State of Asian American and Pacific Islander Community

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) issued the following statement on the State of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community:

"As people across the country reflect upon the President’s State of the Union address delivered last week, Asian Americans and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities also are looking back at our accomplishments and ahead for what needs to still be done. At a time where we must put Americans back to work and fight to eliminate healthcare disparities, we must continue to work together to ensure that AAPIs are not left out of policy decisions.

“AAPIs are the fastest growing and most diverse racial group in the United States. We have made tremendous economic, political, and social contributions to our nation.

“This Congress, the first Vietnamese American, Rep. Joseph ‘Anh’ Cao, and the first Chinese American woman, Rep. Judy Chu, were elected to office. Both Reps. Cao and Chu joined the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), which has grown to a caucus of 30 members.

“Additionally, CAPAC has worked closely with the Obama Administration to ensure diversity throughout the federal government, including cabinet level appointments and judgeships. Great strides have been made to improve the visibility of AAPIs across the nation. Looking forward, there are still great needs within the community that needs attention.

White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

“This year marks the tenth anniversary of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which was established by President Clinton to improve the quality of life in underserved AAPI communities through increased participation in federal programs.

“CAPAC members are pleased with President Obama’s executive order to reestablish the Initiative with the broad mission of ensuring that all federal agencies are addressing the needs of underserved AAPI communities. President Obama once again displays his leadership and his commitment to giving voice to our community in his administration. We look forward to working closely with the Initiative to ensure that the policy priorities of our communities are addressed at the federal level.

Economy

“This recession has produced immense hardships for families across the country, particularly intensifying problems for many minority households. Minority businesses make substantial contributions to the US economy, potentially able to generate $2.5 trillion in gross receipts.

“According to the Minority Business Development Agency, Asians have the highest rate of business ownership among all minorities, but are most likely to use personal family savings to start or expand their business. The current economic crisis and tightening of credit markets will pose sever challenges for minority businesses to meet their potential of creating 16.1 million jobs. These jobs are important to help lift families out of poverty and into economic sustainability, yet it has been shown that minority owned firms are less likely to receive loans, more likely to be denied loans, and more likely to pay higher interest rates when compared to their non-minority counterparts. If the U.S. wants to remain competitive and innovative globally, then minority businesses, particularly Asian businesses must receive adequate resources and equitable access to credit.

“Across the board, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders also saw the unemployment rate double during the recession. Asian Americans aged 25-54 had unemployment rates increased to 11.3 percent. Despite these startling numbers, there is still a tendency to lump all of those in our communities into one category. Limited disaggregated data masks diversity within our community making it difficult to gauge the effects of the recession on our distinct ethnic communities.

“In addition, the fastest growing groups of homebuyers are immigrants and minorities, yet Asian homeownership rate suffered the steepest decline among minority groups. While AAPIs have made significant advances in homeownership, much of this equality has been reduced with the current housing crisis. Loss of equity, usage of subprime loans, language accessibility all attribute to the unstable homeownership environment for AAPIs.

“CAPAC will continue to work with the Obama Administration and with our colleagues in Congress to ensure that our voices will be heard in upcoming debates.

Healthcare

“Despite the dramatic achievements in health and health care over the past century, disparities in insurance coverage, access to health care, and quality of care continue to exist in many communities. Many AAPI communities are linguistically and culturally isolated leaving the provision of quality healthcare a challenge. The increasing diversity within our communities and throughout our nation brings both opportunities and challenges for health care providers, health care systems, and policy makers to address these disparities. Furthermore, there is a lack of data collection on AAPI ethnic subpopulations that leaves unnoticed many healthcare disparities within our communities. Facilitating the collection of useful and accurate data on our communities will remain a top priority for the caucus.

“CAPAC Members will continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and the Congressional Native American Caucus, as well as with the Obama Administration, to eliminate health disparities throughout our country.

Immigration

“CAPAC also strongly supports the passage of comprehensive immigration reform. Fixing our broken immigration system, and ensuring that the AAPI community has a seat at the table remain a top priority. In particular, caucus members support: Ensuring a robust family reunification system, earned legalization for undocumented workers and DREAM Act students, the restoration of due process and judicial review in our immigration system, humane treatment of immigration detainees, and the integration of new American communities.

“There is much at stake in our communities with respect to comprehensive immigration reform. 1.5 million Asian immigrants are undocumented. This is 12% of the 12 million undocumented population which is disproportionately large to our 5% population in the U.S.

