Biden: Labor nominee Julie Su represents the American dream

TWITTER

President Biden picks current Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su for his Cabinet.

President Biden's formal nomination Wednesday of Julie Su as his next Secretary of Labor fulfills his promise of diversity in his Cabinet. If confirmed, Su will be the first Asian American Secretary-level member of Biden's Cabinet.

“Julie is a champion for workers, and she has been a critical partner to Secretary Walsh since the early days of my Administration," said Biden. "Over several decades, Julie has led the largest state labor department in the nation, cracked down on wage theft, fought to protect trafficked workers, increased the minimum wage, created good-paying, high-quality jobs, and established and enforced workplace safety standards.”

Talking about her immigrant roots and how she worked her way up to become first California's Labor Secretary and eventually the Labor Department's Deputy Secretary, Biden said, "Julie is the American Dream.  And she is what the American Dream is about.  (Applause.)  More importantly — I think even more importantly, she is committed to making sure that dream is within the reach of every American.  Every American.  That’s what she’s all about."

Su replaces former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who resigned his Cabinet post to lead the National Hockey League Players' Association.

"Sixty years ago, my mom came to the United States on a cargo ship because she couldn’t afford a passenger ticket," said Su in front of her family and a roomful of supporters, including a good number of House and Senate members.

"Recently, she got a call from the President of the United States telling her that her daughter was going to be nominated to be U.S. Labor Secretary.  

"So, I believe in the transformative power of America, and I know the transformative power of a good job.," continued Su. "I know because it was the kind of job that my mom got that had predictable hours, paid sick leave, health benefits, a secure income, and a pension when she retired.  A union job that gave my parents a path to the middle class and gave our family the kind of breathing room that the President talks about." 

Actually, there are four Asian Americans in Biden's Cabinet. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Arati Prabhakar, who leads the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, though, are not Secretaries. Kamala Harris, the first Asian American to serve as vice president, is also a cabinet member.

Democrats control the Senate means d Su is likely be confirmed and she has the backing of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus as well as the Congressional Black Caucus.

Su's expected confirmation "would be a historic confirmation," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of CAPAC, "as it would further advance President Biden’s pledge to create an Administration that reflects the diversity of our country. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to act swiftly and confirm Julie Su’s nomination.”

Su's nomination comes at a time when union membership has been declning. Only 10% of America's workers are in unions. Through her work, Su had the strong support of labor leaders who backed Biden's bid for the Presidency.

"There's no one more dedicated and qualified to defend the fundamental rights of working people than Julie Su," said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. "It's her life's work."

"When the President talks about those who’ve been forgotten or invisible, I know what he means because I have spent my career fighting for them to be seen," said Su in conclusion.

"So to all workers who are toiling in the shadows, to workers who are organizing for power and respect in the workplace, know that we see you, we stand with you, and we will fight for you."

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

Biden reinforces racial equity goals of federal agencies

President Biden with Asian American lawmakers when he signed the first racial equity order.

Two years into his term, President Joe Biden signed his econd Executive Order on racial equity Feb. 16.

The Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the federal government order is designed to address systemic barriers that hold communities of color back from prospering.

Biden said in a statement, “members of underserved communities — many of whom have endured generations of discrimination and disinvestment — still confront significant barriers to realizing the full promise of our great Nation, and the Fgederal government has a responsibility to remove these barriers.”

The executive order "will build on the Biden-Harris Administration’s extensive and historic whole-of-government efforts to strengthen racial equity, support underserved communities, and create an America where everyone has full access to the American Dream," said Democratic Congressmember Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Under the executive order, federal agencies will be required to investigate and address any discrimination in technology services, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and improve language access services.

It also requires federal agencies to improve their community engagement strategies which includes involving the diffeent communities during the development of the Equity Action Plans, funding opportunities, budget proposals and regulations.

The order also sets a goal of increasing the share of federal contracting dollars going to small disadvantaged businesses by 50% by 2025 and directs agencies to expand opportunities for these businesses to procure grants from the historic investments within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

"Communities of color, and AANHPI communities in particular, will benefit from the Administration’s efforts to develop and strengthen partnerships with community groups, promote data equity, and address emerging civil rights risks and language accessibility,” said Chu.

