SEAFN UNITI Fest was a three-day retreat held March 10–12, 2026, at the Jose Rizal Community Center in Sacramento. More than 100 community leaders, organizers, artists, and advocates attended from across the United States, representing Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, and Vietnamese communities. Many came from small, grassroots organizations that had never before been in the same room together. They were welcome by Co-Executive Directors of SEAFN, Chhaya Chhoum and Pheng Thao.

UNITI stands for “Unite, Nourish, Inspire, Transform, and Ignite.” The event was organized by SEAFN, the Southeast Asian Freedom Network. The agenda covered many topics including movement strategy, gender justice, and creating “healing space” for people grappling with their family’s journey to American and now doing frontline community work. An outdoor screening of “Taking Root,” a documentary series about Southeast Asian refugee communities rebuilding in America, capped one of the evenings.

The timing of UNITI Fest marked the 50th year anniversary of the end of the Wars in Southeast Asia. The fall of Saigon, the end of the Khmer Rouge’s rise to power, and the conclusion of the Secret War in Laos are conflicts that displaced millions and sent waves of refugees to the United States. SEAFN framed the anniversary as a strategic inflection point for the attendees.

Who Came and Why Sacramento

Attendees traveled from Maine, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California. Most represented organizations less than five years old.

Chhaya Chhoum said the Sacramento location was chosen in part because of what she and a colleague heard while touring the Central Valley ahead of the event. “When we were having conversations with folks in the Central Valley, particularly in Sacramento, Southeast Asian organizations who were saying, ‘This is the first time we’re in a room with each other,'” Chhoum said. “So, for us, it was an opening, an opportunity, an invitation to come to Sacramento.”

Chhoum said the goal of the gathering was not to respond to immediate crises like deportation fights, immigration enforcement, daily political pressures, but to step back from them.” All of our folks are urgently surviving, making decisions around who do we fight for around deportation, detention, all that stuff,” she said. “We really want to curate a space that allowed for people to dream and imagine what the next 50 years and beyond look like to Southeast Asian people in this country.”

Inside the Sessions

The program was built around sessions that moved from reflection to action The opening session, “Many Struggles, One Fight,” brought together speakers to discuss what connects communities whose histories (Cambodian genocide, the Vietnam War, the Laotian Secret War) are distinct but intertwined. Another session, “From Silos to Systems,” had attendees map their organizational ecosystems by region and affinity group, identifying gaps, overlaps, and potential collaborators.

The most discussed session was “The Horizon,” facilitated by Emil Sao of Collective Acceleration, a learning community focused on long-term systems change. Sao asked participants to envision what Southeast Asian communities would look like not in five or ten years, but seven generations, or roughly 150 years, into the future.

The exercise, he acknowledged, runs counter to how most advocacy organizations operate. “We’re so focused on reactivity and triage and thinking about what we need right now,” Sao said. “Actually, the best way to move towards a thriving world is to envision and strategize much further beyond.”

He pushed participants toward specificity, away from policy abstractions. Instead of “food sovereignty,” he asked: what does it mean to farm the exact seeds you want, in the garden you want? The framing came from indigenous traditions, he noted. Seven generations is a timeframe used by many indigenous cultures worldwide as a planning horizon.

Another session was “The Future Is Ours,” used a rotating chair format to let attendees share what they were taking away and what actions they intended to take.

What Young People Said They Were Fighting For

A notable feature of the gathering was the number of young attendees, people in their 20s and early 30s who are a generation or more removed from the refugee experience but still navigating its consequences. Chhoum said a clear theme emerged when she asked young participants what they were fighting for.

“They’re fighting for belonging,” she said. “And they’re fighting for the accountability of the harm that was caused to their parents and their grandparents. Part of belonging is also understanding how you got here, how your people got here, how your family survived.”

TK Le, SEAFN’s Communications Coordinator, said the question of whether young Southeast Asians are focused on their own present-day struggles or their parents’ and grandparents’ histories may be a false choice. “We’re always all looking to the past, the present, and the future all at the same time,” Le said. “The past never goes away — the genocides, the wars, the immigration. We carry all that with us.”

Le pointed to a hand-lettered piece on the event’s community quilt wall, a collaborative art installation where attendees contributed writing and images throughout the weekend. The text read: “We struggle from different forms of colonial violence imposed by the same colonial capitalist hands. The system cannot protect you from violence. We protect us.”

