Hirono, Meng Introduce Congressional resolution recognizing May as AANHPI Heritage Month

As the Donald Trump administration is doing everything it can to minimize the history and role of Americans of color, it becomes more important to highlight the often ignored, and forgotten stories and individuals that make America great.

Back on May 8 United States Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-NY), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), introduced a bicameral, bipartisan resolution to mark May 2025 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. The resolution recognizes the significant contributions that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities have made to this country.

        RELATED: Meng, Hirono introduced bill promoting AANHPI history in schools

“During Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we celebrate the diversity and historic contributions of our communities, while also recognizing the challenges we have overcome,” said Senator Hirono. 

“At a time when diversity is under attack and immigrant communities are being targeted across the country, I’m proud to join Chair Meng in introducing this resolution and reaffirming our commitment in this fight to build a more inclusive and equitable future for all,” said Hirono, one of three Asian American US Senators.

        FYI: The full text of the resolution is available here.

A week later on May 16, the White House issued a similar proclamation making May as AANHPI Heritage Month.

Trump has led and in many ways, encouraged the backlash against reforms that champion diversity, equaity and inclusion that provide opportunities long denied or thwarted by the white-dominated culture and institutions of America.

The Washington Post listed some of actions of this administration that could turn America back to the country that existed before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

• DEI: On his first day in office, President Trump ordered a government-wide purge of DEI programs and offices.
• Civil rights: The Trump administration has moved aggressively to unravelPresident Lyndon Johnson's civil rights legacy, including by reorienting DOJ priorities to focus on "anti-white racism."
• History: Trump ordered a federal review of Confederate monuments toppled during the 2020 protests.
• Police reform: Days before the anniversary of Floyd's murder, the Justice Department scrapped proposed consent decrees for the Minneapolis and Louisville police departments — and dropped nearly a dozen other investigations into alleged police abuse.
• Refugee policy: The administration has effectively ended most refugee programs, except for one tailored to white South African farmers.

In the Senate, this resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

In the House, this resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Judy Chu (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Al Green (D-TX), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-CNMI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Susie Lee (D-NV), Ted Lieu (D-CA), April McClain Delaney (D-MD), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Dave Min (D-CA), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Mark Takano (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Norma Torres (D-CA), Derek Tran (D-CA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).

The civil rights policies that was born out of the Civil Rights Movement was led the Black community but they benefitted Asian Americans, Hispanics and women as well.

“Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have made invaluable contributions to our country and continue to play a vital role in shaping America for the better,” said Rep. Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

 “In the face of recent efforts to erase our community's achievements, Senator Hirono and I remain steadfast in our support for the AANHPI community and will continue to champion our stories of triumph, sacrifice, and resilience that are integral to the story of America.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Congressional bill would promote teaching AANHPI history in US schools

EMILY NAKAJIMA

Most US tudents rarely hear about the contributions of AANHPI to American history.

It is often said that history is written by the victors. In the case of the United States, the "victors" stole land from the indigenous peoples, enslaved Blacks, grabbed land from Mexico and banned immigrants from Asia.

Large parts of America's story was written from the white viewpoint often ignoring, short shrifting and even erasing the stories of non-white communities and individuals, the accomplishments, contributions and stories of Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island Americans.

US Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and US Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) on Wednesday  introduced a bill that would partially tell the missing chapters about Asian Americans Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander. According to recent surveys, thy are still thought of as "foreigners," despite having a presence in the US and making American history for centuries.

“Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have made invaluable contributions to our nation – yet for far too long, our history has been ignored and overlooked in the classroom,” said Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

The Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act introduced by the two lawmakers, is bicameral legislation to promote the teaching of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history in schools across the country.

AANHPI have made and continue to make immeasurable contributions to our nation, including in sports, arts, government, science, business, and military service. However, the K-12 education system and social studies textbooks have poorly represented how AANHPIs have played pivotal roles in shaping America for the better. In a recent survey by The Asian American Foundation, 42% of respondents were unable to name a famous Asian American, and 42% were unable to name a famous Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

 “The Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act aims to change that. I am proud to reintroduce this legislation with Senator Hirono to ensure that our stories are taught in schools and textbooks, especially at a time when AANHPI communities are under attack by those who wish to erase our achievements and sacrifices. AANHPI history is American history, and it deserves to be honored for generations to come.”

“Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history is critical to gaining a better understanding of the discrimination and prejudice endured by the AANHPI community, as well as our community’s many accomplishments,” added  Hirono. 

“As diversity, equity, and inclusion continue to be attacked by the Trump administration, this legislation would help increase awareness of the history, contributions, and experiences of the AANHPI community. I am proud to reintroduce the Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act with Representative Meng to give our students a better understanding of the roles the AANHPI community has played in history and help dismantle harmful stereotypes and discrimination.”

Rep. Grace Meng (left) and Sen. Mazie Hirono introduced legislation in support of teaching
AANHPI contributions and achievements to US history.

Specifically, the Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act would:

• Require grant applications from Presidential and Congressional Academies to include AANHPI history as part of their American history and civics programs offered to students and teachers;

• Encourage the inclusion of AANHPI history in national and state tests administered through the National Assessment of Educational Progress; and

• Promote collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution's Asian Pacific American Center to develop innovative programming regarding AANHPI history.

