Since early in 2001, Evergreen’s Labor Center staff have been involved in the Journey for Justice project which appears on this website. We worked as interviewers, transcribers, project coordinators, and brokers. We were delighted to see the project come to fruition in the form of a splendid physical exhibit complete with large displays and self-standing wooden frames, and are equally delighted to see the content of that exhibit now available to people everywhere through the world wide web.

The project began with the Seattle chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) applying for and receiving a grant from King County’s Cultural Development Authority in 1999. APALA’s goal was to counter the stereotype about Asian-Americans as passive immigrants who have never played any role in the U.S. labor movement. Through photographing and interviewing Asian American labor activists and putting their stories in the context of a broader history of struggle, the intention was to tell the rich story of Asian resistance to economic exploitation and racism. The hope was that the exhibit would both demonstrate to unions and the broader public that Asian immigrants have always acted to better their conditions as workers, and remind the Asian community that the Asian immigrant experience is a workers’ experience.

On all accounts we think the project is a wonderful success. Martin Kane’s photography is beautiful and provocative, and former Seattle APALA president Cathy Lowenberg did excellent work editing interviews and writing the historical introduction and timeline.   We hope you enjoy this on-line version of the exhibit.   Comments are welcomed and may be sent to:

kardasp@evergreen.edu

Peter Kardas, Director

Labor Education & Research Project

The Evergreen State College