This was a grass roots collarboration of 10 plus ethnic Asian and non-Asian community organizations. We had many key individual community leaders and activist who are a part of this collaboration as well.

We put out a call to action for Asian Pacific Islander men and boys to join us in discussion about racism, sexism, power, and privilege and understand how this builds a foundation and/or basis for violence to happen against women and girls in our communitites.

We had three goals for the institute:
a. men and boys will acknowledge their privilege

In the State of Minnesota, 6.5% of the population is foreign born. Of that number, 80% reside in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. While immigrants from many countries moved to the US as refugees or to find asylum or seek new opportunities for their families, they have run into various barriers that hinder them from fully integrating into American society. One of those barriers is the lack of a valid ID, which prevents New Americans from accessing resources, renting a home, picking their children up from school in an emergency or evenopening a bank account.

In late 2009, our small, community-based, peer-led support group of breast cancer survivors in Hastings, Minnesota, took on a bold challenge: to create a virtual support group via DVD. We wished to reach patients immediately after diagnosis—a time few seek a support group. The news that one has breast cancer brings terror, despair and isolation, as well as pressure to make a treatment plan. The huge emotional challenge interferes with thoughtful decision-making.