ELECTION 2026: Mixed bag for AAPI candidates in New York’s primary drama

STEVEN RAGA / FACEBOOK

Incumbent Steven Raga got caught in Democratic Socialist wave and lost his Assembly sesat.

The dust is finally settling on the high-stakes June 23 Democratic primary, and for Asian American candidates, it was a night of historic holds, heavy heartbreak, and high-dollar celebrity defeats. 

From the streets of Flushing to the halls of Lower Manhattan, Asian American communities proved once again that we are not a monolith — neither in how we vote nor in how we fare at the ballot box.

Two Asian Americans incumbents lose their offices

The biggest shockwaves of the night were felt across Queens, where the political muscle of the newly minted Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) completely reshaped the borough's leadership by defeating two Asian American legislators.

Moderate South Asian incumbent Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar suffered a staggering defeat in Assembly District 38. Rajkumar, the first South Asian American woman elected to the state legislature, had closely aligned her political brand with disgraced former Mayor Eric Adams—a gamble that backfired heavily as Mamdani voters prioritized socialist policy over identity politics.

Jenifer Rajkumar

Rajkumar made history as the first South Asian woman and first Hindu elected to New York State office when she was elected in 2021.

DSA-backed challenger David Orkin unseated Rajkumar in a landslide, capturing 59% of the vote to her 41%.

Meanwhile, history-making incumbent Assemblyman Steven Raga faced his own heartbreak. Making a bold gamble to vacate his Assembly seat to run for State Senate District 12 in Western Queens, New York's first Filipino American state legislator ran straight into Mamdani's organizing machine.

Even though Raga had backed Mamdani's mayoral race, the Indian American mayor chose to endorse progressive Aber Kawas, who swept the district with 60% of the vote. 

Both Kawas and Raga were considered "progressive," but the difference being their position on Palestine. Despite co-sponsoring a bill that would cut New York support of nonprofits supporting the Israeli settlements. In the end, critics felt that Raga was not pro-Palestine enough compared to Kawas, who is Muslim and Palestinian American, which appealed to the large Arab population in the district.

Raga vowed to his supporters that his fight for the people of Queens “will not end tonight. 

“I will continue fighting for affordable health care, housing, immigrant justice, and human dignity, because no child in New York should have to endure what that seven-year-old boy endured,” he told his supporters as he conceded. 

“This campaign may be ending, but our work is not. I will never stop fighting for the communities that raised me, and I remain hopeful about what we can build together. The movement we built belongs to the people of Western Queens. And its story is far from over.”

Here’s the breakdown of how the AAPI political landscape shifted on primary night.

Meng fends off insurgent challenge

In New York's Congressional District 6, incumbent Representative Grace Meng proved why she remains the gold standard of Queens politics. Facing a spirited, progressive challenge from former U.S. diplomat Chuck Park, Meng locked down the Democratic nomination with 56.8% of the vote. 

Surrounded by a sea of blue-and-orange "Grace Meng for Congress" Knicks-style shirts at her downtown Flushing watch party, New York’s first and only Asian American congressmember thanked a community that stood by her even on a rainy election day. With the district rated as solidly Democratic, Meng is smoothly cruising toward November.

FACEBOOK

New York's Rep. Grace Meng with her family and supporters celebrate her primary win.

“This victory belongs to every volunteer, organizer, and neighbor who believed that the work we’ve been doing together matters, and I want to congratulate Chuck Park on running a hard and spirited campaign,” said Meng on election night.

“November is next, and I am asking every New Yorker who believes in what we’re fighting for to stay engaged, show up, and help us take back Congress so we can take back this country from Donald Trump and his corrupt regime.”

Meng, chair of the Congreassional Asian Pacific American Caucus, is also co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.

In November, she will face an immigrant from Taiwan, Joseph Chou, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Grace Lee triumphs

Down in State Senate District 27, we saw a battle of titans. Assemblywoman Grace Lee — the historic first Korean American woman elected to the state Legislature—handily defeated former Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou. 

