October 2023: Message from the Board

Dear friends and supporters of API-GBV,

The board would like to thank you as API-GBV closes out our fiscal year. This year, we’re proud to celebrate so many accomplishments including the growth of our team (staff and board), the success of our programs, and the growth of our network of collaborators and partners. You’ll be able to read more about these results in our FY22 Impact Report, which will be published later this month.

All the accomplishments you read about in the report are only possible because supporters like you have helped us do more to support culturally-specific programming, encouraged us to think outside of the box and empowered us to share more resources and uplift more AANHPI voices, stories and organizations.

We are building the scaffolding necessary to do even more next year and we need your help. Please consider making a gift to API-GBV as your investment in us will help us serve our communities to the fullest.

Thank you for a great year and we’re looking forward to a phenomenal 2024!

API-GBV board

May 2023: Thank You to Our Founding Mothers and Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Hello Friends and Supporters of API-GBV,

Spring is here and as we begin the month of May we are reflecting on how important this time is for our institute. Not only does it mark Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we are also celebrating Mother’s Day, which is significant for us as we say thank you to the founding mothers of API-GBV.

We’d like to thank Debbie Lee, Leni Marin, and Sujata Warrier for their tireless years of service to API-GBV. They shepherded the organization through times of transition and uncertainty and their unrelenting commitment to those impacted by gender-based violence will leave a lasting impression on the board, the institute, and the entire GBV field.

We also want to acknowledge that the whole month of May recognizes the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities’ contributions to this country. We look forward to offering and sharing resources and programming throughout the month to uplift and celebrate AANHPI serving organizations, voices, and stories.

Please join us by making a donation to continue the legacy of our founding mothers. Culturally specific programming for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities impacted by gender-based violence is more important than ever. To make a gift, please visit our website: https://www.api-gbv.org/support-us/.

Many thanks,

API-GBV Board

March 2023: Mid-Year Update from API-GBV Board

Hello Friends and Supporters of API-GBV,

We have reached the half-way point in our fiscal year and have been working on several projects and hit some important milestones. As one of API-GBV’s values is authentic solidarity, we’ve been pursuing programs and offering resources as part of our commitment to racial equity and healing.

For example, we invited 24 AAPI-serving anti-GBV organizations to participate in a six-part workshop series to shift our movement towards a culture that embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). The goals are to have courageous conversations around how GBV and racial oppression show up, build solidarity with fellow AAPI organizations to address oppression, anti-Blackness and privilege, and reimagine ways to create and sustain cultures of equity and anti-racism. This series kicks off this month and will be facilitated by Healing Equity United. 

The timing of this series is fitting because our AAPI communities recently memorialized the second anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings. The impact of these violent acts is still felt today and is a reminder that we must continue to amplify the needs of and resources for AAPI women and educate the public about the intersection of race and gender that AAPI women exist in.

We look forward to sharing more regular updates with our supporters and donors as the year continues.

API-GBV Board

April 2020: MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON WELCOMING MARY VRADELIS AS INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

API-GBV Interim E.D. Message
Board Approved 4-1-20

The API-GBV Board of Directors is pleased to report that we have hired Mary Vradelis, to serve as our Interim Executive Director through this important leadership transition for the organization.  As we announced earlier this year, our Founding E.D. Chic Dabby planned to step down on March 31.  Despite Califorina’s stay-at-home requirements, Chic and Mary have worked together remotely over the past two weeks to transfer information and processes.  Mary officially begins the role of API-GBV’s Interim E.D. on April 1st.  Chic remains on staff through July 1st to continue to share her depth of knowledge and experience to support API-GBV’s continued commitment to excellent service to the field and complete a variety of programmatic responsibilities.

Ms. Vradelis brings over 30 years of nonprofit management experience, and extensive experience in leadership transition and coaching.  She will work with the board and staff over the next 6-9 months to use this transitional time to continue excellent programs and practices, and prepare the organization for our next E.D.   During this time, we will also work together to establish our plan for the search.  We look forward to sharing our progress and next steps.  You may reach Mary Vradelis at mvradelis[at]api-gbv[dot]org

March 2020: MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS & A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD

As API-GBV staff adapts to working remotely during the COVID-19 crisis, we remain committed to providing the support our communities need to serve survivors of violence, including immigrant survivors and survivors with limited English proficiency.

We have compiled a list of resources and hope that they will help you make safe decisions for yourselves, survivors you work with. This list will be continually updated as resources and tools are developed.
Also check out this collection of AANHPI in-language resources on COVID-19, crowdsourced by APIAHF.

Highlights newsletters are sent around the beginning of each month. Sign up for emails to receive them in your inbox! 

Previous newsletters:

See all previous monthly highlights here

January 2020: LEADERSHIP TRANSITION: MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Message from our Board of Directors on Chic Dabby’s retirement and hiring for an Interim Executive Director

January 24, 2020

Following an exceptional twenty years leading the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence as the founding Executive Director, Chic Dabby is stepping down as our leader. She will be handing over her fiduciary and management responsibilities by March 30, 2020 and completing all programmatic responsibilities by July 1, 2020. With unfaltering commitment, creativity and expertise, Chic advanced the field and elevated the fight against gender-based violence with and within API communities at the local, national and international levels.

Through her leadership, API-GBV

  • Was launched from its first home with the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum to a strong independent organization which is the leading national API organization addressing gender-based violence in this country;
  • Has been a leader providing expertise, analysis and advice to government and community leaders, funders, and researchers with a depth of knowledge surpassed by few, covering not only violence against women and girls, but trafficking, sexual coercion, adult and childhood trauma, language access, cultural competence/humility and so many other areas;
  • Has built long-lasting collaborations and lead learning journeys with a broad diversity of communities; and
  • Has broadened both theory and practice.

Chic’s accomplishments, publications, and trainings are and will continue to be inspiring and respected resources to our API communities and the field. We thank and commend Chic for her incredible leadership, fortitude, dedication and wish her a wonderful retirement.

 

Working closely with the staff, the Board of Directors has initiated a leadership transition process to ensure a healthy executive leadership transition. We hope to have your continued support as we face this new phase.

Sincerely,

Debbie Lee, Chair

On behalf of the Board of Directors -Leni Marin, Sujata Warrier, Lori Kodama and Linda Phan.

You can read the letter from Chic about her transition here.