Los Angeles lawyer, special needs advocate finds strength in her roots
Many of us have a motto that we live by or a saying that has greatly influenced the course of our life.
This is especially true for 48-year- old Areva Martin, whose candid, yet critical outlook on life has not only lead to her success as one of Los Angeles’ premier lawyers, authors and TV personalities, but also has inspired others to adopt the spirit of resiliency and advocacy that has made her one of today’s most respected agents of change.
Read more in the November full issue of shades …
Singer uses her voice to empower women, help young girls avoid sex trafficking world
Originally published in Shades magazine
Kwanzaa Jones never aspired to become a professional athlete; nor does she consider herself one.
Yet, she has done some serious trekking for a woman in her 30’s – she’s climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, strutted
down the catwalk as Miss Baltimore, walked across the graduation stage at Princeton University and onto the performance stage with R&B sensations Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige.
So, where is Jones’ next journey taking her?
Jones is more than likely to be found running through the track list for her soon-to-be-released album ‘Supercharged!’ or huddled with a pack of middle and high school students at the Neighborhood Youth Association in Los Angeles. The singer, musician, mentor, community activist and lawyer is everything, but a pro-athlete – yet she has the stamina and can-do mentality of a marathon runner.
With a discography of fist pumping hits and an active role in the “Girls Are Not For Sale” campaign – a nationwide anti- sex trafficking initiative hosted by GEMS – Girls Education and Mentoring Services – Jones continues to show the world what empowerment looks and sounds like.
In a recent interview with shades Magazine, Jones spoke to us about her music, activism and inspiration.
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Women2Watch: Soccer star Kai makes game look easy
Article originally published in shades Magazine
Photo Credit: boydbrooks999 in Waikiki
Winning an Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer – check.
Becoming Hawaii’s first female professional soccer player – check.
Placing Hawaii and women’s professional soccer on everyone’s radar – check, and check.
At 27-years-old, superstar athlete Natasha Kai has a lot to check off on a very exceptional “to-do” list. As a seasoned record setter on the soccer field, Kai has become one of the top goal scorers in the Women’s Professional Soccer League and remains the all-time leading goal scorer for women’s soccer at the University of Hawaii and in the Western Athletic Conference.
Equally as stunning is the publicity and following Kai has garnered off of the field with her electrifying character. With her edgy fashion sense and sporting 40 tattoos throughout her body, the soccer icon holds yet another record – she is the most heavily tattooed player in the Women’s Professional Soccer League.
In the midst of becoming one of the most recognized women soccer players in the world, Kai’s appeal has managed to double itself, partly due to a large lesbian fan base. And it’s no wonder soccer fans love her – the champion continues to enchant the world and inspire us to find out how far our own passion and discipline can take us.
Introducing Natasha Kai.
Q: How did you becoming interested in pursuing soccer professionally?
A: When I was 5-years-old, my dream was to play on the U.S. Olympic soccer team. I remember watching the Olympics and telling my dad that I was going to win a gold medal one day, and because he was my dad, he told me, ‘yeah, you can do anything you want.’ Never in a million years did I think it was possible or that I’d have the opportunity to achieve that dream … and I never let anyone stop me from believing what I could and could not do.
Q: You are the first Hawaiian national to play women’s soccer in the Olympics, let alone come out with a gold medal. How does it feel to fly the flag?
A: I think it’s awesome, not only for me, but for the whole state of Hawaii. I am just a small portion of so much talent in Hawaii and I’m just here to open doors to young kids who have big dreams and goals, but don’t necessarily come from a background that helps and pushes them to succeed.
Q: Do you do any outreach and activities with young people?
A: Yes, when I go home (Hawaii) I visit a lot of the Boys and Girls homes, you know, runaways, kids who don’t necessarily have a home or family. I go out there and tell them that there is another path, and that there is another way out there. Also, Christie’s (Christie Rampone, her coach) family is in New Jersey and her sister coaches young girls and I like to watch the corner of the field and cheer them on. I feel like it’s so hard for girls; nowadays there are so many girl soccer players and club teams that people start giving up. I’m glad to be around to help them get back on track and give them strength and hope.