The bill faces an uphill climb as it must pass the GOP-dominated Senate and House, both of which have shown its Republican members to succumb to Trump's anti-diversity edicts. Even those Republicans representing large AANHPI communities, such as California's Rep. Young Kim, who represents Orange and San Bernardino counties, home to  substantial Asian American communities, has been consistent in voting against her community interests by going along with Trump's anti-DEI policies.

Nevertheless, the legislation drew praise and support from leaders in the AANHPI communities.

“Ensuring that Asian Pacific American History is taught in our classrooms across the country is critical for the progress of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities,” said Gregg Orton, National Director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA). 

“The continued disregard of APA history - including the stories, experiences, and contributions from our AANHPI communities in curriculum has led to the erasure of many generations," Orton continued. "This key bill would allow our students across the country to see themselves, while educating others on the importance of understanding our roots and cultural history. Stories of our communities' resilience and perseverance are integral to the cultural fabric of our nation.”

“This bill is needed today more than ever given the ongoing attacks on inclusive education," said John C. Yang, President and Executive Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC. “Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander histories should be taught in every classroom along with other underrepresented histories, including African American, Latino, and Native American histories. We are doing a grave disservice to the next generation if they do not learn the whole history of our nation. Teaching diverse curricula is critical to building a better, more inclusive future.”

“Ensuring that the rich and vital history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders is taught in our schools isn’t just about representation, it’s about providing all students with a complete and accurate understanding of American history,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). “The Teaching Asian Pacific American History Act is an important step toward acknowledging the immeasurable contributions of AANHPI communities, addressing the roots of discrimination and fostering a more inclusive and informed future for all our students so that they can navigate an increasingly diverse and complex world.”

“Every student deserves to see themselves reflected in their education, and to learn about the experiences and cultures of the diverse communities that make up our nation's history,” said Mannirmal Kaur, Senior Federal Policy Manager of the Sikh Coalition. 

“Diverse educational materials don’t just instill a sense of belonging and empowerment in students from marginalized communities—they cultivate empathy and awareness and among all students, providing a more well-rounded education for every child," continued Kaur. "It is our duty to provide all of our children with a meaningful and holistic education so that they may better understand the world they live in, and the Teaching AANHPI History Act will bring us one step closer towards that goal.”

“OCA proudly endorses Senator Hirono and Representative Meng’s Teaching AANHPI History Act,” said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. “This bill represents a historic step in uplifting AANHPI communities by ensuring our stories and presence are included in our nation’s school curricula. 

"For years, OCA has advocated for the inclusion of AANHPI narratives in K-12 education because our history is American history, and it deserves to be taught as such," said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. "Incorporating these stories is essential to combating discrimination and fostering greater understanding and empathy. We appreciate Senator Hirono and Representative Meng’s continued leadership in advancing this bill and look forward to seeing its impact.”

“Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history is marked by tremendous contributions to our nation’s progress, alongside painful experiences of exclusion and discrimination,” said Gary Locke, former US Ambassador to China and Chair of the Chinese American nonprofit Committee of 100. “It’s essential that students learn the full story—from the challenges to the triumphs.”

“We strongly support the Teaching Asian Pacific American History Act,” said Huy Pham, Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP). “At APIAHiP, we know that history lives not just in textbooks, but in the places, memories, and lived experiences of our communities. This bill is a critical step toward ensuring that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander stories are not erased, but rightfully included in our national narrative. By expanding access to AANHPI history in classrooms, we help students of all backgrounds understand the full complexity of America’s past — and empower the next generation to preserve, honor, and protect the places that carry those histories.”

“For our children to appreciate the diverse tapestry of this Nation, they must learn the full breadth of the American experience, which inextricably includes the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Our history is not an elective; it is essential."

“The National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (National ACE) proudly supports the Teaching AANHPI History Act,” said Chiling Tong, President and CEO of National ACE. “Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are a vital part of America’s story. Recognizing their contributions and challenges is essential for fostering a more inclusive and comprehensive understanding of our history. We extend our gratitude to CAPAC Chair Meng for her leadership in advancing this important effort.”

“The Indian Diaspora Council International expresses its full support for ‘Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History,’ which is integral to understanding the origins, history, traditions and culture of a significant segment of our population, thereby enhancing our diversity and strength,” said Ashook Ramsaran, President of the Indian Diaspora Council.

Several states have recently implemented mandates for public schools to teach Asian American history, recognizing the need to include diverse perspectives in American history curricula. Illinois was the first state to require a unit on Asian American history in 2021, and since then, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Florida have followed suit. Other states are considering similar measures including California, home to the largest number of AANHPI, and Hawaii, the only state where AANHPI are in the majority.

These mandates aim to prevent anti-Asian hate and provide all students with a more comprehensive understanding of US history and a broader perspective that includes viewing the AANHPI peoples as fellow Americans.

From the building of the railroads to Silicon Valley, ffrom the Chinese Exclusion Act to military heroism defending democracy, from scientific discoveries to Olympic championships, from the fields of Hawaii and California to the White House, AANHPI have been active in making America's story and those stories  must be told.

