The Workers of Colour Multicultural Mentorship Committee (WoCMMC) sent delegates to the Asian Pacific Island (API) Summit in October 2025. The purpose of the summit was to shape the future of API leadership, connect with inspiring API leaders and create real change, empower API workers through education and organizing workshops and to celebrate the richness of API culture and heritage.
Members that attend are asked to provide a report so that the membership can also benefit from the events. Please have a read:
Shawky:
It was a great pleasure to attend this summit to earn more about the others' experiences and to exchange our experiences and support each to other in this political uncertainty and unrest all over the world. Unfortunately, we arrived on October 2nd to the hotel where the summit is held around 8:30 pm after all the activities that day were ended. But we did not miss any important actions, since that day was devoted mostly for registration and welcoming the participants.
On October 3rd, we registered, and I noticed that most of the materials are digital and you need a QR code to access it. It was sometimes annoying since I was using my cell phone and the writing on the phone is small, but I got used to it after an hour or two. On that day, there were 11 workshops, and you could only attend two of them since they are held at the same time twice once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
- GROWING RESILIENCE & PREVENTING BURNOUT: More than surviving, we are THRIVING!
- BUILDING AN API CAUCUS: When we unite, we rise in power!
- NAVIGATING TODAY’S POLITICAL CLIMATE: Cut through the chaos and find hope.
- ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & WORK: Make sure technology works for everyone!
- THE POWER OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING: Make our voices seen and heard!
- CONFRONTING CLIMATE CHAOS: Protect our communities and save the future!
- UNIONS & API HISTORY IN EDUCATION: Build solidarity and share our legacy of activism!
- BEYOND THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH: See through the deception and fight back!
- ICE OUT OF API COMMUNITIES: Know Your Rights and Resist!
- MISINFORMATION & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT: Stand strong against attempts to divide us!
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THE POWER OF MY STORY: Use your voice to build union strength!
Some of these workshops offer Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean interpretation.
I attended these workshops:
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NAVIGATING TODAY’S POLITICAL CLIMATE
This workshop discussed dealing with isolation, confusion, or insecurity feelings that many of the unions' members are having because of the hostile behaviour and actions of the current administration in the USA. I learned that these constant attacks are intended to make union members of immigration background feel powerless and scared, so that some will leave and whoever left will accept any salary. I appreciated the instructor words of wisdom that our work pours money into rich peoples' pockets and they cannot get rid of us and we will be stronger by unity and solidarity. That is how the API leaders can help build a strong union that reconnects us, brings clarity, and allows us to build our collective power. -
UNIONS & API HISTORY IN EDUCATION
This workshop discussed dealing with the fighting to belong over the years, highlighting the role of the unions to embed the Asian American history into education. Fighting to belong simply shows the suffering of Asian people, either the immigrant or the first US born generation, and the inability to belong to Asian countries, since they are American now, or to belong to their country now, USA, since American Citizens look at them as Asian. Many of the new generations suffered from these discriminations to the extent that some school students die by suicide. Now, with the help of unions and social organizations, the Asian American education project is taught in all the schools. Now the Asian American citizens can be proud to say they are Americans of Asian heritage.
On October 4th, the whole day was for presenting some of the organizations and supporters of the API organizations and unions in the fields of Immigration, Healthcare, Organizing and Civic Engagement. Some Asian folklore and arts were also involved.
In the afternoon there was regional breakout. I attended the Canada group, and we talked about what interests and challenges the Canadian members are facing. I found that we are all in the same boat and the challenges we face with the government in Saskatchewan, they also face in Ontario. They also are having a hard time to get a collective agreement contract, as well as the other groups in USA. The only difference between our Saskatchewan group and other groups is they can strike while we can’t. Very disappointing for us.
I also had a chance to visit the Gorge Floyd memorial in the place where he was killed by police. I felt so sad as if I saw the crime happen in front of my eyes.
At the end of the day, there was a Gala party in which the participants showed their heritage in folklore and clothes. The donors and supporters were invited as well.
Many thanks for giving me this opportunity to participate and exchange my experience with other unions’ members.
The Asian Pacific Islanders (API) Caucus focused on organizing political engagement and community partnerships. The highlights for the 2025 summit in Minneapolis had the focus "Rising In Power".
Activities included electing officers, holding regional breakouts, discussing strategies to resist threats through organizing, and civic engagement. Key activities in focus areas for the 2025 Summit in Minneapolis were:
- the theme "Rising In Power" to address current threats to workers and communities.
- electing new API caucus officers for the 2025 to 2027 term.
- involving Regional breakouts to discuss strategy and action.
Key strategies for Rising In Power:
- Organizing new members and learning from international experiences with authoritarian governments.
- Mobilizing for year-round civic engagement and voter registration.
- Building partnerships with community organizations and other SEIU caucuses.
- Promoting cross-racial solidarity.
Advocacy and Statements:
- Issued a statement in 2020 demanding action after the murder of George Floyd, including charging all officers, and banning them from taxpayer-funded positions.