Although Biden signed the first equity order on Day One of his administration, federal agencies have been slow in implementing some of the policies. Anyone who has worked in government know that building momentum for some of the required changes is a slow process.

"Advancing equity is not a one-year project—it is a generational commitment that will require sustained leadership and partnership," said Biden.

“It is imperative to reject the narrow, cramped view of American opportunity as a zero-sum game,” Biden said. “When any person or community is denied freedom, dignity, and prosperity, our entire Nation is held back.  But when we lift each other up, we are all lifted up."

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

Celebration of Diwali is gaining support and recognition in US

THE WHITE HOUSE

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris host a Diwali celebration at the White House.

The White House celebrated Diwali, a South Asian celebration Monday. Kamala Harris, the nation's first Indian American Vice President, along with President Biden lit candles to celebrate the Festival of Light.

Vice President Harris recalled how her family celebrated Diwali as they were growing up in California. She said the holiday represents hope to her. “Diwali reminds us to see the light in our world, in each other and in ourselves.”

Celebrated across South Asia  by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, the multi-day festival is gaining in popularity in the United states as the Festival of Light s gaining in popularity in the United States and observed  by Americans of all ethnicities. 

The celebration of Diwali by the President and Vice President along with 200 White House staff and South Asian celebrities and leaders is another step of America  being America, a nation of immigrants. President Obama was the first President to observe the festival in 2016 at the White House.

The South Asian festival will also become a new holiday for New York City public schools starting in 2023. New York State Assembly member Jenifer Rajkumar announced the news last week that New York City will be making Diwali a holiday for city schools. 

In Rajkuma's Instagram video, whe says, “Today, I am proud to say the time has come. The time has come to recognize over 200,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain faiths who celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights.”

The caption of her video read, “In a historic move, the New York City Mayor announced on Thursday that Diwali would be a public school holiday from next year. The Big Apple city is home to nearly two lakh South Asians and, for years, scores of them have been demanding Diwali to be declared a school holiday.”

Upon viewing the video, Indian American actress Priyanka Chopra reposted Rajkumar's video in which Chopra wrote on her own Instagram account, “After all these years! My teenage self living in Queens is crying tears of joy. #representationmatters.”

Chopra spent part of her teenage years in NYC before moving back to India after experiencing bullying in her Queens high school.

The dates of Diwali fluctuate, and this year, the 5-day festival started on Monday,  October 24.

Rajkumar, who sponsored the bill making the Indian celebration part of New York City's holiday schedule, represents the 38th District in Queens and also chairs the sub-committee on diversity in law. New York City.

According to New York State education laws, 180 days of school education are required in a year. However, in order to meet this criteria, no more school holidays could be declared.

Hence, Rajkumar brought forth the legislation for Diwali to replace 'Anniversary Day' as a public school holiday, calling the latter "an obscure and antiquated day" compared to the festival of lights.

Over the weekend South Indian markets and stores in Queens and California's Silicon Valley were packed with customers buying sweets and gifts for their family celebrations. In the weeks leading up Monday, South Asians observed Diwali with  outdoor celebrations. Celebrations are slated into November.

Diwali is good for business too as US merchants learn more about the celebration. With the food, greeting cards and gifts, the festival is attracting merchants who are discovering consumers who are a marketer's dream. The Indian American household income of $119,000  is the highest among all American ethnic groups, surpassing even White Americans.

South Asian celebrities, business leaders and influencers gathered in New York Oct. 23 in Manhattan adding fashion glitz and glamor to the holiday party hosted by Paramount Pictures and Vogue Magazine. Some of the guests to the formal event, included Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi, fashion designer Prabal  Gurung, Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, actors Sarita Choudhury and Kal Penn.

Many of the New York City celebrities were guests at the White House celebration two days later to join Biden and Harris.

"As we celebrate this gathering of light, we know—as this community has experienced too often—that there is always darkness lurking," Biden said in a statement. 

"American history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh reality that that we have never fully lived up to it. By marking the victory of light over darkness, Diwali is a reminder that each of us has the power to bring light to the world, whether here in America or around the world."

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

White House reveals new initiatives to counter the forces of hate dividing the US

Striking out against white supremacists and extreme conservatives, President Biden hosted the United We Stand Summit Thursday to counter the hate-fueled violence that tears at the United States.