“At a time when the Trump administration is actively working to undermine the teaching of accurate history by minimizing the deep, lasting harms of slavery and attempting to erase the contributions of people of color, this legislation is essential,” said Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). “The SPLC strongly denounces the president’s efforts to mask racism and white supremacy as patriotism.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

US Mint unveils design of the quarter honoring Patsy Mink

The US Mint is putting the image of Patsy Takemoto Mink on the quarter coin.

The US Mint recently released the design for a quarter honoring the late Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color to serve in Congress representing the state of Hawaii.

The US Mint began designing the quarter after a letter from Hawaii's US Senator Mazie Hirono in 2021.

“Patsy Mink was a champion for social justice, equality, and civil rights—she was a trailblazer in every sense of the word,” said Senator Hirono.

“As the first woman of color to serve in Congress and a lead author of Title IX, Congresswoman Mink worked to ensure that all women in our country have every opportunity men have. I’m glad to see the Mint honoring Rep. Mink as part of the American Women Quarters Program so that people all across our country can learn more about her immeasurable contributions to Hawaii and our nation.”

The obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of George Washington, originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark George Washington’s 200th birthday. A recommended design for the 1932 quarter, then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the familiar John Flanagan design.

The reverse (tails) depicts Mink holding her landmark “TITLE IX” legislation. In the background, a view of the US Capitol Building prominently features the south wing, home to the US House of Representatives, where Mink served in Congress. The lei she wears represents her home state of Hawaii.

Authorized by the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, the American Women Quarters Program features coins with designs emblematic of the accomplishments and contributions of prominent American women.

Contributions come from a wide spectrum of fields including, but not limited to, suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored come from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds.

As required by the law, no living person will be featured in the coin designs, and thus all the women honored must be deceased. The Mint is issuing five coins with different reverse designs annually over the four-year period from 2022 through 2025.

Other Asian American women already honored by the program are the first Asian American movie star Anna May Wong, and Native Hawaiian cultural teacher and advocate Edith Kanakaole.

Besides Mink, other women who will be featured on quarters in 2024 include:

• Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray – poet, writer, activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest
• Dr. Mary Edwards Walker – Civil War era surgeon, women’s rights and dress reform advocate
• Celia Cruz – Cuban American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century
• Zitkala-Ša – Native American writer, composer, educator, and political activist

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Bill introduced to make AANHPI history a part of the nation's curricula; DeSantis signs mandate in Florida

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (seated) signed a new law to teach AANHPI history in public schools.

Florida joins a growing number of states mandating that Asian American history be included in the curriculum of its public schools.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1537 into law requiring Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history in the state's K-12 curriculum.

The May 9 signing makes Florida the first Republican-led state to pass such a law. Mimi Chan, director of Make Us Visible Florida — a nonprofit community advocacy agency that pushes for the inclusion of AANHPI studies in public schools — led the effort for two years to make it happen.

“It took a lot of work and determination in order to get this passed,” Chan said, according to The Independent Florida Alligator. “Asian American history is American history.”

As the nation continue to observe Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, US Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) announced May 11 that they introduced legislation to promote the teaching of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history in the nation's schools.

Throughout America’s history, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have made immeasurable contributions to our nation, helping to make the United States the country that it is today. However, AANHPI history has been ignored or poorly represented in our K-12 education system and social studies textbooks.

The lawmakers’ Teaching Asian Pacific American History Act would help change this by increasing awareness of the history, contributions and experiences of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States so that more students across the nation understand and appreciate the role that AANHPIs have played in shaping and building America.

“From the heights we’ve reached to the struggles we have faced, future generations must know and understand all that the AANHPI community has given to our country>" said Meng, the First Vice Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.  "For too long, our schools have ignored or diminished this vital part of our nation’s past, and it is finally time for that to change. 

"A greater understanding of our story would also help address anti-Asian hate and discrimination at its roots, and combat the stereotypes and negative perceptions that for generations have existed about Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. I thank Senator Hirono for partnering with me on this important legislation and look forward to our bills moving through Congress.”

“Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize AANHPI individuals and communities that have contributed to the development and enhancement of American life and culture,” said  Hirono. 

“But too often, the teaching of AANHPI history has been limited to passing references or minor footnotes that barely scratch the surface of our diverse and resilient communities,” she said.

“The inclusion of AAPI histories in education is crucial as it allows AAPI students to see themselves and their communities represented in the curriculum, while promoting mutual learning between students of all backgrounds, and helping to dismantle harmful stereotypes by exposing all students to the richness of all the contributions the AAPI community has had to our country,” said Soukprida Phetmisy, Senior Managing Director of Teach For America’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Alliances."

The drive to include Asian American history in US schools began in response to the growing number of anti-Asian attacks since the beginning of the pandemic in 2021 when Trump administration began blaming China for the spread of the coronavirus that included the use of racist rhetoric. Though COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic, the virus is still claiming about 1000 lives every week. 

One of the reasons Asian Americans has become an easy scapegoat is because of the stereotype that paints Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners, even though history tells us  Asian Americans have been in North America before the United States was even a country.

“Had I seen myself reflected in history and had others been able to learn about the civic contributions, I feel that the feeling of other or the perpetual foreigner syndrome could have been prevented,” Chan said.

Reports by the FBI, find that the racist attacks against Asian Americans appear not to be slacking. Of the eight lives lost in the recent Texas mall shooting, four the fatalities were Asian Americans. 

