AWUM 2013 Annual Report

AWUM 2013 Annual Report

Fiscal Year: July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014

mission Asian Women United of Minnesota will end domestic violence by promoting safe and healthy relationships within the Asian-Pacific Islander community.

vision We are the leader in eliminating violence in the Asian-Pacific Islander community, and share the expertise of our best practices with others. Using the strengths of the API community, AWUM will uphold an environment free of violence, promote self-sufficiency for women, and foster nurtured and healthy children and families.

Letter from the Board Chair & the Executive Director

Dear Supporters and Friends: Fiscal Year 2013 (July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014) was a year of continual growth in innovative partnerships for Asian Women United of Minnesota (AWUM). In our commitment to providing culturally specific shelter and advocacy services to the Asian community in the Twin Cities, we gave special attention this year to strategies that would creatively engage more and more people with our mission and vision.

As Minnesota’s second largest Asian population, South Asians were not reflected percentage-wise in the statistics of those we served. In response, we reached out to South Asian women by partnering with SEWA-AIFW, a community-based organization dedicated to the health and well-being of South Asian families. We also produced a digital story, Conscious Partnership, to promote strong and healthy marriages in the South Asian community. In addition, “Under the Banyan Tree” Story Circle Project, an initiative in collaboration with SEWA-AIFW and funded by the Minnesota Humanities Center, afforded women from the Indian subcontinent a safe space to talk and support one another.

This year we also partnered with two professional artists to further our mission: Mr. Tou SaiKo Lee and Ms. Lenora Lee (not related). AWUM commissioned Tou SaiKo (of St. Paul) to write and perform, Man Forward, which was created into a multimedia production. Man Forward engages young men in conversation about masculinity and violence against women. Lenora (of San Francisco) and the Lenora Lee Dance’s film project, Light, welcomed AWUM

Letter from the Board Chair & the Executive Director

as an associate producer, allowing us to join the ranks of committed groups working for the rights of women. Light raises awareness in the community about the trafficking of Asian women in the United States. Through such collaborations, increasingly, other small mission-driven organizations interested in utilizing the arts to create social change are coming together to complement our services.

The women and children we serve in shelter and throughout the community form the core of our existence; their successes are rooted in phenomenal courage, faith, and hope. AWUM provides safe haven, experienced advocacy, and technical assistance, but the survivors and their children are what gives us purpose, meaning, and inspiration.

We look forward to continued partnership with you in this work. 2014-15 will be another year of hard/heart work, partnership, and creativity as we keep working toward ending domestic violence by promoting safe and healthy relationships within the Asian-Pacific Islander community, and beyond.

Sincerely, Valerie F. Wurster Board Chair

Claudia R. Waring Executive Director

AWUM services

House of Peace (HOP) • Temporary emergency shelter • Women’s support group & ELL (English Language Learner) classes • Assistance in obtaining an Order for Protection (OFP) or Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) • Assistance in filing for financial assistance & reparations claims • Legal referrals for family and immigration law • 24-hour multi-lingual crisis line • Safety planning • Children’s group activities

Community Advocacy Program (CAP) • Legal (criminal & civil court) advocacy • Sexual assault advocacy • Assistance with immigration services • On-going follow-up services • Violence prevention & outreach in the API community • Support groups in schools • Training for service providers • Community dialogues & education on domestic violence within the API communities

Pro-Bono Legal/ Clinic at shelter:

House of Peace

once a month

653

Volunteers/interns:

crisis calls:

hours total

2818

19 volunteers 2 interns

callers

Resource Calls:

678

Therapy/Counseling provided:

203

referrals

338 support groups:

attendees

209 women 129 children

women

158

shelter residents 59 women 99 children

Community Advocacy Program Health fairs/booths

125 visitors

Trainings/ presentations/ groups:

191 attendees

1,668 advocacy participants 1,481 women 187 men

Participants Testimonials “Thank you for everything that you’ve helped me with. I will never be able to repay the priceless debt I owe to you. I am only able to give my words of “Thank you.” I am very happy that you were able to help find housing for my child and me. I will forever remember the support you have given. I appreciate everything that everyone at the House of Peace shelter has done to help me. We will miss the staff when we leave.”