Q: Have you gotten any new tattoos recently?
A: My last tattoo was probably a month or month and half ago. The majority of my tattoos have meaning – I have my family’s name on my right arm, a lot of Polynesian tribal tattoos, some lyrics, stars … they all represent different chapters and trials in my life. I promised my mom after my sixth one I would stop getting them, but 34 later, I’m still going. At the moment, I don’t have any plans of getting any, but sometimes when I’m bored I tend to go to the tattoo shop instead of going shopping.
Q: Do you have any inspiring words for young women and girls out there who aspire to be in your place one day?
A: Set your goals and dreams to the highest and do everything in your power to accomplish them. You are the only person who can control your destiny, and if you have a lot of heart and put a lot of effort to it, you will be unstoppable.
Filmmaker Mabry to lead free director’s workshop at Oakland’s International Black LGBT Film Festival Aug. 13
Article originally published in Oakland Local and shades Magazine
Tina Mabry never set out to become your conventional Hollywood blockbuster director – nor is she trying to be.
Yet, with her nationally acclaimed feature film Mississippi Damned – a true-to-life drama about a black family struggling with poverty, alcoholism, homophobia and racism in the rural south – the filmmaker is making huge strides in bringing independent black queer cinema to the masses.
“The climate for lesbian black directors is a stormy one, but I think the only way to get queer black cinema more available to the public is if the community comes together and pulls our resources,” Mabry said.
The community is expected to come together this Friday to hear the award winning filmmaker share her advice on how to bring your film idea to the silver screen in her free workshop, “How to Direct Your First Feature,” at the Eighth Annual Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival. Sponsored by Oakland Pride and the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project, the workshop takes place at 6 p.m. at the Oakland Pride headquarters, 495 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square in Oakland. It will feature advice and tidbits that range from scriptwriting to film distribution.
“I really want to talk about how important it is to know where you want your film to end up,” Mabry said. “I think a lot of times we fail to recognize the business and distribution aspect of filmmaking because how we get people to see our films is the biggest difficulty.”
Debra Wilson, one of the founders and producers of the annual festival, agreed.
“If your passion is making movies, this workshop will give insight on how it all works and important tips on how to get it produced,” she said.
True to her own advice, Mabry stuck to the independent film circuit for her latest film, as it was far from becoming one of Hollywood’s cookie-cutter flicks. With a relatively unknown all-black cast, the filmmaker’s personal and controversial subject matter, and a universal message almost anyone can relate to, Mississippi Damned is meant for an audience seeking empowerment, not cheap thrills. Inclined by her skepticism toward major motion picture studios and their support of black queer films, Mabry and her partner, Mississippi Damned producer and editor Morgan Stiff, distributed the film through their own production company, Morgan’s Mark.
“I think we are redefining the mainstream with this film because it could actually have a lot of appeal if given a chance by the gatekeepers in the studios,” Mabry said. “But I’ve always been the kind of person where you don’t have to invite me to your table. If you don’t want me there, I’ll fill my own damn table and work it that way.”
Mabry and Stiff have certainly been working it: since screening Mississippi Damned in more than 13 film festivals across the country, the feature film has won more than 11 awards, Mabry has been named among the 25 New Faces of Independent Film in Filmmaker Magazine and she is listed as one of the most inspirational and outstanding people of 2009 by Out Magazine.
“I had always wanted to tell a story about my family and what I found out after screening the film was that it was a very universal story and a lot of people connected to the characters,” she said. “It was actually worth me feeling uncomfortable for a second and hesitating whether or not I should claim it as my story.”
Mabry and Stiff already are working on their next project: a crime drama entitled Country Lines, which will feature more small-town controversy.
