2018 Catalyst Fund
PAAWBAC’s Catalyst Fund mentorship program provides Asian Pacific Islander (API) women the opportunity to work directly with mentors to build their own leadership skills.
Mentees: Grace Horikiri, Japantown Task Force; Coco Tando, Japantown Community Benefit District
Mentor: Sandy Mori, Kimochi
Mentor Sandy Mori, well-versed community leader and advocate, provided orientation and assistance in navigating the San Francisco and California policy maker network, connecting mentees with city officials and others who can help their respective community-based agencies.
Just starting her career, Coco Tando, bilingual/biliterate in English and Japanese, worked with the San Francisco Japantown Task Force (JTF) to preserve Japantown by promoting economic development, maintaining cultural heritage, and supporting businesses and community organizations.
Grace Horikiri, the new Executive Director of the recently formed Japantown Community Benefit District (JCBD), transitioned to a new role as administrator, with a mission to improve properties in the central business district of Japantown, beyond those provided by the City.
Mentees shadowed Sandy while appearing at public hearings of the Board of Supervisors and City Commissions. Sandy advised, coached, and provided guided experiences with public speaking and advocating, which are critical leadership skills.
Mentee: Amihan Zapanta-Arroyo
Mentor: Caryl Ito, SF Hep B Free
The mentorship provided Amihan exposure to the public health programs of SF Hepatitis B Bay Area Prevention, with a focus on the API communities. Amihan was involved in outreach, education and linkage to care as it related to Hep B and prevention of liver cancer, receiving invaluable grassroots experience in the API communities impacted. The mentee’s work resulted in increased outreach in northern San Mateo County, exceeding goals with over 550 screenings, and outreach to over 300 Mongolian residents. Amihan was also successful in providing health education and information on Hep B to Bay Area rowing teams.
Mentees: Kaitlyn Bui and Dishary Hossain
Mentors: Mary Jung & Jay Cheng, Asian Pacific Young Leaders Program
The program provided knowledge and tools for Kaitlyn and Dishary to become successful community leaders and political professionals, using opportunities to develop leadership skills, build their professional networks, and gain political experience. Weekly workshops covered fundraising, field organizing, legislation, communications and the media. Dishary and Katilyn registered over 443 Asian Pacific Islanders and contacted over 2400 people to encourage them to vote.
The Catalyst Fund was also used for partial scholarships for five API women to participate in a unique program.
Scholarship recipients: Grace Hwang Lynch, Frances Cachapero, Kristi Chan, Tomo Hirai, Teresa Jade LeYung
Program Director: Cynthia Tom
Scholarship recipients completed the program A Place of Her Own, an arts-based healing series of workshops rooted in Asian American culture. Intuitive art-making processes of self-reflection and group sharing were used to address ancestral and familial trauma patterns. With the goal of claiming their aspirations and self-worth, the culminating art exhibition provided participants with a platform to artistically answer and share their response to: “If you had a place of your own, what would it be?”
Anita Fong Legacy Fund
In 2016, PAAWBAC established the Anita Fong Legacy Fund, in memory of, and to honor our longtime Board member Anita Fong, a fierce advocate for Asian Pacific Islander women, especially the younger women whom she enjoyed mentoring.
Mentee: Kyoko Peterson
Mentor: Emily Murase, Department on the Status of Women (DOSW)
Kyoko Peterson was the Human Trafficking Fellow at the Department on the Status of Women, helping with data collection, analysis and drafting of the annual report on Human Trafficking in San Francisco. Kyoko gained valuable experience by helping to coordinate meetings, trainings and retreats, research policy issues, and support human trafficking-related legislative advocacy.