mnsss441 National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum Records, 1995-2010 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Burd Schlessinger. Sophia Smith Collection

Smith College Northampton, MA

2008

Finding aid exported into EAD from InMagic DB/Textworks 7.01. Encoded by Margaret Jessup. June 17, 2008 Finding aid written in English. Collection Overview National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum Records1995-2010 (ongoing) MS 586 4 boxes (5 linear ft.) English Sophia Smith Collection

Smith College Northampton, MA

Advocacy group; Civil rights activists. Records include administative, conference and retreat materials, newsletters, and general information about files of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, and cover such topics as women's rights, reproductive rights, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender rights, immigration reform, economic justice, and voter registration initiatives as they relate to Asian and Pacific Islander American women. Historical Note

At the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, Asian and Pacific Islander American female activists at the non-governmental organization (NGO) forums realized they had no organized voice for participating officially in the conference, and, although each of them as individuals had worked long and hard on their respective issues (safety, economic justice, reproductive rights, equal educational access, health, immigrant and refugee rights, civil rights and LGBTQ rights) their work was not linked in any sustained or meaningful way back home in the United States. While in Beijing, one hundred women came together over two caucuses and pledged to build and sustain a national, progressive, multi-issue movement of Asian Pacific American women in the United States when they returned home; subsequently, NAPAWF was founded in September 1996, in Los Angeles, California. Several regional chapters were formed, as was the National Transition Team (an interim leadership body), comprised of representatives from different regions; platform issue areas were identified and articulated; and Fundraising, Media/Communications, Membership/Outreach, and Governance committees were formed. In 1997, NAPAWF became a project of the Tides Center (an organization that provides back-office services, a legal framework, and capacity-building support for projects that share its vision of a just, healthy, and sustainable world). In 1998, the NAPAWF National Summit was held in Minnesota, where platform issues were ratified and governance procedures were established. From 1997 to 2001, NAPAWF had several part-time coordinators based in California: Milyoung Cho, Christine Balance, Jenny Lin and Judy Han. In April 2003, the organization established the national office in Washington, DC and hired Kiran Ahuja as its first national director. Ahuja served until 2008, when Miriam Young assumed the position. NAPAWF actively pursues the following platforms: civil rights (including LGBT rights), economic justice, educational access, ending violence against women (including trafficking), health and reproductive freedom, and immigrant and refugee rights.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Administrative records, conference and retreat materials, newsletters, and general information about NAPAWF activism, including women's rights, reproductive rights, LGBT rights, immigration reform, economic justice, and voter registration initiatives.

[NOTE: The contents list for this collection is not online. Contact the Sophia Smith Collection if you would like one sent to you.]

The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection with the following caveats: The collection is stored offsite; researchers must give 48 hours advance notice. This collection has not been fully processed and therefore may be difficult to use.

The material in this collection may be protected by copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights for permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use." Permission must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum Records, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

Periodic additions to collection are expected and may not be reflected in this record.

The National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum Records were donated to the Sophia Smith Collection by Kiran Ahuja in 2008.

Processed by Burd Schlessinger, 2008.

Asian American women--Civil rights--History--Sources Asian American women--Social conditions--History--Sources Asian American women--Health and hygiene--History--Sources Feminists--United States--History--Sources Immigrants--United States--History--Sources Pacific Islander American women--Civil rights--History--Sources Pacific Islander American women--Social conditions--History--Sources Pacific Islander American women--Health and hygiene--History--Sources Reproductive health--United States--History--Sources National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum