AAPI Heritage Month Spotlights

Anti-racism
Written By Chris Groza

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Check out our profiles of figures in Asian American history below.


Vincent Chin (1955-1982)

 
 

Vincent Chin was a Chinese-American man who was brutally beaten to death in a racially motivated attack in 1982. His death sparked outrage in the Asian-American community and led to a movement for justice and civil rights. The two men responsible for Chin's death received only probation and a fine, which was widely criticized as a miscarriage of justice. Chin's legacy is that his tragic death raised awareness about anti-Asian racism and galvanized Asian-Americans to fight for their rights and recognition as a marginalized group in American society. His case is still cited today as an example of the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the United States. Click here to learn more.

See Also
No More of This!
No More of This!

Minnesota has experienced tragic and traumatic public acts of violence these past few months. In August, school children and other worshippers were gathered at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis to start the school year when their prayers were interrupted by shooting.

A Win for WIC
A Win for WIC

In July, CRS petitioned to keep four major WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) sites open: 416 E. 43rd Street, 1802 E. 71st Street, 2310 W. Roosevelt Road, and 1643 W. Cermak Road. Thanks to the dedication of our community, the 416 E. 43rd Street clinic will remain open until March 2026. This means the fight is not over!

Toward a Righteous Budget
Toward a Righteous Budget

The work of building a righteous budget and a righteous city belongs to all of us. As people of faith, we are called to partner in that work, to hold leaders accountable, and to embody righteousness in our public life. Join us in the struggle for economic justice.

Coordinated, Called & Sound: A CRS Response
Coordinated, Called & Sound: A CRS Response

News out of Washington is that Chicago is next on the President’s list of cities where he wants to deploy federal troops to “crack down on crime,” which actually continues to decrease. In this moment, CRS believes we must be coordinated in strategy, called in purpose, and sound in our approach. 

A Moment for Faith to Speak Peace to the Storm
A Moment for Faith to Speak Peace to the Storm

CRS reflects on resistance in this blog article by our Community Impact and Special Projects Consultant, Keron Blair. We call you to join us as we offer steadiness and shelter while the world shakes, trembles, and worries.

Until Freedom
Until Freedom

It is Love that underscores our striving. CRS points to this instrument in the pursuit of justice; the stakes of which could touch the sky. We must mobilize in solidarity in the present, with an understanding of our past, because victory comes to those prepared for the night. And the night is history.

Member Congregation Spotlight: Kenwood UCC
Member Congregation Spotlight: Kenwood UCC

On a quiet stretch of Greenwood Avenue in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood stands a church that doesn’t just preach the gospel—it lives it, feeds it, bathes it, and organizes it into the bones of the city. CRS proudly spotlights Kenwood UCC.

In the Wake of War, Where is Our Moral Compass?
In the Wake of War, Where is Our Moral Compass?

This statement from CRS Executive Director Rev. Dr. Waltrina Middleton calls for courage, patience, and vision as widespread conflict and unrest escalate.

They Were All in One Place Together
They Were All in One Place Together

This Pentecost, CRS humbly shares the prophetic message of a bold and unafraid Palestinian people resisting genocide with resilient hope. Please join us in reflecting and read ‘They Were All in One Place Together’ from theologian, peace activist, and humanitarian Omar Haramy of Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center.

Our Footsteps Are the Future
Our Footsteps Are the Future

Following busy weeks of mission-driven action, CRS reflects on what justice and liberation mean to us and those across the globe. We remember that we are our ancestors’ wildest dreams and that even in the present, we are the future.

“Killing the Flowers Will Not Delay Spring”
“Killing the Flowers Will Not Delay Spring”

CRS hosted a peace sojourn to Jerusalem in solidarity with Palestinians who are suffering under Israel’s illegal occupation and dispossession of their land. It is important for us to be in the margins and be a prophetic voice in the wilderness, as our faith-based platforms can raise awareness and be a tool to dismantle oppression in our city, nation, and world.

 

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