[PIVOT Newsletter] Celebrating Women’s History Month - March 2023

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March 1, 2023

Happy March, friends of PIVOT!

We’d like to kick off the month by celebrating Women’s History Month! Vietnamese women have been at the forefront of movements and continue to make history today in various industries across the country and the globe. From Woman-Warriors Hai Ba Trung (Two Trung Sisters) to countless mothers, aunties, and sisters– we honor your labor, leadership, and fight for community empowerment, resources, and a better life for future generations. PIVOT is committed to following the lead of our BIPOC and AAPI women and young leaders on social issues that impact their everyday lives.

Upcoming Events from Our Partners

"Mẹ Earth" Exhibit Opening Reception with Designer and Artist Tuan Tran

Date: March 3rd, 5-9 pm

Location: Chopsticks Alley Art, 38 S. 2nd Street, San Jose, CA 95113

Little Saigon Short Stories 

 Date: Saturday, March 4th, 2-4 pm

Location: Garden Grove Main Library, 11200 Stanford Ave. Garden Grove, CA 92840

Book Tour of Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai,

 March 14th- April 11th

 PDX, OAK, Orange County, Las Vegas, HOU, NYC, DC, Toronto, and more!

 Crosscut Origins presents: Refuge After War I Parallel Paths

 Refuge After War will premiere on KCTS9 on March 3 at 8:50 p.m., and air every Friday through the month of March.

Refuge After War examines the experiences of Vietnamese and Afghan refugees forced to flee and resettle in Washington after the falls of Saigon in 1975 and Kabul in 2021. Through the eyes of director Thanh Tan, a daughter of refugees, this series is a personal examination of the power, the trauma and the challenges of refugee resettlement in the 21st century - and a reflection of America’s ongoing failure to learn from the past.

In beautiful community, 

PIVOT Team

Stay Connected!

Become a PIVOT member today to learn more about upcoming events and projects!

JOIN US!

PIVOT's Mission: To engage and empower Vietnamese Americans for a just and diverse America The vision of PIVOT is to be a collective voice for progressive Vietnamese Americans, to engage and empower Vietnamese Americans through civic engagement and leadership development, and to support policies and candidates that are aligned with our values.

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[PIVOT Newsletter] T-Minus 22 days: PIVOT Pho the People!

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October 18, 2022

Greetings, PIVOT family!

We hope this weekend was kind to you. The PIVOT team is firing on all cylinders! We want to energize your week with some positive news. Some highlights include Viet Fact Check being featured in the New York Times! We established PIVOT Victory Fund, the first Vietnamese-American Super PAC in the country (more details coming soon)!

PIVOT FELLOW SPOTLIGHT:

This week, Kathy Thach, our PIVOT CA fellow, gives us a glimpse into what it’s like to engage with our Vietnamese communities in Orange County. In this short video clip, she gives us backstage access into her outreach efforts and volunteer recruitment for the CA-45 Jay Chen campaign!

SUPPORT OUR FELLOWS

PIVOT CANDIDATES PUSH ONWARD:

This week, Georgia is feeling the heat from Secretary of State Candidate Bee Nguyen, as she powers forward to raise funds and meets with Georgia voters. While her opponent, Brad Raffensperger, is inching ahead of his fellow Republican candidates, Axios Atlanta describes Nguyen as “undeterred.” 


Visit the PIVOT Candidates page to learn more about other endorsed candidates!

TAP INTO THE PIVOT NETWORK:

 We greatly appreciate our long-time PIVOT supporters. We encourage you to take the next step and become a member today!

With three weeks away, we are now holding weekly Election planning meetings to coordinate our multiple campaign efforts. Whether you are a first-timer or have been with us from the beginning, we welcome you to join us every Wednesday at 5:30 pm PST/ 7:30 pm CST// 8:30 pm EST! 

There is no better way to build community than to work on a concrete activity together! Click here to sign up to volunteer for phone banking, text banking, or postcard writing! 

