Monsoon Asians and Pacific Islanders in Solidarity has provided victim services to more than 3,000 individuals from the Asian & Pacific Islander community since 2003. Many individuals come to Monsoon for assistance as a domestic violence survivor, but other forms of trauma, such as child sexual abuse or other sexual violence, are often disclosed as trust is built with the Monsoon staff. Although we provide individual services, we are also working towards a solution that includes families and community. As we move towards building community-based solutions, we are finding that many Asian and Pacific Islander refugee communities in the United States have a tendency to engage in charity, a practice rooted in the history of Western imperialism and the work of internationally-funded organizations in Asia and the Pacific Islands. This reliance on charity prevents Asian and Pacific Islander communities from becoming fully empowered and be social change agents. How can we disrupt this practice? What does empowerment look like to communities that have a history of relying on charity? How do we challenge the “White Savior Complex” as a culturally-specific organization? As a culturally-specific organization, Monsoon explores these complexities to ensure that we are using strategies that take the experiences of our communities into account, rather than just replicating mainstream practices. If you are interested in exploring any of these questions or developing community-based solutions, contact us.
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