"We need to say clearly and forcefully, white supremacy, all forms of hate... have no place in America," Biden said. "As to those who say, we bring this up, we just divide the country — bring it up, we silence it, instead of remaining silenced. For in silence, wounds deepen."

"The combination of January the 6th, what they saw in Charlottesville: That’s not America, not who we are," Biden continued.

"The idea of America is it guarantees that everyone — everyone is treated with dignity and equality.  An idea that ensures an inclusive, multi-racial democracy.  An idea that we give no safe harbor — none — to hate." 

According to the FBI's 2020 Hate Crime Statistics, the most recent data available, the overall number of hate crimes increased by 949 from 2019. Hate acts against Asians made up 4.4% of the incidents.Of the victims, 62% were targeted because of the offenders' bias toward their race, ethnicity or ancestry, which continues to be the largest bias motivation category.

Stop AAPI Hate, a community-based organization collecting reports since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020, over 11,500 anti-Asian incidents have been reported. 

The White House announced a historic package of new actions the federal government, civic, faith, philanthropic, and business leaders will take to address hate-fueled violence and advance national unity:

The President unveiled new actions by government and nonprofit agencies to strengthen the federal government’s coordination and community engagement to prevent, respond to, and recover from hate-fueled violence.

Among the actions is the White House Initiative on Hate-Motivated Violence established today will strengthen interagency coordination in preventing and responding to hate-motivated violence, leverage federal research and resources, and enhance engagement and consultation with diverse stakeholders, including communities targeted for who they are or what they believe.

In the private sector, high-tech companies -- Twitter, Meta, Youtube, Twitch and Microsoft will institute policies to filter out hateful language or encourage violence.

Among the guests at the White House were victims of hate and "Uniters" doing work in their communities against hate, build bridges, and heal divides. Among the honorees were Valarie Kaur, a civil rights leader, Los Angeles, and middle-schooler Mina Fedor, founder of AAPI Youth Rising from Piedmont, Calif.

Those in attendance included bipartisan and nonpartisan federal, state, local, and Tribal officials, civil rights groups, faith and community leaders, business leaders, law enforcement officials, former members of violent hate groups who now work to prevent violence, and gun violence prevention leaders.

Earlier in the day, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the summit. 

"Years from now, our children and our grandchildren, they’re going to us ask, 'What did you do at that moment?”  “What did you do to help protect our communities, to fight hate-fueled violence, and to build a better nation?' 

 
"Well, I have confidence in what we’re going to be able to say.  We will tell them we were all here together today.  And we will tell that, in this moment, we stood united.  We stood firm in our belief that we all have so much more in common than what separates us.  We stood firm in our belief that out of many, we are one."

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

AANHPI college students will benefit from Biden's relief plan for student debt.

Almost 70% of Asian American college students leave school with thousands of dollars in debt, according to data collected by Education Data Initiative.

Students of all races and ethnicities are breathing a sigh of relief after President Joe Biden announced he will forgive $10,000 in federal student debt for most borrowers, delivering financial relief to millions of Americans. Biden will cancel up to $20,000 for recipients of Pell Grants.

Biden action could affect up to 43 million people including current students and those who have been struggle to pay off their student loans years after graduation and those who took out loans and for whatever reason, didn't earn a degree.

“All of this means people can start finally to crawl out from under that mountain of debt. To get on top of their rent and their utilities. To finally think about buying a home or starting a family or starting a business.”

"This relief is targeted," said Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice. "It will only go to borrowers whose income is less than $125,000 for an individual or $250,000 for a household — meaning that the relief will go to those who need it the most." 

The Department of Education estimates that, among borrowers who are no longer in school, nearly 90% of relief dollars will go to those earning less than $75,000 a year. No individual making more than $125,000 or household making more than $250,000 – the top 5% of incomes in the United States – will receive relief.

FYI more details of President Biden's plan to provide relief on student loans, click here.

Additionally, borrowers working in public service -- that includes medical professionals working for county healthcare, lawyers in government offices, social service employees -- are entitled to earn credit toward debt relief under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. But because of complex eligibility restrictions, historic implementation failures, and poor counseling given to borrowers, many borrowers have not received the credit they deserve for their public service.

