Economic summit targets AANHPI business leaders and entrepreneurs

Ambassador Katherine Tai opened the White House's first economic summit in Philadelphia.

Repercussions of the mass shootings in California were acknowledged at the economic summit aimed at connecting the AANHPI communities, businesses and entrepreneurs to the resources of the federal government.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) launched a series of regional economic summits Jan. 26 to connect Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) community members directly with federal leaders and resources. 

The events, kicked off with an in-person summit at Philadelphia City Hall, were being held in collaboration with the US Small Business Administration, US Department of the Treasury, US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, the National Asian / Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship, and local officials.

“These summits are a part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s resolve to deliver real results for our AA and NHPI communities and businesses – by investing in our competitiveness and by fostering collaboration,” said U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai, who also serves as WHIAANHPI Co-Chair. “Our strength and resilience will not give way to fear and fright. We will continue to push and pull for one another, to fight for justice and economic equity, and to build a society that is freer and fairer – for all Americans.”

Language barriers and limited outreach have historically held AA and NHPIs back from applying for federal procurement, jobs, grants, and programs. Although approximately 10 percent of small businesses in the U.S. are AA and NHPI-owned, only 2.8 percent of federal contracting dollars went to AA and NHPI small businesses in Fiscal Year 2020, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

In 2020, there were 612,194 Asian-owned businesses employing about 5.2 million in the United States, the highest among all minority groups, according to the US Census.

Even though AANHPI make up only 7% of the US population, their economic impact as consumers and entrepreneurs far surpasses their relatively small numbers, says the US Census.

Referring to the recent mass shootings in California, Tai said: "This type of senseless violence has become a plague in America.  Every massacre like this tears at the very soul of our nation.  And when it hits your community, our community, I think it tears at you just that much harder.

"These types of events, I also want to acknowledge, affect the economic vitality of our nation as well, and the investment climate.  It is also a public health crisis, so on so many levels, it is something that we all need to really grapple with, think about, grieve for, but most importantly, come together in events like this, through efforts like the Initiative, like these summits, to overcome, and to address."

"In the bigger picture, we also continue to fight for equity, justice, and economic empowerment for all of our communities," Tai continued.

The series focusing on business and economic opportunity was spurred by a May 2022 recommendation from the President’s Advisory Commission on AA and NHPIs. It builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to empowering underserved communities by connecting them directly with federal leaders and resources. It also comes on the heels of the release of the Administration’s first-ever national strategy to advance equity and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities - PDF, which outlines agency commitments to strengthen capacity building over the next two years.

“Generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have enhanced our nation through countless contributions in business, science, technology, the arts, and more,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.

 “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to creating equitable pathways to the American dream of business ownership for our AA and NHPI communities to ensure their great ideas and skills can create generational economic prosperity. The White House Initiative AA and NHPI Economic Summit series continues important work to close opportunity gaps, ready entrepreneurs to seize new opportunities, and ensure we leverage the full potential of our nation's talent to build a better America,” she said.

Through the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and other initiatives, the Biden-Harris Administration is making once-in-a-generation investments to address these issues, provide direct relief, and expand economic opportunity. 

FYI: Learn more about the National Strategy to Uplift AANHPI Communities.

"Violence like the Monterey Park shooting should continue to rattle us and activate us to continue to push and pull for one another, to fight for justice and economic equity, and to build a society that is freer and fairer and safer – for all Americans," concluded Tai.

"Together, we can demonstrate what it looks like to build a human-centered, people-driven economy.  I hope this summit does its magic in serving as a catalyst for all of you and all of us."

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

Biden-Harris administration announces an unprecedented national strategy for AANHPI

WHITE HOUSE

Some of the AANHPI staff and managers that have been appointed by the Biden-Harris administration gathered for a photo with Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Perhaps more than any previous administration, President Biden and his administration has put the spotlight on the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Tuesday (Jan. 17) convened federal government officials and community leaders to mark the release of the Biden-Harris Administration’s first-ever National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Communities.

FYI: Watch the full event here .