The open seat, left vacant by retiring Senator Brian Kavanagh, saw both progressive women clash over local issues like affordable housing and the controversial Chinatown jail site. Ultimately, Lee commandingly secured the nomination, defeating Niou 62% to 37%.

George Conway fails to launch

In the high-income NY-12 spanning Manhattan’s Upper East and West Sides, high-profile anti-Trump pundit and Lincoln Project co-founder George Conway (who is of Filipino descent) learned that national media fame doesn't always translate to local love.

George Conway

Aiming to succeed retiring liberal icon Jerry Nadler, Conway’s hyper-focus on fighting Donald Trump failed to resonate deeply with local primary voters. 

In a jaw-droppingly expensive $26-million primary dominated by tech-backed Super PACs, Conway finished a distant fifth place with just 6% of the vote. Assemblyman Micah Lasher ultimately claimed the victory in a crowded field of Democrats that included fellow Assemblyman Alex Bores and Kennedy family scion Jack Schlossberg.

Conway, who changed parties from Republican to Democrat, also was a newcomer to the district. He lost in the crowded campaign field, won by Assemblyman Micah Lesher, who had the endorsement of the Democratic Party. Lasher emerged from a very competitive field of Democrats that included fellow Assemblyman Alex Bores and Kennedy family scion Jack Schlossberg.

When asked about his single-issue campaign to fight Trump and fascism, Conway didn't back away. "That was the thrust of my campaign, and I think a lot of people are, you know, getting the message."

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump were issues in New York's primary.

View from the edge

Establishment Democrats are reeling after a historic, progressive clean sweep in New York, proving that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s political playbook has rewritten the rules of the game.

The progressive, democratic socialist wing did not just compete in Tuesday's congressional primaries—they staged a absolute takeover, shattering the status quo and sending shockwaves directly through the national party leadership.

For years, party insiders claimed progressives couldn't win broad, institutional primary matchups against deep-pocketed incumbents. Tuesday's results proved those outdated myths entirely wrong. Despite heavy backing from party titans like House Minority Leader Hakeems Jeffries, the establishment slate collapsed.

Perhaps the biggest blow was the victory of progressive veteran Brad Lander who completely dismantled two-term incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in New York's Congressional District10, walking away with an overwhelming 30-point victory over the liberal.

In NY-13, democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier toppled five-term veteran Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the powerful chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Mandami-endorsed State Assemblymember Claire Valdez ccaptured the open seat in NY-7, beating out Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

This election wasn't just about local neighborhood issues; it was a defining mandate on the war in Gaza. All three of Mamdani’s backed winners ran unapologetically on platforms demanding Palestinian rights and an end to unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel. Avila Chevalier, a prominent anti-war organizer, successfully translated grassroots activism into electoral dominance, proving that progressive voters are demanding a massive shift in American foreign policy.

The ripple effects stretch far beyond the borders of New York. As Mamdani boldly declared on election night, this sweep effectively fires the opening salvo for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary cycle. Any candidate looking to lead the national ticket will no longer be able to ignore or dismiss this heavily organized, ascendant wing of the party.

Mamdani and the DSA victories showed that they are a new factor in the big-tent Democrats. But it is still a question mark whether or not the sentiment in New York reflects the rest of the country. That's the question the Democrats must answer before 2028 if and when we must choose the whether or not our country will continue the American experiment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Voting in California is so easy

Although California's election day is June 2, voting has been underway for a few weeks already.

As a California resident, I voted yesterday by dropping off my sealed ballot at a secured metal drop box in front of the school district offices. No lines. No hurry. No worries.

If you want to vote this way, visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov to find your nearest drop box.

If you choose to mail your ballots, it is a bit more complicated. The Secretary of State website recommends that you mail your ballot five days before election day. That deadline was yesterday, May 28. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received not later than 7 days after Election Day. However you decide to go ahead and mail over the weekend, you're taking your chances with the Post Office. If mailing on Election Day, the website recommends getting a manual postmark from a postal employee inside a United States Post Office.

