Asian Women United Records
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Abstract
Asian Women United (AWU) was a nonprofit organization formed in 1978 that was based in New York City. With a distinctly feminist point of view, the organization sought to support, educate and empower Asian-American women. AWU explored Asian-American women's history and culture and undertook to mobilize community women in the political arena. AWU organized many events including a concert, fundraisers, a mother/daughter social, and various workshops. The organization also participated in International Women's Day, the Women Working Together conference, the Coalition of Asian Women's Groups, and Asian/Pacific American Heritage festivals. The materials in this collection include newsletters, flyers for events hosted by Asian Women United, flyers for events held in coalition with other groups, workshop notes, meeting notes, administrative files, correspondence, newspaper articles, photographs, oversized collages, and two audiotapes.
Historical Note
Asian Women United (AWU) is a New York City based organization, formed in 1978 when the Asian American Women's Caucus split into two groups. As stated in their Statement of Purpose, AWU worked "towards a society free from race and sex discrimination through the development of women as community leaders with an understanding of the Asian woman's issues and concerns." The organization held regular meetings and produced a monthly newsletter entitled In Touch. AWU organized many events including a concert, fundraising events, a mother/daughter social, and various workshops. AWU also participated in International Women's Day, the Women Working Together conference, the Coalition of Asian Women's Groups, and Asian/Pacific American Heritage festivals. Leftist and feminist in its ideological roots, AWU also took official stands on issues such as abortion rights, immigration and refugee policy, discrimination against Asian Americans and distorted images in the mass media, and the Silver Palace Restaurant strike, ILGWU Local 23-25 organizing and other labor struggles.
AWU's first president, Goldie Chu, was active at the local, state and national levels. She was a delegate to the First International Women's Year gathering in Houston, Texas in 1977 and became vice-chair of the National Women's Political Caucus. Other AWU activists included vice-president Angie Cruz, Liz Young, Jacqueline (Jackie) Huey, Joyce Wong, Ginger Chih, Lolita Lacson, Ruby Tsang and Grace Lyu-Volckausen.
In 1982, Wing Productions made a documentary film called, Ourselves, which was both a portrait of key members of AWU and a celebration and examination of several generations of Asian American women's experience. It was shown on PBS stations and in screenings in a number of cities.
In 1986, the organization adopted a less formal structure; in place of regular business meetings it proposed to convene occasional reunions and maintain less formal networks of communication.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically.
Scope and Contents
The materials in this collection include: the Asian Women United newsletter (In Touch), flyers from events hosted by Asian Women United, flyers from events done in coalition with other groups, workshop notes, meeting notes, administrative files, correspondence, black-and-white and color photographs (ranging in size from 1"x2' to 8"x10") from various events, and newspaper articles. The collection also contains the collected notes that would be put into IKON #9: The AWU Anthology. Additionally, there are select pamphlets about Asian-American and women's issues collected by AWU members, twelve art collages (measuring 18"x24") that address a variety of Asian women's issues, and two audiotape cassettes labeled "Older Women in Community Politics – at Laura's."
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by Asian Women United were transferred to New York University in 2004 by Joyce B. Wong. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Asian Women United Records; TAM 320; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Asian Women United Records and Photographs were gathered during an AWU reunion in 2004, which was hosted by the New York University Asian/Pacific/American Institute and later donated to the Tamiment Library, NYU. Graphics and photographs from this donation were originally separated and established as separate collections, the Asian Women United Photographs (PHOTOS 217) and Asian Women United Graphics (GRAPHICS 023). Collages initially added to Asian Women United Graphics (GRAPHICS 023) were donated by Evelyn Yee in 2004. In 2013, photographs and graphics from these collections were reincorporated into the Asian Women United Records and Photographs (TAM 320). The accession numbers related to these gifts are 2004.004, 2004.006, 2004.014, NPA.2005.241, and NPA.2008.019. And accretion of exhibition panels was received in 2018 with no documentation regarding its provenance; the accession number associated with these materials is 2019.091.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Separated Material
One set of the newsletter In Touch was separated into the library catalogue.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Photographs were separated from this collection during initial processing and were established as a separate collection, the Asian Women United Photographs (PHOTOS 217). Twelve art collages were also established as their own separate collection, Asian Women United Graphics (GRAPHICS 023). In 2013, both the photograph collection and the collages were reincorporated into the Asian Women United Records and Photographs (TAM 320).