Summer Activist Training in LA, An Inspiring Hope for America's Future

I want to take a moment to share with my readers a WONDERFUL experience I had yesterday with a group of young people here in Los Angeles. Firstly, I extend my gratitude to NCRR LA for inviting me to participate with an annual event that they co-host, SAT (Summer Activist Training). For fourteen years this event has been held now, where young Asian Pacific Islander Americans learn skills to become activists. The training is free, but they must commit themselves to three and a half days of training. What bright and energetic young people these are!! One young man I met who is 25 years old has been helping to lead this event for seven years now. As a junior at his high school he founded a local chapter of Amnesty International and is currently working as a labor union representative after receiving his master's degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. The energy of these young people is so inspiring. Yesterday, in addition to participating in workshops, they went across town and stood in solidarity with hotel workers who are fighting to gain fair wages and benefits. Today they will be going to Little Tokyo to hand out leaflets and petition signitures in support of Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq on grounds that the war is illegal.



These young adults are our future. They have many years ahead of them to create change.

Hats off to them!! And hats off to NCRR and the other organizations who sponsor this annual event. If you are interested in participating next year, below is the information for contact. (This is the flier for this years event, but you can use the info for next year also)



Program Dates:Thursday, June 29 - Sunday, July 2in Los Angeles, California
The deadline has passed to apply for the 13th annual Summer Activist Training. We'd like to thank all those who applied and interviewed with us. In the next week, we will be sending out final notices to all applicants on their application status. Please keep an eye out for an e-mail message.
SAT 2006 Brochure (pdf)
Application (pdf)
Application (fillable Word form)

About Summer Activist TrainingFounded in 1993, the Summer Activist Training (SAT) Program has provided young Asian Pacific Islander Americans an opportunity to spend three and a half days learning valuable skills in community organizing and direct-action campaigns. The program typically takes place at the end of June in the Los Angeles region.



Summer Activist Training brings together like-minded APIAs who will be challenged to identify and acquire skills they can use in their community work. SAT has made a mark on the Asian Pacific Islander community by helping create a community of young organizers, many of whom go onto work in various community-based organizations and unions. SAT also offers participants the opportunity to expand their networks of support and inspiration.


Participants and some staff of SAT 2005 - pictured here at KIWA
Participants and some staff of SAT 2005 - pictured here at KIWA
Summer Activist Training is sponsored by five Los Angeles-area community organizations and is staffed by experienced staff from the organizations, coalition partners, and SAT alumni. The sponsoring organizations include:
Garment Worker Center
Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance
Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress
Pilipino Workers Center
Thai Community Development Center

For more information or to be added to our contact list for future program updates, please contact us via any of the following:
Summer Activist Trainingc/o Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance3465 West 8th StreetLos Angeles, CA 90005-2519
Trisha Park '05 trisha (at) kiwa.orgTel: (213) 738-9050 x108
SAT 2006 Coordinators:Sophia Cheng '05 & Timmy Lu '03staff (at) summeractivisttraining.orgFax: (626) 737-7005