OUR MISSION

To eliminate racial discrimination and hatred against Chinese Americans.

The Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) is the United States’ first and only non-profit organization dedicated to providing free and direct legal representation to all Chinese Americans who have suffered racial discrimination and hatred. Our mission is to seek justice and racial equality through litigation and other legal actions. We will defend Chinese American victims of racial discrimination in a court of law against all offenders, be it an individual, a company, or the government.

CALDA is firmly committed to combating and eradicating all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and hostility directed towards individuals of Chinese descent living in the United States. We call for a unified effort to create an inclusive and respectful society where Chinese Americans can live free from fear and injustice.

WHY CALDA

We bring legal actions for Chinese-American victims of racial discrimination and hatred to seek compensation and justice.

We defend Chinese Americans in lawsuits who have been unjustly treated due to their race, skin color, and/or national origin.

We are founded by experienced lawyers across the U.S. with a proven track record of helping disadvantaged people.

We not only seek justice for the victims but also send a message to the entire society through legal precedents and bring about systemic change for Chinese Americans and all minority groups.

History

In August 2020, then-President Trump issued an executive order to ban WeChat, the predominant messaging platform for Chinese Americans, sparking widespread opposition among Chinese Americans. Five Chinese-American lawyers (Keliang Zhu, Ying Cao, Gang Yuan, Fei Ni, and Shengyang Wu) established the U.S. WeChat Users Alliance (USWUA, www.uswua.org) to sue President Trump and seek a court order to halt the implementation of the WeChat ban. These five lawyers voluntarily invested a considerable amount of time and resources; after several months of intense litigation, they successfully secured a preliminary injunction from the court and preserved the right of Chinese Americans to use WeChat, defeating the U.S. government.

As the WeChat case was nearing its end, the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings once again threatened the livelihood and safety of Chinese Americans. This heinous act of racial hatred incited outrage within the Chinese-American community and broader American society.

The five lawyers once again came together to co-found the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA). The purpose of CALDA is to initiate lawsuits on behalf of all Chinese Americans who suffer from racial discrimination and hatred and to seek the maximum possible penalties and compensation for victims within the bounds of U.S. law.

Beyond voicing their concerns through political, media, advocacy, and educational channels, Chinese Americans must stand united to protect their rights and fully utilize legal avenues. Much like the WeChat case, we can combat racial discrimination and hatred through judicial and litigation channels.

HOW CALDA OPERATES

Co-Founders

Keliang Zhu (California)
Ying Cao (New Jersey)
Gang Yuan (New York)
Fei Ni (Washington State)
Shengyang Wu (New York)

Primary Activity — Litigation

CALDA files lawsuits against individuals, businesses, or government actions that discriminate against Chinese Americans, or provide defense for individuals who have been wrongfully prosecuted due to racial reasons.

We aim to prohibit discriminatory actions and seek compensation to the fullest extent permitted by U.S. law. Our ultimate goal is to create favorable legal precedents for Chinese Americans, thereby sending a strong message to deter and raise awareness against such discrimination.

Organizational Structure

The highest authority of the organization is the Board of Directors, responsible for drafting and amending the bylaws, appointing and dismissing key management personnel, and making decisions on other significant matters. Initially, there will be around 10 independent individuals from various industries and locations serving as board members to ensure the organization's diversity and independence. All board members will serve as volunteers.

The organization will also establish an advisory board, inviting 5-10 prominent Chinese Americans to provide advice on major decisions and enhance the organization's prestige.

When resources permit, the organization can set up four regional chapters in New York, Houston, San Francisco, and Chicago, each responsible for fundraising, publicity, and case coordination in the Northeast, South, West, and Midwest regions respectively. Each regional chapter will establish long-term cooperative relationships with local litigation law firms.

Most positions in the organization can initially be part-time and unpaid volunteer roles, while at least 2-3 full-time employees will be needed to handle daily affairs. Depending on available resources, the organization will have the following full-time positions:

CEO (responsible for the daily management of the organization)
Litigation Director (responsible for case selection and litigation strategy)
Communications Director (responsible for content distribution and promotion through traditional and new media)
Development & Partnership Director (responsible for fundraising and developing relationships with associations, companies, and foundations)
Controller (responsible for daily financial management)
Office Manager (responsible for daily administrative affairs)

Financial Compliance

All donated funds will be deposited into CALDA's separate bank account and will not be commingled with any other funds.

CALDA will implement strict financial policies, overseen by the Board of Directors, and major expenses must be approved by the board.

CALDA will publicly disclose fundraising and fund usage at least every quarter, subject to public scrutiny.

Each quarter, an independent third-party accounting firm will audit CALDA's accounts to ensure that every expense is compliant.

Annually, an independent third-party auditor will review CALDA's accounts, and the audit report will be made public to ensure overall financial compliance.

CALDA will strictly prohibit conflicts of interest. Members of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board will serve as unpaid volunteers, and any litigation attorneys hired by CALDA will not hold positions within the organization.