Changemaker Spotlight: March 2022
Nikki Chan
Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities, est. 2017
In one sentence, what do you do?
I serve and support marginalized Southeast Asians by empowering our communities through advocacy and healing from our present and past disparities to build an equitable and robust future.
What drew you to the work you are doing in Stockton?
When it comes to access to resources, supportive funding, and political and advocacy engagement, our Southeast Asian (SEA) community has fallen through the cracks. EMAC's first event was an anti-deportaion rally that fought to keep SEA families together. At that time, there was no actions or organizations in Stockton that we're supporting our SEA community from getting deported. EMAC is filling in these gaps that have been empty for years.
What inspires you about Stockton?
The diversity of our people in Stockton. I don't have that story of "oh I brought my lunch food to school and everyone thought it was smelly." If I was to bring Filipino adobo and rice to school, my classmates would have asked me to share. I never had to wonder if I was "enough." The community I've built here and continue to build with have kept me grounded and inspired. In the words of our ancestor bell hooks, "there is no better place to learn the art of loving than in community."
What advice do you have for those looking to make change in Stockton?
This is not for the faint of heart. People come and go all the time. You'll run into some shady people. You'll be discouraged, heartbroken, and burned out. It's not easy work. But your love and passion for this city will move us forward. Rest, find what brings you joy, and practice your own inner peace. We need you. Put yourself first. A community will be here to support you.
You're an innovator in your field. With the world rapidly changing around us, how are you adapting and what support can Third City Coalition members offer?
EMAC is looking at creative ways to outreach our different communities. Especially our elders there are generational gaps and language barriers. We want to make sure we are using an intergenerational and intersectional lens to support and uplift our folks. Third City can help us figure out how we can buy a building. A dream is to buy a building to share with other progressive orgs and create a community space for folks.