“The anti-Asian violence that escalated since the pandemic began illustrates how harmful believing these stereotypes can bem" said Phetmisy. "To fight back against this prejudice and violence, it is essential to understand and acknowledge the inextricable role of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in shaping the nation's story and identity. By teaching this full history, and celebrating it, we dispel the harmful narrative that suggests Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are not an integral part of the United States.”

“Now, more than at any time in recent memory, it is crucial that students have the opportunity to learn the rich history of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities,” said Margaret Huang, President and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund. 

"The United States has a long and shameful history of discrimination against people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent — and just this year, the FBI documented record levels of hate violence against our communities. Hate crime laws must be enforced, but equally important are prevention and education.”

"The teaching of Asian Pacific American History in our education system is critical for the progress of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities,” said Gregg Orton, National Director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA). “The consistent neglect of APA history in our curriculum has led to the erasure of many generations of our communities. This bill would allow our students nationwide to be seen and feel empowered, while educating others in understanding our roots and cultural history."

The Teaching Asian Pacific American History Act would require grant applications from Presidential and Congressional Academies to include Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history as part of their American history and civics programs offered to students and teachers.

Presidential Academies are designed for teachers seeking to strengthen their knowledge of American history, and Congressional Academies for students who aim to enrich their understanding of the subject.

The bill, which Meng previously introduced in 2020 and 2021, would also encourage the inclusion of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history in national and state tests administered through the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and promote collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution's Asian Pacific American Center to develop innovative programming regarding Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history.

Besides Florida, the Illinois, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Connecticut have already passed legislation mandating AANHPI history be taught in the states' public schools. A bill has been introduced to include similar requirements in New York schools. 

The Teaching Asian Pacific American History Act  "represents a historic step in prioritizing Asian American and Pacific Islander histories in our education system," said John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC. "Recent events have shown that teaching diverse curricula is ever more important to building a more inclusive future, and public education of AAPI histories will play a crucial role in ensuring that we can move forward as a country."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.

Hirono bill amends Violence Against Women Act to include funding for Native Hawaiians

US Senator Mazie Hirono has been an advocate for Native Hawaiians.

The US Senate unanimously passed legislation  Nov. 16 allowing Native Hawaiian survivors of gender-based violence to access critical programs and resources provided by Congress through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

More than two-thirds of sex trafficking victims in Hawaii are Native Hawaiian women and girls, and 37% of reported child sex trafficking cases in Hawaii are Native Hawaiian, according to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Yet, the nonprofits established to assist these victims have not been able to access federal grants.

"It would likely shock many of my colleagues to learn about the gender-based violence and sex-trafficking numbers in Hawaii," said Sen. Mazie Hirono, who sponsored the legislation that would amend the VAWA to allow agencies to apply for federal funding. "And of sex trafficking survivors in Hawaii—over 70 percent are Native Hawaiian women and girls. But yet, Native Hawaiian organizations cannot actually serve Native Hawaiian women through these grants."

The reauthorization of VAWA—which was signed into law in March, 2022—provides funding to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex-trafficking, dating violence and stalking. Senator Hirono’s legislation amends the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to ensure Native Hawaiian organizations can actually serve the Native Hawaiian community.

Indigenous women across the country—including Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women — experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence.

Therefore, VAWA includes Services, Training, Officers Prosecutors (STOP) grants to provide funding for eligible Native-serving nonprofits, including Native Hawaiian organizations, to help combat sexual violence and support survivors. However, because of how the law was written, while Native Hawaiian organizations are able to apply for STOP grant funding, they cannot use the funds to actually serve the Native Hawaiian community. As a result, Native Hawaiian women have been unable to access critical resources included in VAWA.

According to census data, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander groups make up 10.5% of today's Hawaii’s population. However, they constitute the majority of sex trafficking cases. When looking at just child sex trafficking cases, Native Hawaiians represent 37% of victims statewide. 

KITV

Sen. Hirono's bill will allow more aid to Native Hawaiian victims of gender abuse.

Hirono, one of only two Senators of AANHPI descent, has been a strong advocate for the Native Hawaiian community and efforts to combat violence against Native Hawaiians. In August, she pressed FBI Director Christopher Wray to do more to protect the Native Hawaiian community from sexual exploitation at a full Judiciary Committee hearing and emphasized the need for the FBI to include the Native Hawaiian community in its efforts to address the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis and violence against Native communities. In May, she joined a resolution designating May 5th as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Hirono's VAWA amendment goes to the White House where President Biden is expected to sign the bill.

“For decades, Congress has provided funding to organizations that support survivors of gender-based violence through the Violence Against Women Act. This funding is critical to support all women, including Native women who experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence. However, Native Hawaiian women have been excluded from accessing these much-needed resources,” said Hirono.

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

Hirono pushes FBI to address high incidence of trafficking of Native Hawaiian women

A week after Hawaii's Senator Mazie Hirono urged FBI Director Christopher Wray to do more to protect human trafficking victims in Hawaii, especially Native Hawaiians, seven young human trafficking victims were rescued in Honolulu.

According to FBI Honolulu, as part of a cross-country operation at least seven girls were located and rescued on Oahu on Friday by FBI agents, the Honolulu Police Department, the Missing Child Center of Hawaii (MCCH),

The FBI noted that two traffickers in Hawaii were arrested in connection with the victims. The suspects face child sexual exploitation and human trafficking charges.

