Our Blog

Thoughts, Stories, News & IDEAS

Asian American Invisibility & Ending the Culture of “忍”

By VISIONS Office | Mar 30, 2021
the character commonly translated to mean: to persevere

忍 the character commonly translated to mean “to persevere”. But it also means to endure, tolerate, and conceal. It is considered a virtue in Chinese & Japanese cultures. 忍者 – a person who perseveres – also means ninja. I am angry. I don’t get angry very often. In fact, I almost never get angry because…

Read More

Condemning Anti-Asian Violence

By VISIONS Office | Mar 18, 2021

Anti-Asian violence and discrimination has been on the rise throughout the pandemic; and we must all stand up and speak up against it. These incidents are antithetical to the values we continue to claim we hold as a country. Tuesday’s senseless murders of eight individuals are only the most recent tragedy amongst too many. Feelings…

Read More

On the recent attacks against elderly Asian Americans

By VISIONS Office | Feb 10, 2021

This is usually a time of celebrations for many of our Asian American friends, as many get ready to celebrate the Lunar New Year on February 12th, welcoming the year of the Ox. Unfortunately, there has been a chain of recent attacks on Asian Americans, and specifically elderly Asian Americans, across the country. These attacks…

Read More

Thoughts on the Presidential Inauguration

By VISIONS Office | Jan 27, 2021

It has been a heavy four years for many in our community, and sometimes we don’t feel the full weight of something until it is released. I hope you feel a tad lighter in the recent days – not because our work is done, but because we know the work we are doing will be…

Read More

Meet VISIONS new Innovations Manager, Lawrence Alexander

By VISIONS Office | Jan 8, 2021

Currently, I am the Innovations Manager at VISIONS, working to amplify the historic work that VISIONS has done by finding more compelling methods to communicate the VISIONS model and to engage newer audiences. I am also a lead search consultant at Carney Sandoe. Previously, I worked in education for 15 years, in higher education and…

Read More

On yesterday’s events in Washington, DC

By VISIONS Office | Jan 7, 2021

While yesterday’s events at our nation’s capital were upsetting and heartbreaking, I also feel more motivated than ever to advance the vital work we tackle each day. As Dr. Val states “we [at VISIONS] work to develop on-going relationships over time to address the structures that create lack of equitable contact in concert with creating…

Read More

From Elika’s Desk: 2020 in Review

By VISIONS Office | Jan 7, 2021

Dear VISIONaries, 2020 was a challenging year, and left me humbled on several occasions. In March, the uncertainty of the global shutdown was stressful, and initially, we were not sure what it would mean and how it would impact this organization. I wondered how creative we had to be to maintain our fiscal health, how…

Read More

Post election message from Elika

By VISIONS Office | Nov 9, 2020

VISIONS wishes to congratulate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the projected winners of the 2020 Presidential Election, with more people in the US than ever voting at this election than ever before. We also recognize the significance of Kamala Harris as VP Elect, who will become the first Black woman and the first Asian…

Read More

Is Reconciliation Possible? Lessons From Combating “Modern Racism”

By VISIONS Office | Nov 22, 2017
Love is color street art

Author: Valerie Batts, Ph.D. ​In this newly revised article, Dr. Valerie Batts offers personal reflections on and responses to the social history of oppression and racially-motivated violence in the United States. ​“Is Reconciliation Possible” examines, both in the U.S. and South Africa, the concept of covert and systemic “modern racism” and outlines a model for combating…

Read More

Power Through Partnership: How Women Lead Better Together

By VISIONS Office | Dec 9, 2014
Power through partnership

Drawing from their own twelve-year partnership and from interviews with 125 women business partners across the world, Betsy Polk and Maggie Chotas have learned something powerful: when women work together they discover a level of support, balance, confidence, accountability, and freedom to be themselves that is rarely found in other work relationships.   Who’s Mentioned…

Read More