Who are we:

API Social Work Council, California Chapter of NASW.
We are comprised of social work professionals and social work students throughout Northern California.
We welcome anyone who is interested in issues impacting Asian/Pacific Islanders as related to the field of social work.


What we do:

• ​Provide a forum for the exchange of relevant information among social workers.

• Sponsor workshops addressing issues relating to social justice, mental health, health, and advocacy.

• Mentor social work students and new practitioners.

• Provide active email list serve for community events, job openings, and social work community issues.

• Advocate for culturally and linguistically appropriate services in the various API communities.

• Chronicle the contributions of Asian social workers.

• Participate in and support the work of the national organization, NASW.

• Support candidates and legislation that promote the welfare of API communities.


History of APISWC

The Asian Pacific Islander (API) Social Work Council originated from a group of San Francisco Bay Area API social workers who began meeting in May 1995 over their concerns about the potentially devastating effects of the social-political climate on ALL people of color, especially socially/economically vulnerable APIs.  Specific issues of concern were the Contract “on” America, immigration, affirmative action (including the “Glass Ceiling”), cultural diversity and competency, and managed care. 

Janlee Wong, executive director of the California Chapter of NASW, was invited to that first meeting to present ideas about specific activities a coalition of API social workers could pursue to advocate for social, economic and legal justice for APIs on a local, state, and national level.  While there was already an existing Asian/Pacific Council of California NASW based in Southern California, Wong extended his support for the evolution of an API social workers group in the Bay Area.  Subsequent to several meetings in San Francisco community agencies, the API Social Workers’ Group met again with Wong in October 1995 and with May Ma, the chair of the Asian Pacific Social Work Council, which had just gone inactive.  At the meeting, the Bay Area API group voted unanimously to adopt the Asian/Pacific Council role, as part of California NASW, and to assume leadership responsibilities for Northern California.

100 Years of Professional Social Work:  An Asian/Pacific Islander Perspective


​The Asian Pacific Islander Social Work Council (APISWC) is pleased to present our supplementary perspective on the Milestones in the Development of Social Work and Social Welfare. The API population represents a diversity of cultures and ethnic groups, primarily Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and the newer Korean, Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian peoples.  API’s are joined by the common bond of historical challenges to their acculturation to the United States of America.  For a century and half, API’s have struggled in the legal, political and social arenas to become accepted, viable participants in American society. Only in recent years are API’s gradually becoming interwoven into the intricate fabric of American life.
 
This album is a work in progress. It is dedicated to some of the landmark events and social work professionals who have helped shape the API experience in America. Stemming from our Council’s mission to advance the social issues of Asian Pacific Island populations through advocacy, consciousness building, education and political action, this album will continue to evolve as a project of the Asian Pacific Islander Social Work Council of NASW, California Chapter.
 
This album speaks to the spirit of two of the Council’s objectives:
(1) to solidify the API social work identity; and
(2) to collaborate with other organized groups to advocate for API community issues/concerns.
           
·      Representative photographs and captions reflect the role that external and internal forces within the API community affected these minority groups socially, economically, and politically. Discriminatory laws and exclusionary laws were created in the USA to control API’s and limit their access to the larger society.
 
·      Existing organizations in American society and new community-based groups formed to help address and meet many of the basic needs of API’s from a culturally specific and culturally sensitive perspective. For example, missions and churches came from outside the community to offer help.  Internally, API’s clustered in various communities for group survival and organized themselves to provide concrete support to individuals and families.
 
·      The discriminatory climate against API’s shifted with World War II, as API U.S. citizens participated in activities to support the USA; API’s became more visible and played significant roles in enhancing the strength of America during the war years.  However, API’s were still subject to prejudice and discrimination based on their physical appearance and their ancestral countries of origin.
 
·      With the changes in immigration laws, the efforts and dedication of API university-trained social workers in the 1960’s laid the foundation for providing services in API communities and impacting the social work education curriculum. With their presence as role models and leaders, there developed an outgrowth of community groups and social action to promote the needs of an expanding API population in the USA. The APISWC acknowledges the efforts of some of these Pioneer social workers in Hawaii and California.  Also, the War on Poverty programs provided federal funds for much needed services that never fully existed, such as services to the elderly and frail, distressed children and their families, at-risk teens and their families, mental and physical health, Planned Parenthood, and legal assistance.
 
 We recognize there are individuals or groups who have not been mentioned here, so we invite visitors to contact the APISWC with recommendations and photographs. This album is a work in progress that will continue to evolve as the contributions of API’s in the past and present are recognized.  APISWC web address is www.apiswc.org and can be contacted at this email address: [email protected]     
 
Nancy Lim-Yee
APISWC Co-founder and Steering Committee Member