“From day one, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made clear their commitment to address the needs of underserved communities, including Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities,” said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra. “With the release of today’s national strategy, the public can see the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to advancing equity and addressing the challenges that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities face.”

In the special virtual event, senior Biden-Harris Administration officials outlined the details of 32 federal agency plans, which build on the Administration’s previous actions to promote safety and equity for AA and NHPIs. The wide-ranging policies ranged from increased multi-lingual  communication to making it a priority to address hate crimes against AANHPI to providing more disaggregated data across federal agencies.

Community leaders also discussed additional steps the federal government can take to address critical priorities for AA and NHPI communities, including data disaggregation, language access, and combating anti-Asian hate. 

FYI: WHIAANHPI is also soliciting public feedback on the agency plans here.

The unprecedented national strategy based on the work by WHAANHPI is the first national plan of its kind with elected officials, federal leaders, community members and prominent Asian Americans working together to combat racism.

“These commitments are bold, ambitious, and deeply aligned with the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader equity agenda. This national strategy also builds upon our shared progress to ensure the safety and prosperity of our families, neighborhoods, and communities.”

The event was moderated by WHIAANHPI Executive Director Krystal Ka‘ai, and included panel discussions moderated by Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and AA and NHPI Senior Liaison, along with Sonal Shah, Chief Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on AA and NHPIs.

The need to address issues affecting the AANHPI communities occurs in an environment of increasing racist attacks against AANHPI. In the period of March 2020 to March 2022, there have been over 11,500 hate incidents recorded by Stop AAPI Hate.

The surge in hate attacks mobilized the AANHPI communities lobbying local and federal law enforcement, health agencies, media organizations and the religious community to address the racist incidents directed against all Asian American groups.

Parallel to becoming more vocal and demanding action, there was an increase in political activity by registering new voters and emboldening more AANHPI to run for political offices. The increase in AANHPI voters was able to affect elections in jurisdictions across the nation.

Since January 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken steps to address the needs of AA and NHPI communities by advancing policies that promote equity, expanding entry points to federal services and programs, and centering the experiences and resiliency of AA and NHPI communities. To support these efforts, WHIAANHPI engaged federal agencies to improve interagency policymaking, program development, and outreach efforts to AA and NHPI communities across the country.

In Summer 2022, 32 agencies – including all 15 executive departments in the President’s Cabinet – submitted agency plans that outline specific actions to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities. These plans are deeply aligned with the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader equity agenda and represent an historic first for the federal government.

READ the national strategy details for each federal agency.

Among the areas the federal actions:

Promoting Belonging and Inclusion and Addressing Anti-Asian Hate/Discrimination
Across the federal government, agencies have stepped up their efforts to respond to the increasing number of bias incidents and discrimination against AA and NHPIs, promote belonging, equity, and inclusion, and improve access to federal resources.

Addressing the Systemic Lack of Data Disaggregation on AA and NHPI Communities
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to advancing racial equity through improved data collection, research, access, and disaggregation efforts. Better data leads to better and more informed policies that reflect the needs and priorities of the AA and NHPI communities.

Expanding Language Access Across Federal Programs
Federal agencies are taking critical action to expand access for limited English proficient communities and deliver greater equity for the diverse AA and NHPI community.

Building Capacity in AA and NHPI Communities
By increasing access to federal contracts, grants, and opportunities, the federal government is helping to break down persistent barriers to federal resources, center equity in grant-making, and build the capacity of AA and NHPI communities and organizations across the country.

Creating a Diverse Federal Workforce
The Biden-Harris Administration strives to make the federal government a model for diversity, equity, and inclusion and reflects the lived experiences and rich cultural backgrounds of all Americans, including the diverse members of the AA and NHPI community.

Increasing Outreach and Engagement Efforts and Cultivating Community Partnerships
To ensure that government policies are informed by and reflect the needs of the AA and NHPI community, agencies are engaging in meaningful outreach efforts to hear from community stakeholders, deepen partnerships, and expand access to government programs.