VOLUNTEER!

MORE FUN AHEAD:

Meet us in Dallas for “Pho The People” [OCT 26]

PIVOT is hosting a casual meetup at Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen in Dallas on Wednesday, October 26, 2022. And yes, there will actually be Pho! This will be our Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Tran’s first visit to Texas, so be sure to invite your friends and relatives to get to know her and other cool progressive Vietnamese Americans. RSVP through Facebook so that we can get a proper headcount! 

RSVP

Book your tickets for PIVOT Recharge in Seattle [NOV 11-13]!

Aside from being an important election year, 2022 marks PIVOT’s 5th birthday! We are inviting PIVOT members to come together to reflect, realign, and recharge after five years of hard work. This event will take place in Seattle, WA! 


Register for PIVOT Recharge convening in Seattle, Nov. 11-13th 2022. It's going to be a blast to be together in person again! Also, given your active leadership, your attendance will greatly contribute to the discussion around PIVOT's future direction. Click the link below to register 

REGISTER!

Gear up with PIVOT swag!

SHOP

DONATE

VOLUNTEER!

PIVOT Tâm Sự Recap: What's at stake in the 2022 Midterm Elections?

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August 2nd– PIVOT Young Vietnamese Americans (YVA) kicked off the Month of August with an engaging evening of connecting, reporting, sharing during 8/2 Tam Su! This Tâm Sự panel featured 2020 fellows, YVA Co-Chairs Hieu Le and Philip Nguyen, Elections Manager Victoria Nguyen, and PIVOT’s inaugural Executive Director Dr.Jennifer Kim-Anh Tran.The event was streamed live on both Facebook and Zoom. Participants signed in from across the country (one person came from as far as Australia!), eager to (re)connect after a long hiatus. Four 2020 PIVOT fellows– Vinh Dang (PA), Vu-Anh Nguyen (GA), Angie Tran- Uddullah (GA), and Lillian Trinh (TX) led the conversation on the current political landscape in their respective states. Additionally, they offered insight into contentious state races as well as key issues such as gun control, voter suppression, and healthcare. The remaining part of the program was reserved for state-specific breakout sessions for a deeper dive into the issues and local Vietnamese American community terrain. PIVOT Elections manager Victoria Nguyen built upon the inspiring work by offering concrete ways for individuals to save democracy and support this year’s elections. For more information on how to get involved, please check out PIVOT at www.pivotnetwork.org/elections.

PIVOT Statement on the Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

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PIVOT Statement on the Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

The U.S. Supreme Court today issued a ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to a safe and legal abortion that has existed for 50 years. This is a momentous ruling that allows each state to decide women’s right to their own body– even as the Court ruled just yesterday to deny individual states the right to decide on gun safety. PIVOT is categorically opposed to this decision and will work tirelessly to right this wrong.

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The Importance of Voting in the 2022 Elections

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The Importance of Voting in the 2022 Elections

Most Vietnamese Americans are here in the U.S. because they and their families value freedom and democracy. This is why PIVOT believes that the 2022 election is the most important election ever for Vietnamese Americans. Our freedom and democracy are at stake.

Voter turnout tends to dip during midterm elections, so there is a good chance that the results will be determined by an extreme minority. In 2022, Republicans have turned out at twice the number of Democrats in some state races. The consequences of sitting out have never been so dire. For instance, some states are voting for a Secretary of State in November. These are important positions because they are charged with ensuring the proper administration of elections and certifying election results. If extreme Republicans hold these positions, they may be able to undermine legitimate election results in the future and restrict access to voting options. In other words, if we do not vote in 2022, our votes may not matter as much in 2024 and later.

