AVE updates: 2026 Q2

Is it summer where you are? We sure hope so! With 2026 well underway, we’ve been busy kicking off our long-awaited community projects, thanks to funding by filia.die frauenstiftung. For the coming year and a half, we’ll be hosting poster workshops, making a book, and conducting a legal review on sexual violence against the Asian FLINTA* community. Follow us on Instagram and our newsletter to hear the latest! 

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💡 Strengthening solidarity in times of crisis: MPG Webinar “Racial Structural Discrimination and Migrant Voice”: Who Gets Heard in European Democracies (17 February 2026)

We joined a panel hosted by Migration Policy Group, which discussed racial discrimination in Europe at a moment marked by overlapping political and social crises. This exchange highlighted the urgency of cross-community solidarity and coalition-building, particularly as structural racism continues to be underaddressed across European policy frameworks. AVE emphasized that anti-racism efforts must remain attentive to less visible forms of racism, which is often sidelined in both political discourse and data.

🇪🇺 Advocating for stronger political commitment at the EU Anti-Racism Conference (17 March 2026)

On 17 March, AVE members Sissy and Hyunjung participated in the 2026 European Anti-Racism Conference organized by the European Commission, and hosted under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. As part of this launch moment for the EU’s evolving anti-racism strategy 2026-2030, AVE attended workshops on intersectionality of racism, as well as on the protection and sustainability of civil society. While these discussions mark important institutional recognition, AVE continued to raise critical concerns: the absence of concrete implementation mechanisms, insufficient attention to disaggregated data, and a lack of political commitment to address structurally neglected forms of racism, including anti-Asian racism.

🇳🇱 Reframing Asianness through counter-frames:“Who Is Asian?” Conference at Leiden University (26 March 2026)

AVE members contributed to the “Who is Asian?” Definitions, Representations, and Marginalizations conference at Leiden University, engaging in critical debates on the meaning and construction of “Asianness”. Presenting findings from AVE’s Europe-wide survey, we examined how Asian diasporic identities are shaped through racialization processes embedded in (post-)colonial histories and contemporary media representations. Our talk emphasized that “Asianness” is not a fixed category, but a contested and politically negotiated and fluid identity. Diasporic counter-frames and community-led activism play a crucial role in challenging essentialized narratives and in articulating alternative forms of belonging and resistance.

Hyunjung and Zhilin presenting at the Who Is Asian? conference, Leiden University.

👩‍🏫 Researching subtle discrimination in university contexts (with Leibniz University Hannover)

AVE is currently collaborating on a qualitative study at Leibniz University Hannover, examining subtle forms of discrimination experienced by Asian diasporic students. The project is developed within a seminar led by Peter Titzmann, linking academic research with community-based perspectives. Focusing on first- and second-generation participants, the project explores how everyday racialization emerges across different contexts, such as peers, lecturers, staff, and online spaces and how universities address (or fail to address) these dynamics. This project responds to the lack of disaggregated data on anti-Asian racism in German higher education and aims to inform more accountable institutional practices.

🌱 RISE Projects: Building resources for intersectional solidarity and empowerment

As part of the RISE programme supported by filia die frauenstiftung, AVE continues to develop community-driven initiatives focusing on FLINTA* Asian experiences:

• Picture Book Project – 👉 Call for Contributions
  We are currently developing a picture book highlighting FLINTA* Asian musicians. Community input is central to this project: we invite you to suggest artists—past and present—whose stories deserve to be illustrated and shared. This initiative aims to create accessible cultural representation while amplifying marginalized voices.

• Poster Workshop for FLINTA* Asians  (Berlin, May 29) - FULLY BOOKED, WAITLIST AVAILABLE
  We’re excited for our first in-person creative workshop facilitated by graphic designer Leh (@2020notok)! Hosted at encounters bookshop, the workshop offers a space for FLINTA* Asian participants to explore artistic expression as a form of empowerment and collective reflection. No prior experience is required, and participation is free with donation, with limited spots available.

• RISE-Legal Guidebook: Community Survey on Gender-Based Violence - Survey in June 2026
  Through our RISE-Legal initiative, we are launching an open questionnaire to better understand the needs and knowledge gaps around sexualized and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Germany. We invite you all to share what legal questions and topics you want to see addressed to develop more accessible and relevant legal resources.

🧡 Together, We Keep Building

We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together, but we know the road ahead is long and we need you with us. Whether it’s sharing our posts, forwarding our newsletter, joining AVE CLUB, making a donation, or just checking in! You’re part of this story.

More updates to come soon. Until then, thank you for walking with us. ✊

– The AVE Team

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Author: Hyunjung, Jiye

Editor: Jiye

Image: Asian Voices Europe