“In addition to an earned pathway to legalization, CAPAC strongly supports family reunification as a top immigration priority. Ninety percent of legal immigration from Asia is family-based, and six out of the top ten countries facing family immigration backlogs are Asian nations, namely, the Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

“Our caucus is committed to the passage of comprehensive immigration reform that would strengthen all of our diverse communities.

Education

“At a time when America is focused on restoring our economic prosperity, we cannot afford to let our workforce fall further behind. We need to equip our students with the skills and schooling necessary to be successful. Asian Americans have long struggled with the stereotype of being a “model minority,” implying that Asian Americans have successfully overcome obstacles. While Asian Americans are over represented in the top scores, they are also over represented in the bottom scores. Consider that among Southeast Asians adults, 59.6 percent of Hmong, 53.3 percent of Cambodian, 49.6 percent of Laotian and 38.1 percent of Vietnamese have not completed high school. This is nearly three times greater than the national average.

“One of CAPAC’s top education priorities has been to support the establishment of the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program, a Minority Serving Institutions program provides grants to colleges and universities with significant enrollments of low income and AAPI students to help schools improve and expand their services.

Conclusion

“As Chair of CAPAC, I am hopeful for what lies ahead. In the course of a year, we have made immense progress both on the policy advocacy and education around AAPI issues. There is great potential to advance our policy priorities by continuing our work with our colleagues in the 111th Congress. Moreover, our caucus members are eager to further enhance our partnership with the Obama Administration and the White House Initiative on AAPIs. We will focus on rebuilding our economy and bringing jobs back to our communities and families. We will continue to fight for healthcare and comprehensive immigration reform. We will restore our promise to our students and ensure that our voices are heard in education debates. As we look forward, please view the caucus as a resource to you on Capitol Hill. There is important work to be done to ensure that the voices of all of our communities are heard.”

Learn more about the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) by signing up for e-mail updates.

Educational Crisis Faces Minority Males

HUFFINGTON POST

Rep. Mike Honda

Posted: January 26, 2010 01:36 PM

Once hailed for our superiority in education, the United States is losing ground internationally when it comes to providing our students with quality schooling. The College Board's launch this week of its report on "The Educational Crisis Facing Young Men of Color" clearly states that if the current trajectory continues, especially among men of color, the overall education level of the overall American workforce will slowly but steadily decline. The decline will be most apparent by 2020, the year President Obama set for restoring America's global standing as the leader in young adults with post secondary degrees. At a time when America's global economic competitiveness is slipping, we cannot afford to let our workforce fall further behind or fail to equip them with the skills and schooling necessary to be successful.

Men of color significantly trail behind most students on achievement and school completion scales. African American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian American men are outperformed by their female counterparts in each racial grouping by 9%, 9%, 7%, and 2 %, respectively. Few young men of color, furthermore, make it beyond high school. Only 26 percent of African Americans, 24 percent of Native Americans and Pacific Islanders, and 18 percent of Hispanic Americans have, at minimum, an associate's degree.

There are a host of reasons why we must address this crisis and quickly. By educating young men of color, we address income disparities and racial inequalities, we increase the competitiveness of America's workforce, we increase our tax base, we give the skills needed to achieve their maximum potential, and we provide sustainable alternatives to the myriad of ill-fated options that youth tilt towards today.

Addressing this crisis requires not only that we improve school quality, teacher quality, and funding inequities, but that we initiate a broader conversation about poverty, family structure, parenting skills, and the lack of investment in minority communities. Additionally, and unique to young men of color, are the destructive social pressures undercutting minority male aspirations. While all young American men no doubt face an aggressive culture that expects them to confirm to being "cool," "macho," or "warriors," these pressures are particularly pervasive among minority males. Among many African American, Hispanic American and Native American minority males, school is not a high priority, leading many youth to search for respect outside of school walls.

Asian American males, conversely, struggle with the stereotype of being a "model minority," implying that this minority group has successfully overcome obstacles. This ignores the diverse disadvantages that some Asian American ethnic subsets face. While Asian Americans are over represented in the top scores, they are also over represented in the bottom scores. The proportion of Southeast Asian adults, for example, who have not completed high school, is nearly three times greater than the national average. By grouping together students from vastly different backgrounds under the Asian American umbrella, it is easy to miss the unique stresses facing Asian subgroups.

Considering that minorities are projected to represent more than half of all children in the US by 2023, and 54 percent of the entire US population by 2050, it is clear that this crisis cannot be cast solely as an Asian American, African American, Hispanic American, or Native American issue. It is an American issue with impacts on all of us. I will do my part and I need your help. As an educator for over 30 years, educational equity and opportunity are top priorities for me and as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus this crisis impacting minority males is of equal importance.

