Press Release

On #GivingTuesday, a day of global giving, we hope you will invest in change for a better future.

2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. As we approach the winter months and an uptick in coronavirus cases, Asian immigrant workers are struggling to survive and small business owners are wondering if they can keep their doors open. In addition to worsening economic hardships, Asian Americans are still facing racial harassment and coronavirus-related discrimination.

Now more than ever, the Asian American community is counting on the power of your generosity. You have the power to ensure that Asian Americans have a voice in our society. We hope you will make a special donation to the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) for #GivingTuesday.

Since 1974, AALDEF has protected the civil rights of Asian Americans through litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing. During these turbulent times, we must fight even harder to protect immigrants, workers, young people, and the elderly in Asian American communities.

These are just a few highlights of our recent activities:

*We counseled victims of anti-Asian harassment, tracked incidents of hate violence, and gave presentations for Asian American health care workers and corporate employee groups about responding to the rise in racism and xenophobia during the pandemic.

*We organized virtual immigration clinics to assist Asian Americans seeking to become naturalized U.S. citizens, to renew Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) for immigrant youth, to secure nonimmigrant visas for crime victims, and to provide legal updates on immigration developments.

*We conducted a multilingual exit poll of 5,242 Asian American voters in the 2020 presidential election, in collaboration with community groups and volunteers in 13 states and Washington, DC. (You can read about our Asian American Exit Poll results here.)

In the critical 2020 elections, there was a record turnout of Asian American voters, especially in many battleground states. Despite the pandemic, more than 400 attorneys and volunteers came out to monitor polling sites on Election Day to ensure that all eligible voters were able to exercise their right to vote.

2021 will be a crucial year in the fight for justice. Thanks to a generous supporter, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $100,000, until December 15. Don’t miss this opportunity to double the impact of your donation! If you contribute more than $500, we will also send you a special gift!

We hope you will support our efforts to protect vulnerable Asian American communities by making a tax-deductible gift to AALDEF today.

For more information, contact:
Margaret Fung, Executive Director
mfung@aaldef.org