Even though the majority of Asian American students take out loans for college, they 

Student loan debt by race and ethnicity

That fact that borrowers of certain races and ethnicities face exceptional obstacles in their quest for advanced education is universally accepted among academic financial specialists, says Education Data Initiative. Some of the highlights of a report by EDI, include:

• Black and African American bachelor’s degree holders have an average $52,000 in student loan debt.
• 45% of this debt is from student loans for graduate school.
• 40% of Black graduates have student loan debt from graduate school while 22% of White college graduates have graduate school debt.
• Over 50% of Black student borrowers report their net worth is less than they owe in student loan debt.
• At 52%, Asian student borrowers are the most likely to have a net worth that exceeds their student loan debt.
• Asian bachelor’s degree holders are the most likely to have paid off their student loan debt.
• 59% of Asian student borrowers still have educational loan debt.
• 67% of Hispanic and Latino student borrowers have educational debt.
• 70% of White and Caucasian student borrowers have student loan debt.
• Four years after graduation, 48% of Black students owe an average of 12.5% more than they borrowed.
• After that same period, 83% of White students owe 12% less than they borrowed.

Wait and see

Before students begin celebrating, Biden's action will likely be challenged in court. The basis for Biden's action is the HEROE's Act, which was instituted after 9/11. It allows for debt cancellation when it's "in connection with a war or other military operation or national emergency."

The "emergency" in this case is the pandemic.

"I have the authority under the HEROES Act to ensure that folks are not worse off after the pandemic than before," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told CBS News. "And we're exercising that to provide targeted loan relief to those who are struggling. We know the pandemic exacerbated disparities. And what we're doing here is making sure we're addressing some loan forgiveness and taking a system that's broken so that more students can have access to college and continue on with their lives."

If the legal basis for Biden's student loan relief is challenged, the case might very likely wind up in the Supreme Court, which already has shown that it is not friendly to initiativesthat might benefit the Democrats.

White House to host United We Stand Summit to address the epidemic of hate-fueled violence

WHITE HOUSE

In May 2021, President Biden signed an Act making combatting anti-Asian hate crimes a priority.

It didn't take long did it? After 60 years of demonstrations, court rulings, civil rights laws and blood on the streets, fields and factories to turn racial bias and intolerance a social taboo, it took only four years to undo all of that.

On Sept. 15, President Biden will take another step toward putting American back on track to a more perfect union by hosting the United We Stand Summit "to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence in our democracy."

People of color, including Black, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities have felt the onslaught of hate brought on the rise of white supremacy and the public displays of intolerance, which some say was fueled the previous White House occupants who allowed bigotry to flourish once again. 

In particular, the AANHPI communities have been the target of hate and ignorance since the start of pandemic. Stop AAPI Hate, a community organization that began collecting reports of hate incidents since March 2020, have received over 11,000 hate incidents against AANHPI, from verbal harassment in public spaces to deadly attacks, including the shooting spree that killed six Asian women in and around Atlanta. in March of 2021. 

Some blame the previous administrationfor fueling the hate directed at AANHPI by allowing the public expressions of hate to come out of the dark corners of the American psyche. Apparently, the insecurities fed by fear and ignorance never went away, they were only repressed.

The surge in hate has not gone unnoticed by the Biden administration, which includes Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of mixed racial heritage -- South Asian and Black. 

After the Atlanta shootings, Biden said: "Silence is complicity. We cannot be complicit." Shortly thereafter, the President signed legislation combatting anti-Asian hate a priority for his administration.

"Here's the truth — racism exists in America, xenophobia exists in America, anti-semitism, Islamophobia homophobia, transphobia, it all exists," added Harris. "So the work to address injustice, wherever it exists, remains the work ahead."

Following is a statement by Susan Rice, Biden's Domestic Policy Advisor announcing the United We Stand Summit.

By Domestic Policy Advisor Susan E. Rice

Hate must have no safe harbor in America—especially when that hate fuels the kind of violence we’ve seen from Oak Creek to Pittsburgh, from El Paso to Poway, and from Atlanta to Buffalo. When we cannot settle our differences of opinion peacefully, and when ordinary Americans cannot participate in the basic activities of everyday life—like shopping at the grocery store, praying at their house of worship, or casting a ballot—without the fear of being targeted and killed for who they are, our democracy is at risk.

