Monthly Highlights, A Message from Our Board of Directors, & COVID-19 Resources

April 2, 2020

API-GBV Interim E.D. Message

Board Approved 4-1-20

The API-GBV Board of Directors is pleased to report that we have hired Mary Vradelis, to serve as our Interim Executive Director through this important leadership transition for the organization. As we announced earlier this year, our Founding E.D. Chic Dabby planned to step down on March 31. Despite Califorina’s stay-at-home requirements, Chic and Mary have worked together remotely over the past two weeks to transfer information and processes. Mary officially begins the role of API-GBV’s Interim E.D. on April 1 ^st. Chic remain s on staff through July 1 ^st to continue to share her depth of knowledge and experience to support API-GBV’s continued commitment to excellent service to the field and complete a variety of programmatic responsibilities.

Ms. Vradelis brings over 30 years of nonprofit management experience, and extensive experience in leadership transition and coaching. She will work with the board and staff over the next 6-9 months to use this transitional time to continue excellent programs and practices, and prepare the organization for our next E.D. During this time, we will also work together to establish our plan for the search. We look forward to sharing our progress and next steps. You may reach Mary Vradelis at mvradelis@api-gbv.org

As API-GBV staff adapts to working remotely during the COVID-19 crisis, we remain committed to providing the support our communities need to serve survivors of violence, including immigrant survivors and survivors with limited English proficiency.

We have compiled a list of resources and hope that they will help you make safe decisions for yourselves, survivors you work with. This list will be continually updated as resources and tools are developed.

Also check out this collection of AANHPI in-language resources on COVID-19, crowdsourced by APIAHF.

COVID-19 & Legislative Updates:

As Congress continues to negotiate and pass stimulus and funding bills to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, API-GBV in partnership with the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) has been providing updates and ways for advocates to tell Congress that legislation addressing the coronavirus outbreak must include access to vital economic and health care supports for survivors of gender-based violence, including immigrant survivors. The most recent CARES Act includes provisions that aid survivors, but lacks measures to truly meet survivors’ unique needs. API-GBV and AIS will continue to support advocates in urging Congress to protect everyone during this crisis, including survivors of violence. See AIS’ statement and action alerts to learn more.

image from APIAVote

Census 2020 is underway!

Download our 2020 Census Information Sheet to learn why accurate counts are important for our communities and how shelter residents and DV survivors can safely participate

Visit APIAVote for additional resources, in-language information, translated videos, and more

Language Justice in Legal Services positions language justice as a critical part of effective and inclusive legal services, and introduces a framework for assessing and strengthening practices for servicing individuals who do not communicate in English as their dominant language. Published by Management Information Exchange Journal

Factsheet on Domestic/Sexual, and Human Trafficking in Native Hawaiian Communities is a compilation of statistics, and information on issues affecting Native Hawaiians.

Upcoming Webinar! Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: An Under-recognized Form of Gender-Based Violence in the U.S. (in partnership with Sahiyo and U.S. End FGM/C Network)

4/21/20 at 11am PST

Listening Session – Limited English Proficient and Immigrant survivors learning community: Supporting each other during COVID-19: an opportunity to share the needs of advocates, activists and agencies working with immigrants and Limited English Proficient survivors

4/9/20 at 11am PST

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Visit our page on sexual violence for info & statistics on how API communities are affected by sexual violence, resources describing best practices for culturally-sensitive care, and more.

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, all API-GBV staff is telecommuting, and all upcoming meetings or trainings will be online. We remain available for technical assistance or virtual training requests.

Get in touch!

News and Updates from the Field:

Aging With Respect (Elder) Safety Card (Futures Without Violence): An intervention addressing elder abuse, neglect and intimate partner violence with those later in life
As Cities around the World Go on Lockdown, Victims of Domestic Violence Look for a Way Out (Time): “The very technique we are using to protect people from the virus can perversely impact victims of domestic violence.”
As Coronavirus Spreads, So Does Xenophobia and Anti-Asian Racism (Time): Anti-Asian hate and violence is on the rise as people search for a scapegoat during the crisis
Domestic Violence Victims Facing Higher Risks Amid Coronavirus Quarantine (New York Post): victims trapped at home with their abusers are in more peril than ever — at the same time, the courts have vastly reduced the number of protection orders they are processing
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Call for a Global Response (U.S. End FGM/C Network, Equality Now, & End FGM European Network) This report shines a spotlight on the presence of FGM/C in over 90 countries and highlights the need to act to end FGM/C without delay
This is What It Is Like to be a Woman in the Age of Coronavirus (HuffPost): Asian women are three times more likely to report racist harassment related to COVID-19, report shows

Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence

Oakland, CA | info@api-gbv.org | api-gbv.org