the asian american writers' workshop needs your help

Established in 1991, The Asian American Writers' Workshop is a nonprofit literary arts organization founded in support of writers, literature and community. The only organization of its kind, it's devoted the creating, publishing, developing and disseminating of creative writing by Asian Americans. And it needs your help.

Like many nonprofit arts organizations, AAWW is struggling for its survival. They're not only dealing with the recession like everyone else, they've been hit with a lawsuit. So they're reaching out to you, the community, to lend a hand and invest in the organization's future. Here's a brief letter of appeal from Executive Director Ken Chen:

Greetings!

You're getting this email because you are unique.

You're a reader, staying up past your bedtime, devouring stories and poems at a time when most Americans no longer read for fun. And you're a particularly uncommon reader--one who believes Asian Americans offer something unique to American culture.

You've stayed on our email list because, like us, you believe in nurturing anyone who has a story to tell. We believe in showing every American, no matter what the color of her skin, that the Asian American story is a central chapter of the American story.We are asking you to invest in our efforts to build a national home for Asian American ideas.

This year, the Workshop faces a perfect storm that's left us fighting for our survival. While the recession has affected everyone, we were also hit with a lawsuit from our landlord, who sued to evict us for a more profitable tenant. We've successfully settled the suit, but just as the Workshop began as a grass-roots community of friends, we once again depend on you--the individual readers and writers who've made the Workshop what it is--to step in and nurture us. I ask you to click here and donate today.

Thank you,

Ken Chen
Executive Director

For a longer version of this letter, which explains the Workshop's situation in detail, go here. Look, I know how it is. You get solicitations for donations to charitable causes and organizations all the time. But AAWW is a valuable community institution, and it would suck hard if they were forced to cut programming, restrict operations and/or close its reading room -- or worse.

If you're a reader, or a writer, or someone who gives a damn about reading and writing, consider donating to the Workshop. To learn about what you can do/give to help, go here. To make a donation to support Asian American literature, go here. And for more information about the Workshop's programs and events, visit the AAWW website here.