Mississippi Damned will screen at 7 p.m. tonight, Aug. 12, at the Eighth Annual Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival. Screenings are taking place at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, 2966 College Ave. (at Ashby) in Berkeley.
“This festival gives voice to our experiences and a chance to connect with old and new friends,” Wilson said.
To learn more about Mabry’s latest film, visit www.mississippidamned.com. Visit www.blacklgbtfilmfest.com for a program guide of the Eighth Annual Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival.
HIV, AIDS gap widens between blacks and other ethnic groups in East Bay
Check out the original article at SF Public Press
Darrel Thigpen, 32, was diagnosed with HIV in 2005. He’s the assistant manager at a pet food store in Oakland that he said has been very supportive. Photo by Monica Jensen/SF Public Press.
SF Public Press— Jul 9 2010 – 11:33am
As overall AIDS rates fall in Alameda County, the rate in the black community has hardly budged in the past 10 years, making African Americans in this part of the East Bay increasingly overrepresented among sufferers of the disease.
Public health experts disagree about why this is happening — behavior, education, stigma and lack of advocacy are all suspected. Which of these factors is most important will determine the best way to tackle the problem, and how to parcel out increasingly scarce resources in an era of growing state and local budget deficit.
To put the dilemma in perspective: African Americans make up 13.5 percent of Alameda County’s 1.5 million residents, yet they account for half of all AIDS cases reported there in 2008.
While the AIDS rate for African Americans in Alameda County has been more or less unchanged since 1994, the ratio of the black AIDS rate to that of all county residents has risen 42 percent.
HIV and AIDS rates in Alameda County, 1994-2008. Source: Alameda County Department of Public Health. Graphic by Mary Catherine Plunkett/SF Public Press.
Local officials and health experts have varying opinions as to why the gap between African
Americans and other ethnic groups exists, and what to do about it.
“There is no mystery now about HIV infection, because we know how to prevent every single mechanism of transmission,” said Dr. Arthur Ammann, president of Global Strategies for HIV Prevention, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting HIV and AIDS overseas. “So why do we have more infections in minority populations in the United States? The problem is that it’s a disease related to sexual behavior, and it’s hard to change behavior.”
Ammann, who is also a clinical professor of pediatric immunology at the University of California San Francisco, is a pioneer in the field of HIV prevention. He has researched HIV prevention methods since the early 1980s, and was the first to discover two of the three ways HIV is transmitted.
He believes that the solution to Alameda County’s AIDS crisis resides beyond education.
“Does education change behavior? Not under these circumstances,” he said. “I think we are at the point where we have to say, ‘No, we must find out how to protect the people who are getting infected.’”
Conversely, some activists and public officials say AIDS education should be Alameda County’s highest priority for combating the high rate of AIDS among African Americans.
Kabir Hypolite, director of the Alameda County Office of AIDS Administration, said education is needed now more than ever, and he blames the high rate of AIDS among the county’s black residents on diminishing fear about the virus, blind trust in the success of anti-retroviral medications, and false impressions about who is at risk.
“It is still common for people to think that it’s gay white men that are catching HIV and AIDS, but it’s actually everyone’s problem,” Hypolite said. “At this point, there is no such thing as a high-risk group in my mind.”
Hypolite suggests that effective AIDS education in Alameda County begins with reaching out to groups that have not been mobilized, and working with community leaders who can relay the importance of AIDS education.
In addressing the widening AIDS gap between African Americans and other racial and ethnic groups in Alameda County, activists and county officials are placing AIDS education on the back burner, claiming that stigma is the primary issue to tackle.
Growing numbers of black residents are reluctant to get tested because HIV and AIDS are often associated with being homosexual or a substance abuser. As a result, late testing has become prevalent among Alameda County African Americans; many who seek HIV testing receive AIDS diagnoses.
Stigmas linked to cultural values keep people underground and make it more difficult to identify individuals in need of care and services.