That’s why, on Thursday, September 15, President Biden will host the United We Stand Summit at the White House to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety, highlight the response of the Biden-Harris Administration and communities nationwide to these dangers, and put forward a shared, bipartisan vision for a more united America.

President Biden decided to run for president after the horrific violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Since taking office, his Administration has consistently taken steps to counter hate-motivated violence—from signing the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, to releasing the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, to signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislation in three decades to reduce gun violence.

Even as our nation has endured a disturbing series of hate-fueled attacks, Americans of all beliefs and political affiliations remain overwhelmingly united in their opposition to such violence. The United We Stand Summit will bring together heroes from across America leading work in their communities to build bridges and address hate and division, including survivors of hate-fueled violence. The summit will include bipartisan federal, state, and local officials, civil rights groups, faith and community leaders, technology and business leaders, law enforcement officials, former members of violent extremist groups who now work to prevent violence, gun violence prevention leaders, media representatives, and cultural figures. It will feature a keynote speech from President Biden as well as bipartisan panels and conversations on countering hate-fueled violence, preventing radicalization and mobilization to violence, and fostering unity.

And, we hope it will also include you. Communities across the country will be invited to watch the summit live and engage in a national conversation about standing together against hate-fueled violence.

Nominate a “Uniter” in your community

Across America, Americans are working to bring their communities together across lines of racial, religious, political and other differences to prevent acts of hate-fueled violence, promote healing where such violence has had devastating consequences, and foster unity. These “Uniters” are bipartisan faith leaders and teachers, police officers and mayors, civic leaders and volunteers, and everyday members of our communities. Many of these Uniters are themselves survivors of hate-fueled violence who have turned their pain into purpose. They hold together our communities together and lift us up in the hardest times.

By September 1st, 2022, we invite you to nominate an extraordinary Uniter in your community to be recognized by the White House. Please email UnitedWeStand@who.eop.gov with information on a leader in your community who inspires change by building bridges and countering hate-fueled violence..

As President Biden said in Buffalo after the horrific mass shooting earlier this year, in the battle for the soul of our nation “we must all enlist in this great cause of America.” The United We Stand Summit will present an important opportunity for Americans of all walks of life to take up that cause—together.

On Thursday, September 15, President Biden will host at the White House the United We Stand Summit to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety, highlight the response of the Biden-Harris Administration and communities nationwide to these dangers, and put forward a shared vision for a more united America.

President Biden decided to run for president after the horror of the hate-fueled violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Since taking office, his Administration has consistently taken steps to counter hate-motivated violence — from signing the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, to releasing the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, to signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislation in three decades to reduce gun violence.

Even as our nation has endured a disturbing series of hate-fueled attacks, from Oak Creek to Pittsburgh, from El Paso to Poway, from Atlanta to Buffalo, Americans remain overwhelmingly united in their opposition to such violence. 

The United We Stand Summit will bring together heroes from across America who are leading historic work in their communities to build bridges and address hate and division, including survivors of hate-fueled violence. The summit will include a bipartisan group of federal, state, and local officials, civil rights groups, faith and community leaders, technology and business leaders, law enforcement officials, former members of violent hate groups who now work to prevent violence, gun violence prevention leaders, media representatives, and cultural figures. 

It will feature a keynote speech from President Biden as well as inclusive, bipartisan panels and conversations on countering hate-fueled violence, preventing radicalization and mobilization to violence, and fostering unity.

As President Biden said in Buffalo after the horrific mass shooting earlier this year, in the battle for the soul of our nation “we must all enlist in this great cause of America.” The United We Stand Summit will present an important opportunity for Americans of all races, religions, regions, political affiliations, and walks of life to take up that cause together.

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

Biden launches process establishing the national museum about AANHPI

WHITE HOUSE

President Biden signs a bill Monday  that starts the process of establishing a museum about Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

A new museum about Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders to help tell America's story took a major step towards reality Monday.

President Biden signed a bill, H.R. 3525, Monday that seeks to create the first national museum dedicated to preserving the history and culture of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians  and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs).

"It’s about time for a national museum to capture the courage, the character, and the imagination," said Biden. "And maybe, from my perspective, looking from a little bit from a distance, is the dreams and the heart and the soul of the generations of our fellow Americans who came before you and all of you. 

