Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Blog

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

    Posted by Dr. Konrad Ng on February 7, 2012 at 9:44 PM EDT

    On February 2, 2012, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery welcomed two photographs of Fred Korematsu (1919-2005) into The Struggle for Justice, the historic exhibition about civil rights in America.  Korematsu’s images joined portraits of historical icons such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Betty Friedan, César Chávez, Leonard Crow Dog, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver.   Their images are windows onto the journey for civil rights and justice; together, their stories invoke the powerful sentiment from Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”  Korematsu is the first Asian American featured in the exhibition.

    Picture of Fred T. Korematsu

    (Credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Fred T. Korematsu Family)

     

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

    Posted by Francesca de Quesada on February 3, 2012 at 7:10 PM EDT

    Monday, the White House will host a briefing for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) business leaders on President Obama’s efforts to support small businesses to create jobs and grow the economy.  Officials from the White House Business Council, Department of Commerce, and Small Business Administration will discuss how AAPI business leaders can engage with their agencies.

              Monday, February 6, 2012
              Time: 3:00-4:30pm EST
              Streamed live on WhiteHouse.gov/Live
              To participate in the discussion and ask a question via Twitter, use hashtag #aapiWH
               
    We hope you are able to join us online!

    AGENDA
    Welcoming Remarks – Chris Lu    , Co-Chair of the White House Initiative on AAPIs and White House Cabinet Secretary (@ChrisLu44)

    Keynote Speech – Michael Strautmanis, Deputy Assistant to the President, White House

    Panel Discussion: Resources for AAPI Business-Owners
    Moderator: Chris Chan    , Special Advisor, Small Business Administration
    Malcolm Lee, Counselor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
    Michele Chang, Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Small Business Administration
    Portia Wu, Senior Policy Advisor, White House Domestic Policy Council

    Closing Remarks – Ari Matusiak, Executive Director, White House Business Council

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  • An Unwavering Commitment to Asian American and Pacific Islander Veterans

    Posted by Chris Lu on February 1, 2012 at 3:53 PM EDT

    On Tuesday, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) convened a roundtable on AAPI veteran’s issues.

    The goal of this roundtable was to highlight VA’s work in leveraging partnerships with the AAPI community.  Hosted by Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the roundtable gathered high-level Veterans Affairs officials, other federal leaders, and representatives from the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Japanese American Citizen League, National Alliance for Filipino Veterans, National Filipino Veterans for Equity, National Organization of Chamorro Veterans in America, and others, in discussions of great importance to AAPI veterans: data collection, access to healthcare, and veterans benefits.

    This roundtable could not have come at a more crucial time, as the data from the 2010 Census revealed that AAPIs are one of the fastest growing racial groups in this country.  Among the nearly 17 million AAPIs across the nation, there are over 265,000 Asian American veterans and 28,000 Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander veterans. 

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  • Empowering AAPIs in an America Built to Last

    Posted by Chris Lu on January 27, 2012 at 4:40 PM EDT

    Earlier this week, in his annual State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out his Blueprint for an America Built to Last.  This includes our Administration’s unwavering commitment to preserving the American dream for all, including the nearly 17 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) across our nation.  Below, read more about how the Initiative will help carry the President’s message to AAPIs across the country.  Also, learn about our upcoming Weekly Web Chat Series and other exciting federal work.

    President Obama delivers the 2012 State of the Union

    President Barack Obama delivers the State of the Union address in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

    In his State of the Union Address, the President laid out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values. The President believes this is a make or break moment for the middle class and those trying to reach it.  What’s at stake is the very survival of the basic American promise that if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family, own a home, and put enough away for retirement. 

    The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive.  No challenge is more urgent; no debate is more important.  We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while more Americans barely get by, or we can build a nation where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.  At stake right now are not Democratic or Republican values, but American values – and for the sake of our future, we have to reclaim them.

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  • White House AAPI Office Hours: State of the Union

    Posted by Eddie Lee on January 25, 2012 at 2:10 PM EDT

    Yesterday, the President delivered his State of the Union address and laid out his vision for the next year. He laid out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last. That blueprint includes this Administration’s steadfast commitment to keeping the American dream alive for all, including Asian American and Pacific Islander families across this country. No challenge is more urgent; no debate is more important. That’s why I’d like to invite you to make your voice heard in our post-State of the Union office hours. This is an opportunity for you to respond to us with your thoughts, your questions and your concerns.

    Office hours for the AAPI community will take place on January 26 at 6 p.m. EST, led by Chris Lu, Cabinet Secretary and Co-Chair of the White House Initiative on AAPIs. Here's how Office Hours work:

    • Ask your question or submit your comment on Twitter with the hashtag #WHChat
    • Chris will respond to your questions in real-time via Twitter starting at 6 p.m. EST
    • Follow the Q&A through the @WHLive Twitter account
    • If you miss the live session, the full Q&A will be posted on WhiteHouse.gov and Storify.com/WhiteHouse
    • You can also follow Chris Lu on Twitter at @ChrisLu44

    We look forward to hearing from you! Please see below for the full Office Hours schedule:

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  • Best Wishes for the Lunar New Year from President Obama

    Posted by Megan Slack on January 19, 2012 at 6:00 PM EDT

    In advance of the upcoming holiday, President Obama recorded a message sending his best wishes to all those celebrating the Lunar New Year, both in the United States and around the world:

    Read his full message below:

    Michelle and I want to send our best wishes to everyone celebrating the Lunar New Year, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

    Growing up in Hawaii, I remember all the excitement surrounding the Lunar New Year – from the parades and the fireworks to the smaller gatherings with family and friends.  It has always been a time for celebration and hope.  And this year, as Americans here at home and around the world welcome the Year of the Dragon, it’s important to remember that our country is stronger because of our diversity.  We are richer because of the different cultures that make up this country.

    So to all those celebrating the Lunar New Year, I wish you and your loved ones peace, prosperity, and good health.

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