City of Philadelphia - File #: 230230

• File #: 230230
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 3/23/2023
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 3/23/2023
• Title: Honoring and recognizing the dedicated service of Deborah Wei, whose steadfast championship and work on behalf of the Philadelphia Chinatown and Asian American communities has inspired a new generation of community advocates and preserved Philadelphia's Chinatown as a vibrant, national cultural icon.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Brooks, Councilmember Driscoll, Councilmember Gauthier, Councilmember Gilmore Richardson, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Thomas, Councilmember Bass

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
3/23/2023	0	CITY COUNCIL
3/23/2023	0	CITY COUNCIL

Title
Honoring and recognizing the dedicated service of Deborah Wei, whose steadfast championship and work on behalf of the Philadelphia Chinatown and Asian American communities has inspired a new generation of community advocates and preserved Philadelphia's Chinatown as a vibrant, national cultural icon.

Body
WHEREAS, Deborah Wei was born on May 25, 1957, in Norwich NY and later moved with her family to Upper Darby; and

WHEREAS, During college, Wei joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) to assist the Philadelphia Council of Neighborhood Organizations working both in Chinatown and North Philadelphia investigating the tax delinquency of predatory landlords; and

WHEREAS, As a student, Wei also organized in coalition to oppose the plaintiff of the Bakke v University of California case, which sought to challenge affirmative action; and

WHEREAS, During college, Wei provided leadership in the student movement-demanding her university's divestment from businesses profiting from apartheid South Africa; and

WHEREAS, After returning from a 2 year stint in Hong Kong, Wei returned to Philadelphia and worked as an organizer in the Southeast Asian community with the Fellowship Commission; and

WHEREAS, In 1982, Wei began teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages at the School District of Philadelphia for 10 years; and

WHEREAS, In 1985, Wei helped found Asian Americans United (AAU), one of the oldest Asian Pacific Islander based organizations in Philadelphia, which has championed the rights of and inspired new leadership from Philadelphians of Asian descent to challenge oppression; and

WHEREAS, In 1985, Wei worked with the Education Law Center in filing a transformational class action suit, YS v. School District of Philadelphia, on behalf of Philadelphia's 6,800 Asian students, which is widely believed to be the first class action filed against a school district on behalf of Asian students since Lau v. Nichols in 1974, and resulted in a settlement that ...