API RISE 10th Year Anniversary Celebration

At The Japanese American National Museum

On October 23, 2024, API RISE proudly celebrated a decade of resilience, advocacy, and empowerment at our 10th Year Anniversary Celebration.

The evening opened with a performance by the Korean drumming group Pungmul Samulnori followed by a warm welcome from emcees Godfrey Plata, API RISE Board Member, and Leesa Nomura, API RISE member. Together, they guided attendees through the organization’s inspiring journey from its founding to its vision for the future.

Honoring Leaders and Advocates

As part of the evening’s highlights, we presented two distinguished supporters awards:

The David Kupihea Legacy Award to Eddy Zheng of the New Breath Foundation, accepted on his behalf by Claudia Leung.
The Warren Furutani Activist Award to grassroots organization Nikkei Progressives, received by Jan Tokumaru and introduced by Warren Furutani alongside API RISE Director Billy Taing.

Voices of the Community

API RISE system-impacted members, including Mike Madrilejo, Bryan Macoy, Leesa Nomura, and Kunlyna Tauch, shared original poems, giving voice to experiences of resilience and transformation while envisioning a brighter future for our communities.

Celebrating the Journey

The premiere of our 10-Year Anniversary Mini Documentary, "We Rise Together", offered a reflection on API RISE’s mission and accomplishments. Board Members Kristina Wong and Kirn Kim, then led the evening’s fundraising drive, ensuring the continuation of our critical work.

The celebration concluded with inspiring remarks from volunteer Diane Ujiiye, leaving attendees motivated to continue supporting API RISE’s mission of inclusion, support, and empowerment.

Thank You

We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us in celebrating this milestone and to all who have supported API RISE over the past decade. Together, we look forward to continuing to build a compassionate and liberated future for our community.

Emcees **Godfrey Plata**, API RISE Board Member, and **Leesa Nomura**, an API RISE member

**Claudia Leung** accepts the **David Kupihea Legacy Award** on behalf of **Eddy Zheng** of the **New Breath Foundation**

**Jan Tokumaru** accepts the **Warren Furutani Activist Award** on **Nikkei Progressives**

**Kristina Wong** and **Kirn Kim** kick off the evening’s fundraising drive

API RISE 10 Sponsor Highlight

Sponsor Highlight

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Sponsor Highlight 〰️

Thank You Golden Dragon Sponsor!

Anonymous Contribution

Thank You Bronze Phoenix Sponsors

Anonymous Contribution

The California Wellness Foundation

Gift of Compassion

Homeboy Industries

Thank You Jade Turtle Sponsors!

New Breath Foundation

Nikkei Progressives

Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE)

Project Kinship

SoCal PICRT

Vigilant Love

Thank You Sapphire Dove Sponsors!

AADAP Hilda Solis, LA County Supervisor

Anthony Rendon, Speaker Emeritus Kristina Wong

AJSOCAL Kutturan Chamoru Foundation

APALA UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment

Asian Prisoner Support Committee UCLA Asian American Studies Center

Los Angeles Community Colleges Foundation Visual Communications

CA Health Collaborative/Ubuntu Project

Diana Buckhantz

Do Kim/KW Lee Center

Thank You Venue Sponsor!

Japanese American National Museum

Thank You Beer & Wine Sponsor

Glenn Curado

Thank You Gift Bag Sponsors

Narra

Uprisers

Peace Over Violence

Yellow Chair Collective

Reef Point Studios

Sanrio

World Harvest

Susan Madrilego

August 5-7th, 2022 | April 10th and 11th, 2021

From Number To Name

From Number to Name is a production by East West Players with API RISE, and directed by API RISE Board Member, Kristina Wong. From Number to Name explores incarceration, restorative justice, and undoing prison politics in Asian Pacific Islander communities:

What it's about: The production features formerly incarcerated Asian Pacific Islander members of API RISE, their families, and supporters. They share real stories from their experiences and reimagine the future of the criminal justice system.
Presented by: East West Players presented From Number to Name.
When: Number to Name was first produced and streamed on April 10 and 11, 2021 and reproduced and streamed from August 5-7th, 2022.
What it challenges viewers to do: The production challenges viewers to reflect on the criminal justice system and imagine its future.
What East West Players is: East West Players is a theater company that was founded in 1965. Their mission is to raise the visibility of the Asian American experience through theatrical productions, youth education programs, and artist development.

July - October, 2021

BLACK AND API SOLIDARITY YOUTH MURAL PROJECT

Black and API Youth Solidarity Mural Project (July–October 2021)

API RISE received funding from the LA County Human Relations Commission and the Office of Violence Prevention to support a Black and API Youth Solidarity Mural initiative.

Participants: Six Black youth and six API youth.
Activities:
- Participated in workshops to learn about each other’s cultures and histories.
- Shared meals from locally owned Black or API eateries (no corporate or chain restaurants).
- Collaboratively painted a solidarity mural.

The mural is located at AADAP’s Youth and Family Program on Crenshaw Blvd in the historic Crenshaw/Leimert Park district of South Central. This project fostered connection, understanding, and creativity among the youth while honoring the shared history of the community.