How The Asian Pacific Environmental Network Built Trust Through Decades Of Organizing Bay City News Service FacebookTwitterEmail 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.