How The Asian Pacific Environmental Network Built Trust Through Decades Of Organizing
Bay City News Service
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Bay City News Foundation
A few years ago, the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), a Bay Area environmental justice organization focusing on Asian immigrant and refugee communities, set aside 20 percent of staff time to address emergency situations.
That paid off when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Network staff launched an information campaign, calling members to disseminate accurate information and ascertain community needs.
APEN's rich history in Richmond and Oakland enabled its fast -- and trusted -- response to the pandemic, demonstrating the importance of community organizations during crises. The network works primarily with low-income and working class Asian American immigrants and refugees, where trust and solidarity is not a given.