“Our oppressions are related,” Le said. “We have to remind ourselves that our liberations are also connected.”

What Attendees Envisioned

The written reflections produced during the Horizon session formed a sprawling, unfiltered record of what participants said they were working toward. Taken together, they described a world without borders, a criminal justice system replaced by community-based accountability, free and universal healthcare, multilingual education, rights for ecosystems, queer Southeast Asian people living openly and safely, and an end to billionaire wealth accumulation.

The writing was sometimes lyrical, sometimes blunt. One participant described the work ahead this way: “I see horizon work as us, in a boat, on the shore of collapse, making the decision that we have a direction of where we want to go. We have some, not all, of the supplies. But despite that uncertainty, we move towards the horizon.”

Another wrote: “There are people not yet born, or even a concept yet, who will experience turmoil, strife, struggle that may not even exist in this world yet, who I am dedicating my life, my time on Earth to.”

What Organizers Said They Wanted Attendees to Take Home

SEAFN’s stated goals for the gathering included building a shared policy and advocacy platform across racial, gender, and economic justice lines, and strengthening collaboration among Southeast Asian organizations that have historically operated independently of one another.

Chhoum was direct about her expectations for what happens after people leave Sacramento. “We hope they continue to do community work,” she said. “Doesn’t have to be through a nonprofit. They can become farmers, healers, business people, social media influencers. But that they do it all towards this horizon that we create collectively together, that wherever they are, they do all of their work towards that horizon.”

Introduction

Democracy doesn’t die in a single dramatic moment. It erodes through systematic tactics that normalize the abnormal, silence opposition, and concentrate power. Many AANHPI immigrants came to this country to escape the horrors of authoritarianism. And now they find themselves confronting it again.

This guide documents the specific strategies the Trump administration has to advance its agenda. From manufacturing crises to justify illegal actions, to systematically firing government watchdogs, to weaponizing federal agencies against political opponents, these tactics follow a well-worn authoritarian playbook used by would-be dictators worldwide.

But understanding the playbook is only the first step. For every authoritarian tactic, there are proven counteroffensive strategies that communities can deploy. This guide pairs the abuses with concrete actions, including legal challenges, coalition-building, rapid response networks, and sustained organizing that turn outrage into effective opposition. Resistance requires moving beyond shock to strategy, channelling individual anger to collective power.

1. Using False Pretexts to Justify Illegal Actions 

• Claiming that high levels of violent crime and drug smuggling constituted an “invasion,” invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to justify mass deportations without due process.
• Using a fraud case in Minnesota involving Somali immigrants as a pretext to send ICE into Minneapolis.
• Declaring that Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., were under siege and in a state of rebellion to justify federalizing and sending in the National Guard.
• Claiming that universities are hotbeds of anti-sematism to justify funding cuts
• Claiming without proof that Venezuelan boats were carrying drugs into the U.S. to justify bombing them.

2. Blaming without Proof

• Accusing Renee Good of being a “domestic terrorist” and Alex Pretti a “would-be assassin” to justify killing them.
• Accusing migrants for driving up housing costs, taking jobs from Americans, “poisoning our country,” and “eating the cats.”
• Calling any news organizations that are critical of it “fake news” and “the enemy of the American people”.
• Blaming the January 6 insurrection on Nancy Pelosi and the Capitol Police.
• Blaming non-citizens, dead people, crooked officials, and mail-in voting for voter fraud.
• Blaming Ukrainian leaders for the war with Russia.

3. Distraction

• Flooding the zone: releasing a stream of outrageous statements, social media posts, and executive actions to exhaust everyone’s attention to focus on one issue
• Creating new controversies: taking over Greenland, annexing Canada, and renaming the Kennedy Center.
• Using ad hominem attacks and nicknames for political opponents to shift focus from policy debates to personal drama.
• Gaslighting: Asserting that basic facts are untrue or fabricating events to create confusion and doubt among the public.
• Us vs. them rhetoric: using culture wars and imagined threats to motivate the base and distract from policy failures.

4. Lying

• The 2020 election was a fraud.
• We have the greatest economy in U.S. history.
• We have the biggest tax cut in U.S. history.
• “I’ve settled eight wars” in 10 months.
• The price of eggs is down 82% since March, and everything else is falling rapidly.
• “Already, I’ve secured a record-breaking $18 trillion of investment into the United States”.