“These 32 agency action plans are the result of more than a year of work by dedicated public servants in collaboration with community advocates, and detail specific commitments to advance justice and opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders,” said US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai.“

A statement from the WHAANHPI said: "Advancing equity is not a one-year project – it is a generational commitment that will require sustained leadership and partnership with all communities."

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

Advisory Commission on AANHPI issues wide range of recommendations in its first report

The White House AANHPI Advisory Commission met in Washington DC on Sept. 29.

A report from the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders included more than a dozen recommendations for the President and Congress to enact within the remainder of President Biden's first term.

The inaugural report from the commission inaugural report given to President Joe Biden on August 24 but released publicly on Sept. 29 when the commission met at the White House.

“The inaugural report is the product of months of engagement with experts, community advocates, and federal officials. I commend our commissioners for their dedication and diligence in developing these recommendations,” said Chief Commissioner Sonal Shah. 

“Together, they represent a significant community-driven effort to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPIs. The Commission stands ready to provide guidance as the Biden-Harris Administration considers whether the recommendations should be implemented.”

The Commission, with its members appointed by President BIden, is co-chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai.

The recommendations, approved during the Commission’s first in-person meeting at the White House on May 12, 2022, were developed by 25 leaders appointed by the President who reflect the rich diversity of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities throughout the United States.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE - PDF

Some of the commission's recommendations include:

• All branches of the US military should adopt a standardized uniform policy that presumptively allows for religious articles of faith, such as turbans, beards, hijabs, and yarmulkes.

• With public-private partnerships, produce more public service announcements to counter the spate of anti-Asian hate

• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with the White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE) and Commission, host a mental health summit focusing on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander mental health.

• IUSCIS should reduce the backlog of immigration visas by expanding staffing and modernizing processes to reduce wait times, expanding premium processing services, providing automatic work permit renewals, securing funding, and more quickly processing work permits, travel documents, temporary status extensions, and other immigration applications.

• The federal government should ensure that emergency and disaster prevention, planning, response, mitigation, and recovery programs are inclusive of and reflect the lived experiences of limited English proficient populations.

• The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) update the minimum standards for federal data on race and ethnicity to fulfill its mission to produce full, fair, and accurate data on the status of health, education, labor, immigration, economy, and other vital indicators for all communities in our nation, including Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities.

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

Who is Biden picking for the White House AANhPI Advisory Commission?

Twenty-three leaders in the AANHPI community have been recommended as commissioners to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

The 23 appointees announced by President Joe BIden Monday represent a wide swath of the AANHPI community coming from cultural, labor, health, business and nonprofit sectors.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai, co-chairs of the White House Initiative on AANHPI and President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, issued a joint statement following President Joe Biden’s announcement of his intent today to appoint 23 leaders to the Commission:

“As co-chairs of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, we offer our sincerest congratulations to the 23 commissioners who have been newly appointed today. They are distinguished leaders and experts from across the country, representing communities and private and public sectors nationwide, representing the diversity of the AA and NHPI populations. 

"We look forward to working together to provide independent recommendations to the President and the Federal government on ways the public, private and non-profit sectors can collaborate to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities.”

"I am pleased to see the President has appointed a group of highly-qualified individuals to be Commissioners," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "Like the AANHPI community, this group of appointees comes from diverse backgrounds, each bringing with them their unique experiences and expertise, all of which reflect the dynamism and vibrancy of our community. I am confident that together, this Commission will help raise the profile and represent the needs and interests of all AANHPI communities nationwide.”

The Commission will advise the President on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for AANHPI communities. The Commission is also charged with advising the President on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AA and NHPI communities through federal grantmaking, and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face.

The commission appointees are: 

Amy Agbayani

Dr. Amefil (Amy) Agbayani is an Emeritus Assistant Vice Chancellor for student diversity and equity, University of Hawai’i at Manoa. Agbayani was born in the Philippines and received her education from the University of the Philippines, East West Center and the University of Hawai’i. She is a former chair of the Hawai’i Civil Rights Commission, conducts research on AANHPI in higher education, member of the Patsy T.Mink PAC and The Legal Clinic for immigrant justice Hawai’i.

