An interview with Elissa Ha, Women’s March on Washington organizer

Mobilus In Mobili/Flickr

By Divya Ramesh

Elissa Ha, a marketing associate and activist based in Brooklyn, was one of the key organizers of the Women’s March on Washington on January 21, 2017. Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Vietnamese refugees who migrated to the US during the Vietnam War, she moved to New York City to attend NYU in 2010. Elissa, age 25, is passionate about intersectionality, reproductive healthcare, protecting refugees’ rights, media representation, and preventing sexual assault.

As she entered the Seven Grams Caffe in Chelsea for our interview, smiling and with her hair daintily plaited, little would you expect her to be as strong as she is. Elissa probably imbibed grit and strength from her parents: Her mother, not knowing any English, came to the US alone with two kids and single-handedly built her life from scratch, while Elissa’s father fought in the army and was in a Vietnam prison camp for nearly eight years. Elissa calls herself a “loudmouthed activist” and has volunteered for Planned Parenthood and Raising Women’s Voices, a national initiative focused on women’s healthcare. Only a few minutes into the discussion, her acute sense of justice and compassion became evident.

Growing up, what challenges did you face?

My family is Buddhist. Religion was the biggest problem. In my community, everyone went to Bible studies and I didn’t. They had inside jokes with each other and I was just left out. When I was in kindergarten, one kid straight told me that I just look different from anyone he had ever seen. In modern-day terms, a lot of the stuff that happened to me was micro-aggression, like more subtle racism. But there was also definitely the blatant ”You are ching chong chee.”

How did you get involved in activism?

I think it stems from being different. It is hard when you are in a small town like Lancaster. You feel that a lot of things are wrong, but when you are the only one willing to speak out about it, it is hard to feel justified. But when I came to New York, I really felt free and safe enough to be just as liberal as I am becoming. And it is a process. Imagine you have been asleep and you are slowly waking up. And social media has made activism a lot more accessible.  

What kind of planning went into the Women’s March? Were you happy with the outcome?

We were ecstatic. To everyone who says the march was meaningless: Was it? It was a huge undertaking. All of us work. We are all volunteers here. We had to organize buses for people, fundraise for communities that didn’t have the money to go and do local events to give people information about the national march. We had nine weeks to plan all of this. It was crazy. How are we to make sure that people are going to be safe? How do we make sure that people who put money (toward an organization) know that they are not giving it to a scam? People really made this their second job. We just executed our asses off. I think people just don’t understand how many steps went into each individual ending up in DC.

Is this going to be a sustained campaign of protest?

Yes. We have gotten so many people who are not traditionally involved, involved. And we have gotten people from all walks of life. We have to do something with it. And I feel terrible, especially for the people who thought Trump was going to be some messiah. Seeing your idol fall is not easy. We are half there to help the people who voted for Trump actually. We are working on coming up with some cool ways to make tangible change for our community.

Has your family been supportive of your activism?

My dad is not very supportive. He is always afraid that if I am not careful I am going to be assassinated. My mom and my siblings have never told me they are proud of me, but they are not going to tell me not to (protest), maybe because they know I am not going to listen. I think my mom worries a little bit, but, slowly but surely, some of the stuff I do has definitely rubbed off on her.

When you became an activist, did it affect your relationships?

Of course! I just see my Facebook friend group tick down. It’s part of growing up. But some people also reach out personally to get more info, to learn. So, it has made me really close to some people. I haven’t lost someone very close yet, so it’s been easy for me to say ‘bye’.

Do you have any advice for people who want to get involved?

Participate in ways you can. Maybe you are a great graphic designer, help them to design something. Maybe you can make calls on your lunch break. Any bit of help does mean something. And once you have started, definitely make time to take care of yourself. Burning out is so real and we need you. We need everyone.

How have your family and society reacted to your bisexuality?

I have been with my partner who is a man for almost six years. Something like your sexuality, especially in my case, it’s not something people can see on my face. So maybe it’s a bridge for later. I don’t talk about it with my family. But I am not hiding it. In New York, it is easier because people don’t mind and people respect it.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I definitely want to be with this Women’s March group. Marketing has taught me a lot and I would love to use those skills in organizations where I can really help people more. I just hope that I am still in the fight and that I don’t get tired.