Counter Offensive Strategy: A Rapid Response

A rapid response to false allegations and narratives is critically necessary and should be based upon substantiated and documented facts and possibly include legal action if appropriate. That would entail organizing a rapid-response coalition of community and lawyers when possible organizing groups to publicly debunk false claims with actual statistics and evidence. This could also include creating alternative media amplifying local voices that contradict inaccurate or false federal narratives. As an example, Minneapolis residents must counter the false aspects of the Somali fraud narrative and document every false claim systematically to establish patterns of deception and then amplify it. 

When officials falsely label activists as terrorists, mobilize independent investigations demanding bodycam footage, witness testimony, police records and unfortunately even autopsies when necessary. For anti-immigrant scapegoating, flood media with economic research showing migrants’ actual contributions to communities and economies. Create “truth squads” that follow official lies with documented corrections across all platforms. Center immigrant voices sharing their actual stories. Pressure media to stop amplifying baseless claims without immediate challenge. Organize media literacy sessions teaching propaganda recognition. Never repeat their lies even to debunk them—state truth affirmatively.

Develop organizational discipline to avoid chasing every distraction and outrage. Create focused campaigns around core issues—healthcare access, economic justice, democratic rights, climate action—and maintain and sustain them regardless of daily provocations. 

When Greenland annexation dominates coverage, redirect conversations to actual policy impacts affecting real people. Train activists and spokespeople in message discipline: acknowledge the distraction briefly if necessary, then pivot immediately back to your agenda. Support journalism that analyzes patterns rather than breathless crisis coverage of each outrageous statement. Create communication protocols distinguishing between attention-worthy developments and deliberate distractions. Organize teach-ins on propaganda techniques. Set your own agenda.

5. Firing the Watchdogs and Experts in Government

• The “Friday Night Massacre” dismissal of 17 Inspectors General without the legally required 30-day notice to Congress
• The firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez after she refused to comply with demands from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to pre-approve vaccine recommendations without reviewing scientific evidence and to fire career scientists without cause. 
• Erika McEntarfer, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics was fired in August 2025 after Trump accused her of “rigging” jobs data, following poor economic figures.

Counter Offensive Strategy: Treat and characterize every possible improper or legally questionable firing as a constitutional breach that requires judicial review and immediate mobilization. Support fired inspectors general and scientists who are whistleblowers with legal defense funds and public platforms for their testimony including congressional investigations with subpoena power, especially when legally required procedures like 30-day notices are violated. Build alternative accountability infrastructure through independent watchdog organizations to create public databases tracking all dismissed experts, including their qualifications, and the pending investigations they were conducting. Pressure Congress to strengthen inspector general independence and scientific integrity protections with real enforcement mechanisms. 

6.  Weaponizing the Government Agencies to Seek Retribution

• Investigating FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
• Launching a criminal investigation and issuing subpoenas to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
• Attempting, but failing, to secure federal indictments against six Democratic lawmakers who published a video urging military personnel to refuse “illegal orders”
• Directing the FCC to investigate media outlets that provide negative coverage 
• Investigating, extorting money, and terminating federal contracts of law firms representing Trump’s opponents or challenging his agenda.
  

Counter Offensive Strategy: Document every retaliatory investigation to establish clear patterns of political prosecution showing correlations between criticism and targeting. Support targeted individuals with legal defense funds, pro bono representation, and public solidarity campaigns. File ethics complaints and bar association grievances against attorneys participating in politically motivated prosecutions that violate established legal and judicial standards. Pressure Congress to exercise oversight through hearings, document requests, and appropriations restrictions on agencies conducting retaliatory investigations. Demand recusal of political appointees inappropriately attacking administration critics. Build coalitions between targeted lawmakers, governors, attorneys general, and media outlets to present unified resistance and share legal strategies. When law firms lose contracts for representing opponents, organize legal and business community pushback. Support legislative reforms strengthening prosecutorial independence and special counsel protections. Refuse to be silenced by retribution.

7. Using Fear, Intimidation, and Violence to Promote Political Agenda

• Masked ICE agents terrorized and killed Minnesotans to send a message to the rest of the country.
• Mass workplace ICE raids with military-style tactics in meatpacking plants, construction sites have created panic in immigrant communities nationwide.
• Threats against prosecutors and judges: The administration has publicly attacked state prosecutors investigating Trump associates, with supporters subsequently making death threats that forced several officials into protective custody.