“I know how it affects the people that we work with, but I worry about how it’s affecting the people who won’t come to us,” said Kevin Bynes, program director of AIDS Project East Bay, a nonprofit organization in Oakland that provides HIV and AIDS prevention and health services.
“We have not moved beyond judging,” said Hypolite, “so people will hide their status, will not know it, or will avoid getting care because they are afraid of being ostracized or shunned in some way.”
Activists and local officials seem to agree that lack of advocacy for black residents has compounded the ongoing AIDS crisis.
Some argue that methods that raised awareness about HIV and AIDS prevention in the past, especially in San Francisco and its gay community, have not carried over across the Bay Bridge.
They claim that demographics play a huge role in gaining public support.
Ammann said blacks have been part of the AIDS epidemic since the 1980s; however, the virus affected white males with political connections to AIDS advocates as well.
Loren Jones, an Oakland activist and African American woman who has been living with HIV for 25 years added, “In 1985, we were not getting information on this side of the Bay, because it was perceived that this disease was being spread through the gay, white male population, most specifically in San Francisco. That’s the kind of illogical thought process that leads to this backlog of people who are getting this disease — obviously that was a false premise.”
Jones, among other black AIDS activists in Alameda County, serves a vital role in raising awareness within the black community, and she rallies with her community in order to target county officials and make their issues visible.
“We have this whole idea that HIV and AIDS doesn’t have a face — it does have a face, and it’s black,” Bynes said. “We have experienced no greater emergency as black people, and as a community, we need to get involved and do something.”
While Alameda County’s public health dilemma persists, and experts remain divided about the cause of the problem, several advocates have presented possible solutions.
Ammann and Hypolite encourage practical methods to control AIDS infection rates. One method is partner notification.
Another is contact tracing, in which anyone who has been in sexual contact with an infected person is tested and treated.
Both have been problematic in the past because of the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, but studies have shown they are effective means of outreach and prevention.
Public officials encourage Alameda County residents to remain persistent in lobbying for funding and policy changes in order to contain a public health dilemma whose end is long overdue.
Read the original article here. A version of this article was published in the summer 2010 pilot edition of the San Francisco Public Press newspaper. Read select stories online, or buy a copy.
Celebrate Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Originally published in HP Journal
Once a year, we gather together at barbecues and cookouts, ceremonies and parades in commemoration of the passing of the Declaration of Independence and our country’s victorious secession from Britain as an independent nation. The “Star Spangled Banner” rings in our ears as we wave red, white and blue fl ags and banners; fireworks illuminate the night sky and our patriotic festivities carry over into the after hours. The air is filled with aromas of roasted corn and honey barbecue, gunpowder and excitement. The Fourth of July is certainly one of our nation’s most action-packed holidays, and it is easy to get distracted by the glamour of these celebrations and miss the powerful message behind them.
The Fourth of July – or Independence Day – marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in which our nation declared independence from the British government. This holiday calls for reflection, as the history and struggle that lead to the creation of our nation has imparted a legacy of justice and liberty for all Americans through civic agitation, public dialogue and mass processes.
Prior to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, relations between the 13 American colonies and Great Britain were strained, if not hostile. In an attempt to pull itself out of debt, the British government enacted a series of laws and regulations to increase taxes in the colonies. Many colonists saw these new laws as a violation and threat to their civic liberties and rights. Some of our nation’s first organized mass boycotts, govern ment petitioning and rallies took place during this period. In standing up for their liberties and rights, these colonists not only set a precedent for our nation’s legislation, but their commitment to justice became the backbone of every social justice movement to follow in America.
The fourth of July is a celebration of justice and civil rights for all Americans. It marks a pivotal time in our nation’s history, in which organized local government and fundamental human rights were the outcome of civic unrest, political organizing and mass process. Many lessons and principles can be taken from the history and struggle that led to the creation of our nation and be applied to social justice and civil rights issues of today.
