PrYSM started on November 8th, 2001, when a series of repeated Cambodian gang fights and resulting deaths, inspired youth and local college students to fight for positive change in the community. At the same time, the U.S. pressured the Cambodian government to sign a “repatriation agreement”, allowing for the deportation of Cambodian refugees back to the country from which they fled genocide and civil war. Southeast Asian American (SEAA) youth organized three community marches and demonstrations in front of the Providence INS office to protest the deportations; and mobilized resources and groups on the national level in a coordinated advocacy campaign. It was the first Cambodian youth protest in Providence, RI. 15 year-old Theary Voeul echoed the sentiments and hearts of the crowd: “For the first time in my life, I felt proud to be Cambodian.”
After protests and congressional lobbying yielded little results or impact, deportees asked us if we could help with case-work. Through advocacy in immigration court, PrYSM staff and youth won one case- ending a man's deportation order; put a temporary hold on two deportation cases; and lost the fourth case. While we did not put a halt to deportations to Cambodia, the campaign built a sense of hope and love in the community, as SEAA youth began to realize that social change was a reality.
Retreats and lengthy discussions led to a new sense of hope and direction for PrYSM. Ultimately, we decided that a campaign targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which falls directly under the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, was a difficult battle for SEAA youth living miles outside of Washington, D.C. In 2003, PrYSM made the decision to become a 501(3) non-profit organization, and to focus on local issues, where youth could make real impact at the local level.
Today, PrYSM is a non-profit SEA youth-led organization, with four staff, three solid programs, a strong board of directors, and a clear and passionate vision for social change. PrYSM’s vision is end all forms of violence, whether they come from the self, the community, or from institutions and systems. As an organization, we offer four programs (The OC, The Women's Group, seaQuel, and BRIDGE). Our work is guided by our VISION, PURPOSE and VALUES:
Our Vision is to confront and end state, street, and interpersonal violence affecting the Southeast Asian American community in Rhode Island.
PURPOSE – the nature and scope of the path – the strategy
Our Purpose is to mobilize Southeast Asian youth into community organizing campaigns which, a) foster the process of healing and dialogue, b) build support and love for those who are isolated and marginalized, and c) build power in the Southeast Asian community.
VALUES - the way we walk the path – the everyday practice
- Love: We believe that activism, social service, and change needs to be directly linked to compassion and love.
- Family: We all expect to love and support each other. It means we have to work out conflicts and arguments under the context that we are all brothers and sisters.
- Ghetto-Roots: We place extra value in organizing on the streets, in homes, and in the heart of the community. It also means affirming solidarity with the most oppressed and most in need.
- Movement: We believe that institutional change needs to be in the hands of the people. We believe that peoples’ dreams and hopes need to be part of this change. We believe that if we make connections between people, families, gangs, organizations, communities, and cities, we can create a movement.