Counter Offensive Strategy: Build a protective infrastructure by creating a network of  legal observers, immigration attorneys, and community defenders who can mobilize within minutes of ICE operations beginning. Establish sanctuary spaces—churches, community centers, schools—trained in constitutional rights and prepared to document abuses. Organize comprehensive know-your-rights workshops in multiple languages teaching people to refuse warrantless entry, remain silent, and contact legal help. When violence occurs like the Minnesota killings, demand independent investigations beyond the federal government. Train legal observers to document everything: badge numbers, use of force, statements made. Pressure local officials to refuse ICE cooperation. Counter fear with visible, sustained solidarity.

8. Hypocrisy

• Standing up for the 2nd Amendment while saying it was wrong for Alex Pretti to bring a legally permitted gun to a protest
• Exonerating Pete Hegseth for Signalgate while demonizing Hilary Clinton for having a private email server.
• Kidnapping the president of Venezuela for drug crimes, while pardoning the former president of Honduras, who was serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking.

Counter Offensive Strategy: Make every double standard impossible to ignore through relentless documentation and visual comparison. Create side-by-side charts, videos, and social media graphics showing identical behaviors receiving opposite consequences: Pretti’s legal gun versus Second Amendment rhetoric, Honduras pardon versus Venezuela kidnapping. Build media literacy campaigns teaching people to recognize double standards as domination tactics demonstrating “rules for thee but not for me.” Support journalism that systematically tracks hypocrisy rather than treating each instance as isolated. File legal challenges arguing equal protection violations when laws are improperly applied selectively based on political affiliation. Organize coalitions around principle-based positions: if private communication is a security risk, it’s a risk for everyone; if gun rights are protected, they’re protected for all. Refuse “everyone does it” framing.

9. Demonizing Liberal Culture to Dismantle Government and Funding

• Portraying universities, journalists, diversity programs, and public health agencies as ideological enemies. 
• Casting cultural institutions as corrupt elites.
• Pitting multiculturalism against nationalist priorities.

Counter Offensive Strategy: Expose the material stakes and the adverse consequences behind culture war rhetoric by connecting attacks on “woke universities” to actual research funding cuts affecting disease cures, agricultural innovation, and technological advancement benefiting everyone regardless of politics. Engage with and farmers and others how USDA research improves their yields, rural communities, how public broadcasting serves their information needs, how veterans diversity programs improve VA healthcare quality, and how small businesses consumer protection prevents fraud. Force culture warriors to explain why cancer research is “woke” or clean water standards are “elitist.” Support alternative funding while fighting for public investment and reach out and partner with unknown and unexpected allies who benefit from a functional government that protects the interests, health and public safety of the community.

10. Performative Behavior

• The Wolf Persona: Centralizing power through unpredictability and fear
• Relying on spectacle and show of force (ICE) to appeal to base instincts
• Acolytes and members of the inner circle mirror the mob boss’s combative behavior to show their loyalty.

Counter Offensive Strategy: Refuse to amplify or validate the performance—and counter their narrative with documented refutation that denies them the propaganda victory they seek. When ICE conducts televised deportations or stages border photo ops, don’t share the footage or give them free media coverage. Instead, create counter-programming showing real impacts: families separated, communities disrupted, resources wasted on theater while actual problems go unsolved. Organize alternative events demonstrating actual community values—when they stage cruelty, stage massive solidarity actions, respond by asking “What did this actually accomplish?” Build campaigns that make performative governance politically costly by relentlessly highlighting the actual failures and wasted resources that they are attempting to hide. Document officials prioritizing performance over performing the important and critical tasks they are legally charged to perform. Encourage journalism and the public at large to examine gaps between rhetoric and results by make them defend measurable outcomes, not attitude or theater.

Conclusion

Authoritarianism advances when good people feel overwhelmed, isolated, or powerless. But history proves that organized communities can resist even the most determined attacks on democracy. Every tactic in this playbook has been defeated before, when people refused to be silent, built protective networks, demanded accountability, and sustained pressure over time. 

Your resistance matters. Start locally: organize your neighbors, document abuses, support targeted communities, and refuse to normalize cruelty. Connect with established organizations doing this work. Remember that authoritarians rely on our exhaustion and division, so counter it with joy, solidarity, and stubborn persistence. Democracy survives through the daily choices of ordinary people who refuse to surrender it.

