May 22, 2020

We are excited to announce that we are a SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION for the 2020 Project and BTO Collective’s Virtual Music Festival, FRESH OFF THE VOTE to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month and to promote AAPI representation and voter registration! ️

May 22, 2020

As of May 21, 2020, there are over 5 million people diagnosed with COVID-19 and nearly 320,000 deaths worldwide. In the US, there are nearly 1.6 million infections and almost 94,000 deaths. The good news is that the number of new infections and deaths have plateaued or declining slightly, but there are still consistently over 20,000 new cases and 1,000 deaths in the US daily.

May 14, 2020

On May 18, 2020, cities, elected officials, influencers and community groups are commemorating the second annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Day Against Bullying and Hate, led by anti-bullying nonprofit Act To Change. PIVOT is committed to ending bullying and hate in the AAPI community and is proud to join this movement.

May 9, 2020

PIVOT - the Progressive Vietnamese American Organization - has great concerns with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s statement that the first known Covid-19 community spread was from a nail salon. We acknowledge the need for accurate information for public health concerns and the importance of pointing out the risks to workers and customers. However, singling out a particular type of business, one with a large number of Asian American owners and workers, may further increase the pandemic’s economic effects on minority-owned businesses, inflame the already heightened level of anti-Asian American racism, and threaten the livelihood of nail salon owners and workers.

May 1, 2020

As of May 1, 2020, there are over 3.3 million people infected with COVID-19 and over 222,000 deaths worldwide. In the US, there are nearly 1.1 million infections and almost 63,000 deaths, accounting for 1/3 of all infections and 28% of deaths worldwide. There are still consistently over 20,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths in the US daily.

May 1, 2020

PIVOT member Minh-Thu shares her experience living in NYC during the COVID-19 pandemic and reminds us to hold our leaders accountable this November.

“What’s most troubling to me is that this president doesn’t value the advice of experts, of scientists, and of medical professionals. He’s actually made it harder for them to do their jobs. I hope that we’ll all take a moment and think about the impact that the lack of political leadership has had on our lives. The failure to act, the failure to lead, the failure to listen to the experts. And this November, I hope that we’ll hold our leaders accountable when we vote. Our lives are literally on the line.”

May 1, 2020

PIVOT is excited to endorse Thai Viet Phan for Santa Ana, California City Council in a special recall all-mail election on May 19th. Like many first-generation refugees, Thai was the first in her family to go to college. She currently works as a local government attorney at Rutan & Tucker, LLP, where she provides legal advice and counsel to cities throughout Southern California. She also serves as a Santa Ana Planning Commission and sits on the Board of Directors of the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Southern California.

Though Santa Ana is ¼ of the Little Saigon community and has tens of thousands of Vietnamese-American residents, if Thai wins this election, she would be the first and only Vietnamese-American to serve on the Santa Ana City Council. Santa Ana has long neglected its Vietnamese-American residents by failing to have in-language outreach for important issues such as the Census and failing to involve the community in City-sponsored events such as the 150th Anniversary Celebration. Thai’s platform focuses on housing affordability, holding the Orange County Board of Supervisors accountable for the homelessness crisis which inequitably impacts Santa Ana’s low-income residents, improving responsibility community policing, and helping mom and pop shops survive and thrive in the city. Thai has the experience and commitment we need to bring a progressive Vietnamese voice to the Santa Ana City Council.

Please consider signing up to phone or text bank (English, Vietnamese, Spanish) and/or make a contribution. Any amount will really go a long way in this grassroots campaign!