IGNITE's Blog

This month is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Each May, we celebrate the diverse cultures that comprise the AAPI community. Currently, there are over 20 million Asians in the U.S. That number is expected to double by 2060, making them the fastest-growing demographic (and fastest-growing electorate of the major racial and ethnic groups) in the country. Despite making up a sizable portion of the population, there is a lack of AAPI representation from Hollywood to Capitol Hill. The lack of representation is especially significant for AAPI women. 

19 students and two teachers were murdered in Uvalde, Texas yesterday. The deadliest school shooting in Texas history and the third deadliest in U.S. history. The layers of devastation our country is witnessing and experiencing each day feel insurmountable. Limiting our response to coded and politicized language to describe these attacks does a disservice to the individuals and communities continually harmed.

The mass shooting this weekend in Buffalo, New York, was a horrific public lynching that once again exposes the pervasive hatred against and dehumanization of our Black communities.

Running for office remains the most fulfilling experience of my life. It gave me an opportunity to build deep connections across the community through canvassing. I built a pipeline of budding leaders and reshaped people’s perceptions of what a leader looks like in our community.

For decades, Roe v. Wade has stood as one of the most powerful symbols of progress towards reproductive justice for cis-women, queer, non-binary people with uteruses, trans men, Black, Indigenous and People of Color. It has also tangibly protected lives. The draft Supreme Court opinion released last night sent a monumental shock wave to any and all who have fought for reproductive justice in this country, particularly Black women, who have been and are leaders in the frontlines.

Christine Hernandez is IGNITE's Director of College Programs. She has spent over a decade as an educator focused on empowering communities at colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations. 

Free Rally For Women to Celebrate
In Times Square’s Father Duffy Square, April 27th at Noon,
With Lilli Cooper, Lea DeLaria, Suzy Nakumara, Julie White, and Partners

A woman born in 1998, I’m on the cusp of Gen Z, and many of us don’t see ourselves as political in the traditional sense. That said, we know injustice when we see it, and we’re more ready than any generation before to speak out about it. When we see issues affecting our communities, we step up and get involved. That’s why more than 100 of young women are heading to Sacramento today for an advocacy day.

(Sacramento, CA, April 4—For Immediate Release)—More than 100 Gen Z women will advocate with California’s legislators today as part of their effort to change society’s idea of what political leadership looks like in America.