Advancing Justice-LA is committed to empowering and improving the lives of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), communities of color, immigrants and other marginalized groups in the San Gabriel Valley.
About the San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley composes a vast and diverse set of communities. Over half a million Asian Americans of all backgrounds live within the San Gabriel Valley side-by-side with other communities of color, comprising some of the largest majority Asian American and Latino communities in the United States. Notably, an increasing number of cities in the SGV have majority Asian American populations: Monterey Park (68%), Walnut (66%), Rosemead (62%), San Gabriel (62%), Arcadia (61%), Rowland Heights (61%), Temple City (57%), and Alhambra (55%). The largest Asian American ethnic groups in the SGV are Chinese, followed by Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Cambodian, and Indonesian.
During the 1970s and 1980s, these communities were amongst the first communities to experience significant growth in AANHPI immigration. Significant strides for AANHPI civil rights and representation were made as a result of advocacy efforts, including efforts in which Advancing Justice-LA played a key part. This includes advocating for the creation of legislative districts representing Asian American communities, opposing nativist backlash such as English only signage ordinances, and precedent-setting litigation holding manufacturers and retailers accountable for using sweatshop labor.
Despite what has already been accomplished, communities within the San Gabriel Valley continue to face challenges. Significant numbers of AANHPI immigrants are either low-income and/or Limited English Proficient (LEP). These individuals and families, some of whom are also undocumented, frequently face difficult working conditions, insufficient wages and substandard housing often invisible within middle class communities. Considerable percentages of Asian Americans within SGV communities live below the poverty line, while a majority of Asian Americans in El Monte, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Alhambra, Monterey Park, and Temple City are LEP. There is a need to expand and strengthen infrastructure and civic engagement in the SGV to address these issues and serve community members who are struggling to support themselves and their families.
For more information about the San Gabriel Valley, please see our factsheet.
Services and Programs
Present and future work at the SGV Community Center will include:
- Immigration and citizenship: providing clinics, workshops, and other services to assist residents with citizenship applications and immigration issues, including DACA, DAPA, and AB 60 (drivers’ licenses).
- Healthcare Access: providing opportunities for healthcare enrollment to low-income and middle class San Gabriel Valley SGV residents regardless of background, immigration status, or language proficiency.
- Civic Engagement: building a base of empowered Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that includes disadvantaged and underserved individuals to organize and have their voices heard by policymakers (including but not limited to voters).
- Parents and Youth: empowering local high school students and parents through Advancing Justice-LA’s leadership development programs.
Contact:
We do not take walk-in visitors. Individuals are encouraged to schedule an appointment by calling the Advancing Justice-LA in-language intake lines:
888.349.9695 (English)
800.520.2356 (Chinese – Mandarin or Cantonese)
800.867.3126 (Khmer)
800.867.3640 (Korean)
800.300.2552 (Tagalog)
800.914.9583 (Thai)
800.267.7395 (Vietnamese)
For more information you can also email [email protected]
