OCA Greater Seattle Chapter joins Attorney General lawsuit stopping sale of National Archives Facility
On January 4, 2021, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, Greater Seattle Chapter, a local membership-driven organization of community advocates dedicated toward the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, joined the Washington State Attorney General lawsuit against the Federal Government stopping the sale of the National Archives Facility in Seattle, Washington following a perfunctory outreach to impacted communities. The chapter joins dozens of other local organizations as it holds a compelling academic, ancestral, and mission-based interest in maintaining access to the site.
“The Archives are critical partners in the conservation of our community’s history,” said Connie So, President of OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates – Greater Seattle Chapter. “Most Chinese Americans left few records of their lives and history prior to 1950, making the Archive’s treasure trove of files related to the Chinese Exclusion Act all the more precious. Once, when Seattle hosted the Association for Asian American Studies conference, we made a special trip to the Archives. People marveled at the fact that they could find information on relatives that they thought were long-lost. People shared poignant stories, especially when they discovered a photo of a family member.”
The National Archives facility is fundamental to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community’s access to these important historical records – cutting off that access would be devastating. The files include public records that can connect generations to past experiences and provide a window to the past of the immigrant experience – included within the Archives’ records are documents related to the Chinese American exclusion files that contain valuable information about families, marriages, lifestyles, occupations, businesses, land ownership, religion, food, medicine, travels to and from China, networking, organizations, and other information that otherwise cannot be obtained. In addition, the records were vital to the community’s collective ability to find information about Japanese, Filipino, and Chinese American who served in World War II – supporting the efforts to award the Congressional Gold Medal to these veterans.
“We proudly join this lawsuit to ensure that generations of records continue to be available to our community – ensuring that our voices are seen as a part of this history of this region.”
The Greater Seattle Chapter (“OCA-GS”) was formed in 1995 as an affiliate of the national OCA organization. Since its inception, OCA-GS has served the Greater Seattle Chinese and Asian American and Pacific Islander American community as well as other communities in the Pacific Northwest. It is recognized in the local community for its advocacy of civil and voting rights as well as its sponsorship of community activities and events.