Arizona’s controversial immigration law – which grants police officials the right to request for proof of U.S. citizenship from anyone under “reasonable suspicion” of being illegal – has received criticism throughout the nation, even from President Obama, as a violation of one’s human rights. Similar to our nation’s first colonists, Americans have boycotted travel to and business with the state of Arizona; petitioned for a repeal of the law; and American citizens, immigrants and residents of foreign countries have organized mass rallies and protests in hopes of garnering awareness throughout the world about this human rights issue. The same mass processes and public dialogue continue to take place around the topic of legalizing gay marriage and in California, residents and activists continue to organize and petition in hopes of bringing the issue back onto the ballot.
In celebrating the anniversary of our nation’s independence, we are renewing a pledge that was made more than 200 years ago to secure the civil rights and liberties of every American.
Today, as the parameters of citizenship and human rights are being blurred, we must take initiative, as those before us have done, and gather together to ensure that this pledge for social justice is maintained. By voting, organizing, boycotting and engaging in public dialogue about the issues that we believe are fundamental to our rights and liberties as people and citizens, we are carrying on the legacy of our nation’s forefathers who fought to ensure that social justice and civil liberties are honored in our nation, and that everyone is able to live fully actualized lives.
Celebrating social justice for all americans
Article originally published in the HP Journal
The month of June has a special significance for most. It marks the beginning of summer and the end of the school year for children and young adults; it is a time when gay pride is celebrated around the world and families gather together to honor their fathers.
June is packed with memorable holidays and celebrations and the commemoration of Juneteenth is often eclipsed by the array of summer festivities that we take part in as nation. The significance of this observance deserves much more public attention and media recognition than it is given – as it marks a critical turn in our nation’s history, and a giant leap towards social justice for all Americans.
Juneteenth, also referred to as“Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day,” commemorates the belated, yet celebrated announcement of the end of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865.
Although President Abraham Lincoln publicly proclaimed the end of slavery in his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, a constitutional amendment was needed in order for Congress to officially abolish slavery. The necessary legislation – the 13th amendment to the United States Constitution was passed two years later – on February 1, 1865. This law stated that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude,
except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” The
13th amendment was the most significant peacemaking legislation during the Civil War era.
Although slavery was abolished at the end of the Civil War, the news traveled slowly by word-of-mouth and many slave owners in the southern states, including Texas, failed to inform slaves of their right to freedom. Juneteenth commemorates the passage of the good news of freedom to African American slaves. It is a time to reflect on our nation’s progress in ensuring justice and liberty for all Americans in the past, and at
present.
The passage of the 13th amendment did not come without struggle; it was the result of years of political organizing by abolitionists, civil unrest among African Americans, both enslaved and free, and public dialogue about a civil injustice that was occurring at
massive proportions. Historically, the law to abolish slavery and the celebration of its passage have set the tone for the critical mass processes that occur when society gets tired of injustice.
President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and his backing of the 13th amendment set an example for the rest of America– that we too can strive for a more just society through civil actions, public dialogue and mass movement. Such social
justice and human rights movements of the 20th century – the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Suffrage Movement, United Farm Workers movement and the Gay Rights Movement – were inspired by the previous attempts and triumphs in our nation’s
history to seek social justice and equality for all.
Today’s political and social climate is a direct byproduct of the harrowing acts of our ancestors, national heroes and heroines who stood up for social justice and liberty. Because of their belief in a brighter future, where equality and justice could be
sought for all, we have the benefit of nondiscrimination policies in the workforce, the right for all citizens to vote, greater opportunities to pursue higher education and our country’s current president.
During this Juneteenth, let us reflect on the immense level of progress we have accomplished as a nation whose foundational principles are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is also important to remember that it is a continual struggle
to achieve equality and social justice for all in a country where opposing political views and legislation are acknowledged by our Constitution.