There's a good number of us who still prefer to go to a polling place, chat with your neighbors volunteering to work at the polls and go through the process and personally slip your ballot into the drop box. To find your polling place, click on caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov. 

Even if you missed the registration deadline earlier this month, you can still register to vote on June 2. You can still go to your county elections office, vote center, or polling place on or before Election Day to complete conditional voter registration (often referred to as "Same Day Voter Registration"). Contact your county elections office for more information or visit vote.ca.gov.

View from the edge

Despite the ease in voting in the state, the overall turnout rate of eligible voters in California in the 2024 presidential general election was 62.1%. The national average for the same year was 64.1%.

The Golden State is home to a third of the nation's total AANHPI population and make up 17.34% of the voters, according to APPI Data. But voter registration of AANHPI is historically low. People who have studied the lackluster turnout at the polls, say various studies is the lack of specific outreach, not only from the candidates but from the Democrats and Republicans.

One of the biggest problems facing AANHPI is the feeling that they are being overlooked by the major parties, which translates into indifference. They want to feel like they matter. Few politicians recognize this abstract but overlooked need. If you don't speak directly to the diverse groups under the AANHPI umbrella, that is interpreted as "If you don't think my vote matters and don't address my concerns, why should I vote for you."

“Latinos, Asian Americans, and young people represent California’s future and they will dictate the future of electoral participation as well,” said Eric McGhee, a PPIC research fellow who authored a report, California’s Missing Voters: Who Is Not Voting and Why. “California has been a creative and energetic force for voter participation, and it must redouble its efforts to ensure future civic engagement.”

Democracy is not for bystanders.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Republicans celebrate dismantling of the Voting Rights Act by launching redistricting in 7 southern states

April 29, 2026 was one of the worst days for American democracy. Over 60 years of voting rights dismantled and dismissed.

Watch out. After the conservative majority in the US Supreme Court’s destruction of the Voting Rights Act, Republicans are wasting no time in trying to wrest away Congressional districts from Black voters.

On April 29, the Supreme Court 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais significantly weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), limiting the use of race in creating majority-minority districts.

“For decades, the Voting Rights Act has helped ensure that communities of color have a fair opportunity to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIAVote. The Supreme Court “decision weakens one of the most important remaining safeguards against discrimination in our electoral system and threatens the progress that so many communities have fought hard to achieve. Today’s decision will make it easier for politicians to draw voting districts that let them choose their voters rather than empowering voters to choose their elected officials. ”

As of early 2025, In the 119th Congress there is a record number of 67 Black lawmakers serving in the 119th Congress, according to Spectrum News. This total includes 62 Democrats and five Republicans, with 62 serving in the House of Representatives and five in the Senate, marking the highest representation in US history. 

Currently, here are 15 congressional districts where Black voters make up a majority of the voting-age population. Each of these districts is currently represented by a Black Democrat.

According to an analysis by Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter, the Callais ruling could eventually lead to a redistricting wave down in Dixie that could help Republicans flip as many as 19 majority-minority seats currently held by Democrats.

While majority-Black districts have historically been the primary vehicle for Black representation, most Black members of Congress now represent districts where Black voters are not the majority.

Although the main target was Black majority districts in the South, the SCOTUS ruling could also be used against Asian Americans or Latinos not only for Congressional districts but also local jurisdictions like school districts, cities and counties.

The districts which are vulnerable under the SCOTUS ruling  could be gerrymandered GOP controlled states in order to maintain their control of Congress. Because of Donald Trump's record-breaking unpopularity due to his dismal economic record, his harsh immigration policies, rising healthcare costs and his war against Iran.

According to Democracy Docket, while SCOTUS said redistricting based on race was illegal,  political gerrymandering is OK. The GOP is celebrating and wasting no time in implementing the court's astonishing decision.

• Alabama: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) called a special session to reinstate the state’s old gerrymander before the midterms — pending a greenlight from SCOTUS. 
  
  
• Louisiana: The state successfully suspended its US House primaries. There are already three lawsuits against the state for halting its active election and nullifying votes.
  
  
• Tennessee: In a move that may eliminate its one blue congressional seat and disenfranchise Black voters, Tennessee is now seeking to redistrict mid-cycle.
  
  
• South Carolina: Lawmakers and the state GOP have urged the governor to call for a special session to mid-cycle redistrict. 
  
  
• Georgia: The governor has said he won’t call a special session to redraw for 2026, but as we saw after Alabama’s 180, that could change.
  
  
• Florida: We’re waiting for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign the recently passed gerrymandered map. 
  
  
• Virginia: The Republican National Committee is appealing its loss in a third challenge to Virginia's 10-1 congressional map approved by voters last month.
  

There is a justifiable fear is that the SCOTUS decision will have a trickle down effect and affect local  legislative districts in the states and our AANHPI communities that have only recently been able to elect representatives that reflect them.

“When the Voting Rights Act is undermined, Black voters are harmed first. But the damage won’t stop there. The Supreme Court has gutted one of the last protections we have against racial discrimination in our democracy. It puts the political power of Asian Americans and communities of color at risk," said Asian Law Caucus' Executive Director Aarti Kohli.

"It leaves communities of color with fewer enforceable protections against unfair maps — and not just for Congress, but in state and local elections across the country. We stand with Black and Brown voters from Louisiana to every state where maps could now be redrawn to limit their voice," Kohli continued.

“The same protections that safeguard the voice of Black voters are the same ones that protect Asian Americans, immigrants, and language-minority communities. This decision is not isolated. It is the latest in a sustained assault on the right of communities of color to participate fully in our democracy. We will not let our rights be taken without a fight — in the courts, in our legislatures, and at the ballot box, together.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

 

Survey: AANHPI voters more politically aware than popularly portrayed

Democrats and their positions on health care, gun control, the environment and race relations is still overwhelmingly favored by Asian American and Pacific Islander voters despite mainstream media's reports emphasizing divisions among AANHPI communities.

“Asian Americans are part of a diverse community comprising over 50 different ethnicities and 100 different languages, so it is critical that we conduct this survey every two years because often we are either left out of the polling data or considered an afterthought in the numbers that get reported,” said Jiny Kim, Vice President of Policy and Programs at Asian American Advancing Justice – Asian American Justice Center (Advancing Justice – AAJC), one of the organizations who conducted the survey. 

“The Asian American Voter Survey ensures that we know where the Asian American community stands on a whole host of issues, including their overwhelming support for race-conscious admissions/affirmative action policies and support for inclusive teaching of the histories of communities of color in our schools,” Kim continued.

The tendency for AANHPI voters to favor Democrats over Republicans wasn't even close: 44% of Asian American registered voters surveyed think of themselves as Democrat, 19% think of themselves as Republican, and 29% consider themselves Independent. The remainder (“do not think of themselves in terms of political parties,” identify with another party, or said they don’t know), according to the survey done in partnership with AAPIData, APIAVote and MomsRising.org.

One of the reasons AANHPI prefer Democrats, from the White House, Congress and state legislators is tied to the rise in hate crimes and racial incidents against AANHPI.

For example, support for Democratic House candidates is higher among those concerned about hate crimes. Those who say they worry “very often” plan to support Democrats over Republican House candidates by a 3 to 1 margin.

Those findings suggest that the Donald Trump-led GOP have made race relations worse by its anti-immigrant policies and Republicans' perceived support of White grievances.

The bi-aannual report released July 25 measured Asian American sentiment and attitudes on the issues for the lead-up to the 2022 midterm elections. 

The survey revealed insights into one of the fastest-growing racial groups in the United States, including their voting plans for House and Senate races in 2022, and various issue priorities such as education, healthcare, gun control, environment, and the state of the economy. In addition to election-related topics, the survey also contains key opinion data on affirmative action, the inclusion of Asian American history and the history of other non-white groups in public school curricula, and attitudes on federal spending.

The survey was conducted between April 19, 2022 and June 19, 2022. The survey included 1,610 registered Asian American voters. 

2022 ASIAN AMERICAN VOTER SURVEY

Among the other survey highlights are:

• More than two-thirds of registered Asian Americans surveyed say they plan to vote, but only about half have been contacted by either of the major parties. 52% of Asian Americans said they had not been contacted at all by the Democratic Party in the past year, and 60% of Asian Americans said they had not been contacted at all by the Republican Party in the past year.

• About half (51%) of Asian American registered voters surveyed say they prefer to cast their ballots by mail or drop-off box, rather than in-person at a polling place.

• Asian American registered voters as a whole were more likely to say they would vote for Democratic candidates compared to Republican candidates in House and Senate elections. 

• Among national origin groups, Indian Americans were the most likely to say they would vote for Democratic candidates. Vietnamese Americans were split (Senate) or leaned toward the Republican candidates (House).

• Asian American respondents ranked health care (88%), jobs and the economy (86%), crime (85%), education (82%), gun control (73%) and the environment (75%) as “extremely important” or “very important” issues for deciding their votes in November. Voting rights and addressing racism were also important issues.

• On addressing issues of health care, gun control, the environment, voting rights, and racism, Asian American respondents said Democrats were doing a better job than Republicans. 

• On addressing economic issues, crime, and foreign-policy, respondents were more split in their assessment of the two parties’ handling of the issues.

• 77% of those surveyed agree the United States should have stricter gun laws, with 61% agreeing “strongly.” A strong majority (59%) also said they “agree somewhat” or “agree strongly” that undocumented immigrants should have an opportunity to eventually become citizens in the United States.

• By a 2-to-1 margin, Asian American registered voters oppose bans on books and bans on lessons about racism in American history by state/local governments or school boards

• 56% of Asian American respondents held a “very favorable” or “somewhat favorable” impression of Joe Biden compared to 29% who expressed either a “very favorable” or “somewhat favorable” impression of Donald Trump.

• Television was the most common news source for Asian American respondents (65%) and Facebook (32%) was nearly as common a news source as traditional print newspapers (36%). For some groups, especially Vietnamese Americans (51%), YouTube was regularly consulted as a news source.

• 73% of Asian Americans worry about experiencing hate crimes, harassment and discrimination at least “sometimes” and 24% said they worry about it “very often.”

• Among those who say they worry “very often” about hate crimes, support for Democratic House candidates is higher than support for Republican House candidates by a 3 to 1 margin.

2022 ASIAN AMERICAN VOTER SURVEY

FYI: Read the 2022 AAPI Voter Survey here.

“Asian Americans are among the fastest growing segments of the American electorate, and it is critical that our understanding of these communities is grounded in accurate survey data,” noted Janelle Wong, co-director of AAPI Data.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and co-director of AAPI Data added, “Our survey data show remarkable stability over time on issues like environmental protection and gun control, but they also show that more recent anxieties over hate crimes might also sway voters in their candidate choices.”

This year’s Asian American Voter Survey also showed that a significant majority of Asian Americans believed that Congress and the president should pass stronger legislation to reduce the effects of climate change, and that public schools should include lessons on Asian American history and the histories of other non-white groups.

“Asian Americans are a more and more influential voting bloc and lawmakers would be wise to pay attention to our concerns,” said MomsRising Senior Vice President Gloria Pan. 

“Gun safety is especially important to this community, as are federal investments in the kind of care infrastructure President Biden and congressional Democrats are still trying to pass, and moms and families urgently need: paid family and medical leave, child care, and home- and community-based services. The results of this survey provide a roadmap for how to address the issues the Asian American community prioritizes.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Over 40 AANHPI community groups staging an historic Unity March, June 25

The AANHPI communities have been staging ad hoc marches for the last two years. 

Some of the United State's best known nonprofit organizations serving the diverse Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities are putting aside cultural, linguistic and geographic differences in a demonstration of unity. 

The first-ever Unity March will take place on June 25, 2022, at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the shadow of the Washington Monument and in view of the White House  

“The goal is to galvanize Asian Americans and allies across multiple issues, and educate folks about the issues that our communities face — not only as Asian Americans but as people of color, as LGBTQ folks, as folks with disabilities,” Tiffany Chang, a Unity March spokesperson. told NBC.

“Asian American communities have been disproportionately plagued by widespread violence, racism and xenophobia that runs rampant across American society,” she said.  “It’s time for our nation’s leaders to stop offering band-aid solutions to longstanding systemic issues by advancing adequate, sustainable policies that drive long-term positive impact for our communities.” 

R&B/Pop artist Thuy, award-winning producer and trans rights advocate Geena Rocero, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, and NYC-based hate crime survivor Esther Lee are among the speakers who will join more than 40 nonprofits—including Asian American Advancing Justice – AAJC, Gold House, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund—in urging AAPI communities and their allies to advance the Unity March Equity Platform. 

“It’s an honor for me to be able to be a part of this momentous event. Thank you to the organizers for bringing together our community. I’m so proud to be Vietnamese American and to come from immigrant parents who have taught me to be resilient and to use my voice to advocate for what’s right and what I’m passionate about,” said Thuy, R&B/Pop artist.

“I am a very proud transgender Filipina," added said Geena Rocero, award-winning producer, trans rights activist and model. "I find my power rooted in the resilience of my ancestors and my lived experience. It is a huge honor to be in community – to be with family – for this historic Unity March.” 

The Unity March is the first call to action to fight against systemic oppression and the systems that stand in the way of full participation by all, states a press release. 

"We march because we believe every single person in the country must have a voice in our local, state, and federal governments. And, that a fair society and economy values and protects workers, asserting all workers’ rights to dignity and security regardless of industry, citizenship, and/or employment status. We exist to tell our own diverse and authentic stories and disrupt harmful narratives," the statement continued.

The Equity Platform put forth by March organizers serves as a critical stepping stone to ensuring equitable representation and rights for all. 

Unity March, and multicultural partners representing the intersection of Asian American,  LGBTQ+, Muslim, disability communities, Black, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, Latinx, and Arab communities, will be uniting to demand progress toward achieving its Equity Platform, which calls for:

• Full Participation in Democracy, meaning a pathway to citizenship for undocumented members and long-term visa holders, access to voting and civic power for traditionally disenfranchised citizens, especially people of color and historically under-resourced communities.
• ‍Racial and Economic Justice, including holding the public and private sectors accountable for investing in workers’ rights and providing equal access to financial empowerment for small businesses, entrepreneurs of color, and women.
• ‍Cultural Equity and Media Representation, that promotes more diverse, authentic narratives and fights harmful stereotypes so we can create culturally dynamic, equitable and inclusive schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. 

The United March Host Committee Members are:

• Asian American Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC)
• Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
• Gold House
• Indian American Impact Project
• National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
• OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates
• Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)

For more information:

WHO: For a full list of Unity March Organization Partners, visit www.UnityMarch.com.

WHAT: The Unity March will be held on June 25, 2022, 

WHEN: The March will start at 12 p.m. ET 

WHERE: The National Mall in Washington, D.C. between 4th Street and 7th Street.

Acknowledging that the event iss being held in unprecedented times, Unity March organizations have implemented Covid-19 guidelines.

“The truth is, when we are not safe, we cannot advance towards the promise of a more perfect union, where racial and economic justice, cultural equity, and full participation in democracy is possible,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director at APIAVote, “The Unity March will push for change that allows all people equitable access to these opportunities to thrive.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: In keeping with Edge guidelines of calling people what they call themselves, in this article, we use the genderless "x" in place of the gender-specific "o" or "a" in naming some communities. For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Biden, Harris convene White House meeting with AANHPI civil rights advocates

THE WHITE HOUSE

Leaders of AANHPI civil rights advocacy organizations met with President Biden and top staff at the White House on Thursday.

Hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders, immigration voting rights were some of the issues aired by AAPI civil rights leaders in a meeting with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Biden wanted to stress to the group, that his administration is doing its best to advance his campaign promises. The meeting with AAPI leaders Thursday was the third such meeting after Biden and Harris met with Black and Latino community leaders.

"Let me start by acknowledging that on this day, in 2012, I was with another friend who’s half Sikh — he’s a Sikh. And we were on — dealing with the 10 people shot in a hateful act of bigotry at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Seven people lost their lives that day," said Biden as he opened the meeting.

"Today, we honor everyone impacted by this tragedy. And we think about all the pain during this pandemic, with the rise of hate crimes, harassment, bullying, and other forms of bias against Asian Americans. It seems not to stop," he said.

He also paid recognized the role of AANHPI frontliners in combatting the coronavirus pandemic. The Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community has “been on the front lines from the beginning and is critical to helping us vaccinate America,” Biden said.

Despite the executive order condemning the attacks against Asians and signing of the Hate Crimes Act, and the appointment of AANHPI to top-level positions in his administration, the President acknowledged that there is much more to be done to address AAPI concerns. 

"The community is also critical in keeping the U.S. economy strong. In six months, we’re seeing the fastest growth at this point in any administration’s history — in no small part because of this community.," said Biden. "The fastest-growing economic growth in nearly 40 years."

The definition of what constitutes a hate crime came up for discussion after the shooting at the FedEx facility in Indianapolis earlier this year did not meet the criteria for a hate crime by the prosecuting attorney despite the victims included Sikh workers; and one of the county District Attorneys in Georgia did not seek hate crime charges against the Atlanta shooter who killed eight people, six of whom were Asian.

Satjeet Kaur, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition,  brought up the case of a shooting in Seattle where hate crime charges were also not sought.

“One thing we have to understand is that hate crimes should not require a singular motive of bias,” said Kaur. “Oftentimes with crimes you have multiple reasons as to why that happened and so we need to close the federal loophole and that was absolutely discussed.”

“We discussed the importance of protecting the right to vote and how South Asian and Asian American communities—which turned out in record numbers in 2020—are now the target of voter suppression efforts,” Indian Impact Fund executive director Neil Makhija told The Yappie. “The president acknowledges that our communities are essential to the fabric of America, but our current laws undermine these values.”

Makhija said that the topic of Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act was brought forth by those at the meeting, as well as the America’s Children Act, according to The Yappie.

“It was an honor to be able to thank President Biden for his legacy in passing the 1980 Refugee Act, which allowed my family and our refugee community to find safe haven in the United States — and to share the heartbreaking condition of those same refugees who today have final orders of removal for crimes of youth and poverty committed decades ago,” said Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of South East Asian Refugee Action Committee (SEARAC). 

"he Biden-Harris Administration expressed their commitment to protecting democracy amidst a rise in autocracy," said Christine Chen of APIAVote.

"We support the Administration’s efforts to pass the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancements Act. While they may not take a straightforward path, we were reassured that it remains a high priority. We will continue to work with the Administration to ensure stories from our community are used as examples of the danger these anti-voter laws have."

Also on Thursday, Biden offered an 18-month “safe haven” to thousands of Hong Kong residents to remain living in the U.S. rather than to face repression by being deported to the Chinese-controlled territory affecting approximately 330,000 visitors, students and workers from Hong Kong who are currently in the U.s., according to a senior administration official.

“The level of engagement with our communities shown by this Administration is something we have not seen in four years, and we greatly appreciate the attention that the President, Vice President, and their teams have given this issue," said Dinh.