On January 19, 2026, our nation commemorates the day of service in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., honoring his profound influence on the nation. Dr. King exemplified how moral fortitude and the practice of nonviolence could catalyze transformative societal transformation. His philosophy was deeply rooted in Christian principles and further enriched by Mahatma Gandhi’s doctrine of nonviolence, which itself draws inspiration from the Hindu ‘Sanatana’ philosophy centered on the soul’s aspiration for peaceful existence.

I am also witnessing daily the images of unrest, anger, and profound division that permeate our society. Dr. King’s words resound with renewed urgency. His dream was not nurtured in comfort or tranquility; it emerged during a time of profound injustice, fear, and resistance. Recalling this context reminds me that today’s unrest, while distressing, also reflects unresolved wounds that still demand moral courage and forthright accountability. Numerous families in Iran, Bangladesh, and other global regions are grappling with political upheaval. Additionally, there is unrest in various parts of the world where natural calamities and poverty have wreaked havoc, resulting in people living under challenging circumstances. We also encounter unrest within our own country, where citizens are troubled, and their daily activities are significantly impacted by the presence of federal forces in pursuit of individuals from other nations who were escaping from poverty and residing in this country without proper documentation and legal status. It is widely believed that our systems are strained due to the influx of individuals without legal status, who are depleting our resources.

All these situations, consistently depicted by American Networks, serve as poignant reminders of the enduring principles of Martin Luther King Jr.’s compassion and kindness. This is particularly evident when considering the peace walk undertaken by a group of Buddhist monks and their canine companion, Aloka. Their journey, spanning an impressive 2,300 miles from Texas to Washington, D.C., has garnered widespread media attention and has inspired countless individuals.

Throughout their trek, individuals have joined the monks for specific segments, providing sustenance and support to their noble cause. The monks’ silent walk for peace, compassion, and unity has also captivated the attention of photographers and journalists, who have documented their progress and the profound spirit of their endeavor.

This journey underscores the profound significance of cultivating compassion, fostering unity, and engaging in peaceful actions within our daily lives.

Martin Luther King Jr. firmly believed that nonviolence was not synonymous with passivity, but rather a potent force for transformative change. In moments when frustration spirals into chaos, his example urges us to respond not with silence or anger, but with disciplined compassion and purposeful action. He recognized that justice delayed engenders unrest, yet he insisted that the path forward must preserve our shared humanity. This delicate balance feels particularly challenging in the current context, characterized by fragile dialogue and diminished trust.

I vividly recall reading about his dream, his words resounding with clarity: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’” This aspiration resonates with many, as we aspire to collaborate peacefully and reap the rewards of our collective efforts with dignity, honesty, and civic engagement. This is a call for working together for common good and prosperity.

Editor’s Note: AAUC encourages you to get involved in commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by submitting a story or hosting a local event. For more information and to join the mailing list visit DOI250AA.

Celebrating Social Progress Since the Founding

In 1776, when the founders of the thirteen North American colonies resolved to separate from the British Empire, they confronted the unprecedented challenge of designing a nation grounded in reason rather than inherited monarchy or religious dogma. The drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence had to articulate the origin of political authority and define the relationship between the people and their government. Thomas Jefferson, as the principal drafter, with contributions from Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, crafted the sentence often called “the greatest ever written”:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

This formulation asserts that rights arise naturally at birth and that individuals delegate limited authority to their elected representatives to form a government. This arrangement constitutes a social contract that holds public officials and governmental institutions accountable. On this basis, the Declaration maintains that whenever a government becomes destructive of these ends, “it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.” Abraham Lincoln later distilled this principle as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

This philosophical framework represented a major milestone in the history of political thought. However, the realization of its ideals has been an ongoing process. At the time of the Declaration’s signing, “all men” applied only to white male property owners, excluding women, enslaved people, and Native Americans. Although discrimination persists, a central dimension of American social progress over the past 250 years has been the gradual expansion of equal rights to all people.

Finding Common Ground in Twenty-First-Century America

The principles articulated in the Declaration unified a diverse population of colonists, immigrants, and pilgrims by defining a shared foundation and common aspirations. Today, the United States confronts a transformed global economic order, an AI-driven technological revolution, and demographic changes that are leading toward a minority-majority society. Meeting these challenges and developing solutions that benefit all Americans is a matter of collective interest.

The question, therefore, is whether the same principles—now understood to include all individuals—can once again help Americans find common purpose and renewed aspirations.

We commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration because of its self-evident truths, its affirmation of human equality and unalienable rights, the Constitution that safeguards those rights, and the democratic institutions based on checks and balances together provide a durable framework capable of guiding a diverse population through peaceful evolution. The collective wisdom derived from multiple civilizations and cultural traditions surpasses that of any single source. Embracing a pluralistic society and strengthening a multiethnic democracy offer a path through which the American people can create a brighter future for generations to come.

AAPI Contributions to the American Story

Long mischaracterized as “economic threats” or “perpetual foreigners,” Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have been integral contributors to the American story. We, too, affirm the truths expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

Commemorating the Declaration’s 250th anniversary offers the AAPI community an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the “American DNA” embodied in its founding principles. For many first-generation immigrants, this understanding helps bridge the psychological gap between feeling like outsiders and embracing an American identity. For future generations, it reinforces both love of country and pride in their ancestral heritage.

In an immigrant nation, the status of any minority group is shaped by its contributions and leadership. The 25 million AAPI Americans—constituting 7.2 percent of the population—have already made, and will continue to make, distinctive contributions as the United States enters an AI-empowered, pluralistic era. AAPI communities must participate fully in the America250 commemoration as stakeholders and storytellers. As heirs to ancient civilizations, AAPI Americans can bring the essence of their cultural traditions into American economic, social, and political life, thereby enriching the national fabric and advancing democratic leadership.

While the AAPI community shares certain interests, it is equally an inseparable part of a broader community of shared destiny with all Americans.

Achieving Our Shared American Dream

The assertion that “all humans are created equal” lays the foundation for the United States as a land of opportunity. This principle is the core of the shared American Dream. In his 1931 work The Epic of America, James Truslow Adams described this dream not as one of material wealth, but as:
“a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”

Martin Luther King Jr. further refined this vision by calling for a society in which individuals are judged solely by “the content of their character.”

Achieving this shared dream requires both sociological and biological processes. Social progress often emerges through negotiation, conflict resolution, and legislation enacted through democratic institutions. Such progress occurs gradually, but it transforms society on a broad scale. Interracial marriage accelerates integration at the individual and family levels. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the multiracial population grew from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020—a 276 percent increase.

Recognizing that humanity is ultimately one, we must strive for a society in which every person can achieve their full potential and live a fulfilling life. Communication and interaction across different backgrounds foster understanding and appreciation. Appreciation cultivates respect, and respect builds the trust necessary for collaboration.

As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is up to all of us to work together toward realizing our shared American Dream.

Get Involved

AAUC encourages you to get involved in commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by submitting a story or hosting a local event. For more information and to join the mailing list visit DOI250AA.

DOI250AA is a national, community-guided initiative of the Chinese American Community Action Planning Council. We are an independent effort shaped by Asian American leaders, educators, bridge-builders, and supporters across the United States. For more information, visit doi250aa.net.

The video has racked up 1.2 million views on YouTube since it was posted in October 2025.

The journey begins with conversations on the streets, where residents push back against common stereotypes. Many emphasize gratitude toward the United States, the safety and familiarity of their neighborhood, and the tight-knit network of mosques, youth programs, and local businesses that anchor daily life. One resident reflects on arriving as a refugee and building a life, while also sharing how misinformation once harmed his reputation—an example of how quickly narratives about Somali Americans can distort reality.

Cedar-Riverside, once a Scandinavian hub, has evolved into what locals call the “Somali capital” of the U.S. Longtime property managers describe the area’s transformation as an evolution driven by new immigrant families seeking community and opportunity. Young people echo this sentiment: while they acknowledge concerns about crime, they describe their neighborhood as lively, supportive, and far more ordinary than online portrayals suggest.

A visit to the sprawling Karmel Somali Mall reveals a vibrant commercial center filled with small businesses, many run by women. For newcomers and longtime residents alike, the mall is both an economic engine and a cultural touchstone. Interviews with Somali entrepreneurs highlight themes of cultural pride, resilience, and the challenges of navigating American racial categories and expectations.

The video ends with insight from a Somali parliamentarian living in Minnesota, who stresses the deep historical ties between the U.S. and Somalia and affirms Somali Americans’ commitment to the “American dream.” Ultimately, the filmmakers pose a question: Are Somali Minnesotans simply the newest immigrant community facing old stereotypes?

This video and the public reaction expressed in the comments invite viewers to decide for themselves.