"Native Hawaiian women and girls represent 67% to 77% of sex trafficking victims in the state of Hawaii," said US Sen. Mazie Hirono . “Native Hawaiians also represent 37% of reported child sex trafficking cases,” she cited to Wray during a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Hirono pressed  Wray on what the Bureau is doing to protect the Native Hawaiian community from sexual exploitation at a full Judiciary Committee hearing. During the hearing, Hirono highlighted how sexual exploitation disproportionately impacts Native Hawaiian women and children in the state of Hawaii.

Hirono also emphasized the need for the FBI to include the Native Hawaiian community in its efforts to address the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis and violence against Native communities.

According to census data, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander groups make up 10.5% of today's Hawaii’s population. However, they constitute the majority of sex trafficking cases. When looking at child sex trafficking cases, Native Hawaiians represent 37% of victims statewide.

“The federal government owes the same trust responsibility to Native Hawaiians as it does to American Indians and Alaska Natives,” said Senator Hirono during the exchange. “Even if [the Violence Against Women Act] doesn’t specifically allow for protection of Hawaiian women and children, there’s nothing that stops the FBI from including Native Hawaiian women and children as part of your charge.”

“I will say that you put your finger on an important issue, and our Honolulu office has been working very hard to target and aggressively pursue federal charges on known and repeat human trafficking offenders,” Wray responded.

He said that office found are gangs and drug trafficking organizations "exploit vulnerable victims, and in particular, the lion’s share—as you say with the statistics that you were citing—the lion’s share of that is on displaced or marginalized sectors, especially Native Hawaiians." 

"And, in fact, I think it was just this past week, our Honolulu office recovered, I think, three minor females who were missing and at risk on the Big Island. And I know they’re very aggressively working that issue."

Hirono is a strong advocate for ensuring the federal government meets the trust responsibility owed to all Native Americans, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, and is a longstanding supporter of programs and resources that uplift women and children. In May, she introduced a resolution designating May 5th as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The seven human trafficking victims rescued in Hawaii were part of a nationwide enforcement campaign dubbed "Operation Cross Country." The FBI, working with its state and local partners during the month of August, identified and located 84 minor victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation offenses and located 37 actively missing children.

Data from rescue groups found that while more than 20% of Indigenous people remain missing for 30 days or longer, only 11% of white people remain missing for the same time period. Another disparity was present in terms of media coverage: While 30% of Indigenous homicide victims made the news, more than 50% of white victims did.

"Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Unfortunately, such crimes—against both adults and children—are far more common than most people realize. As we did in this operation, the FBI and our partners will continue to find and arrest traffickers, identify and help victims, and raise awareness of the exploitation our most vulnerable populations.”

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

Portrait of Patsy Mink, trailblazing congressmember, unveiled in US Capitol on 50th anniversary of Title IX law

OFFICE OF SEN. MAZIE HIRONO

Sen. Mazie Hirono and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admire the portrait of the late Patsy Mink.

The portrait of the late Congresswoman from Hawaiʻi, Patsy Mink, was unveiled today in the US Capitol during a ceremony to celebrate her legendary life and the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking bill, Title IX.

Mink—the first woman of color elected to Congress in 1965—led the effort to write and pass Title IX, which President Nixon signed into law. Title IX stated that no one should be excluded from participation or face discrimination on the basis of sex in any education programs or activity receiving federal assistance.

"This is what America is all about: possibilities," said President Biden. "Millions of women and girls have benefited from the change that Title IX helped make possible. 

"More women and girls are participating and excelling in countless fields—from professional sports, to science, math, and technology than ever before. Their leadership, achievements, and success bear out the legacy of countless women throughout history who fought hard for a place at the table and for equal opportunity in all fields."

US Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-HI, said during the ceremony Thursday: “Thirty-seven words long, Title IX represented a sea change for women in our country. Fifty years later, Title IX is just as important today as it was when Patsy fought for it.”

Following Mink's death in 2002, the law was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.

Title IX applies to several areas of education, including the classroom, athletics, sexual assault and violence on campus, employment, discrimination, admissions, retaliation and financial assistance with tuition.

Over the years, the law also has been extended to other forms of gender and sex discrimination with issues involving the LGBTQ community.

Because of Title IX and the movement it launched, athletic opportunities for women in college are no longer the exception – they are the rule.

In 1971, the year before Title IX, fewer than 300,000 girls participated in high school sports, one in 27. Twenty years later, the total approached 3 million, approximately one in 2½. The latest number, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation, is 3.4 million.

The portrait of Mink was painted by artist Sharon Sprung. It joins other portraits of women trailblazers hanging in Statuary Hall, including Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Woman to serve in Congress and Jeanette Rankin, the first woman to ever serve in Congress.

"Growing up, I never thought I would be in elected office, let alone a member of Congress. It's because I never saw anyone who looked like me in such positions," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "So, it never even occurred to me that it was a possibility. 

"But think of how different this will be with the installation of this portrait. So many young girls will see it as they walk through the halls of the U.S. Capitol. And they will see a shining example of what Asian American women and women of color can do as trailblazers in Congress," said Chu.

