The Sonoma County Library is in the final days of collecting community input for its 5-Year Strategic Plan, and AAPIC encourages our community members to make their voices heard.

Thousands of residents have already completed the survey, helping guide how library services evolve over the next five years. With fewer than five days remaining, this is a key opportunity—especially for AAPI community members—to ensure our needs, experiences, and priorities are reflected.

Your input helps shape decisions around:

• Access to digital resources

• Youth and family programming

• Community spaces and cultural offerings

• Equity and inclusion in public services

Two Ways to Participate

1. Take the Survey
The survey is quick, impactful, and closes soon.
 Please submit responses by January 18.

2. Join a Community Meeting
Prefer to share your thoughts in conversation? Register for an in-person or virtual community meeting and help turn data into dialogue.

Public libraries play a vital role in access, education, and community belonging. Don’t let the next five years of library services be shaped without AAPI voices at the table.

From dabao to mochi to biryani, this event explores how Asian cultures bring rice to life through flavor, memory, and tradition.

Join KQED Live for an evening with chefs and food storytellers who share how rice nourishes both body and community.

Location
The Commons at KQED
2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

A celebration of cuisine, culture, and the connections carried in every grain. Tickets here.

AAPIC is pleased to share an upcoming community event hosted in collaboration with the Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group and the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project.

Join us for a special virtual book reading and conversation featuring Ron Lee, with the late L K Lennie Lee, centered on their book: Sojourners to Joke Sings: Tales of Chinatown & Beyond

Event Details

• Date: January 14, 2026

• Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM PST

• Location: Zoom (online only)

• Registration: Click here to register and learn more

Saturday, January 10, 2026 · 12:00 p.m. (Please arrive by 11:30 a.m.)

Enmanji Memorial Hall — 1200 Hwy 116 South, Sebastopol

Ring in the New Year in good company at the Enmanji-JACL Community New Year’s Potluck Luncheon. This beloved annual gathering brings together friends, families, and community members to share food, reconnect, and welcome the year ahead.

Guests are invited to bring a favorite main dish, side, and/or dessert to share. 

The luncheon will also feature live entertainment by Gary Sugiyama and the Cedar Mountain String Band.

We love uplifting community events hosted by organizations and partners connected to the Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative (EDC). Here’s one coming up in January that many of our community members may enjoy:

She Can Club x Sonoma County EDC - 5th Annual Vision Board Party

She Can Club is partnering with the Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative to host their 5th annual Vision Board Party, an evening designed for women who are dreaming, starting, or growing a business. While She Can Club is a friendship-first networking group (not exclusively for entrepreneurs), this event is especially welcoming for women seeking connection, inspiration, and support as they set intentions for the year ahead.

Event Details: Saturday, January 10 - 6:00 PM
The Saturday Afternoon Club, 430 Tenth Street, Santa Rosa
 $50

All vision board supplies are provided, though guests are welcome to bring personal images or magazines to share. The evening also includes free professional headshots by Megan Glover of Hansen Lane Media, so attendees are encouraged to wear whatever makes them feel confident and comfortable. Expect additional photo opportunities and festive décor by Your Balloon Dream Co.

Please note: This event typically sells out. Tickets are non-refundable but transferable. Photos will be taken during the event for marketing and social media purposes.

For sponsorship or advertising opportunities, contact Hilary at heyhilary@shecanclub.com or DM @shecanclub on Instagram.

A new report from Stop AAPI Hate, Unsafe, Unwelcome, and Uncertain, sheds light on the urgent fears and challenges international students are facing in today’s political climate.

Based on a recent national survey, the findings are stark:

• Only 4% of international students report feeling very or extremely safe in the U.S.
• 90% fear for their visa status, including risks of detention, deportation, or disruption to their studies
• 88% report a decreased sense of belonging
• 86% have restricted their social media presence due to fear of surveillance
• 81% report negative mental or physical health impacts tied to uncertainty

The report calls on colleges, universities, and community leaders to stand firmly in support of international students and to protect their safety, dignity, and educational futures.