Recommended Reading

The History of Somalis in Minnesota, by Anduin Wilhide, Minnesota Historical Society, April 17, 2025

Texas State Representative Gene Wu’s fiery address at the 2025 Unity Summit illuminates the intense political battles he’s waged in Texas. On September 17, at the Rayburn House Office Building, in Washington, D.C., he delivered a powerful call to action for Asian-Americans and other minority groups nationwide.

Confronting Power in Texas

Representative Wu’s leadership in a state where one party controls nearly all levers of power, from the Governor’s office to majorities in the House and Senate, is a monumental effort. He’s had to confront a deeply entrenched political establishment. A prime example of this struggle was the legislative attempt to implement anti-alien laws, measures reminiscent of discriminatory laws from a century ago. Wu recounted how he initially led a charge, organizing the Asian-American community in a truly empowering and effective way that successfully prevented the legislation’s passage for an entire year.

However, the opposition ultimately prevailed this recent year, showcasing the overwhelming power of the opposing side. As Wu noted, Republicans poured four times more effort into passing the law, with the President himself getting involved. Even politicians who privately admitted the laws were wrong felt compelled to vote for them.

This legislative success has had immediate real-world consequences. Wu, whose law firm represents many businesses, mentioned that several clients—Chinese, Korean, and others with significant investments—are now questioning whether to pull up roots and leave Texas, demonstrating the law’s chilling effect on economic activity. The ultimate fear, Wu warned, is that these state laws will be replicated at the national level, threatening the rights of immigrants across the country.

Gene Wu also addressed his state’s most recent controversy involving redistricting. He mentioned that this fight is part of the larger effort to suppress the power of rising minority groups, specifically Black and Latino communities, because the opposing party doesn’t see Asians as a threat politically since they don’t vote as much.

He gave two specific examples of how the redistricting effort worked to dilute political power:

Black Communities: In Houston, they took two powerful Black communities, CD8 and CD9, and smashed them together, effectively ensuring that these two distinct communities could only elect one leader instead of two.

Latino Communities: They chopped up previously Latino-majority communities that controlled their primaries and who got elected. These parts were then stuck with other white communities, ensuring that while they might technically be Latino-majority, they are designed never to elect a Latino representative.

The Historical Playbook of Division

Wu argues that the current political attacks on Asian-Americans are not new. They are simply the latest iteration of a historical playbook used to suppress rising minority groups. He drew a stark parallel between the historical targeting of African Americans and Latinos and the modern strategy directed at Asians.

When African Americans and Latinos achieve positions of power, they are often dismissed with labels like “affirmative action” or “DEI”. For Asian-Americans, who often outperform in metrics like education, the attack shifts: they are instead labeled as “spies,” “traitors,” or culturally incompatible with American life. Wu stressed, “At the end of the day, it is about race.”

This strategy is a revival of practices like the original Alien Land Laws, which were repealed after the Civil Rights Act only to be put back into place today. He highlighted the terrifying similarity in the justifications used: that Asians are “dangerous,” “not to be trusted,” and should be feared based on how they look, a rhetoric tragically familiar from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wu urged the community to overcome their historical ignorance, noting that the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 didn’t just ban Chinese people, but was part of a larger system that only allowed 105 Asians into the country per year until the policies were fully repealed in 1965.

He also addressed the root of current elite anger: the rise of Asian-American success, particularly in education. With Asian-American enrollment at top schools like UC Berkeley nearing 45%, Wu argued, “Who are we pushing out? It’s not just white families. It’s powerful white families, rich white families.” This competition, he asserts, fuels the rising resentment and the desire to curb the community’s growth.

A Call for Unity and Action

Wu’s message is a clear-eyed rejection of apathy. He challenges the community to move past the belief that “This is America. Nothing ever bad happens here.” He outlined a simple, powerful, three-step strategy for every grassroots organization and individual:

Educate: Learn the “brutal, terrifying, and horrific” history of how Asian-Americans and other minorities have been treated.

Organize: Create communication channels to keep communities informed on political attacks and hate incidents.

Take Action: Engage in any civic activity, from writing letters to protesting.

His most powerful appeal, however, is for unity. Asian-Americans, despite being the fastest-growing population in the nation, do not have the political power to fight this battle alone. The path to victory, he insists, is recognizing that “it is the same boot on all of our necks,” whether that of the African American, Latino, or Asian community.

“This is a fight for our lives,” Wu concluded, urging everyone to “get off their ass” and engage, before the country moves to a “two-tier system where immigrants and minorities live in one level and everyone else lives in another.” The urgency is now.