“My life before Asian Women United wasn’t easy. I came from Laos to get married. When I arrived in America, we start to have conflicts between us. I had been patient and hope that things will get better. However, things just got worse. I knew our marriage would not last because he abused me and threatened that he will kill me if I leave him. We lived together for about 8 months and I couldn’t stand the way he was anymore. I decided to run from him and flew to Minnesota because my relatives all living here. When I got to Minnesota, he kept bothering me and threatened that he would send me back to Laos. During that difficult time, one of my uncles told my parents that there is Asian Women United and they might be able to help me. I explain my situation to one of the social workers that came to me, and I hoped to get justice in this country. Several months later Asian Women United helped me file the divorce document and helped me get all my legal documents to live in America.

Asian Women United helped me lots through difficult time and I feel alive once again. Without Asian Women United, I would not get a chance to work and go to college as I do today. I want to thank Asian Women United for helping me, and I will never forget this for the rest of my life.”

“I want to thank you for your kindness, love, and generosity. I would like to thank you for the time you spent to help me and my son. A big thank you to all of the team members who have helped me. I will never forget all of you; God bless all of your work and the people at the shelter.”

Volunteers Testimonials

Ms. Ruby Vang Yang

Volunteer

“Being a part of AWUM and their House of Peace, as a volunteer and an on-call advocate, is truly a blessing. I have learned so much about domestic violence, diversity, and myself. In the beginning, I did not know what I wanted to focus on, career-wise, but I knew I wanted to help those who are underserved and protect those who are in need of help. House of Peace provided the services that I was looking for. No matter how stressful the day is I am happy that I contributed all my effort to help the women and their children at the shelter. It feels excellent to be able to provide safety for the women and education about their different options. AWUM has moved and shifted me towards a different but positive perspective in life.�

Volunteers Testimonials

Ms. Alicia Lim Volunteer

“Having volunteered at AWUM for more than a year, I am not only more aware and knowledgeable of domestic violence but also the issues surrounding the topic. Domestic violence is not something that is talked about in daily conversations, especially in the Eastern culture, hence, limiting my resources to learn more about this issue. Volunteering at AWUM has enabled me to further understand what happens during and after an incident of domestic violence as well as individuals’ and society’s roles in helping to overcome those issues. My experiences at AWUM have definitely affected how I perceive things and also gave me a sense of empowerment as a college student and later in the future as I venture out into my career.”

Leader ship

Board of Directors Kris Arneson Regina Chu, Secretary Sue Cook, Treasurer Gloria Fressia Ruby Nguyen Val Wurster, President

Lead Staff Sipra Jha, Shelter Director Lucas (Louie) Munn, Facilities Supervisor Shoua Kong, CAP Lead Claudia R. Waring, Executive Director Nancy Wong, Communications Manager

FY2013 Highlights!

1. AWUM from the Heart 2013 On November 15, 2013 AWUM hosted a gathering, AWUM from the Heart, at the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis to raise funds to support women and their children fleeing domestic violence.

The evening included a performance of Man Forward, a poem by local spoken word poet Tou SaiKo Lee. Deepest thanks to all our guests and donors! (Photos: DPI Minnesota)

FY2013 Highlights!

2. Conscious Partnership digital story AWUM produced Conscious Partnership, a digital story about a married couple, Neha and Prasad. As they tell their story of partnership, they help us to think about the following questions: What does it take to have a safe & healthy relationship?

In what ways can culture nurture a strong partnership? How can we let go of cultural elements that no longer promote positive interactions between two people in a committed relationship?

(Photo: Nancy Wong)

3. Under the Banyan Tree tapestry “Under the Banyan Tree” Story Circle Project - A wall hanging created by women from South Asia who now reside in Minnesota. Each square represents the Indian region that story circle participants came from: Punjab, Kashmir, Madhya, Pradesh, Andhra, and Bihar. Under the Banyan Tree empowered women to be the authors of their own stories and to share how they are adapting to new social norms while still honoring their cultures of origin. - “Under the Banyan Tree” Story Circle Project was done in collaboration with SEWA-Aifw and was funded by the Minnesota Humanities Center Story Circle Small Grant 2013.

