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National and Regional Networks |
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Networking is an important component to organizing among South Asian organizations. Through our interviews with organizations around the country, we found that these networks served two main purposes:
- Networks were an important modes of collaboration on issues and campaigns
- Network also helped organizations successfully accomplish day-to-day work
The chart below indicates that these groups depend on networks for advocacy/community organizing, service delivery, and holding conferences:
| Reasons for Networking (either Regional or National) |
|---|
| Advocacy | 83 %
| | Campaigns | 78 %
| Community organizing
| 83 %
| Conferences
| 94 %
| Demonstrations
| 67 %
| Joint delivery of services
| 89 %
| Joint fundraising
| 67 %
| Client referral
| 72 %
| Shared back office functions (i.e. computers, internet, etc.)
| 17 %
| Shared space
| 33 % |
For South Asian organizations, the greatest concentration of organizations are involved with national networks through: advocacy, national listervs, and conferences.
| Activities at the National Level | Yes |
|---|
| Conferences | 89 % | | National Listservs | 78 %
| Chapters (ie. chapters of your organization in other cities)
| 33 %
| Advocacy
| 50 %
| Legislative/Policies
| 39 %
| Other
| 22 %
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We have found that 16 organizations (89%), want a national level South Asian coalition/network. Organizations were asked to identify desired goals for a national network of South Asian organizations.
The following goals were listed:
Resource Building
- Find funding sources
- Information sharing
- Offer resources and support to organizations across the nation
Advocacy
- Collaboration (i.e. solidarity among South Asians)
- Developing cohesion among communities in regards stances on legislation
- Build bridges among ethnic religious communities
- Immigration policy (H4 visa, collaborate with other immigrant communities)
- LGBTQ issues and movement
- Driver’s licenses for undocumented populations
Campaign
- Strategize use of current resources
- Develop strategies for campaigns - relating to the US government
- Address Issues in South Asia (communalism, Kashmir)
- Raise an anti-war voice
- Build relationship with more ethnic communities
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