Teresita Batayola

Teresita Batayola is the President and Chief Executive Officer of International Community Health Services, Washington state’s largest Asian and Pacific Islander non-profit health center providing comprehensive health care to all those who need affordable care, especially immigrants and refugees. Batayola is an advocate for health care access, equity, and addressing social determinants of health. ICHS has received awards for its high quality of care and Batayola has been recognized in the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Award for Outstanding Business & Philanthropic Contributions, Woman of Courage Undaunted from the University of Washington Women’s Center, and the Filipino Women’s Network’s Most Influential Filipino Woman in the World.

Ajay Bhutoria

Ajay Bhutoria is a Silicon Valley technology executive, community leader, speaker, and author that has been recognized for his work. He is a passionate advocate for the South Asian and AAPI communities in the areas of small businesses, educational opportunities, immigration issues, and technological advancement. His expertise in the areas of organizational transformations and change management has supported critical advancements within the AAPI community, and he is committed to the creation of a compassionate and empowering environment for all.

Luisa Blue

Luisa Blue retired from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in August 2020 after serving as an Executive Vice President for four years, one of the highest ranking AAPI officials in the labor movement. During her term was responsible for the SEIU Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Engagement and Leadership program, a member of the Racial Justice Task Force, chair of the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, and chair of the Ethical Culture Committee. She served on the SEIU Executive Board prior to her election as Executive Vice President. Luisa continues to be active in the community and serves on the Asian Health Services Community Board, a Trustee on Alameda County Health Systems Board of Trustees, and Vice President of the AAPI Victory Alliance Board. Luisa is the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren.

Kimberly Chang

Kimberly Seu Gin Chang, MD, MPH, born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai`i in a six generation kama`āina family, is a board-certified family physician in Oakland, California, at Asian Health Services, a federally qualified community health center. Dr. Chang has dedicated her 20+ year career to focusing on the health of the underserved AANHPI community, including people vulnerable to and affected by human trafficking and exploitation, developing national clinical and health policy recommendations for this issue. Dr. Chang has received numerous awards, most recently the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 2020 Emerging Public Health Professional Award and the 2021 UCSF Alumni Humanitarian Service Award. She received her undergraduate degree from Columbia College of Columbia University, her medical degree from the University of Hawai`i, her MPH from Harvard with the Commonwealth Fund Minority Health Policy Fellowship, and her residency training at UCSF. Dr. Chang currently serves as the Vice Speaker of the House for the National Association of Community Health Centers, and as expert faculty for Health Partners on Intimate Partner Violence + Exploitation at Futures Without Violence.

Emily Chen

Emily Chen is Chief of Research at Olshan Realty and manages the Private Wealth Real Estate Services, providing brokerage expertise along with research and consulting capabilities. She co-founded the Olshan Luxury Market Report, a weekly real-time snapshot of the Manhattan residential real estate market, which became the industry standard and revolutionized how the market is analyzed and evaluated. A former National Big Sister of the Year, Chen serves on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and is on the Executive Committee. Chen is a graduate of Georgetown University and Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Stand Up for Georgetown.

Kerry Doi

A 4th generation Japanese-American born on a Hawaiian plantation, Mr. Kerry Doi has spent his life combatting hate and solidifying his commitment to social and economic justice. For over 46 years, Mr. Doi has dedicated his work to the cause and the community development space through his leadership at Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE) – one of the nation’s largest Asian-led community development organizations serving 40,000 minority, low income individuals annually through workforce, small business, environmental justice, affordable housing, and early childhood education. He has served on numerous local, state, and national boards including his current appointments as Chair of the CA Community Economic Development Association, Vice Chair and Treasurer of the LA Housing Partnership, and member of the LA County Small Business Commission.

Grace Huang

Grace Huang, J.D., is a Taiwanese-American attorney who has advocated on behalf of the rights of survivors of domestic and sexual violence for almost 30 years as a legal services lawyer, attorney in private practice, and policy advocate. She currently is the Director of Policy at the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, where she focuses on federal policy to address the needs of survivors in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Ms. Huang serves on the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence, on the Washington State Women’s Commission. Ms. Huang also co-chairs the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors, working to address the needs of survivors of gender-based violence in the immigration system.