"With celebration comes our continued commitment to build off of these incredible achievements.," said Rep. Kai Kahele, D-HI, representing Mink's congressional district. "We must tackle new challenges that arise, including fighting to eliminate sexual violence and increasing female representation in STEM programs. As the representative of the congressional district that she formerly served, I strive to uphold her legacy every day by advocating for equal rights and continuing to push for increased opportunities for women.”

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

AANHPI applaud President Biden's State of the Union

Asian Americans and Pacific Islander leaders and organizations praised President Biden's first State of the Union address even though AAPIs barely got a mention.

In his hour-long address, Biden made two things clear: ending violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and fighting for voting rights remain high priorities for this administration.

As part of his domestic priorities and achievements, in his address to the combined houses of Congress, President Biden stated:

“While it often appears that we never agree, that isn’t true. I signed 80 bipartisan bills into law last year. From preventing government shutdowns to protecting Asian Americans from still-too-common hate crimes to reforming military justice.”

Despite media tendency to focus on what Biden didn't accomplish in his first year in office, the President reminded the audience that Congress was able to pass 80 bipartisan bills including those for infrastructure funding and helped create thousands of new jobs as the economy recovers from Trump administration policies.

“Tonight, President Biden laid out his vision to build a better America for all of us," said Rep. Judy Chu D-27, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).  "This is especially important for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

READ the complete State of the Union.

"We need to help AAPI families get back to work and back on their feet and that is precisely what the President detailed tonight. For starters, the pandemic exposed the deep inequalities in these communities, especially when it comes to healthcare," said Chu. "That is why I’m so grateful to the President for his plans to keep the costs of prescription drugs down, extend the Child Tax Credit, and ensure affordable housing, all three of which are areas where AAPI families were hit the hardest over the past year."

Chu outlined the issues important tot he AAPI communities, including: a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS (temporary protective status) visa holders, farm workers and essential workers, and strengthening the US economy.

"I appreciate the President continuing to speak out about the ongoing plague of anti-Asian violence in our country which has led to over 10,000 anti-Asian hate incidents since the start of the pandemic alone," continued Chu. "Thanks to President Biden, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is now signed into law."

“Anti-Asian hate has existed long before COVID-19, but the ongoing pandemic has exacerbated discrimination and violence towards AAPIs to dangerous levels. We were pleased when President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law last year, and reauthorized the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders."

President Biden reasserted yesterday his commitment to protecting democracy and securing our communities’ ability to vote – no matter what," said Christine Chen,  Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote. "The fight for our voting rights is not over, and we appreciate that the President agrees.”

“The voting rights of every American, including AAPIs, must remain top of mind in 2022 and beyond; there is a lot of work to be done. We look forward to working with the President and his administration to ensure that this promise is fulfilled.”

"Despite the several challenges presented to the United States since he took office, we are pleased that our communities’ livelihood and our freedom to vote are at the forefront of his agenda.”

OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates’ Executive Director Thu Nguyen said that the Biden's brief but historic nod to AAPI communities is important 

“Since day one, the Biden-Harris administration has worked to earn the trust of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander families, and their support is especially meaningful as our communities continue to combat tragic violence and pandemic health disparities," said Nguyen. "In less than a year, the president appointed a senior White House AANHPI community liaison, expanded the White House Initiative on AANHPIs, and signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law." 

“The Biden-Harris administration has continuously put racial equity at the forefront of its policies, and we are encouraged to see the investments to ensure every community has access to the resources and tools to address our collective challenges, from COVID-19 to hate incidents to the cancer moonshot," said Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.

“We are inspired by President Biden’s vision for a better, healthier America, and look forward to continuing progress toward equity and justice,” she concluded.

“President Biden’s vision for America is in stark contrast to the previous Administration, which actively undermined the health and wellbeing of Southeast Asian Americans," said Quyên Đinh, Executive Director of Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC).

"The President’s emphasis on parity between physical and mental health would help Southeast Asians who continue to struggle with trauma from the war, the ensuing generational trauma that lingers in our communities, and mental harm from increased anti-Asian violence," continued Dinh. 

"Holistic, well-funded health resources for Southeast Asian Americans that address the concerns of all community members – from increased access to mental health services for students, to support for older adults and those who are care for them – are essential to our community’s success in society, especially as we navigate the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and anti-Asian hate"

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The President's SOTU started out strong out of the gate in his opening comments of the Ukraine war and introduced Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova, who received a bipartisan, strong and extended round of applause, as she held one hand over her heart and a miniature Ukraine flag in the other hand.

Biden also made history as he opened his speech with: "Madam Speaker, Madam Vice President ..." addressing the two women, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris, who sat behind him as he spoke.

“Tonight President Biden not only reaffirmed his commitment to lowering costs for families, but also to ensuring that every single Americans’ voice is heard at the ballot box," said Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono. "Meanwhile, Republicans have passed dozens of bills across the country with the clear intention of making it harder for people to vote—people of color in particular.

“Despite Republican efforts, under President Biden’s leadership, Democrats will not stop fighting to improve the lives of every person in this country, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, immigrants and undocumented people. President Biden laid out his plan tonight of building a better America."

