Minami Tamaki LLP was proud to sponsor the 44th anniversary gala of API Legal Outreach (APILO) last Friday at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center. For over four decades, APILO has provided direct legal and social services to low-income, marginalized communities in the areas of immigration, family law, housing rights, domestic violence protection, senior and disability rights, and anti-human trafficking.

Minette Kwok, Partner of our Immigration Practice Group, and Lisa Mak, Associate in our Consumer and Employee Rights Group, currently serve on the APILO Board. Lisa also chaired the anniversary gala this year.

This year’s gala theme, “Strength in Community,” reflected our communities’ collective accomplishments, resilience, and solidarity as we continue to advocate for social justice.

Don Tamaki, Partner of our Business and Nonprofit Counseling Group, was the featured keynote speaker at this year’s gala. In his remarks, Don recounted the experience of his family, along with about 120,000 Americans and immigrants of Japanese ancestry, being incarcerated in camps during World War II without due process.

Don drew parallels between that historical civil liberties disaster and the racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies of the current administration. Don also made an inspirational call to action, urging the audience to not only support organizations like APILO, but to get involved with issues that impact our communities.

This year’s gala honorees were the Youth Leadership Institute, the Filipino Advocates for Justice, and attorneys Raymond Pascual and Elisa Shieh for their service at the APILO pro bono clinics. The APILO Youth Advisory Council also presented emotional remarks at the gala, calling for an end to gun violence and racial inequalities in our justice system.