Advocacy &
Community Organizing
The community movement is central to the activities of the Minkwon Center. The Minkwon Center has been driving the development of long-term solutions to policy issues affecting lives by empowering low-income people, new immigrants and community residents.
To achieve these goals, we organize community members including immigrants, tenants, and youth and build coalitions with the Korean American community as well as local and national organizations to make a collective effort. In addition, we collaborate with regional organizations within the national network of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) to carry out nationwide campaigns together.
Legislative Advocacy
We engage in policy issues at the federal, state, and city levels—ranging from comprehensive immigration reform that affects immigrants and local residents to regional development—and work to ensure that specific legislation is passed in Congress, state legislatures, and city councils. Our advocacy efforts take various forms, including public campaigns, rallies and marches, and visits to the offices of elected officials and government representatives.
Community Survey
Advocacy begins with listening to the needs and concerns of community members. Through a series of surveys, the MinKwon Center gathers information on residents’ housing and economic conditions, as well as identifies the issues they care about most. These surveys serve as an important reference in determining the direction and priorities of our advocacy efforts.
Community Organizing
Organized people have power. The MinKwon Center places special emphasis on organizing so that community members can speak for themselves and strengthen the collective power of the community. Our organizing efforts bring together Korean immigrants, tenants, DREAMers, and youth into groups that hold regular meetings to receive policy updates, plan activities, and take part in direct actions.
Community members organized by the MinKwon Center participate in rallies, legislative visits, and public hearings to raise their voices and join campaigns. Ultimately, the MinKwon Center strives for an organizing model where participants become leaders who in turn organize and empower others, expanding the capacity of the community.
