ACTION
Template:TOCnestleft ACTION, the Asian Pacific Islander Collective to Initiate Opportunities Now!, formed in 1995 to focus on Asian American youth organizing in Los Angeles, primarily through cultural-political work. Under the leadership of founder Jason Nawa as well as Tracy Kiriyama, Sunny Le, and Ryan Yokota, ACTION became an organizing space for recent college graduates, college students, and high school students. The group functions with a non-hierarchical, collective structure, with an emphasis on developing leadership skills, raising political consciousness, and building a group culture and personal relationships among members.
Its radical ideology is reflected in its Principles of Unity, which include community control of institutions; opposition to global capitalism, racism, sexism, and heterosexism; and basic human rights for a people. Through their two Art Attacks, the group used cultural-political work to outreach to youth and publicize community issues. In conjunction with the 1960s and 70s Asian American Movement group, Yellow Brotherhood, ACTION started a tutorial project at Culver City High School, which has served to provide concrete services as well as to fink the youth to the previous generation of activists. While initially located in Little Tokyo, ACTION soon became pan-Asian in membership; about half its members are women.[1]