Culture Lab Experiential Gallery: Inspired by and in consultation with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, we will offer an interactive gallery for conference participants to engage with on our ancestral journeys as part of the Asian and Pacific diasporas, our present processes related to identities/collective struggle/intersectional feminism, and our future visions of change to transcend intergenerational trauma and legacies of oppression. Our goal is to create a space in which we amplify the voices and dimensions of us that we want the world to see, rather than remaining invisible or hyper-visible as stereotypes.
For those who are interested in participating, we will offer multiple modalities to document their engagement with the culture lab to become a part of a mobile ongoing project to lift up the voices of feminist Asian Pacific American women. It is our hope that documenting our stories as we come together at the conference as whole people constitutes an act of resistance to oppression, a counterpoint to being reduced and stereotyped as voiceless bodies for exploitation. This project would also serve “herstory”/history by inviting people to participate in a potent time in which we are facing global and domestic threats to democracy, climate crises, mass gun violence, and national polarization on many issues. We would like for this project to be mobile across the country, where other API feminist mental health professionals can participate.
Engagement with Local Non-Profits Serving Youth on Oahu: As part of our feminist praxis, our conference organizers are mindful that it is an honor to convene on the land of the Kānaka Maoli, on the island of Oahu. We are reaching out to local non-profits to offer services that bring value to local community groups. For example, we will be gathering with the Wai Wai Fellows at Kokua Kalihi Valley (https://www.kkv.net/waiwai-fellowship-program) to talk-story with the youth about careers in psychology and how to get there. We will also be sharing tips and strategies for first generation college students; furthermore, we plan to facilitate some ongoing mentor/mentee relationships. Fellows will receive complimentary invitations to attend our conference.
Land Restoration and Stewardship: In honoring the ancestral lands on which we build our communities, we are reaching out to local restoration organizations to learn more about the ways we, individually and collectively, can be educated about and support island stewardship efforts. On the eve of the convention and on day two of our conference, we will have planned opportunities for our feminist psychology community to engage in stewardship of the ʻāina (land). Join our API feminist psychology community in 2024 as we share educational resources about the histories, impacts, and effective means for caretaking and restoring Hawaiian cultural lands. For example, we will encourage our conference attendees to learn about planting native seeds/species, protecting forest reserves and wildlife sanctuaries, and countering the impact of invasive species on our current ecosystems. It is our hope that these conference activities will become a part of Asian Pacific American feminist practices well beyond our 2024 convention.
Below are a couple of the community resources we will be learning from and reaching out to for wisdom, mutual support, and restoration opportunities.
https://oahurcd.org/wfn/ - “Hawai`i Women Farmers Network: Women leaders and mentors, sharing and inspiring others with their stories, bringing together resources and skills, and connecting to shape the future of Hawaiʻi agriculture.”
https://hawaiienvironmentalrestoration.org/ - “The mission of Hawaii Environmental Restoration (hereinafter referred to as HER) is to help restore the natural integrity of Hawai’i’s environment. As the Hawaiian island ecosystems continue to be lost to development, agriculture and invasive species, there is an urgent need for conservation planning and implementation. Protecting the few remaining native forests is crucial to preserving Hawaii’s unique cultural and biological resources. In being part of a worldwide movement toward the protection of all remaining forest lands, HER is dedicated to nurturing environmental awareness for students and stewards who wish to contribute to Hawaii’s historical heritage and environmental betterment.”
FestPac The Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC) is the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders. The South Pacific Commission (now The Pacific Community - SPC) launched this dynamic showcase of arts and culture in 1972 to halt the erosion of traditional practices through ongoing cultural exchange. The 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture, will convene in Hawaiʻi, 6–16 June 2024. “Ho‘oulu Lāhui: Regenerating Oceania” will serve as the theme of FestPAC Hawaiʻi 2024, honoring the traditions that FestPAC exists to perpetuate with an eye toward the future. Click the link to learn more: https://www.festpachawaii.org/about