"That’s what this law is going to do. That’s what it’s going to do. It going to create a commission that will examine how to make the museum a reality, including whether it should be part of the Smithsonian."

RELATED: Remarks of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

Biden made a point of crediting Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY, for sponsoring the bill and pushing through Congress.

“I am ecstatic and overjoyed at this historic moment and honored and proud to have championed this crucial effort, especially after fighting for this legislation in Congress over the past seven years,” said Meng.

"Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have shaped our nation since its founding," Meng continued. "From the struggles we’ve endured to the accomplishments we’ve made, it’s time for more Americans, and our future generations, to know our story. And a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture would provide the physical space for people to learn how we have helped make America the country that it is today. 

"It would help ensure that more Americans understand that Asian Pacific American history IS American history," said Meng. 

Meng’s bill will follow a similar path used to create the National Museum of African American History and Culture which opened in 2016, and the National Museum of the American Latino and National Women’s History Museum, both of which are in the process of being established.

 

Entitled the “Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act,” the legislation will create a commission of eight individuals with various expertise in museum planning or AAPI history and culture to examine the feasibility of establishing, maintaining, funding and operating such a facility in the nation’s capital, possibly as part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. which is the world’s largest museum and research complex. 

 

Meng's measure will require the commission to:

 

• Report recommendations for a plan of action on the establishment and maintenance of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture;

 

• Develop a fundraising plan to support the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the museum through public contributions;

 

• Obtain an independent review of this fundraising plan, including an analysis of the resources necessary to fund the construction of the museum and its operations and maintenance without reliance on federal funds;

 

• Report on the availability and cost of acquiring collections for the museum, identify potential locations for the facility in Washington, D.C., and determine its regional impact on other related museums; and

 

• Submit to Congress a legislative plan of action on whether to and how to establish and construct the museum.

 

The legislation will also direct the commission’s recommendations to address whether the museum should be part of the Smithsonian. The commission will have 18 months to complete the study and its members will be appointed by the House Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, House Minority Leader and Senate Minority Leader.

Although the Meng law doesn't formally establish a museum, the Commission study and report is the same process other museums have had to undergo before building a physical facility.

Before Vice President Kamala Harris introduced Biden, she said as the daughter of an immigrant from India, the occasion had a special meaning for her. 

"This is also American history, and we must teach it as it really happened so that we can learn from our best moments and learn from our darkest moments, and in particular, then, to ensure they are never repeated, our darkest moments," said Harris.

"By equipping people with knowledge and historical context, then we can fight ignorance, dispel misinformation, and work toward a future where all people can live without fear and a future where all people — all people can help write the next chapter of American history."

 

A copy of Meng’s legislation and additional details about the measure can be viewed here.

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

U.S. and Canadian leaders mark Philippine Independence Day

On the occasion of Philippine Independence Day, June 12, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden delivered congratulatory messages to the Philippines' people and praised the contributions of the millions of immigrants from the Philippines.

"This year, our nations are also celebrating two momentous anniversaries. Our 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and our 70th anniversary of our strong alliance," Biden said on social media.

"The Philippines and the United States share so much history and our people are forever connected through our deep bonds and shared sacrifices of valor, of family and of friendship," Biden said.

The U.S., and the Philippines have enjoyed a close economic, military and cultural relationship. After defeating Spain in the Spanish American War, the Philippines became a U.S. colony until 1946 when the Philippines gained its independence  in 1946.

Biden also praised the over four million Filipinos and Filipino Americans residing in the U.S. “They make invaluable contributions to communities all across our country. They enrich the American character, making our nations stronger and more vibrant,” he said.

"Our people are forever connected through our deep bonds and shared sacrifices of valor, of family, and of friendship.”

Trudeau's statement came as Canada celebrates Filipino Heritage Month. He also made a point of the role Filipino Canadians have played in fighting the pandemic and caring for fellow Canadians.

“From Toronto to Iqaluit, nearly one million people of Filipino descent call Canada home. As we mark Filipino Heritage Month throughout June, I encourage all Canadians to recognize the important contributions Filipino communities have made – and continue to make – to our country," he said.

"As we continue to keep Canadians safe and protected from COVID-19, we recognize the many members of the Filipino community who play essential roles on the frontlines of the pandemic response and continue to work to keep our most vulnerable healthy. Your contributions will not be forgotten."

Trudeau closed his remarks in Tagalog, “Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan!”

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

National Immigrant Heritage Month continues celebration of AANHPI communities

The official Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month may have ended May 31 but the celebration of AANHPI continues into June.

"TheUnited States is a nation of immigrants,"  said President Biden in proclaiming June as Immigrant Heritage Month. 

The fastest growing immigrant group in the US come from the countries of Asia and the Pacific Islands. Immigration from Asia. is outpacing immigration from Latin American and in a few decades, will be the largest source of immigrants coming to these shores.

"Immigrants fuel our economy and work in every profession, including health care, public service, law, education, engineering, construction, caregiving, manufacturing, service, agriculture, and countless other industries.,"  he said.

"They create new businesses, small and large, and generate millions of jobs in America.  They are essential workers, providing critical services during COVID-19 and serving on the frontlines of research for vaccines and treatments.  Immigrants have also helped the United States lead the world in science, technology, and innovation while contributing to the arts, culture, and government," continued Biden.

Biden emphasized America's role as a have for refugees, from those fleeing the ravages of war in Europe during and after WWII, to those fleeing conflict from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos after the Vietnam War; to the tens of thousands of Afghan refugees recently admitted from when the US left their country.

Some key facts about Asian American immigrants, according to the Pew Research Center: 

Around six-in-ten Asian Americans (57%), including 71% of Asian American adults, were born in another country. By comparison, 14% of all Americans – and 17% of adults – were born elsewhere.

The modern immigration wave from Asia has accounted for a quarter of all immigrants who have arrived in the U.S. since 1965. But when and how Asian immigrants arrived in the US varies, which helps explain why some Asian origin groups are more likely than others to be U.S. born. For example, immigrants account for only 27% of Japanese Americans, who began arriving in the 19th century as plantation workers in what is now the state of Hawaii. By contrast, many Bhutanese arrived recently as refugees, and a large majority (85%) are foreign born.

Asian Americans are projected to be the nation’s largest immigrant group by the middle of the century. Single-race, non-Hispanic Asians are projected to become the largest immigrant group in the country, surpassing Hispanics in 2055. By then, Asians are expected to make up 36% of all U.S. immigrants, while Hispanics will make up 34%, according to population projections from the Pew Research Center.

People from Asia made up about 14% of the 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2017. Four nations in Asia were among the top 15 countries of birth for US unauthorized immigrants: India (525,000), China (375,000), the Philippines (160,000) and Korea (150,000).

Biden concluded the proclamation: "Each generation of immigrants has made our Nation stronger and reaffirmed that diversity is — and always has been — our greatest strength." 

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

Biden, Harris celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month with White House gathering

WHITE HOUSE

President Biden (at podium) addresses the gathering of AANHPI leaders at the White House.

After speaking out against white supremacists, hate and rightwing extremists in a speech in Buffalo where a gunman killed 10 Black shoppers in a neighborhood market, President Biden continued the message at a White House gathering of AANHPI leaders from media, entertainment, business, politics and community advocates. 

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday (May 17) condemned violence and hateful rhetoric toward minority communities at a White House celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with scores of movers and shakers from the AANHPI communities.

Both Biden and Harris spoke out against the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic and linked the issue to the mass shooting over the weekend in Buffalo, N.Y., where authorities said the gunman specifically targeted the neighborhood because of its high density of Black residents.

FYI: For complete remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris, click here.

“We must always speak out against violence, against hate crimes and against discrimination whenever and wherever it occurs. And we must do everything in our power to end this epidemic of hate,” Harris, who is the first Asian American to serve as vice president, said in remarks at the Rose Garden.

Both Harris and Biden called out GOP leaders and rightwing pundits for helping fuel the rising racism in the country.

RELATED: AANHPI communities have benefited from the Biden Administration

“Hate can have no safe harbor in America. And every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,” said the President. “But you know, you have folks on television stations talking about the replacement theory, scaring the living hell out of people who don’t have a whole lot of emotional stability.”

'It was ... only last year that we — that I was with the President in Atlanta, mourning the murder of eight people, including six who were Asian American women," said Harris.

"And, sadly, what I said then remains true now: Racism is real in America. It has always been. Xenophobia is real in America. It has always been. Sexism too.

"I said last year and I sadly say again today: We have had people in positions of incredible power in our country scapegoating, people with the biggest pulpits spreading this kind of hate.

"This requires — these moments — sadly, tragically require us to ask, 'Who are we as a nation? And what do we stand for?'"

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

AAPI leaders applaud Senate confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to SCOTUS

SCREEN CAPTURE / MSNBC

President Biden and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson watched the Senate vote from the White House.

UPDATED: 12:40 P.M. PDT, April 8, to include remarks from Friday media event.

In a historic vote Thursday, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Jackson will officially be sworn in later this summer when Justice Stephen Bryer retires. She will be the first Black woman to be on the Supreme Court bench.

Most leaders in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities backed President Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court calling the Senate vote "a significant moment in our nation’s history and an affirmation of our nation’s commitment to equal justice under law," said John C. Yang, president the executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC.

The Senate vote, 53-47, mostly along party lines. Three Republicans -- New Hampshire's Susan Collins, Alaska Lisa Murkowski and Utah's Mitt Romney -- went against the GOP radical conservatives and Trump syncophants to vote with the Democrats.

“With her historic confirmation, Judge Jackson becomes the first Black woman and second woman of color to serve on the nation’s highest court, a long overdue step towards an inclusive justice system that reflects the diversity of America," says Yang. The other jurist of color is Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a Latina. 

Jackson is "a brilliant legal scholar and consensus builder, Judge Jackson brings a diverse legal perspective to the Court," says A.B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPAB the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

“We thank President Biden for his commitment to diversifying our judiciary. Notably, women and persons of color, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, continue to be underrepresented on our courts.”

"Judge Jackson is a brilliant legal mind with a deep knowledge of the law. She has a judicial temperament that is calm and in command — and a humility that allows so many Americans to see themselves in her," Biden said after the Senate vote.

“I am feeling up to the task, primarily because I know that I am not alone. I am standing on the shoulders of my own role models, generations of Americans who never had anything close to this kind of opportunity, but who got up every day and went to work believing in the promise of America,” said Judge Jackson during remarks at the White House on Friday.

“I am also ever buoyed by the leadership of generations past who helped to light the way. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Justice Thurgood Marshall, and my personal heroine, Judge Constance Baker Motley,” Jackson said. “They and so many others did the heavy lifting that made this day possible. ... I think of them as the true path-breakers,” she said, occasionally pausing to contain her emotions.

At the same media event on the White House lawn, Vice President Kamala Harris, who created history of her own as the first Asian and first Black Vice President, said: 

"In the years to come, the court will answer fundamental questions about who we are and what kind of country we live in. Will we expand opportunity or restrict it? Will we strengthen the foundations of our great democracy? Or let them crumble? Will we move forward or backward? The young leaders of our nation will learn from the experience, the judgment, the wisdom that you, Judge Jackson, will apply in every case that comes before you."

Judge Jackson is one of the most experienced and qualified nominees to the Supreme Court.

“Judge Jackson is a brilliant jurist who brings the depth and breadth of her experience, including becoming the first former public defender, to serve on the Supreme Court," says Yang. 

After graduating from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, she began her legal career as a clerk for retiring Supreme Court Justice Breyer. In her decades of legal experience, Judge Jackson has served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, as a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and most recently as a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. 

When Vice President Kamala Harris announced the vote, the usually staid Senate broke out in a standing ovation. Except for Romney who joined the applause by the Democrats, underlining the political partisanship marring Congress, the rest of the  Republicans walked out of the chamber. 

"As the first Black woman and first public defender to serve in this role, Justice Jackson embodies the values of democracy and equality that we hold most dear in America," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional APA Caucus. "I have long believed that our country’s judicial system should look like the people it serves. When Justice Jackson takes her seat, the Court will, for the very first time, have four women and three people of color serving on the bench."

David Inoue, executive director of the Japanese American Citizens League, said this of Judge Jackson’s confirmation:

“The appointment of Justice Jackson is a long overdue step forward for our country. The Supreme Court has for over 233 years lacked the full life experience that Justice Jackson will bring as a public defender and particularly as a black woman. Too often, we have seen the court disregard or diminish the rights of minorities. We look forward to Justice Jackson ensuring one more minority perspective is represented on the court.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.