Victoria Huynh

Victoria Huynh is currently the Senior Vice President of the Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Inc. (CPACS), the largest nonprofit in the Southeast to focus on issues and concerns of AANHPI communities, especially women, children, and families. For more than a decade, Huynh has advocated for equitable language access, promoted local civic engagement, protected immigrant rights, championed cultural competency, and developed vital social service programs within the immigrant and refugee communities in Atlanta, Georgia. Mrs. Huynh’s experiences in her limited English proficient (LEP) Vietnamese Refugee household, fuels her passion for community building, strategic planning, and policy work within immigrant and refugee spaces. She is an MBA candidate and currently serves as consultant, board member, and panelist on various boards influencing state and local funding, nominations, and programs that impact communities of color.

Mia Ives-Rublee

Mia Ives-Rublee, MSW, is currently the Director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress. She obtained her Master’s in Social Work at University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill. She was also recognized as one of Glamour Women of the Year in 2017, She the People’s 20 Women of Color in Politics to Watch in 2020, and received the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award from the UNC School of Social Work. Ives-Rublee works at the intersection of disability, race, and gender, helping promote equity and opportunity for marginalized communities through policy and organizing.

Kamal Kalsi

Dr. Kamal Singh Kalsi, LTC, USAR is an emergency medicine physician from New Jersey that has served in the Army for 20 years and was awarded a Bronze Star medal for his work taking care of hundreds of combat casualties on the front lines in Afghanistan. He has transitioned into the Army reserves, and now serves as a senior advisor for Policy Vets and a Fellow of the Truman National Security Project’s Defense Council. He founded the Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA) in order to promote diversity, religious freedom, and service.

Michelle Kauhane

Michelle Kauhane is the Senior Vice President of Community Grants & Initiatives at Hawaii Community Foundation. Previously, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement where she engaged in lending and investment services deploying capital in underserved native Hawaiian communities statewide. Michelle has a background in non-profit management, organizational leadership, community based economic development and public policy advocacy. She has served on numerous local and national boards and currently sits on the Community Advisory Council at the Federal Reserve of San Francisco to offer perspectives on the economic and financial service needs of low- and moderate- income populations in Hawaii. She is a graduate of Gonzaga University.

Daniel Dae Kim

Daniel Dae Kim is an award-winning actor, director and producer. In addition to his series regular roles on TV’s LOST and THE HOT ZONE: ANTHRAX, Kim starred as the King of Siam in Lincoln Center’s Broadway production of the KING AND I. In addition to his numerous credits as an actor, he is developing both film and television projects as a producer with his company, 3AD. His current projects include THE GOOD DOCTOR currently airing on ABC. Recently, he also turned to advocacy, joining the Asian American Foundation, where he serves a Co-Chair of the Advisory Council. Mr. Kim can next be seen as an actor in the live action adaptation of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. He currently lives in Hawaii with his family.

Kevin Kim

Kevin D. Kim is a seasoned attorney, entrepreneur, and public servant. He is a co-founder of Abakidz, a mental math program. In public service, Mr. Kim was the first Korean American to win a NYC primary election as a 2009 Democratic nominee for a NYC Council seat, then served as the first Asian American commissioner of the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA), and now serves as the first Korean American Member of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York (CUNY) where he chairs the Audit Committee. He has served on the boards of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), Korean American Association of Greater New York (KAAGNY), American Red Cross – Queens Chapter, Friends of THIRTEEN, International Student Conferences, Inc. (ISC), Korean American Community Foundation (KACF), and the Fordham Law School Voting Rights and Democracy Project (Advisory Board). Mr. Kim received his B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a member of the Columbia Law Review.

