OPINION
Page 6 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
April 18, 2016
Volume 26 Number 8
April 18, 2016
ISSN: 1094-9453
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n Dmae Roberts
New ‘Voices of Change’
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’ve spent the bulk of my career in public radio ethnicities and cultures. This includes a great many
and nonprofit theatre, so I can personally young community activists and leaders.
attest to the difficulty of bringing varied Asian
One of APANO’s predominantly young staffers is
American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities community-engagement manager Luann Algoso.
together to listen to programs or attend perfor- She started as an APANO intern while completing
mances. When I produce a
her graduate program in con-
Chinese or Japanese stage
flict resolution at Portland
play, some AAPI groups do
State
University.
Algoso
not connect with it. If an event
organized the first female
focuses on the Hawai’ian or
Asian and Pacific Islander
Tongan community, Asian
standup comedy show in
Americans rarely turn out. It
Portland in collaboration with
has been frustrating figuring
Dis/orient/ed Comedy. Shortly
out how to bring together
after that event, she was hired
pan-AAPI communities to
as a part-time communica-
support each other, whether
tions associate and worked on
it’s a film, radio documentary,
a
story-collection
project
or stage play.
focused on health equity.
One group that seems to be Members and supporters of the Asian Pacific
Similar to many people on
able to bring together many of American Network of Oregon (APANO) are seen
APANO’s staff, Algoso always
Oregon’s
diverse
ethnic at a gathering of the organization. APANO reaches
wanted to work in social jus-
groups is APANO, the Asian out to Asian American and Pacific Islander commu- tice and loves being able to
Pacific American Network of nities to improve the lives of children and families
work with and for AAPI com-
Oregon. APANO began in by helping change public policy. (Photo courtesy
munities in Oregon. When she
1996 under the leadership of of the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon)
moved from Anaheim, Califor-
Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons with the support of the nia, she recognized that Portland “wasn’t a very
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization; racially diverse city.” She said APANO was the first
in 2010, APANO acquired its 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization her classmates “highly recommend-
status. According to Santos-Lyons, the main focus of ed.” Now she manages its communications as well
the group is to improve the lives of children and as some fundraising, arts, and culture programs.
families by helping change public policy. He said
Algoso also organizes arts and media community
he’s particularly proud of the group’s efforts to events held in the group’s temporary event space —
secure healthcare access for “immigrants and JAMS — also known as the Jade/APANO
low-wage workers, and statewide legislation to Multicultural Space. It is located in the former
improve K-12 English Language Learner (ELL) Banner Furniture Outlet building at the
programs for our kids.”
intersection of S.E. 82nd Avenue and Division
When APANO moved its office from the Leftbank Street. The space will soon be filled with attendees
to the Jade District on S.E. 82nd Avenue in of APANO’s annual “Voices of Change” Asian
Portland, the organization grew not only in staff Heritage Month celebration and fundraiser, at
size, but gained a presence in the neighborhood to which the organization honors youth who have,
address displacement and social-justice issues. It according to Algoso, “demonstrated leadership in
also drew the attention of young people who their community.” The group also bestows the
participated in arts and media events as well as “Minoru Yasui Voices of Change” award (named in
leadership-development programs.
honor of the Oregon attorney who challenged the
Santos-Lyons, however, said APANO isn’t known constitutionality of a curfew on Japanese
only in Portland. The organization brought notice Americans in Portland at the beginning of World
outside of Oregon with its “Oregon Motor Voter” and War II) to recognize an Oregonian who has
“Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion” campaign promoted civil liberties throughout their lifetime.
wins last year, which he said were “big milestones in
As a longtime southeast Portland resident, I can
the organization’s history.”
attest to the impact APANO’s presence in the Jade
APANO has successfully gathered pan-AAPI District has had in the neighborhood. Their JADE/
communities. The group’s staff and volunteers, Midway Placemaking arts residencies and events
along with the audiences at its arts and outreach have created an invigorated focus on gentrification
events, tend to be diverse and bring together many
Continued on page 7
I
Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication.