Transnational Virtual Gathering of Vietnamese organizers, 2026

[PDF]

The meeting and its accompanying publication were prepared, facilitated, and edited by Jackie (very láo.d), Trang (very láo.d) and Thảo (DAMN*). The text are based on notes that were taken during the conference. Organization biographies, local histories, and photographs were submitted in part by representatives of the participating groups, and in part, written by the editors.  It was proofread by Cường (AN VIỆT ARCHIVE), hany tea (DAMN*), and CÃI LẠI COLLECTIVE.

The publication and conference would not be possible without the participation of AN VIỆT ARCHIVE (UK), CÃI LẠI COLLECTIVE (DE), IN MEMORY, IN RESISTANCE (DE), COLLECTIF VIETNAM-DIOXINE (FR), CẦU KIỀU COLLECTIVE (US), SÔNG2SEA (US), SUPER BOAT PEOPLE (US).

This publication commemorates the first international gathering of its kind—of Vietnamese community organizers and political activists in the UK, France, US, Canada, and Germany on March 21st, 2025. It was crucial for us to archive this gathering because such community histories are often erased, hidden, or lost.

Ongoing genocides also demand us to reflect on transnational activism. We think about the importance of solidarity gatherings during times of crises, such as international conferences and non-alignment movements of the Cold War period. We met to report on the state of our communities, including the complicity of our local governments in global violences. Doing so allowed us to map the destructive resurgence of fascism across North America, Europe, and Asia. Our gathering came from a shared sense of urgency to collectively take action and consolidate resources.

With this necessity for politically conscious Vietnamese community organizers to gather in such times, it was important that this meeting end with a semblance of greater appreciation and connection with each other–support in both spirit and tangible action. One of the starting goals outlined for the meeting was for it to be a literal meeting-place for Vietnamese organizers struggling with feelings of isolation. After all, most, if not all, of the organizations present do unique work in their respective locales, and seldom connect with other Vietnamese organizers. Given this opportunity, what would it feel and look like to connect with like-minded organizers? To share our grievances, insights, and experiences with each other? And from there, where can we go and what can we do together?

Mutating Kinship Lab (MKL), 2022

Mutating Kinship Lab is Initiated by
Ariel William Orah (Soydivision) and Ming Poon (Asian Performing Artists Lab)

Mutating Kinship Lab (MKL) is an artistic think-tank initiative dedicated to fostering dialogue * and collaboration - within the Asian Diaspora artistic community in Germany. With a primary focus on, * building a network * of support, and sharing resources, MKL currently comprises 9 Asian Diaspora artist-led initiatives based in Germany. In 2022, the initiative responded to the pressing * issues of precarious living and working cconditions faced by the Asian diaspora, followed by the 2023 project series titled "On Post Pandemic * Audienceship: Exploring Brave Space and Anti-Fragility in Asian DDiaspora Artistic Practice in Germany."

The Lab
Curators / Kuration:
Ariel William Orah, Ming Poon

Artists / Künstler:innen:
Ariel William Orah, Hanwen Zhang,
Hany Tea, Kiyomi Ren Mino, Marque-Lin,
Ming Poon, Mooni Perry, Promona
Sengupta, Sarnt Utamachote, Thao Ho

Facilitator / Begleiterin:
Seyda Nur Günes

Editorial / Redaktion
Writers / Autor:innen:
Emma Lo, Umi Maisaroh
Translators / Übersetzer:innen:
akiko soyja, To Doan

Graphic designer / Grafikdesigner:
Irvandy Syafruddin

Documentation / Dokumentation
Video:
Baskoro A. Widyono, Isabelle Schmitz

Video edit / Videoschnitt:
Isabelle Schmitz

Photography / Fotografie:
Yusuf Alazhar

Sound / Klangwerk:
Kei Watanabe

Subtitle / Untertitel:
Hoang Tran Hieu Hanh
Production / Produktion
Management:
MIFRUSH Productions
(Micaela Trigo, Urszula Heuwinkel)

Assistant / Assistent:
Lee Mun Wai

TOOLS TO TRANSFORM, 2021

https://toolstotransform.net/

Tools to Transform was initiated by Joon Lynn Goh and Annie Jael Kwan from Asia Art Activism, in partnership with DAMN*/Deutsche Asiat*innen, Make Noise! (DE), Healing Justice London (UK), House of Saint Laurent Europe (DE), Unthaitled (DE), The Voice of Domestic Workers (UK) and The Six Tones (VN/SE). This project has been supported by the European Cultural Foundation’s Culture of Solidarity award and University of York and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). 

What is Tools to Transform?

Co-edited by 8 Asian grassroot networks, Tools to Transform is a workbook sharing on-the-ground reflections, strategies and practices from 10 organisers and collectives working in relation to South, South-east and East Asian communities across Europe.

Tools to Transform is a free online resource, aimed at artists, curators, educators, community leaders and all others interested in organising in relation to Asian diasporas and building intra and inter-community solidarities.  The workbook shares contributions including: conflict transformation, abolitionist approaches to Hate Crime, lessons for Asian and Black solidarity, queering care, and healing through food and ancestral knowledge.

Tools to Transform Contributors are Alexis Convento, Amal Khalaf, The Bitten Peach, Claire Chou Doran, daikon*, Jee Chan, Joyce Jiang, Maya Bhardwaj, Mo’Halla and Vicky Truong.

DAMN* READER 1.0:  Community & Accountability, 2021

Download: [PDF]
Date Published: May 2021
Meeting: tba

This reader is an accompaniment for the upcoming DAMN* open discussion meetups dedicated to topics surrounding political community organizing. Each topic has its own reader.

For a very long time there has been an urgency to dive deeper into issues and  dissect what these huge terms such as community, representation, activism, solidarity actually mean in theory as well as in action. Beyond algorithms, fast-paced information consumption, call outs, likes & shares. All in regards to - what we will bluntly call -  Asian diasporic organising in Germany. This is collective groundwork that can be revisited over and over again.

The aim is to create spaces to reflect on and engage with recurring conflicts within Asian diasporic organizing/groups/initiatives and take time to discuss and learn about international liberation movements, anti-Blackness, imperialism, abolition and how these relate to, and influence current agendas of Asian organizing in Germany.

There needs to be nuanced discussions on what this political Asian movement entails in the German context. Continuously asking ourselves about how, for what reasons & in what constellations are “we” coming together and where do “we” diverge, considering various factors and forms of oppressions.
There also needs to be nuanced discussions about and engagement with topics other than what “Asian”, “German Asian” identity entails.

The first reader is a collection of texts on the topic of accountability in organising spaces. What does accountability mean in community and political organising?

We must acknowledge that we all move and live in the systems and structures of the world, which means that we cannot extract ourselves from it. We cannot extract ourselves from the harm we receive, nor from the complicity of oppressing others. Be it structurally, or personally. Hence, conflict is inevitable. How can we practice accountability but also practice to demand it?

This is not only about leadership, but also the community itself; how must each person hold themselves accountable especially when relating with each other?

Litchi Ly Friedrich & Thao

DAMN Zine #1: Identity, 2019

Date Published: Sep 2019
Release: 21.09.2019, Berlin

Layout & Design: Thao Ho & Vicky Truong

Proof Reading: Han Le, hany tea, Rosalia Namsai Engchuan

Beiträge von: ChiChi, Dragoxie, Huong Giang Bui, Huong Nam Nguyen Thi, Indrani Ashe, Jasmin Schreiber (aka DJ balthazar conrad), Jesse Gravina (aka Jesse G), Johanna Wenzel (aka DJ dérive), Kartini Reichardt, KakaoKatzê, Minh Duc Pham, Reah Ramjohn, Saboura Naqshband, Sarah Naqvi, Soyong, Thao Ho (aka DJ midswing), Vicky Truong, Xinan

Asian Community Meet Up Slides, 2019

Date publsihed: March 2019
Event at Aquarium am Südblock 

[PDF]

GOALS:
o Provide knowledge about collectives, associations, projects, movements in Berlin
o Get excited about all the great events and ideas set for 2019 o Focus on empowering the Asian* diaspora community in Berlin
o Begin new connections, networks and collaborations
o Understand the importance of intersectionality within empowerment

NAILS hacks*facts*fictions #1:Collaborative Publication on Nailwork, Art and Migration, 2019