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

Democrats fight back Republicans' efforts to suppress voters' of color

SCREEN CAPTURE

Hawaii's Sen. Mazie Hirono speaking on the Senate floor.

After West Virginia's Sen. Joe Mancin has apparently doomed President Biden's Build Back Better plan with his refusal to vote for it, Democrats began shifting their attention to voting rights.

Hawaii's Senator Mazie K. Hirono spoke on the Senate floor about the urgent need to pass voting rights legislation on Dec. 16. Given Republican’s refusal to do their jobs and protect the fundamental right to vote, Hirono urged her Democratic colleagues to act on filibuster reform in order to advance voting rights legislation.

“Before President Trump, Republicans at least tried to pretend their laws weren’t blatantly discriminatory. But now they aren’t even attempting to hide the fact that they are purposefully trying to make it darn near impossible for Black people and other people of color, elderly individuals, students, working families, and people with disabilities to vote,” Senator Hirono on the Senate floor.

“The fact that Republicans continue to claim that these voter suppression tactics are necessary to protect election integrity would be laughable if it wasn’t so deeply damaging to our democracy," said Hirono. "We all know that countless investigations have uncovered absolutely no evidence of systemic or widespread voter fraud. We all know that the 2020 election was the most secure election in our nation’s history. And we certainly all know this not about voter fraud, it’s about advancing a political agenda by denying large swaths of Americans their fundamental right to vote. 

"If this isn’t un-American, I don’t know what is. 

"Which is why voter suppression is the most urgent crisis facing our country today. And which is why, it is the single most pressing issue the Senate must address,” she added.

Mancin's adament refusal to back the BBB angered Hirono. “A 50/50 Senate is really problematic. I’ve used the word ‘sucks.’ It definitely enables one or two people to hold things up. So, yes, I am frustrated.”

So the Democrats, blocked by a single senator from a state with fewer people than the San Francisco Bay Area, the Democrats are renewing their focus on voting rights. 

"If we can get the congressional voting rights done, we should do it," President Biden said Wednesday in Kentucky, adding: "There’s nothing domestically more important than voting rights."

Protecting voting rights has been a major aim of the Democratic s since Biden took office, but their multiple efforts to pass voting rights have been repeatedly filibustered by the Senate GOP.

With the anniversary of the Jan. 6 Insurrection coming up, and Mancin again holding a critical vote in his pocket, Georgia's sen. Raphael Warnock issued a powerful speech last Tuesday.

Warnock called for the Senate to use the same mechanism that allowed the chamber's Democrats to lift the debt ceiling with a simple majority to do the same to address voting rights.

"Before we left Washington last week, we in this chamber made a change in the Senate's rules in order to push forward something that all of us think is important: We set the stage to raise the nation's debt ceiling," Warnock said Tuesday. "And yet as we cast that vote to begin addressing the debt ceiling, this same chamber is allowing the ceiling of our democracy to crash in around us."

"Be very clear: last week we changed the rules of the Senate to address another important issue, the economy," Warnock said. "This is a step, a change in the Senate rules we haven't been willing to take to save our broken democracy, but one that a bipartisan majority of this chamber thought was necessary in order to keep our economy strong."

"The judgment of history is upon us," Warnock said. "Future generations will ask, 'when the democracy was in a 911 state of emergency, what did you do to put the fire out?' Did we rise to the moment? Or did we hide behind procedural rules?"

Hirono followed up Thursday with a salvo of her own in her Senate speech below:

Here's a transcript of her speech:

“M. President, the foundation of American democracy is built upon the sacred right to vote, and there is no doubt that right is under attack today. This year alone, 550 voter suppression bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country.

“In Texas, it is now illegal to compensate workers who help voters who don’t speak English and for election officials to encourage eligible voters to apply to vote by mail. In Fulton County, Georgia—a county that historically votes Democratic—the number of ballot boxes has been reduced from 38 to 8. That’s one ballot box for every 100,000 voters. And in Florida, ballot drop-off boxes can only be utilized during early-voting hours and boxes must be located at either a county’s elections office or early-voting sites.

“Republicans have even gone so far as to make it illegal to hand a bottle of water to voters waiting in line. I truly want to know how you can even pretend to justify that law?

“But when you shut down or severely limit the hours of polling locations, remove eligible voters from the voting list, create unnecessary hurdles to vote, and eliminate Election Day registration, who do you think this hurts?

“Before President Trump, Republicans at least tried to pretend their laws weren’t blatantly discriminatory. But now they aren’t even attempting to hide the fact that they are purposefully trying to make it darn near impossible for Black people and other people of color, elderly individuals, students, working families, and people with disabilities to vote.

“The fact that Republicans continue to claim that these voter suppression tactics are necessary to protect election integrity would be laughable if it wasn’t so deeply damaging to our democracy. We all know that countless investigations have uncovered absolutely no evidence of systemic or widespread voter fraud. We all know that the 2020 election was the most secure election in our nation’s history. And we certainly all know this not about voter fraud, it’s about advancing a political agenda by denying large swaths of Americans their fundamental right to vote.

“If this isn’t un-American, I don’t know what is.

“Which is why voter suppression is the most urgent crisis facing our country today. And which is why, it is the single most pressing issue the Senate must address.

“We need to pass Build Back Better. And we need to fight against attacks on a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body, attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, attacks on unions, and so much more. Because battles for rights that we thought we had won, don’t stay won.

