It’s Women’s History Month and this year we celebrate with the theme “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion”! We recognize the women who fought and overcame societal and institutional bias and discrimination, paving the way for today’s women to live in a more equitable and just world.
AAPI Equity Alliance wouldn’t be where it is today without the bold, courageous women who are leading advocates, policymakers and activists for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Today, 60% of AAPI Equity members are led by women.
On Monday, March 18th, Patima Komolamit, Executive Director of Center for Pacific Asian Family (CPAF), was recognized by the Los Angeles County Commission for Women and the LA County Board of Supervisors and received a “Women of the Year” Award at the 39th Annual “Women of the Year” Awards Celebration.
Congratulations to Patima and the CPAF team for the much-deserved recognition and your work for over three decades addressing domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse in AAPI communities! CPAF has been our leading partner in our work with First 5 LA to address the consequences of Failure-to-Protect laws that unjustly separate families.
We also celebrate our Executive Director, Manjusha (Manju) P. Kulkarni, who recently received The James Irvine Foundation’s 2024 Leadership Award which recognizes innovative leaders with breakthrough solutions to critical state challenges. Manju was recognized for her leadership of AAPI Equity into a new era of groundbreaking work in health care access, interpersonal violence and mental health. You can watch Manju’s Leadership Award Recipient video from The James Irvine Foundation here.
Today we are reminded of what is at stake for women — reproductive justice is threatened by the reversal of Roe v. Wade and interpersonal violence continues to endanger women and families, with up to 55% of Asian American women reporting having experienced domestic violence. As we celebrate the accomplishments of women, we continue our work towards a future where equity prevails for all.
