2022: Mid-Year Update | Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce

Jun 30th, 2022

After almost three decades as the President & CEO of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (SacAsian), I can say with full candor that I learn something new every day. Knowledge is our currency, our catalyst. Every bit of knowledge, no matter how seemingly small, informs how we can drive change. At the Chamber, we talk a lot about change. We have all the decorative language and official terms to describe the extent of our work. But at SacAsian’s core, change is the mission. We advocate for change to better our minority-owned small businesses and create equitable opportunities for them.

Amid a year of elections and critical turning points for our community, I see change happening. It’s not always obvious, but it is there — it’s happening in the people we meet, during the programs we host, and through the policies we advocate for.

*Attendees at our Sip N’ Socialize networking event in April 2022.*

Who We’ve Connected With

I see exciting growth adding to our family of new members and corporate and community sponsors. That growth extends to our board, where we welcomed Frank Kobayashi, Vice President of Instruction at American River College; Nancy Coleman-Chavez, Community Engagement Manager at JPMorgan Chase; Howard Chan, the City Manager of City of Sacramento; and Murdock Smith, Executive Director at Highlands Community Charter School. Every new small business and community leader we have connected with in 2022 has proven that positive change is in our conversations, and it’s in the diversity of the communities who partake in them.

*Our first ever AAPI Night Market was held on Capitol Mall in May 2022.*

What We’ve Been Doing

This year, we returned to safely hosting in-person events, and we saw firsthand how our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are supported across the region. We experienced exciting success with our first Sip N’ Socialize networking event in April, which connected potential members with Chamber staff and other small business owners. During AAPI Heritage Month in May, SacAsian’s first ever AAPI Night Market sold out with more than 2,800 guests. We were joined by 34 small business vendors, all of them AAPI-owned, as well as a number of cultural acts including a Taiko drumming performance and Polynesian dance group. The AAPI Night Market demonstrated a phenomenal recognition of the cultural richness of Sacramento’s AAPI community.

I see even more change in our work at the Sacramento Inclusive Economic Development Collaborative (Sac IEDC) and the efforts we have made in providing technical assistance to empower the region’s diverse workforce. There is not only strength in bolstering our business community, but in the network of 16 partner organizations who advocate for equitable access. Our Minority Business Assistance Recovery Kickstart (MBARK) began its $3.5 million program in April and incorporated 10 full-time Business Community Liaisons to assist small businesses. In 2022, MBARK expanded to work with small businesses in unincorporated areas of Sacramento County and in the City of Rancho Cordova. Through in-language consultancy services, technical assistance, and a variety of applicable webinars, MBARK has so far helped 1,500 small businesses in the City of Sacramento.

SacAsian maintains a firm seat at the table, alongside our Prosperity Partners, to ensure that our region receives its fair share of the California Economic Resiliency Fund (CERF) investments. We have worked toward inclusive economic development for three decades, and now for the first time, the investment in our underserved minority communities is a commitment that will produce real and lasting change.

As in-person events continue, I see both a challenge and an opportunity. The silver living in a digital world is that gathering together will never again be taken for granted. And despite two years of virtual hellos, SacAsian has proven we can execute at the highest level and still deliver impact. Whether we greet one another through screens or shake a person’s hand, we value the opportunity to gather and participate in meaningful and productive ways.

*We partnered with APICA and others to hold an AAPI rally in March 2022.*

How We’re Advocating

SacAsian’s policy team remains committed to connecting more of our region’s voters with policy resources and educational opportunities. Our virtual Meet & Greet events, which have so far featured former Assemblymember Jim Cooper and Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, have connected locals directly with their representatives. In an election year such as this, we will continue to educate, outreach, and ensure that no community is left behind.

*The view during the AAPI Night Market in May 2022.*

Looking Ahead

While we celebrate the work achieved in 2022 so far, the remainder of the year is packed with opportunity. In October, we will host the 14th Annual Internal Study Mission, which truly highlights what our region is best at and a leader of, as well as addresses our most pressing issues. Already, I am excited to share with you what challenges, successes, and celebrations we will undoubtedly see throughout the rest of the year.

So much has changed in the three decades since my vision for the Chamber became a reality — from door-to-door outreach to back-to-back Zoom calls, from small networking gatherings to events with more than 2,800 attendees. Despite all these shifts, I eagerly anticipate the growth and change that is yet to come. If you watch closely, you’ll see it happening even now.

Pat Fong Kushida
President & CEO
Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce