May 22, 2023
Investing and partnering to build healthier communities
Kaiser Permanente supports Asian Americans Advancing Justice to promote racial and health equity in Southern California.
Kaiser Permanente is committed to advancing health equity for Asian American and Pacific Islander families.
Asian American and Pacific Islander families and communities are integral to the richness and vitality of American culture and experience. However, these communities can often feel isolated and unvalued when acts of violence and harmful words target their race.
“Kaiser Permanente’s community health approach recognizes the inextricable link between community, equity, justice, and health,” said John Yamamoto, vice president of community health and government relations for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. “Kaiser Permanente is partnering with Asian Americans Advancing Justice to strengthen the capacity of local organizations to advocate for civil rights, promote health and wellness, and provide social services in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.”
AJSOCAL, led by Connie Chung Joe, is committed to protecting and strengthening the most disadvantaged Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
AJSOCAL, led by Connie Chung Joe, is committed to protecting and strengthening the most disadvantaged Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Addressing anti-Asian hate and promoting equity in our communities
Kaiser Permanente launched the Stop Anti-Asian Hate and Violence Initiative in partnership with AAJC and their local affiliate Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, in 2021. The initiative supported 3 strategies: community education, mobilization, and coalition-building; direct services, mental health, and organizational sustainability; and advocacy and organizational leadership.
“Our organization's mission is to advocate for a just and equitable society by building power in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to advance civil and human rights,” said Connie Chung Joe, JD, chief executive officer, AJSOCAL. “We appreciate the support of Kaiser Permanente in helping our nonprofit focus on a range of issues, including immigration, voting rights, housing discrimination, language access, anti-Asian hate, domestic violence, and health access.”
Other local organizations that received funding from Kaiser Permanente through this partnership were San Diego Chapter Japanese American Citizens League, Inc., Stop AAPI Hate, Visual Communications Media, Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Union of Pan Asian Communities, AAPI Equity Alliance, and Pacific Asian Counseling Services.
Advancing health equity and combating discrimination
Kaiser Permanente is committed to addressing health disparities and advancing health equity. In recent years, Kaiser Permanente has made a renewed commitment to advancing equity and justice, both within its organization and in the communities it serves.
Kaiser Permanente is also investing in research to better understand health disparities and identify effective solutions. For example, the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank is a large collection of health data from diverse populations. Researchers can use this data to identify factors that contribute to health disparities and develop interventions to address them.
Kaiser Permanente is continually deepening its efforts to get at the heart of inequities, addressing systemic racism, breaking cycles of trauma, and creating economic opportunities for our communities.