Read and share the full report to learn more about what international students are experiencing — and how advocates can take action here. 

The United Way of the Wine Country, in partnership with trusted community organizations across five counties, is recruiting volunteers for the Earn It! Keep It! $ave It! (EKS) – VITA Free Tax Assistance Program for the upcoming tax season.

Volunteers will train in January and early February and serve February through April, helping low- to moderate-income individuals and families access free tax preparation and financial resources. Last tax season alone, volunteers helped return $9 million in state and federal refunds to local residents, with over $110 million returned over time—including support for first-time filers and ITIN applications and renewals.

Volunteer Roles Needed

• Tax Preparers

• Intake Coordinators (Greeters)

• Interpreters

New and returning volunteers are welcome. All volunteers must complete registration through the EKS volunteer portal. Free training and materials are provided for new volunteers.

 Register today:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfBef2k-eIszomChOqZj-jZiXRiQRAZ4ON_sDYN1aTwbLjLIQ/viewform?usp=header

The volunteer goal this year is 300, and community need continues to exceed appointment availability—your time and skills can make a meaningful difference.

For questions, contact Shannon Stalker, Community Impact Manager & Volunteer Coordinator, at shannon.stalker@unitedwaywinecountry.org or 707-284-7069.

The Community Foundation Sonoma County is hiring and expanding its team to better support communities, partners, and donors across Sonoma County.

Open Roles

• Lead Technologist (Full-time): Advance IT systems and improve organizational efficiency and user experience.

• Community Partnerships Lead (Full-time): Build relationships across Sonoma County and support collaborative, community-driven work.

• Senior Philanthropic Advisor (Full-time): Partner with donors to support meaningful local giving.

• Community Storyteller (Contract): Document community impact through photography, social media, and storytelling. For this role, contact Tricia Savelli at tsavelli@sonomacf.org.

Learn more about the full-time roles and how to apply via the Community Foundation Sonoma County.

AAPIC was proud to sponsor the Historic Chinatown Park Plaque Unveiling, a community gathering honoring the contributions of Petaluma’s first Chinese residents. The event marked the installation of a permanent plaque recognizing the Chinese immigrant community whose labor and lives helped shape the city’s early history, yet whose stories have long been overlooked.

Community members, elders, and local leaders gathered in remembrance and reflection, affirming the importance of public history, visibility, and cultural acknowledgment. This unveiling represents a meaningful step toward honoring the full and diverse history of Petaluma.

Read more coverage in the Bohemian.

Stop AAPI Hate just published their newest report: Still Under Fire: Relentless Racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in a Heated Election Year.

The report features findings from Stop AAPI Hate’s latest state of anti-AAPI hate national survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in January 2025. It provides an in-depth look at hate act experiences in 2024, the impacts of hate, needs for support after hate, barriers to reporting hate, and how AAPI communities are pushing back against hate.

The full report is available HERE, and executive summaries in Chinese (traditional and simplified), Korean, Samoan, and Vietnamese will be available soon.

Here are some of the key findings:

1. About half (53%) of AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) adults surveyed experienced a hate act in 2024 due to their race, ethnicity, or nationality, similar to the 49% who experienced a hate act in 2023.
2. Those who faced hate had worse mental health, with 70% of AAPI adults who experienced hate reporting frequent stress, compared to 49% of those who did not.
3. Of the AA/PI adults who experienced hate, over three-quarters did not formally report the hate act despite many experiencing a potential hate crime or civil rights violation.
4. Two-thirds of AA/PI adults participated in activities to reduce or resist racism in 2024.
5. AAPI adults’ activation against hate remains high. 83% of AA/PI adults are concerned about the racial climate; 82% are optimistic about AA/PI power to end racism, and 67% are motivated to get involved in justice and equity efforts.
6. The report also includes recommendations for what policymakers and community members can do to fight together for our equality, freedom, and democracy.

Click here to read full report.