Sarah Min

Sarah Min is an advocate and former media executive. Min promotes the advancement of mission-driven organizations who are transforming how to use technology, media and person-to-person outreach to mobilize people and change perceptions about women and people of color. From 2013-2019, Min was an independent consultant, working with clients such as HBO, Penguin Random House and other nonprofits, Previously, she served as Executive Vice President for, Marketing & Corporate Development for ScrollMotion, an enterprise software company. Min also was the Managing Editor of Vibe and Domino magazines, a director at media company Bertelsmann, as well as President of literary publishing company McSweeney’s. She serves as a director on nonprofit boards, including Color of Change and EMILY’s List, and has been engaged in grassroots organizations, including the Korean American Community Foundation and the Asian American Power Network. Sarah holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BS in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Simon Pang

Emigrated from Singapore in late 1989, Pang has been in banking industry since 1981. Pang is currently an Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Royal Business Bank. He is active in community service and was appointed to positions in statewide nonprofit organizations, including California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, California Highway Patrol Citizens Advisory Board member, Los Angeles County Sheriff Youth Foundation Board member, US-Sino Friendship Association President, US-Sino Aviation Heritage Foundation Honorable Chairman. He has also served as a National Governing Board Member and National Diversity Coalition Advisor with the national nonprofit Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs.

Ai-jen Poo

Ai-jen Poo is an award-winning organizer, author, and a leading voice in the women’s movement. She is the Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Director of Caring Across Generations, Co-Founder of SuperMajority, Co-Host of Sunstorm podcast and a Trustee of the Ford Foundation. Ai-jen is a nationally recognized expert on elder and family care, the future of work, and what’s at stake for women of color. She is the author of the celebrated book, The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America.

Naheed Qureshi

Naheed Qureshi is Head of Policy Partnerships at Instacart. Ms. Qureshi has had an extensive 20-year career in civil rights, including serving as a founding board member and later deputy director of Muslim Advocates and as co-chair of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Hate Crimes and Bigotry Task Force. Ms. Qureshi started her career in the U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General’s Honors Program and has also worked at the Civil Rights Division in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the City of Los Angeles, and the national legislative office of the ACLU. Ms. Qureshi received a B.A. in political science from the University of Wisconsin and J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. The daughter of immigrants from Pakistan, she was raised in Wisconsin and is an avid Packers fan.

Raynald Samoa

Dr. Raynald Samoa is an endocrinologist at the City of Hope and his current research projects include a faith-based community-centered diabetes prevention program in the San Gabriel Valley investigating a social-connectedness modified approach. Dr. Samoa served as the Lead for the National Pacific Islander COVID-19 Response Team and has authored several manuscripts describing the impact of COVID-19 on Pacific Islander communities. He has testified to the House of Representative Ways and Means Committee during a session entitled the disproportionate impact of  COVID-19 ON communities of color. He currently is the technical assistance lead for the Healing Association of Pacific Islander Physicians, a professional organization associated with the National Association of Organization of Pacific Islander Organizations.

Sonal Shah

Sonal Shah is a social impact and innovation leader that has launched and led social impact efforts in academia, government, and the private and philanthropic sectors for over 25 years. She is the Founding President of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), starting the largest philanthropic effort to serve the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Prior to TAAF, Shah founded and led Georgetown University’s Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation, providing students a first-hand opportunity to work on social impact projects in the public, private, and social sectors. She served as Deputy Assistant to President Obama and created the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, worked on international development at the Department of Treasury, and led social impact efforts at Google and Goldman Sachs. She serves on the boards of TAAF, Oxfam America, the Century Foundation, and the National Democratic Institute.

Smita Shah

Smita N. Shah is an engineer, entrepreneur, and civic leader serving as President and CEO of Chicago-based SPAAN Tech, Inc, a multi-disciplinary firm with expertise in public and private infrastructure projects including transportation, aviation, and facilities. Shah serves in various roles with the Chicago Plan Commission, M.I.T., the Museum of Science and Industry, After School Matters, Delhi Chicago Sister Cities Program, YPO, the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, and the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. She is a member of the board of MacLean Fogg Company and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the Economic Club of Chicago. Shah earned her Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University, her Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from M.I.T., and a Post Graduate Certificate in Management Studies from Oxford University.

