What a year!
2024 has been a difficult year for working-class immigrant and refugee communities like ours — and we’re hard at work gearing up for the fights ahead.
However — for our members across California, 2024 was also full of victories, powerful and brave organizing, and deep connection and solidarity across languages and generations.
All of this work is made possible by grassroots donations by people like you. Please consider making a donation to help us maintain our organizing in 2025.
At the beginning of the new year, APEN staff and members participated in the Lunar New Year parade organized by the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Dragon. Together, they contributed to promoting Chinese culture, uniting the Chinatown community, and raising awareness about APEN’s mission.
We started spring with a high-energy youth academy for our youth membership. This year, our Richmond team welcomed 17 new youth leaders to APEN. Returning youth leaders taught and facilitated workshops, sharing what they’d learned about environmental justice with other youth. The four-day academy ended with a joint toxic tour with our partner organization, RYSE. Over 70 youth and staff joined us for the tour of Richmond sites of toxic pollution and resilience, enjoyed tacos and fresh salsa together, and closed out with an Easter Egg hunt at Richmond’s Unity Park. 🐰🌱🌮
Photo by Denny Khamphanthong
In May, several of our Richmond youth members traveled to Los Angeles for an exchange with our new Los Angeles members. They had a blast learning about each other’s campaigns, cultures, and community stories. Throughout the year, our Los Angeles members participated in member exchanges with other members across the state, including Richmond, Oakland, and APEN Action members.
This past June, we launched our #PollutersPay campaign with a bang: a community rally featuring parents, workers, and speakers from across the community who shared their support for the campaign to tax major polluters and invest in our homes, families, and climate future. ✊ 🔥 We packed the Richmond City Council – and they voted unanimously to place a Polluters Pay measure on the ballot. Over the next few months, we campaigned to support the measure, leading to a successful $550 million settlement from Chevron over the next ten years. Our ballot measure may not have gone to the voters, but we won real investments for direct services and a just transition for Richmond.
Photo by Denny Khamphanthong
APEN members, staff, board, supporters, donors, and allies came together to celebrate our 30th anniversary with a festive Night Market in Downtown Oakland 🎉
Photo by Ryan Sin
Throughout the summer, APEN policy staff helped spearhead a broad tent 180-organization coalition across the environmental sector to put forward an equitable climate bond that invests in the resiliency of our communities. In August, the bond measure was placed on the ballot, and in November it passed with almost 60% support from voters across California.
APEN volunteers, staff, members, and partner organizations came together to assemble and distribute 5,800 emergency kits to working-class families in Oakland. The kits were packed with life-saving essentials like flashlights, first aid kits and masks, and were assembled at Lincoln Rec — a future resilience hub and cornerstone of the Chinatown community.
Photo by Joyce Xi.
After more than a decade of advocacy, the redevelopment project for the Lake Merritt BART station broke ground. This development will provide 96 permanent affordable senior housing units for the community. APEN staff, along with senior members who contributed to the project, attended the groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate this significant achievement.
In October, we hosted a screenprint fundraiser for the Bay Area Palestinian Youth Movement at our Richmond office. Youth leaders and Richmond members helped design the screenprint and run the event. On the night of the fundraiser, APEN members, friends, and Bay Area residents gathered to print their own t-shirts and posters, share stories, and listen to powerful speakers from PYM. The Bay stands in solidarity with a Free Palestine 🇵🇸 💚
The second phase of the Brooklyn Basin project has finally been completed, marking a significant victory in APEN’s efforts, alongside other community organizations, to secure a community benefits agreement. This phase of the project provides 124 affordable housing units for the community in Oakland. APEN staff and members participated in the opening ceremony to celebrate this achievement together.
In November, over 100 of our member leaders from across California gathered in the Bay Area for our annual Leaders Advance. Together, we built connection, celebrated our accomplishments and planned for the work ahead. Facilitators interpreted live in five languages and participants connected across generations, from high schoolers to elders.
Photo by Joyce Xi
