Asian American Action (AAA) Day 2026
By Fiona De Guzman and Patricia Damocles
WHO WE ARE
Patricia Damocles I recently joined AFIRE in February 2026 because I wanted to become more involved in my activism and find a place of belonging in the Filipinx/a/o culture. Currently, I am a member of the Organizing Komite and the Spring 2026 Actualizing Community Cohort. Being a Lobby Captain on AAA Day was an opportunity to cultivate my leadership and organizing skills, which I originally developed from attending Seeding AFIRE events!
Fiona De Guzman I became involved with AFIRE in May of 2025 with my interest in grassroots organizations as well as seeking more involvement with the Filipino community in Chicago. AFIRE’s programs resonated with me, coming from a family of immigrants and domestic workers. I’ve been able to help out at citizenship workshops, be a part of the Organizing Komite, and participate in the 2026 Actualizing Community Cohort with other amazing AFIRE community members!
A LITTLE HISTORY AND TERMINOLOGY
Asian American Action Day (AAA Day), is organized every year by the Pan Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition, which is made up of several community organizations in the Chicago area. This legislative advocacy day in Springfield, gives folks in the Asian American community a chance to speak to their elected officials about the socio-economic and -political issues impacting their communities.
AAA Day first began in 2012 in an effort to mobilize the Asian American community. The PAVE Coalition sought an increase in advocacy, voter turnout, and civic participation across community members, volunteers, immigrants, and activists alike. Lobbying includes educating legislators about how policies affect our communities, asking them to vote yes or no on a bill, and requesting support for funding. The primary goal of lobbying at the Illinois State Capitol, and AAA Day overall, is to talk to lawmakers and share our own experiences to highlight certain issues.
The Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE) convened at the Capitol to advocate for their communities before becoming involved in AAA Day: The organization “traces its roots back to 2005 when Chicago became a focal point of immigrant rights protests sparked by the introduction of the Sensenbrenner Act, which sought to criminalize undocumented immigrants in the U.S. and those who aided them. This core group, largely comprised of immigrants from the Philippines without citizenship status, grappled with how they, too, could directly impact legislation in order to create positive change in the place that they had just begun to call home” (AFIRE Chicago, “Our Story”).
PREPARING FOR SPRINGFIELD
This year, we attended AAA Day for the first time with AFIRE on May 6, 2026, with the honor of being Lobby Captains for our group. Kaya Rial, our fearless Organizing Director, had asked us to step into this role, and although we were nervous at first, we both accepted the challenge to step out of our comfort zones and into our leadership. We were prepped with a training led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), which provided an overview of what being a Lobby Captain entailed.
We were each assigned two or more “targets,” or legislators, and were expected to reach out to them prior to AAA Day in hopes of scheduling an in-person meeting. We were responsible for liaising with Representative Lawrence M. Walsh Jr., Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth, Senator Graciela Guzmán, and Senator Kimberly A. Lightford so we could discuss the specific topics in our legislative agenda ranging from protecting health benefits for immigrants to passing progressive revenue solutions.
LOBBY CAPTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Aside from coordinating with our legislators’ schedules and visiting their respective offices, our other duties included prepping the supplementary materials; thoroughly researching our targets; facilitating an overview of the aforementioned agenda; leading our fellow AFIRE members around the Capitol Building and ensuring that everyone was accounted for; conducting a schedule of which targets we would visit first; and guaranteeing that the PAVE Agenda and other related documents were handed over to the legislative staff. “Protect Our Futures” was the theme for this year’s AAA Day, which we kept in mind as we lobbied throughout the day.
THE BIG DAY
The air smelled of morning dew and exhaust fumes in front of the HANA Center, where several Chicago-based organizations gathered before traveling to Springfield. AFIRE attendees shared the bus with the Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI), and Kaya served as our Bus Captain. The 3.5 hour commute was full of anticipation, and although this was our first time lobbying, we could relate to everyone else brimming with purpose. As we exited the busin front of the Capitol Building, the AFIRE elders made a beeline to the Abraham Lincoln statue to take pictures, with their younger counterparts following suit, as we further memorialized this moment. We were one of the many crowds filtering through the Capitol building, our red shirts ablaze, reflecting one of our mottos: Kapangyarihan nasa ating dugo––power is in our blood.
With the guidance of Marilou Mariko Carrera, our Strategic Development & Communications Director, and Kaya, we were able to corral the AFIRE participants in one of the entrance halls to give a rundown of our goals and who our targets were. After identifying where our targets’ offices were located, we collectively agreed to remain in the Capitol building in the first half to speak to Sen. Lightford and Rep. Gordon-Booth, attend the PAVE rally in the rotunda, take a communal lunch break, then head over to the Stratton building to see Sen. Guzmán and Rep. Walsh, Jr.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Capitol, it was difficult for us to encounter our targets in person, so we pivoted and dropped off the materials to their respective offices. Over 500 Asian American community members rallied, met with elected officials, and demanded better solutions for our communities during AAA Day. Even though we couldn’t speak to our legislators directly due to their busy schedules and navigating through the numerous delegations, staff, and visitors, we were still able to speak with our elected officials’ staff and share the PAVE agenda and represent AFIRE.
REFLECTIONS AND TAKEAWAYS
As soon as we stepped in and saw the amount of people who were there for the same purpose of demanding action for their rights, we felt an overwhelming sense of power by the people. This year, half of AFIRE’s intergenerational turnout included seniors. Our elders were key participants in representing AFIRE at AAA Day, as their energy carried us strongly throughout the day. It was very special to witness how this agenda was important to them and their own stories, as they were excited about going to the offices of our targets and potentially meeting our legislators. One thing that various elders continued to say throughout the day was, “It is really good that you young people are doing this.” Witnessing the advocacy take place across a wide range of ages was moving.
One of our AFIRE members, Em, shared what her experience was like attending AAA Day for the first time: “I was excited to finally make the trip after years of hearing about it! I didn’t know what to expect, but the energy at the Capitol Building was electric. Taking the conversations I’ve had with AFIRE community members and getting to see them in action in Springfield was such an honor. I’m already ready for next year.”
Myles—another AFIRE and Actualizing Community Cohort member—stated, “If you feel powerless, AAA Day was a great reminder that you as a regular person can have influence on the people in charge. Even if our requests fell on deaf ears, we were able to show solidarity across multiple cultures and generations.” The commute to Springfield and returning back to Chicago also left a lasting impression on Myles. “If you’re going to be on a long bus ride, it’s better to be with good, like-minded people.”
WHY ADVOCACY WORK IS IMPORTANT TODAY
In today’s socio-economic and political climate, it can be so easy to feel cynical and powerless, like your impact is small, or that any progress is far out of reach. However, having this opportunity to be in a room full of people with our voices echoing together to demand immigrant justice gave us all a sense of hope. There was a feeling of community and togetherness that we need in order to continue this fight. The power of storytelling is also a strong component in this day of lobbying. It is through our own testimonies that explain the conditions our communities have to endure, and we must keep our voices heard to continue provoking change.
Democracy is rooted in the power of the people, so being able to speak to our legislators face-to-face is not only an opportunity, but our civic duty. It is our responsibility to advocate for those who are not able to do so themselves, and to also hold our congresspeople accountable for the policies they enforce. Having the capacity to lobby and be in rooms where decisions are made shows how crucial our narratives are. Understanding that we can have a direct impact on bills that are being passed and how anyone can be impacted by our own words is one of the many organizing efforts we experienced firsthand on AAA Day.
Even if you are not able to make it out to AAA Day at some point, it’s important to remember that small acts of everyday resistance allows us to exercise our agency, regardless of any restrictions we may have. We do not have to do something grand every day to contribute to the fight for freedom—we can simply share our stories, help our neighbors, spread resources, and participate in mutual aid. We are never completely powerless.AFIRE has cultivated a space in which everyone is able to get involved, no matter what your organizing capacity is. Whether it’s tabling, handing out flyers, protesting on the street, or calling our representatives, AFIRE offers several different ways to get involved in the fight against oppression and injustice. Kapangyarihan nasa ating dugo!
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REFERENCES
AFIRE’s Background
PAVE Resources
ICIRR One-Pagers
Legislator Information
Lobbying Definitions