Robert Underwood

Robert A. Underwood is a former Member of Congress representing Guam for 10 years. He is also President Emeritus of the University of Guam and has the distinction of being the longest serving President of the university. He has served the nation as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the founding Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund. As a scholar and activist, he has served his region and his people as a passionate advocate for the respect and maintenance of the Chamoru language and the empowerment of the peoples of Micronesia.

KaYing Yang

For more than three decades, KaYing has been a social justice advocate who has built and led community organizing, public policy engagement, and development efforts locally, nationally, and globally. She began her career as a community organizer and executive manager providing social services and advocacy for the protection of refugees and immigrants in Minnesota at the Women’s Association of Hmong and Lao. She then went on to defend and promote immigrant and human rights by serving in a number of organizations including the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, the International Organization for Migration, the International Finance Corporation, and the Coalition of Asian American Leaders in Minnesota. All of her work comes from a deep experience having come to the United States as a Hmong refugee at the age of seven in 1976 where she experienced firsthand the struggles faced by communities experiencing generational trauma and poverty.

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

New White House Initiative seeks to lift up Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander communities & increase presence in gov't

WHITE HOUSE

Among the first acts of President Biden was the re-establishment of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders which was formally launched Thursday.

Keeping a promise the President made the first week he took office, the Biden-Harris administration formally launched Thursday  the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra launched the Biden-Harris Administration’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and announced U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai as his co-chair of both the White House Initiative and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. 

The Initiative, which was created in response to the President’s Executive Order (EO) 14031, Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders,is charged with driving an ambitious, whole-of-government agenda to advancing equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities in the United States.

“Returning the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to HHS, where it originated, represents an important step in reinvigorating this historic initiative,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. In the Trump administration it was housed in the Department of Commerce.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to tackling a wide scope of challenges impacting communities that have been historically overlooked and underserved. I look forward to working with Ambassador Katherine Tai in leading our federal efforts to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities across the nation.”

Like other communities of color, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to exacerbating long-standing health inequities facing AA and NHPI communities, the language of some political leaders during this public health crisis has also fueled a spike in anti-Asian bias, xenophobia, and violence. To address these inequities, the new WHIAANHPI is housed within HHS, returning this initiative to the Department where it was first launched under the Clinton Administration in 1999.

The Biden-Harris administration formally relaunched the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, keeping a promise the President made the first few months of his administration.

The Initiative, which was created in response to the President’s Executive Order (EO) 14031, Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders,is charged with driving an ambitious, whole-of-government agenda to advancing equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities in the United States.

Like other communities of color, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to exacerbating long-standing health inequities facing AA and NHPI communities, the language of some political leaders during this public health crisis has also fueled a spike in anti-Asian bias, xenophobia, and violence. To address these inequities, the new WHIAANHPI is housed within HHS, returning this initiative to the Department where it was first launched under the Clinton Administration in 1999.

“President Biden, Vice President Harris and the entire Administration are committed to creating a more equal, just, and inclusive America. Leading this initiative with Secretary Becerra will be a critical part of our work across government to expand opportunity, confront systemic barriers to success, and address the rising violence targeted at the AA and NHPI community,” said co-chair and Ambassador Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative. 

“With today’s launch of WHIAANHPI’s Interagency Working Group and Regional Network within HHS, we now have the tools to secure resources, promote opportunities, and increase the visibility of AA and NHPI communities,” said WHIAANHPI Executive Director Krystal Ka‘ai. “I am honored to serve under the leadership of Secretary Becerra and Ambassador Tai during this pivotal time for our community as we work to build a brighter future for generations to come.”

Under the leadership of Becerra and Tai, the newly-expanded Initiative includes an Interagency Working Group tasked with coordinating the federal government’s efforts to support AA and NHPI communities. It also includes a Regional Network comprised of federal officials in ten federal regions across the country who help to connect AA and NHPI communities with federal grants, programs, and resources.