(Photo: Nancy Wong)

Grants, Contracts, Foundations

• City of Minneapolis: GTEAP (Grants to Encourage Arrest and Enforce Protection Orders: Office of Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice) • FR Bigelow Foundation • Hennepin County - Domestic Abuse Service Center (DASC) • HRK Foundation • Hennepin County Bar Foundation • Otto Bremer Foundation • Saint Paul Foundation • State of Minnesota Office of Justice Programs • U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Violence Against Women) • Verizon Foundation • WCA Foundation

Support and Revenue Government Grants Contributions Other income (various sources)

$ 806,859 $ 130,686 $ 390

Total

$ 937,935

14%

Government Grants

86%

Contributions Other income (various sources)

Expense Program Services Management and Administration Fundraising

$ 825,499 $ 77,400 $ 12,133

Total

$ 915,032

1% 8%

Program Services

90%

Management and Administration Fundraising

Assets Current Assets: Cash Accounts Receivable Pledges Receivable Prepaid Expenses

$ 105,100 $ 69,234 $0 $ 37,080

Leasehold improvements & Equipment - Net

$ 105,105

Total Assets

$ 316,519

Liabilities & Net Assets Current Liabilities: Accounts Payable Accrued Expenses Accrued Salaries & Vacation Refundable Advances Total Current Liabilities

$ 7,986 $ 15,240 $ 60,021 $ 22,300 $ 105,547

Net Assets: Unrestricted Temporarily Restricted Total Net Assets

$ 166,805 $ 44,167 $ 210,972

Total Liabilities & Net Assets

$ 316,519

2013 FY Individual Donors

Anne Applebaum Kristine Arneson Carol K. Arthur Marie Asgian Susan Auer Graham Barnes Selena Britzius-Negash Harold W Chader Vonnie Chan (Chicks & Frogs) Pritika Chowdhry Regina M. Chu James Church Shelley Johnson Cline Suzanne Cook Carlo Cuesta Kate Cummings Sonia Davila-Williams DeAnna Eckerdt Susan Frenzel Maria Gloria Fressia Laura Goodman-Brown Janet & Hartono Halim Savita & Ramesh Harjani Bill & Jean Harley Stephanie Hawkinson Aria Hedtke Mai Yia Her Theresa Huska David Ingham Hana Jang

Cheryl Jensen Sipra Jha Yamini Jha-Korman & Dan Korman Kuljit Kaur Jennifer Keenan Amber Kerr Kathleen Klos Danielle Kluz Emily Kor (Rouge Urban Salon) Nick Kor Connie M. Korman Constance Krejci Kristi Lahti-Johnson Jim Lee Nina Lee Phoua Lee Stephanie Lee Tou SaiKo Lee Cha Lor Chua Lor Dave & Judy Lucking Mui Ly Celeste Finn Lyon Immigrant Law Center of MN Logic PD Mary Mellen Mili Afagh Mohajeri Ann Moore

2013 FY Individual Donors

Jack Moore Marie Christine Morris Willard W. & Jeanne Nelson Benjamin Ng (Bill’s Garden Chinese Gourmet) Ruby Nguyen Yvonne Olsen Patricia Peterson Joualery Daisy Piajyang Amanda Pittman Kamala Puram Sharon Radd Lauren Rankin Lauren Ryan Robert & Miriam Schlauch Randy Schnoes Susan Segal Luke Shors Prabha Singh (Mary Kay) Shirley Slagle Kris Solz Rebecca Song Nancy Soohoo Gerald J. Stahl Craig Steiner Jim Street Kathleen Sullivan Joseph Tennyson

Dolkar Tenzin Shelley Thron Frances Tierney Kathryn Mary Tierney & David Tierney Susan Tonnell Rosario de la Torre Zer Vang Dotty Veldey-Jones Neng Vue Bea N. Vue-Benson Kathy Walen Anne & Michael Waring Claudia Waring Ada & Mark Wong Grace & Paul Wong (Mary Kay) Melannie Wong Nancy Wong Valerie & Ken Wurster Michael Wynne Tsua D. Xiong Zong Xiong (Pretty Rock Girl Collection) Bau Yang Ka Yang Ntxhais Xay Yang Tousher Yang

In Memory: Ms. Lauren Li (1992-2014) AWUM grieved the loss of one of our dedicated and caring volunteers, Ms. Lauren Li. Lauren volunteered with us for two years, up until her tragic drowning accident in Chicago when she attempted to save a friend who fell into the Chicago River. We send condolences to her family, friends & colleagues. She was a bright star and will be missed. We thank Lauren for her commitment to end domestic violence by promoting safe and healthy relationships within the Asian-Pacific Islander community.

AWUM, P.O. Box 6223, Minneapolis, MN 55406 24-Hour Crisis: 612-724-8823 Office: 612-724-0756, Fax: 612-729-0660 E-mail: awum@awum.org, Website: www.awum.org Designed by Nan Sinchai | nansinchai.com