Asian American Women's Organizations: Notes on Issue-Oriented Organizing

Abstract

The first quote that opens this essay refers to a common question that is to this day still asked of many women of color. Shange's snappy response directly addresses the absurdity of the question as well as the matter-of-fact understanding that race and gender are always intertwined. Thanks to generations of Asian American feminist scholars, writers, and activists, the intersection of race and gender is widely acknowledged and recognized as a valid subject of scholarly inquiry as well as a legitimate reason for the necessity of Asian American women's organizations. Yet, merely taking into account the importance of race and gender does not answer why the need for Asian American women's organizations still exists. The need for these organizations exists because many Asian American and women's organizations still do not address, include, or integrate Asian American women's issues into their mission statements, agendas, or endeavors. [End Page 231]