- Immigration And Customs Enforcement released statements on issues like ICE raids, immigration relief, and protection of asylum-seekers.
Core Mission:
- Collaborate with community groups to address social, economic, housing, health, and other issues affecting the API community.
- Identify and develop community activists and member leaders within the labour movement.
The new international API president is Cristina Calugcugan, or CC for short. She is beautiful inside and out. She acknowledged me and Shawky in that we were the only two representatives for Saskatchewan's SEIU-West. She gave me a hug, and I had a picture taken with her. She's amazing and I'm sure she will do awesome in her term.
Susan Li, our former president was also amazing, a good sport, and a great leader. It was nice to see her, and I had a selfie with her as well.
Congratulations as well to our new vice president Michael Guzman, he also treated us like part of the team, and he will do great as the new VP.
Workshops:
GROWING RESILIENCE & PREVENTING BURNOUT: More than surviving, we are THRIVING!
The SEIU labor movement is resilient—and so are we. We explored how resilience weaves through your personal life, your union, and your broader community. This workshop provided tools to stay grounded and connected, helped you overcome difficulties associated with burnout and to continue thriving in the labor movement.
BUILDING AN API CAUCUS: When we unite, we rise in power!
You’ve talked to a few other API members at your local, but how can you turn those connections into a strong union group that makes a difference in our communities? This workshop was to help guide API members and staff in building an API Caucus at your local.
Information on the workshops can be found here:
I attended Building An API Caucus, since I'm very interested in getting API members at SEIU West involved, and I wanted to know how. I always believed that when we unite, we rise in power. Every facilitator told us their stories of when they started, including CC. How they started small and worked so hard to get to where they are now. This workshop guided API members and staff in building an API caucus in our local. Christina started with only three API stewards, and they represented 100,000 workers, including herself. Now they have 35 API stewards, some are getting promoted to management, she said it took a lot of conversations. This work started around 2010-2011. Every local is going to be different. Her advice was to keep finding other stewards and entice them to be API members. If you are barely surviving, you need to join.
- Tell them that they are not alone.
- You cannot fight alone, and you need more pay to survive. You are not OK, you deserve more.
- Working overtime, your body can only take so much.
- Together, we fight for the money we deserve.
- A Caucus is a group of people with the same belief to fight for justice.
- we need to expand locally to help each other to form APIs with SEIU West.
This workshop really helped me to see how our SEIU-West Union needs our members to speak up. Get involved in your union, because if we don't, we have less chance of getting what we deserve, especially our wage increase, it's been overdue. We need to unite and ask for the wage increases we demand. We are a team, when we unite, we rise in power. Solidarity is the key.
The second workshop I attended was Misinformation And What To Do About It. We talked about what tactics were used against Kamala Harris to keep Asian Americans from voting for her. Fake news leads to people becoming misinformed. Views can change based on information that isn't real. Where do you get your news? How trustworthy do you think your sources are and why? YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media aren't always trustworthy. They can be biased. Local news, TV and new stations can be biased as well. Always look at different resources. Make sure that something is true before sharing it with others.
What does it mean to accuse a group or community of being communist? Why would that be used to manipulate Asian Americans? It creates division and fear to accuse anyone of anything you can't prove; it's a way to distract people from the bigger issues. Lies often spread faster as they generate fear and anger. Controversy goes viral faster. Avoid believing everything you see and hear on social media.
Susan Li, the former API president, gave a great speech. Focus on telling our stories, everyone has a unique story to tell. She shared where she was from and who she is, she's an amazing lady, her own story about herself was interesting. She also acknowledged the presence of international leaders from Taiwan, Indonesia, and other countries.
Ilhan Omar, the first Muslim Congresswoman in the US, also gave a good speech. She's one of the API's greatest allies, the most incredible congresswoman. She supports raising the minimum wage, national paid family leave, and the six days policy.
Next Jamie Gulley, president of healthcare in Minnesota and Iowa, and VP international executive board member spoke. He added 40,000 members to their union during his leadership, growing to a total of 60,000 members. He added safe and sick time. (Safe time is for individuals dealing with domestic violence.) He gave an incredible speech as well.
We made a lot of new friends from all over the world. We had the gala and everyone pretty much wore their cultural attire. We enjoyed our time with these new friends and our time with our Canadian group as well.
The SEIU API Caucus Vision:
- We believe, and will fight for the empowerment of the APIs in the labour movement.
- Where API workers are recognized, valued, and and respected.
- Where is Socio-economic, and political power is built and cultivated by APIs.
- Where APIs lead.
- Where APIs are respected in union leadership bodies and shape the vision and decisions advocated by our union.
- Where we leave a stronger better and more inclusive movement for generations to come.
Thanks to the top officers for giving me the opportunity to attend this API caucus! Again, we need more API members, so I was hoping to get an API caucus started in Saskatchewan soon, with our top officer’s approval.