“But we won’t succeed in preserving these hard won rights if we don’t protect the right to vote. To quote my friend and colleague, Senator Warnock, “voting rights are preservative of all other rights.”

“We are nearing the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. This violent insurrection and mob violence was the direct result of blatant lies told by the former President and his supporters about systemic fraud and a “stolen election.” We are still learning the consequences of that day, but we know for certain this act of domestic terrorism was an attack on free and fair elections in this country. Yet, Republicans continue to spread the same lies about election fraud and push through legislation at the state level to silence Americans across the country.

“Congress must take action to restore the integrity of our voting system and make sure every American’s voice is heard and counted. And we’ve tried. We’ve tried four times to stop these unconstitutional state level laws from undermining our elections.

“We’ve tried to pass common sense reforms that would allow all eligible voters to vote by mail; make Election Day a federal holiday so all working families can vote; and establish federal criminal penalties for deceiving voters with false and misleading information about voting.

“And most importantly, we’re tried to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would give the Department of Justice the tools to keep these blatant voter suppression laws from being enacted in the first place. Only one Republican joined us in voting for this bill. The same bill that was being touted as bipartisan.

“It’s crystal clear by now that Republicans have absolutely no interest in protecting the right to vote. For Republicans, voter suppression and gerrymandering is their path to victory. Democrats cannot sit back and allow a political party to maintain power by denying Americans their right to vote.

“Quoting Senator Warnock again, 'as we cast that vote to begin addressing the debt ceiling, this same chamber is allowing the ceiling of our democracy to crash in around us. We figured out a way to save our economy, we can figure out a way to save our democracy.'

“Filibuster reform is the path Democrats need to take to fight back against the Republicans all out voter suppression assault on our democracy. I call on my Democratic colleagues to act.

Thank you M. President.”

GOP politican grills AAPI judicial nominee: Beware the "angry" Asian American

Dale Ho has been nominated for a federal judgeship in New York.

OPINION

A Republican U.S. senator thinks an Asian American nominee for a federal judgeship is too "angry" to be a fair judge.

During questioning of highly regarded civil rights attorney Dale Ho for his nomination to the bench, Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told Ho:

“Mr. Ho, you’re a smart man. I can tell. But I think you’re an angry man,” Kennedy said during Ho’s Wednesday hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “We don’t need federal judges who are angry. We need federal judges who are fair and can see both points of view.”

Conservatives have targeted Ho, nominated by President Biden for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, for his past tweets and his work as an ACLU attorney and as an advocate for voting rights. During the confirmation hearings last week by the Senate Judicial Committee, Ho had to undergo a gauntlet of questioning by Republican members of the committee.

Ho, 44, calmly answered Kennedy's attempts to catch the ACLU attorney in a contradiction.  Ho said he regretted the tone of some of his tweets that he sent as director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project during the Trump's reign. He argued two cases against the Trump administration at the Supreme Court, one of which successfully challenged Trump’s plan to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census.

The aggressive questioning continued but Ho parried the attacks by pointing out the inaccuracy of the senator's alleged quotes.

“You’ve described yourself as a, quote, wild-eyed sort of leftist,” said Kennedy. “Do I have that right?”

“Senator, I think I was referring to a caricature of the way that I think other people may have described me, not how I would describe myself,” Ho said. “I want to assure you that I understand that the role of a judge is to set aside whatever personal views ―.”

“Right,” interrupted Kennedy. “I heard your testimony. ... Did you say, quote, Republicanism is an anti-democratic virus?”

“No senator, I don’t believe I’ve used those words,” replied Ho.

“You’re under oath now,” said Kennedy.

“Yes, Senator, I don’t believe I’ve used those words,” Ho continued. “I do remember saying last year that there was a loss of confidence in our elections that has spread kind of like a virus.”

The back-and-forth  between the Louisiana senator using his southern drawl to appear folksy and the calmness exhibited by Ho until  Kennedy used up his question time.

The grilling by Republican senators on the Senate Justice Committee was countered by the Democrats on the panel who pointed out that past Republican nominees have had their own srong views and questionable "temperament." 

“When we talk about judicial temperament … with regard to now-Justice (Brett) Kavanaugh, there were over 1,000 law professors and deans of law schools who wrote to this committee saying that he did not have the judicial temperament to be on the Supreme Court, and yet, there he sits,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii.

In response to the Republican attacks against Ho, a progressive group Demand Justice on Monday launched an ad campaign in support of Biden's nominee. The ad will run on television in Washington, D.C., and will be featured on online social media platforms.

"This ad campaign is an investment in making sure that Americans who care about protecting voting rights know President Biden and Leader Schumer have given Senate Democrats the opportunity to confirm a champion for democracy to the federal bench,” Demand Justice chief counsel Christopher Kang said in a statement.

Prior to the confirmation hearings, Ho's supporters, judges, lawyers, Democrats and Republicans,  issued statements on his behalf in an attempt to stave off the expected partisan attacks. “Mr. Ho is eminently qualified and would make tremendous contributions to the administration of justice in the federal courts, as well as to the communities served by our judicial system,” said  Priya Purandare, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

Advice to future wannabe judges: Don't post mean tweets against members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

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