In honor of Black History Month, the AAPI Caucus will watch American Revolutionary, which is a documentary about the life of social activist Grace Lee Boggs. She was a Chinese-American who was active in the Civil Rights and Black Power Movement, particularly in Detroit.

Following the documentary, we will discuss the role of Boggs in the Civil Rights movement and brainstorm ways to continue her legacy in our work today. 

Participants can either watch the documentary before the event on YouTube or join us to watch it together. The discussion will begin around 8:30pm CET.

Please RSVP to receive the log-in information for Zoom.

We are thrilled to be hosting author Karen Kao for a book club discussion on February 28th, 2021, at 2 P.M. Berlin time. We will be discussing her debut novel The Dancing Girl and the Turtle. Described as an “an ambitious, striking addition to the novels showing the sleazy side of 1930s Shanghai” by bookish.asia, it is the first in a quartet of interlocking novels set in Shanghai from 1929 to 1954.

Read more about the quartet and KarenKao on her website at https://inkstonepress.com/ and message us to pre-order a book! Through the eyes of the dancer, Song Anyi, and her brother Kang, the Shanghai Quartet spans a tumultuous time in Chinese history: war with the Japanese, the influx of stateless Jews into Shanghai, civil war and revolution. How does the love of a sister destroy her brother and all those around him?      

Please contact anyaleonhard14@gmail.com for information on pre-ordering a book.

AAPI Networking

We’re holding our first ever networking event for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living overseas.  Come get acquainted, swap stories, and find your community!

We’ll be doing short introductions, a question of the day, and a speed round of meet and greet!  If there’s anything you want to do, achieve, or find - let us know, or bring it up in the meeting.

Don’t forget your snacks, your beverage of choice, and of course, your microphone.

And if you need some inspiration for your tea choices, check out these new tea based cocktails from Saveur.

RSVP below to get the Zoom link!

The event is under construction but please feel free to RSVP. It's going to be a great event. Please RSVP to receive the Zoom link.

Annie Tanampai is an active member of Democrats Abroad Belgium. She has been living in Belgium for almost 10 years and in her free time she likes to spend time with her family, hiking, and traveling. She joins the AAPI steering committee because she wants to take action in raising awareness on the AAPI issues and help strengthen the AAPI community around the world. 😊

My name is Powen, and I've been living in Berlin, Germany, since 2014. I've been involved in Democrats Abroad for almost that whole time. I'm currently the Press & Communications coordinator on the Berlin chapter board, and I also serve as one of the representatives for Germany to the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA).

I spent most of my formative years in Michigan, but have lived in Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina, and Mississippi as well. In addition to political activities and organizing, I also work with technology startups focusing on marketing and internationalization.

Starting the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus at Democrats Abroad is important to me because I believe that AAPI communities need a voice in our political system. The best way to focus on the needs, stories, and issues important to us to get organized and make ourselves heard.

I'm Suma, an Oregon voter. I grew up in Bangalore, India and relocated to the US to pursue my Master's degree in Computer Science. I was introduced to US politics while in school and I actively participated in organizing events and fund raising. With a rich experience of two Master's degrees and decades of work experience, I returned to India. I am on the board of a technology start-up and mentor new businesses. I am a fitness enthusiast, and participate in marathons.

It is an honor to serve as Chairperson of Democrats Abroad India, member of the Global AAPI steering committee, and member of Global IT team.

Hi, Everyone! I’m Emily and I am an Indiana voter and have been living in Berlin, Germany for the past nine years. Currently, I am the Vice Chair of the Berlin Chapter and the Events and Fundraising Coordinator for DA Germany, as well as a DPCA Voting Representative.

Originally born in Daegu (then known as Taegu), South Korea, I was adopted at the age of three months. My parents were from Missouri, but I grew up in Kentucky and Indiana, surrounded by a majority white community. My first experience with meeting someone from Korea was in third grade when a new student arrived at our school. My teacher paired us up and asked that I help her get settled and show her around school. As thrilled as I was to meet someone from Korea, I suspect our pairing was because of our shared background/attributes. Either way, I am still grateful that I was able to become best friends with this new student. I will never forget sleeping over at her house and eating traditional Korean food for the first time. 

My family was always open about the fact that I was adopted. It wasn’t until high school when I had the chance to visit Korea. Once we were there, I was amazed at how different I felt. Being in the majority for the first time in my life was great. Having grown up in a majority white community, I would forget how Korean I actually looked, so I did not feel like I actually belonged in South Korea. I quickly realized that I did look more Korean than I thought, since classmates did not notice me in the crowds, everyone assumed I spoke Korean, and I think many thought I was the tour guide for my classmates. 

After returning from the trip, my interest in Korea grew dramatically. I took several courses about Korea my senior year of college and since then, I have spent more time reflecting on what it means to be Korean, specifically a Korean adoptee. Living in Germany has added another layer to understanding my identity since many people question my Americanness when they ask where I am from. That question is typically followed up with, “But, really, where are you from?” By being a member of this caucus, I am very excited to have the chance to learn more about the culture, history, and importance of this growing sector of the U.S. population. It is also wonderful to meet other AAPI members of Democrats Abroad and recognize how diverse we are as a community. As one of the Co-Chairs, it is an honor to be able to represent one of these many diverse faces.

Welcome to the Global Asian American & Pacific Islander Caucus of Democrats Abroad!

The Democrats Abroad Global Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus (AAPI) advocates on issues important to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders both in the United States of America and living abroad.

The AAPI Caucus focuses on reaching out to AAPI voters living abroad, increasing engagement in civic and political life, and advocating for laws, policies, and programs that improve the lives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

We are also committed to highlighting AAPI history, culture, and the role of AAPI communities in fighting against racism, structural discrimination, and oppression. All Democrats Abroad members are welcome to join the AAPI Caucus.

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What is the AAPI Caucus?

• A forum for all Democrats Abroad members to understand the issues and concerns facing the AAPI community.
• A platform to engage with AAPI voters living abroad to ensure their needs are met.
• A vehicle to help eliminate unconscious bias towards AAPI among Americans and Democrats Abroad members.
• An advocate for policies and reforms important to the AAPI community, especially AAPI Democrats Abroad.
• A champion for AAPI history and culture to promote intercultural understanding.

Learn more about the AAPI caucus and read the caucus founding document, the Terms of Reference. To contact the co-chairs of the Democrats Abroad Global AAPI Caucus, send an email to aapi@democratsabroad.org.