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Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Blog

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Learning From Our Past & Strengthening Our Future

Daphne Kwok marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by telling the stories of Japanese Americans and of newly-arrived AAPI families.
May 2, 2012 at 10:53 AM ET by Daphne Kwok

Making Progress to Close the Gaps in AAPI Health Care

Dr. Howard K. Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reflects on the progress made toward the goal of reducing – and eventually eliminating – health care disparities.
May 1, 2012 at 6:04 PM ET by Dr. Howard K. Koh

Observing AAPI Heritage Month

Chris Lu marks Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and discusses the ways in which the Obama Administration's policies have helped the AAPI community.
May 1, 2012 at 9:00 AM ET by Chris Lu

Celebrating National Minority Health Month

Dr. J. Nadine Gracia of the Department of Health and Human Services reflects on progress that has been achieved in reducing racial and ethnic health disparities.
April 25, 2012 at 3:25 PM ET by Dr. J. Nadine Gracia

334,000 AAPIs to be Impacted if Congress Fails to Act

If Congress doesn’t act, interest rates will double on July 1 for more than 7.4 million students with subsidized federal Stafford Loans. Approximately 334,000 AAPI borrowers would see their loans increase.
April 25, 2012 at 11:17 AM ET by Francesca L. Covey

2012 Citizens Medal: Open for Nominations

The President invites you, the American public, to nominate everyday heroes for one of our nation’s highest civilian honors.
April 18, 2012 at 5:59 PM ET by Francesca Covey

Coming Together to Build a Network of Support

David K. Mineta, Deputy Director of Demand Reduction for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, discusses the evolution of the drug control field and his work to provide resources for the AAPI community.
April 18, 2012 at 2:47 PM ET by David Mineta

EPA’s Work with AAPI Communities

Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, discusses the EPA's work with AAPI communities across the country.
April 11, 2012 at 6:12 PM ET by Mathy Stanislaus

Section 3 Business Registry Helps AAPIs

The Department of Housing and Urban Development's new Section 3 Business Registry provides low-income AAPIs residing in public housing and Section 3 neighborhoods with a new resource to connect with businesses and contracting companies.
April 5, 2012 at 3:32 PM ET by John Trasviña

Federal Judges That Resemble the Nation They Serve

Christopher Kang, Senior Counsel to the President, discusses the Administration's increase in AAPI federal judges.
March 29, 2012 at 1:33 PM ET by Christopher Kang

Remittance Transfer Rule: A Personal Perspective

Nick Rathod, Assistant Director for Intergovernmental and International Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, discusses new rules for remittance transfers.
March 26, 2012 at 2:05 PM ET by Nick Rathod

Toward a More Inclusive America: Preserving All Chapters of Our Nation’s History

The National Park Service announces funding that will help preserve and interpret the War Relocation Authority camps and other sites associated with the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
March 23, 2012 at 12:52 PM ET by Secretary Ken Salazar

Marking Two Years of the Affordable Care Act and its Impact on the AAPI Community

Dr. Howard Koh discusses the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, from expanding access to free preventive services to improving data-gathering standards.
March 21, 2012 at 1:43 PM ET by Dr. Howard Koh

Engaging the South: White House Initiative Southeast Regional Action Summit, Atlanta, Georgia

Kiran Ahuja, Executive Director of The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, notes the progress made at the Southeast Regional Action Summit in Atlanta and reflects on her own childhood experiences in Georgia.
March 19, 2012 at 9:00 AM ET by Kiran Ahuja

Meeting with the Pacific Islander Community in Arkansas

Christina Lagdameo discusses the growing Marshallese community in Arkansas and highlights a local task force working to share services with this population.
March 14, 2012 at 3:14 PM ET by Christina Lagdameo

Celebrating Two Years of the President’s National Export Initiative

March marks the second anniversary of President Obama’s Executive Order 13534 which created the National Export Initiative (NEI). The President’s goal of doubling exports by the end of 2014 is on track, with exports increasing almost 16% last year to $2.1 trillion.
March 13, 2012 at 11:46 AM ET by Patricia M. Loui

Partnerships for Human Rights, Here and Abroad

A White House briefing for 165 Vietnamese Americans highlights the unity and diversity of the Vietnamese American community.
March 8, 2012 at 9:04 AM ET by Tuyet G. Duong

Cultivating AAPI Youth Advocates

Learn about opportunities to engage with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including a web chat and the Initiative's internship program.
February 28, 2012 at 9:02 PM ET by Bessie Chan

MBDA: Strengthening Support to Minority-Owned Firms

David A. Hinson, National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, discusses strengthening support for minority-owned firms.
February 24, 2012 at 4:16 PM ET by David A. Hinson

Improving the Health Care System through Innovation

Wil Yu, Director of Innovations at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, discusses the investments being made in health information technology and highlights new health IT training programs.
February 22, 2012 at 7:44 PM ET by Wil Yu

"What's Your Story?" AAPI Video Challenge Voting Begins

Watch the top 11 entries in the "What's Your Story" Video Challenge and vote for your favorite.
February 17, 2012 at 4:50 PM ET by Eddie Lee

AAPI and the 2013 Budget

The Administration is dedicated to addressing the multi-layered challenges affecting the diverse subgroups and communities that make up the more than 14 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders. The President's 2013 Budget will construct an economy that is built to last and provide security for AAPI families.
February 14, 2012 at 9:57 AM ET by Francesca L. de Quesada

USCIS Engages Chinese-Speaking Immigrants with “Jiao Liú”

Ivan Fong, General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, discusses the expanision of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The new services will include multilingual outreach by hosting public sessions in Mandarin and Cantonese to help Chinese-speaking immigrants learn how to apply for citizenship and immigration benefits.
February 13, 2012 at 11:45 AM ET by Ivan Fong

Telling the Story of Civil Rights in America: Fred Korematsu and The Struggle for Justice

Dr. Konrad Ng reflects on "The Struggle for Justice" exhibition about civil rights in America at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery.
February 7, 2012 at 8:44 PM ET by Dr. Konrad Ng

Live Stream Monday: White House AAPI Business Leaders Briefing at 3pm

February 3, 2012 at 6:10 PM ET by

An Unwavering Commitment to Asian American and Pacific Islander Veterans

Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, holds a roundtable to highlight VA's work in leveraging partnerships with the AAPI community and to discuss issues of great importance to AAPI veterans.
February 1, 2012 at 2:53 PM ET by Chris Lu

Empowering AAPIs in an America Built to Last

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is working to share President Obama's Blueprint for an America Built to Last with AAPIs across the country.
January 27, 2012 at 3:40 PM ET by Chris Lu

White House AAPI Office Hours: State of the Union

Join Chris Lu, Cabinet Secretary and Co-Chair of the White House Initiative on AAPIs, for Twitter Office Hours to discuss President Obama's State of the Union address.
January 25, 2012 at 1:10 PM ET by Eddie Lee

Best Wishes for the Lunar New Year from President Obama

President Obama wishes peace, prosperity, and good health to all those celebrating the Lunar New Year.
January 19, 2012 at 5:00 PM ET by

Empowering the Next Generation of AAPI Community Advocates

Kiran Ahuja, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, reflects on the Initiative's work to engage young AAPI leaders through a recent briefing at the White House and shares the story of the Initiative's student intern.
January 17, 2012 at 3:56 PM ET by Kiran Ahuja