L.A. and then had the threat in the summer in the Bay Area I was the first to say, ‘are we going to translate in all of our different languages?’”

SEIU 1021 member and San Francisco park ranger Makoto Valdez shared personal stories of growing up Asian American, saying, “I am proudly half Japanese as well as Oceana and Filipino. I am named after my Japanese great grandpa who was forced to be quiet and felt shame around their Japanese heritage after WWII. Coming to the U.S., my family was kept in internment camps. Later on, my mother clung to as much of that culture as she could – keeping the tradition alive how most people do - in the kitchen cooking up a storm.”

Together the community learned about one another and their traditions while enjoying food, dessert, song, and dance.