Established in 2011, Seattle is a charter of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A.), one of the nation’s oldest civil rights organizations, having been founded more than 100 years ago in San Francisco. The mission of the organization is to promote and protect civil rights, develop leadership in Chinese youth and provide community service. C.A.C.A. connects Chinese Americans across the country to work together on issues critical to the Chinese American community, ranging from immigration reform to incorporating Chinese Exclusion Laws education into the school curriculum. The organization also sponsors an annual essay contest with a scholarship award open to all high school students every March.
The Seattle Chapter also arranges opportunities for members and youth to tour local Chinese businesses, meet local politicians involved in Chinese American issues, learn about the political process and support the community. In addition to rice distribution, members also participate in the annual 400 rotisserie chicken giveaway to low-income individuals at the food bank in Chinatown during the holiday season and help co-sponsor Asian Heritage Day with the Mariners, an event where proceeds from ticket sales go towards benefiting local Asian organizations.