The WHIAANHPI under the Biden-Harris Administration will focus on helping to coordinate a comprehensive federal response to the rise in acts of anti-Asian bias and violence; address the systemic lack of disaggregated data on AA and NHPI communities; expand language access and language assistance programs for AA and NHPI individuals across federal programs; address educational, health, economic, and housing disparities impacting AA and NHPI communities, and more. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION on the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, link to www.hhs.gov/whiaanhpi. 

"I’m proud to see (the WHIAANHPI) expanding under President Biden to focus on health equity and pandemic response, two areas where AANHPIs are disproportionately at risk, said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "I am pleased to see the Initiative re-establishing their federal interagency working group and their regional network to ensure that our communities all across the country see their voices and needs reflected throughout our federal government."

“The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders is the embodiment of the longstanding commitment and vision that President Biden and Vice President Harris have for our diverse and growing community,” said Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Senior Liaison Erika Moritsugu. 

“This Administration has delivered results for AA and NHPI communities with the President's whole-of-government approach to equity, along with the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, and now again with the reinvigoration and expansion of this historic Initiative.”

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

Biden's pick for his trade rep signals a new focus on Asian economies

SCREEN CAPTURE /CSPAN

Katherine Tai is Joe Biden's nominee for the U.S. Trade Representative.

President-elect Joe Biden's selection of Katherine Tai as his top trade representative, may signal that under his administration, the U.S. will likely seek to regain its leadership role in the economies of Asian allies.

On Thursday Biden named Katherine Tai, a trade lawyer with a history of taking on China, as his incoming administration’s pick for the United States’ top trade representative.

"From our work together on Ways and Means, I have seen firsthand Ms. Tai’s skill and experience with trade deals and have been impressed by her work on the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement, as well as her vast knowledge of the current and coming trade challenges," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

"Through her work as Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement at USTR, Ms. Tai has also demonstrated her commitment to enforcing trade deals that work for the United States."

Tai is the second Asian American Biden has picked to be on his Cabinet. Neera Tanden was nominated earlier for the director of the Office of Management and Budget.

If confirmed by the Senate, the Mandarin-fluent Tai would inherit a critical, Cabinet-level position tasked with enforcing America’s import rules and brokering trading terms with China and other nations.

“Katherine’s nomination is also historic. She would be the first Asian American and the first woman of color to serve in this role, breaking barriers and clearing the way for others to follow. She would also be one of the highest ranking Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) officials in our government. 

Tai has spent her career working to level the playing field for American workers and families. Currently, Tai serves as the chief lawyer on trade to the Chairman and Democratic Members of the Committee on Ways and Means on matters of international trade as Chief Trade Counsel. In this role, she has secured key victories for workers in U.S. trade policy and has been praised by lawmakers and lawyers for her work. 

Prior to the Committee, Tai served in the USTR’s Office of the General Counsel, first as Associate General Counsel from 2007 to 2011 and then as Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement with responsibility for the development and litigation of U.S. disputes against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Before joining USTR, Tai worked in the international trade departments in various Washington, D.C. law firms. From 1996 to 1998, she lived and worked in Guangzhou, China teaching English at Sun Yat-Sen University as a Yale-China Fellow. Tai was born in Connecticut — the first American-born citizen in her family — and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. She is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.

Tai had a central role in negotiating the Trans Pacific Partnership during the Obama administration that was strongly criticized during the 2016 Presidential campaign.

The TPP excluded China and was a cornerstone of Obama’s efforts to cement U.S. influence in Asia. The agreement was killed when Donald Trump took office. With the U.S. influenced weakened, China quickly moved. China has since signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with 14 other countries, a trade agreement that excludes the U.S. and covers about 30% of the world’s economy.

“While I am thrilled about Katherine’s nomination, I urge President-elect Biden to continue to ensure that more AAPIs are represented in his Cabinet," said Chu who was part of a delegation of AAPI leaders to meet with the Biden transition team last week to urged Biden to name more AAPI to Secretary-level positions in his administration. 

"For over two decades, there has always been at least one AAPI at the Secretary level in the Cabinet, and I urge President-elect Biden to continue to maintain that base level of representation as part of his promise to build a government that inspires young people, prioritizes expertise, and reflects the diversity of our nation.”