Dear Friends,
ALC’s first 51 years have seen incredible change, growth, and impact for the organization, our clients, and our communities. But neither our big successes—like the passing of AB 764, the Fair Maps Act, which ALC co-sponsored—or our individual wins—like securing the release of several hunger strikers from an ICE detention facility—are possible without the support of our donors and funders.
Based on what we've learned through our successes and challenges locally, we are preparing to expand our work to support partners throughout California and across the country. Building power through coalition work is critical as we are faced with anti-immigrant and white supremacist forces seeking to undermine our democracy and promote an agenda of fear and hate.
ALC was founded on principles of equity and justice that continue to be integral to our operations and programmatic activities to this day. We are committed to advocate for resources to not only defend and protect vulnerable members of the Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, and other immigrant communities, but also to strengthen coalitions and create infrastructure to build transformational power and solidarity across AAPI, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities.
In 2023, ALC expanded rapidly to meet the needs of these communities. We welcomed an unprecedented twenty-two new staff to our talented team. We also mourned the loss of a valued colleague and friend, Hammad Alam. Hammad served as staff attorney and program manager of ALC’s National Security & Civil Rights program, leading local and state campaigns to protect and strengthen the rights of Arab, Middle Eastern, Asian, Black, and Muslim community members. He is deeply missed.
This report provides an overview of the work we’ve done in 2023 and a glimpse at where we are headed in 2024. We thank you for being a part of our ongoing fight.
In community,
Aarti Kohli, Executive Director
Darren Teshima, Board Chair
