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Unsung American heroes, Chinatown Public Mural, SFO

OUR MISSION

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To advance the social, educational, and political well-being of Asian American Pacific Islanders through civic engagement, policy advocacy, and coalition building  to empower and promote safety and inclusion in our communities.

EMBRACING THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF ASIAN AMERICANS & PACIFIC ISLANDERS

1973

OCA (Organization of Chinese Americans) created a unified voice for Chinese Americans in the civil rights movement by founders K.L. Wang and Alex Mark.

2013

As the AAPI community continued to grow and diversify, OCA understood the importance to reflect the needs of the community. In 2013, the organization was rebranded to OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates to represent the breadth of the pan-ethnic diaspora.

2021

Brocade Wu-Harmon, a retired biomedical researcher living in Oceanside,CA founded the San Diego chapter in response to the mass shooting targeted at two Asian-owned spas in Atlanta that killed eight on March 16, 2021.  Both local and federal law enforcement officials initially denied the act to be racially motivated.

2023

Fifty years later, OCA National – Asian Pacific American Advocates continues on as a member-driven nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. with 50+ chapters and affiliates across the U.S.

California State University San Marcos
Stop the Hate 
Grant

CSUSM will be partnering with OCA-APAA San Diego, Umeke, and SOS-Save Our Streets to provide resources that will strengthen each organization's goals and efforts in support of local Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi
American (APIDA) communities

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Summer
Internships

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For 35 years, OCA National Center has hosted the oldest and largest program for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander college students in the nation’s capital.

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The Priority Deadline to apply is Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT.

The Final Deadline to apply is Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 11:59 PM PT.

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