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PIVOT announces hiring of inaugural Executive Director to lead next phase of organization

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PIVOT announces hiring of inaugural Executive Director to lead next phase of organization

Wednesday, June 1, 2022 - PIVOT announced today the hiring of Dr. Jennifer Kim-Anh Tran as PIVOT’s inaugural Executive Director, effective June 1, 2022. “PIVOT was established five years ago to bring Vietnamese Americans together to respond to threats that marginalized communities were facing under the last Administration. At that time, we did not fully anticipate the overwhelming positive support we received from Vietnamese Americans across the nation and across generations, all of whom were eager to build a movement for social justice beyond any one administration,” said Dr. Tung Nguyen, Co-Founder and Board President of PIVOT. “On behalf of the PIVOT Board, I am excited to welcome Dr. Jennifer Kim-Anh Tran as our first Executive Director. This important step signals PIVOT’s strategic growth and expansion, and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, cultural roots, and inter-generational strength-building within our Vietnamese American community throughout the United States.”

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PIVOT mourns passing of Beloved Member and Community Leader

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PIVOT mourns passing of Beloved Member and Community Leader

May 9, 2022

PIVOT mourns the passing of our beloved member and well-respected community leader, Thang Do. He had been instrumental in PIVOT and our national movement from the very beginning.

Thang Do was a friend and a dedicated leader who contributed countless hours toward empowering the Vietnamese American community to understand how public policy and politics affects our lives. He drew strength from his lived experiences as a refugee, a loving husband and father, a community builder and brilliant architect, and a talented linguistic artist, and used it towards volunteering countless hours of his time to write, translate, and speak out on behalf of our PIVOT cause. He put so much heart into everything he did. He enjoyed spirited discourse, connecting and learning from others, and using his superpower of translation.

Among his many accomplishments through his roles as Chair of the City of San Jose Planning Commission and a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) was the revitalization of downtown San Jose, CA, including the SoFa District where he worked. Thang also designed and worked on the construction of the Vietnamese American Service Center, which will provide services not only to Vietnamese Americans but also all underserved communities. He built more than just buildings - he built community, across generations and geography. He taught many about the love of the Vietnamese language and culture. He reminded us through his own actions about what it meant to love family, community, and justice.

“He did not just care so much for so many others, he acted to help them in so many ways, within and outside of PIVOT” said PIVOT President, Dr. Tung Nguyen. In addition to being a co-founder of PIVOT, Thang served as an active Board member who was instrumental in our Vietnamese language strategies, including VietFactCheck, a nationally-recognized effort to fight misinformation.

PIVOT sends our deep condolences to his family, including his wife, children, and siblings. We commit to carrying on his legacy, and honoring his invaluable contributions to our movement. In the coming weeks, we will share more details about the multiple ways in which we will celebrate and honor the life of this extraordinary warrior.

As we grieve his loss, let us keep his family in our hearts, and remember what he stood for. Let us continue the work for a just America in his loving memory.

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PIVOT Condemns Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill and Urges Florida’s State Senate and Other State Legislatures to Not Enact or Pass Similar Bills

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PIVOT Condemns Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill and Urges Florida’s State Senate and Other State Legislatures to Not Enact or Pass Similar Bills

On Thursday February 24, Florida House of Representatives passed the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill (HB 1557/SB 1834). If it is passed, teachers would be blocked from talking about LGBTQ+ issues or people, further stigmatizing and isolating LGBTQ+ students. This bill would prevent teachers from providing a safe, inclusive classroom and undermine existing protections and rights of LGBTQ+ students.

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PIVOT denounces Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton for Using the Lives of Transgender Children and their Families as Political Pawns

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PIVOT denounces Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton for Using the Lives of Transgender Children and their Families as Political Pawns

On Tuesday February 22, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the state agencies of Family and Protective Services, Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Medical Board, and the Texas Education Agency to conduct “prompt and thorough” investigations into the use of gender-affirming care for transgender children, a move that follow Ken Paxton’s (the Texas state attorney general) opinion that such treatments are a form of child abuse. This significantly raises the risk that these parents will go to jail and the children will be separated from their parents.

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