The AANHPI leaders in attendance Thursday included:

• Seema Agnani, Executive Director, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)

• Christine Chen, Executive Director, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)

• Quyen Dinh, Executive Director, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

• Satjeet Kaur, Executive Director, Sikh Coalition

• Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)

• Kūhiō Lewis, President & CEO, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA)

• Neil Makhija, Executive Director, Indian American Impact

• Gregg Orton, National Director, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)

• Tavae Samuelu, Executive Director, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC)

• Chiling Tong, President & CEO, Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE)

• Alvina Yeh, Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)

• Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)

WATCH the meeting between President Biden and AAPI leaders here.

AAPI groups decry SCOTUS decision to weaken Voting Rights Act

ACLU

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld two electoral policies in Arizona that suppress voting rights for historically-marginalized communities.

"The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold anti-democratic, discriminatory voting laws in the state of Arizona are an affront to the ideals of American democracy," said Christine Chen, Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote.

"Laws, such as these, not only attempt to solve problems that do not exist, but intentionally target voters from historically-marginalized communities, making it harder for them to vote.” 

The Supreme Court’s decision July 1 in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee occurs at a time time in our nation’s history when the Republican Party is trying to narrow the right to vote and weaken the Voting Rights Act. More than a dozen states have already enacted 22 restrictive voting laws. There are 61 restrictive voting bills still pending in 18 states, according to NBC.

“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 sought to protect and prevent discrimination at the polls like this, and did for many decades," said Chen. "These protections were weakened in 2013 in the Shelby v. Holder decision, and the Brnovich v. DNC decision has further mangled the Voting Rights of 1965 beyond recognition.

Justice Elena Kagan stressed in her dissent, the court’s decision comes “at a perilous moment for the Nation’s commitment to equal citizenship … in an era of voting-rights retrenchment — when too many states and localities are restricting access to voting in ways that will predictably deprive members of minority groups of equal access to the ballot box.”

The court rejected a lower court decision that ruled that two of Arizona's laws could violate the federal Voting Rights Act by adversely affected the voting rights of some people, especially voters of color.

SCOTUS upheld two voting practices in Arizona: the state trashes ballots that are provisional, the ones cast in the wrong precincts on Election Day; and Arizona limits who can return early ballots on behalf of voters to family and household members, caregivers, mail carriers and election officials.

Justice Samuel Alito, --one of three activist conservatives Justices appointed by Donald Trump -- writing for the conservative majority arguing that the possible impact among racial or ethnic groups isn’t enough to make voting laws illegal. “The mere fact that there is some disparity in impact does not necessarily mean that a system is not equally open or that it does not give everyone an equal opportunity to vote,” he wrote in upholding the Arizona restrictions.

"We know that, as we speak, voters who are AAPI, Black, Latino, Native American, and voters with disabilities, in particular, face barriers to making their voices heard at the polls," Chen continued.

The 2018 and 2020 elections showed the emergence of the fast-growing AAPI community in American politics, making an impact in local and national races. Voting advocates worry that the court's decision might dampen that movement.

“In the 2020 election, Asian American and Pacific Islander voters turned out in record numbers and made our voices heard, especially in states like Georgia and Texas," said Linda Ng, National President of the OCA -- Asian Pacific American Advocates. She added that the court's decision  "threatens our communities’ hard-earned progress and bolsters the coordinated assault on voting rights that we’re witnessing in state legislatures.

“Make no mistake: laws like the two Arizona provisions upheld by the Court today—which a lower court said were intentionally passed to harm voters of color—aim to erect new barriers and disenfranchise AAPIs,” Ng added.

Voting rights advocates believe the Arizona case may make it harder to halt the GOP's efforts in 17 other states to make it harder to vote.

In her dissent, Justice  Kagan wrote: “What is tragic here is that the Court has (yet again) rewritten—in order to weaken—a statute that stands as a monument to America’s greatness, and protects against its basest impulses.” she was  joined by the court’s other two liberals, Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. 

"The need to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation at the federal level has never been more urgent," said APIAVote''s Chen. "We call on Congress to pass the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act right now in order to protect and expand democracy, and ensure that those who have historically been excluded from the civic process have their voices heard. There is no more time to wait.”