The human rights issues of today call for an examination of our nation’s foundational
principles and the steps our predecessors took in order to secure those rights for everyone. The current controversy over Arizona’s immigration law – which grants po-
lice officials the right to request proof of U.S. citizenship from anyone under “reasonable suspicion” of being illegal – has been heavily criticized as a form of
racial profiling and discrimination.
Likewise, President Barack Obama’s reforms to our nation’s health care system has caused a public outcry, as his attempt to provide health care for all citizens has been criticized as “socialist.” Some believe that America is catching up to nations like Canada and Great Britain in providing its citizens with access to health care.
In celebrating Juneteenth, and the progress that resulted from the abolishment of slavery, it is important that we continue to honor, reflect on and learn from the sacrifices and contributions that our predecessors have made towards peace, so that we may carry on their legacy for ensuring liberty for all.
Artists: Hunters Point sleeping giant awakens
Hunter's Point Filmmaker, Kevin Epps. Photo courtesy of Marc Olivier Le Blanc, The Western Edition Newspaper
As children, we all have heard stories that portrayed these mystical creatures with awesome and otherworldly powers. We cringed at the thought of enormous, fire breathing serpents that guarded the skies and hid under our bedcovers whenever there was mention of 40-foot-tall beings treading the earth. These stories sparked a unique energy in us that only fear and excitement could create and in hearing of the victories won, we became inspired that we too could conquer any obstacle. As children, the messages in these stories motivated us to aspire to greatness.
I would like to share a story, more so for adults to believe in. Rather than happening centuries ago in afar off land, this story is taking place right now in our own backyards. It involves everyday people with a high level of imagination – the same kind that creates fairies and dragons. This is the story of the art community … the sleeping giant of Hunters Point.
For decades, the community of Bayview Hunters Point has carried a legacy of self-determination. In
spite of the challenges and hardships that have beset the community, it has been the locals who have come
together to pull through. They are painters, filmmakers, actors and actresses, performers and sculptors. The residents of Hunters Point are invested in strengthening their community through their work. As
creative spirits, these artists dedicate their lives to inspiring and motivating others with their stories.
There is something to be said about these local heroes and heroines, as signs of their victory is most certainly evident. In the last two decades, art venues and education centers such as the Shipyard Artists Organization, The Bayview Opera House and Bayview Hunters Point Center for Arts and Technology have continued to thrive. In the last year or so, Art 94124 Gallery has sprouted up to join them. There is an eclectic art community right behind Hunters view. Their amazing works have gained global recognition for the artists.
Malik Seneferu, Hunters Point muralist; photo courtesy of The Western Edition Newspaper
Local artists have paved the way for future filmmakers, painters and actors. In sharing their gifts with the community, these local artists have become everyday heroes and in hearing stories of their success, others
have been motivated to accomplish their artistic goals in the face of adversity.
It is important to point out — these artists are not your stereotypical, reclusive and self-absorbed type. They are actively engaged in empowering their community through creative expression. By rekindling our belief in the power of the imagination, stories and creation, these local artists have awakened an awareness of our experiences.
While redevelopment, developers, construction workers, city workers are tasked with rebuilding and moving the area forward, it is the artists who will help us retain our identity and who will ensure that our experiences will never be forgotten. The artists have become our visual and cultural defenders and because of the organizations they have formed, they have become a giant in our midst.
Children’s service agency meets the growing needs of local families
Article originally published in The Western Edition Newspaper
A parent and her children enjoying their reading time at the Joy Lok center. Photo courtesy of Wu Yee Children’s Services.
For 33 years, Wu Yee Children’s Services has served as a vital resource to low-income families seeking childcare and family support.
The agency has multiplied its programs and services since it’s humble beginnings in San Francisco’s Chinatown and expanded to two other San Francisco neighborhoods, now serving a broader client base. In light of Wu Yee’s outward growth, administrators pride its success and recognition within the community due to its ability to meet the growing needs of low-income families.
