By Leslie Lum
Asian American Studies conference banquet (Photo by Peter Kwon)
The national conference of the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS) convened around 1,000 attendees from across the United States in Seattle from April 25 to 27.
Established in 1979, AAAS serves as a pivotal hub for the interdisciplinary field, rooted in the civil rights and activism movements of the 1960s.
During the conference, two main sessions shed light on labor organizing and interracial solidarity pivotal to Asian American history in Seattle.
In the first session moderated by Tracy Lai, David Della and Nemesio Domingo discussed the impact of the Wards Cove case on the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Presentations also highlighted recent labor efforts, including the Massage Parlor Organizing Project (MPOP), recognized with a community organizing award alongside UNITE HERE and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. Legacy of Equality, Leadership and Organizing (LELO) also received recognition.
The second session, titled “Forging Radical Struggles in a Multiracial Seattle,” explored the contributions of displaced Duwamish and Chinese migrants to early Seattle amidst racist ordinances imposed by white settlers. Mike Tagawa shared insights from his experience as a Black Panther and organizing students.
The conference featured nearly 300 sessions covering a wide array of topics, including diaspora studies, literature, history, comedy, film, art, cold war, militarism, family, education, anti-Asian violence, queer studies, refugees, settler colonialism, health, trauma, psychology, dance, racial politics, and food.
From left: Justine Sargent, Professor Shawn Wong, and Benny Sisson of the University of Washington at the Asian American Studies conference book fair. (Photo by Assunta Ng)
Leslie Lum is a professor at Bellevue College.