Going forward, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus are working with the College Board on ways to improve the male minority education situation. The Congressional hearing being coordinated with the launch of the Board's report is just the beginning of the work that is needed. We need more support for research on minority male achievement to understand the social and environmental factors that leads to disenfranchisement. This, in collaboration with partnerships among state and federal education systems, will help to mobilize advocacy efforts. I challenge my colleagues in Congress and advocacy organizations to begin a national policy discussion to increase public awareness around the plight of young men of color. We have a crisis on our hands and must waste no time in responding to it.

Rep. Michael Honda represents California's 15th congressional district. Honda is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and is Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. This commentary originally appeared in College Board's Connection newsletter.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-mike-honda/educational-crisis-faces_b_437176.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-mike-honda/educational-crisis-faces_b_437176.html

2010-2011 Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) Fellowship Now Avaliable

The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) administers three separate fellowship programs that place graduate students or professionals with a commitment to the Asian American or Pacific Islander communities into congressional offices or federal agencies for nine months of hands-on research and policy work.

To talented college graduates and students pursuing post-graduate study, APAICS offers three fellowships. These fellowships range between $20,000 to $30,000 for a nine-month period of living expenses. These Fellows are placed in Congress, federal agencies or non-profit organizations. Such fellowships give opportunities for particularly talented APA youth to more fully experience a longer duration of working in the public policy process. Also, these fellowships provide their recipients with a great support network and valuable experience.

For more information or to download the fellowship application, please visit APAICS Fellowship.

Statement from Congressman Mike Honda Honoring the Life of Former California Assemblyman Nao Takasugi

Today, I honor the life and achievements of my dear friend, former California State Assemblymember Nao Takasugi. Nao dedicated his life to public service with humility, integrity, and commitment to the American ideals of equality and justice.

Nao was a 19-year-old student at the University of California, Los Angeles, when he and his family were incarcerated in an internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War II.

His family was forced to sell most of their possessions, but was able to keep the family store, the Asahi Market in downtown Oxnard, which they had owned since 1907.

The Takasugi family was able to save the store during their imprisonment by entrusting the family business to a Mexican American employee, Ignacio Carmona. When the Takasugi family returned to Oxnard in 1945, Mr. Carmona returned the business back to the Takasugis, after faithfully carrying on the business for three years.

In 1943, Nao was among approximately 4,000 Japanese American college students who were released from the internment camps and allowed to attend college on the East Coast. Nao earned his business administration degree at Temple University in Philadelphia and a master’s in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946. When he returned to Oxnard, he ran his family’s Asahi Market.

His family’s imprisonment inspired him to commit his life to strengthening our democracy in public service, and did not cause deep embitterment. As Oxnard City Councilman, Mayor, and then California State Assemblyman, he ably represented all of his diverse constituents, crossing racial and ethnic divides, and building bridges across party lines.

At the age of 87, Nao died of complications from a stroke on November 19, 2009. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Judy, and their five children, Scott, Russell, Ron, Tricia and Lea.

I was truly saddened by the loss of my dear friend Nao Takasugi. He was a gentle soul, and never let his kind demeanor get in the way of his strong beliefs about justice and civil rights. When he spoke, people listened as he was always true to his convictions and sense of honor. I will miss him dearly and will always reflect on his life as a metric of how I should conduct my own.


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CAPAC celebrates Senate confirmation of Judge Jacqueline Nguyen, the first Vietnamese American to Serve as Article III Judge

By Rep. Mike Honda
Chair
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Today, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) applauds the U.S. Senate for confirming Judge Jacqueline Nguyen as a federal district judge in the Central District of California. CAPAC is proud to have supported Judge Nguyen through her confirmation process. She will be our nation’s first Vietnamese American to serve as an Article III judge.

For the past seven years, Judge Nguyen served on the Los Angeles Superior Court. Prior to that, she was a federal prosecutor with the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and served as the Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section. She attended Occidental College and the UCLA School of Law. As a child, along with her family, she escaped the fall of South Vietnam in 1975.

I congratulate President Obama on his commitment to ensuring diversity of the federal bench, and thank him for choosing talented Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) jurists of the highest caliber for the federal bench. In addition to Judge Nguyen, President Obama has nominated Judge Denny Chin for an appellate judgeship on the Second Circuit, Edward Chen as a district judge in the Northern District of California, and Dolly Gee as a district judge in the Central District of California.

Judge Nguyen’s confirmation is an important milestone for AAPIs, as the community is sorely underrepresented on the federal bench. Currently, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up less than 1% of federal judges.


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