“We are at a place where we certainly have a track record and our goal for growth isn’t necessarily to get bigger,” said Linda Asato, executive director of Wu Yee Children’s Services. “It’s to go deeper, and with the economy changes, we’re seeing different kinds of needs that call for depth of services, rather than breadth.”
Asato, who has directed Wu Yee for almost 10 years, stresses the importance of collaborating with other service providers in order to better meet the needs of clients and to supplement the services the agency provides. She said she believes that by partnering with other organizations like Single Stop – a nationwide initiative to connect low-income families with basic resources – the agency is better equipped to assist families in navigating systems of care.
“Now when families that come to us are looking for multiple public benefits for which they are eligible, we are able to help so that they don’t have to navigate the system all by themselves,” Asato said. “I think there is a lot more collaboration on the service level, and that means we know more about each other as service providers.”
Since the inception of Wu Yee Children’s Services in the late 1970s, the agency has maintained a strong connection to it original goal: to serve as a resource to monolingual, Cantonese speaking families with limited access to childcare. Headquartered in Chinatown, the agency continues to respond to the continuous flow of immigration in the area and the ever present need for culturally-sensitive and language-specific childcare and family support services.
“Our clients are primarily underserved, limited English proficient, immigrant Chinese families,” said Winnie Kwei, manager of the agencies’ Joy Lok Family Resource Center. “I do not have to stress saying that our programs and workshops [at Joy Lok] are all conducted in Cantonese.”
The Joy Lok Family Resource Center is one of the agencies three main service areas. Combining family services, child development and provider services, Wu Yee has all of the bases covered for offering quality childcare and family support
‘Wu Yee,’ meaning “Protector of Children” in Cantonese, has most certainly grown into its name, as children 3 months to 5-years-old in Chinatown, and now, Visitacion Valley and the Tenderloin, continue to benefit from the wealth of resources that the agency has to offer.
“Our name is associated with the Chinese culture, which is a great thing, however, I think it’s a well kept secret that we are diverse and we serve diverse families,” said Cheryl Hughes, director of Wu Yee’s Program Operations. Many African-American families from Visitacion Valley and Latino parents and children have become a growing number within Wu Yee’s client base.
“In looking at African-American men sitting with Latina and Chinese women and talking about child development,” Hughes said. “That shared value of wanting to communicate effectively with our children is very interesting and unique.”
In response to the high demand for childcare and family support services among low-income families outside of the Chinese community, Wu Yee has conducted outreach to diverse populations and immigrant communities, in which families are eligible to receive federally- and state-subsidized services. With a large client base of newly immigrant families in the Chinese community and first and second generation Spanish speaking families, the agency has stayed true to offering linguistically catered services by providing assistance in Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and English.
“For many of the families, there is a sense of isolation because they don’t have their extended family here,” Hughes said. “And when your language is Spanish or Cantonese, you feel like the only place you move in is within your own community.”
In going deeper to meet the needs of newly immigrated families, Wu Yee provides opportunities to expose parents and children to resources and activities outside of their community and comfort zones. The agency also provides English translation, job and citizenship assistance and helps families in achieving everyday tasks that many of us take for granted.
“When some of our parents requested to visit Oakland Chinatown, I thought to myself, ‘Why would they want to go there if they live in Chinatown in San Francisco,’” Asato said. “Then it donned on me that they didn’t want to go to Chinatown as much as they wanted to learn how to use the BART system. They were scared and were really lost.”
When Asato places herself in the shoes of her clients, she said she is always reminded of the hardships that parents and their families face in new surroundings and the value going beyond the agency’s original objective, in order to guide parents and children in their quest to becoming confident and living fully actualized lives.
“It’s things like that when people are really touched by our work and you see their lives change, or I get a perspective of what their lives are like that is very different from my own,” Asato said. “Those are the moments when I feel like, ‘Wow, this work is worth it … it means something to people and it makes a difference.’”
To learn more about Wu Yee Children’s Services, visit www.wuyee.org or call (415) 677-0100.
