It was a privilege to serve as a liaison between the South Philadelphia Community and the online world.
“I was merely a bridge, from the real world to the world of social media, enabling the beauty of the South Philadelphia community to shine through. ”
I did not know how I would fit in at SEAMAAC, and, early in my employment, I felt nervous about my capacity to do the job to their expectation.
After all, I was a white woman, and I was tasked with communicating with and about the diverse community of South Philadelphia.
I learned, with time, that my job was not to remove myself from the subject entirely. Instead, it was to show up. Use my skills as a photographer (average as they may be) and copywriter to document the beauty and diversity of that community, and let the natural abundance of brilliance within the community shine. I was merely a bridge, from the real world to the world of social media, enabling the beauty of the South Philadelphia community to shine through.
SEAMAAC’s community told the stories. I just packaged them carefully.
Words.
From event invitations to general social media posting, most of the content I wrote for SEAMAAC had to be accessible and translatable.
Often, posts were dictated my currents events (as an org and in the world at large), as well as grant deadlines and reporting.
Language, in this way, became a critical device for sharing resources with the community, and while it took practice, I came to better understand my own capacity for copywriting through the experience I had as their social media, grants management, and website coordinator.
PSAs
SEAMAAC Stands United with the Chinatown Community Against Proposed Sixers Stadium.
76 Devcorp’s plan to develop a new basketball arena at 10th and Market is yet another attempt by corporate developers to drive out historically marginalized individuals and families that live in the Philadelphia Chinatown area.
Veiled under the promises of restoration and development, 76 Devcorp’s plan does not take into consideration the already thriving and brilliant landscape of local Asian and Asian American owned businesses and families that comprise so much of Chinatown’s vibrant community. The addition of a large, privately-funded stadium poses an existential threat to this community.
Philadelphia does not need more privately subsidized development. We do not need more stadiums. If 76 Devcorp was truly interested in “[working] with the community to build an arena that serves as a model for equitable & inclusive economic development,” they would have initiated this process with members of the Chinatown community and listened to their input before executing their plans.
With the urgent need for investments in our city’s education, youth, and health & wellness programs, the proposal to build a basketball stadium is a far cry from 76 Devcorp’s self-proclaimed intuitive and thoughtful development. This is gentrification and corporate greed – yet another attempt in the decades-long campaign to erase Chinatown and its residents from Philadelphia, and it must be stopped.
SEAMAAC stands with the residents and businesses in Chinatown in opposing the proposed Sixers stadium.
Organizational Announcements
In gratitude for the hard work of our staff, to serve and uplift marginalized communities, SEAMAAC has implemented a Wellness Week from December 23rd to January 3rd, 2023. This means that all SEAMAAC’s offices and programming will be closed for 11-consecutive days, during which time, our staff will have the opportunity to decompress, relax, and spend time with family and loved ones, and come back recharged for 2023.
We have worked over the past few weeks to ensure that our clients and communities are prepared for the time that our offices will be closed. SEAMAAC has opened an emergency email for any urgent community requests that may arise during our 11-day closure. Emergency service requests can be sent to emergencyservicerequest@seamaac.org
SEAMAAC has been so fortunate to share 2022 with the Philadelphia community, to continue in the fight for social justice and racial equity. We are grateful for the commitment, strength and resiliency of our community and partners over the past twelve months. We look forward to 2023 and beyond as we continue to stand with you in the Fight for Our Future.
Public Health Announcements
As we continue in the fight against COVID-19, SEAMAAC wants to ensure that our communities are up-to-date on new CDC guidelines, vaccine updates, and new developments on the COVID-19 virus.
Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized—and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended—two updated boosters. The boosters target two Omicron subvariants, and are available from Moderna and Pfizer (Moderna for ages 12 and up, and Pfizer for ages 18 and up). '
The broad protection from these updated shots — called bivalent boosters — could prevent continued COVID-19 outbreaks in our communities, and as we head into the fall months (which coincides with cold and flu season), we look forward to seeing our communities make the effort for both themselves and their communities to get boostered!
It's important to stay informed on the continued developments surrounding the COVID-19 virus, and to make sure your friends, family, and neighbors do the same!
Calls for Volunteers
As we head into the final stretch of the Primary Season, with only 6 days until Election Day, we are encouraging as many people as possible to volunteer with SEAMAAC’s Voter Protection Efforts!
With your help, we aim to safeguard the sanctity of our Democracy for all Philadelphians, in particular those who are registered voters from immigrant and communities of color— these communities will be heavily targeted for voter suppression and voter intimidation. This election protection work is crucial in ensuring that Philadelphians can exercise their legal right to vote, regardless of race, class, or ability.
Help ensure that our community's voices are heard! We have both AM & PM shifts available across our four polling locations, and could use all hands on deck during this very important election cycle!
We look forward to working with you!
Organizational Statements:
We have seen mailers of fake news, stating that there is “widespread racial discrimination against white and Asian Americans” circulating throughout Philadelphia and across the nation.
This message is anti-Affirmative Action, and statements in the mailer are false, aimed to disinform Asian American voters. Affirmative Action is a law passed in 1965 to protect all people in the U.S. against discrimination based on race, gender, religion, and national origin. This law has helped millions of Asians, women and other minority groups to get jobs and admittance into schools based on their qualifications.
Affirmative Action is one of the most effective guarantees we have against racial discrimination— without Affirmative Action, a study shows that only 2.5 out of 100 Asian applicants would be admitted to selected colleges and universities.
SEAMAAC is working against the spread of lies and fake news designed to divide our city and country. Do Not Let Them Succeed.
The white supremacists who created these messages are trying to take away Affirmative Action and other laws meant to protect us, so that they can exclude Asians, women, and other minority groups in the future.
The Fake News is intended to suppress the voices of our community and prevent equitable growth and prosperity. Do not let them fool you, Asian American overwhelmingly supports Affirmative Action at a rate of 70%.
It is important for all Americans to continue to support Affirmative Action laws that protect all of us.
Current Event Statements
As the MPXV Virus, otherwise known as “monkeypox” continues to spread, and is receiving much needed global/local media coverage, SEAMAAC is concerned that messaging surrounding MPXV will exacerbate fear, stigma, racism, and discrimination towards Black Folx, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other communities of color.
As witnesses to the recent use of explicitly racist and scapegoating language to describe COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic, and the devastating impact it had on attacks and violence against people of Asian ancestry, we believe that the use of “monkeypox” will allow for similar racist discourse and attacks to resurface. SEAMAAC urges the WHO, and all public health officials, to stop using this stigmatizing language, and to consider the effects that using this term will have on Black folx, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other communities of color.
We stand by all our fellow organizations, lawmakers, and public officials who are calling for an end to the use of this term and encourage others to do the same.