Lot
gift
Identifier:
2018.039
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Description
Large donation of newsletters, buttons, tshirts, tote bags, books, posters, etc. most relating to Nicaragua and Cuba solidarity in the 1980s, and some relating to Asian-American politics and other left issues.
Information from donor:
I came to New York in 1978 for residency in the Bronx. I am a family practice physician and worked for 36 years on the Lower East Side (2 different clinics). I retired at the end of 2017, which is why I had the time to go through everything. The materials are all from my time in New York.
In the late ’70’s, early ’80’s I was involved with organizing around health care, hospital closings, access issues, occupational health. Around that same time I also became involved with NAROC (National Anti-Racist Organizing Committee), a mass group organized by the Line of March. So in those years I was involved with anti-racist work also.
In the early ’80’s I joined OAW (Organization of Asian Women). OAW was a small left, feminist collective that grew out of the Asian American Movement of the ’70’s (before my time). I joined when they expanded. We organized around women’s issues, solidarity internationally (especially around women).
Around that time I was also involved with the beginnings of a shelter for battered Asian women and work against trafficking of women. I was also involved with lesbians of color and the annual Third World Women’s International Women’s Day.
I went to Cuba in 1984 and Nicaragua in 1985 on solidarity tours and brought back various posters, pamphlets, books. Plus the t-shirt, flag and visor from the huge rally in Managua for the 6th anniversary of the revolution. I also did some solidarity work w/the FMLN/El Salvador in the following few years
In 1986, OAW started CAAAV, initially Coalition Against Anti-Asian Violence. Which still exists as "CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities". I am not sure I gave you any of those files; I think CAAAV has them all. I was 1 of the first co-chairs. That started a period from ’86 to early ’90’s when I was involved in work through CAAAV with other Black and Latino organizations against police brutality, as well as racist violence and people of color empowerment. The first 2-3 years were very intense - CAAAV, Black and Latino orgs were constantly in the street protesting and organizing. I was very active in CAAAV until about 2000, and am still on the board.
AAUPA (Asian American Union for Political Action) lasted a few years in the late ’80’s to early ’90’s? We did NYC policy work that affected Asians and people of color. We did support work for some Asian labor issues. We also did fundraising for Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign.
The 1986 IRCA (Immigration Reform and Control Act) resulted in a period of intensive organizing around immigration.
The black flags w/the red stars dripping blood are from protests around the massacre in Tiananmen Square June 4, 1989.
I don’t think I gave you anything after the early ’90’s.