Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Blog

  • Honored to Serve

    Posted by Daphne Kwok on August 2, 2010 at 4:05 PM EDT

    It's a tremendous recognition and honor to be appointed by President Obama to Chair his Administration's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Advancing and empowering AAPI communities across the country has been at the center of my work for decades.

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  • Making Good Use of AARA Funding: Frank Kiang Medical Center

    Posted by Theo Chang on August 2, 2010 at 10:27 AM EDT

    The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is tasked with improving the quality of life and opportunities for all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. We have organized our work into the following "progress pods:" Healthy Communities, Sustainable Living, Education & Economic Opportunities, and Civil Rights. Below is the first in a series of blog entries highlighting communities around the country who make an impact in these areas.

    The patient who walked through the brand-new doors of the Frank Kiang Medical Center was a young Cambodian woman living with Down syndrome, congenital heart disease, and asthma. The last regular doctor's appointment she had was with her pediatrician several years ago, but she "aged out" of his practice and no longer had a primary care physician. Her sister, who accompanied her to the Medical Center, said she had been waiting a long time to see a doctor because she was uninsured, and could not find a doctor accepting new patients. She expressed her gratitude for the new clinic, and for finally being able to get primary care.

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  • AAPIs Do Exist in the Arts!

    Posted by Joan Shigekawa on May 20, 2010 at 12:08 PM EDT

    On May 15, 2010, Ms. Joan Shigekawa attended an AAPI artist showcase called SULU DC. The event was held at the U Street Music Hall in Washington, D.C. and brought out approximately 150 people. Here's what Ms. Shigekawa shared about her experience:

    In their own words, here is Sulu: "Sulu DC is an underground, grassroots network for Asian American and/or Pacific Islander American (AAPI) artists, which provides a home for AAPI focused spoken word and multidisciplinary artists in Washington, D.C. On the third Saturday of every month, we host a performance showcase of emerging and established AAPI artists in music, spoken word, video, and multidisciplinary performances. Sulu DC fosters relationships with local and national activist organizations, nurtures the artistic development of emerging AAPI artists and builds inter-generational alliances with cities across North America."

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  • Sikh-Americans and Civil Rights

    Posted by Les Jin on May 19, 2010 at 5:13 PM EDT

    On May 5, 2010, Les Jin visited the Silver Spring Sikh Gurdwara as part of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders outreach to the community during AAPI Heritage Month. The event was co-sponsored by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and the Silver Spring Gurdwara, and approximately 60 to 75 people attended. Following his visit, Mr. Jin gave the following feedback:

    In advance of meeting with members of the Gurdwara, I spoke at length with leaders of SALDEF and several leaders of the Gurdwara. We spoke about issues of interest to both groups, which in many respects overlapped. I then participated in a portion of the Gurdwara's evening services and program and spoke to the members as a group. Afterwards, I met with and spoke to some of them individually. I spent about three hours total with part or all of the groups.

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  • Encouraging Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to Talk About HIV/AIDS

    Posted by Dr. Howard Koh on May 18, 2010 at 9:42 AM EDT

    "Saving face can't make you safe. Talk about HIV" is the theme for tomorrow's sixth annual observance of National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. I am an Asian American who has seen the stigma and silence around HIV in my community, so this theme and the day itself have particular meaning for me. On this important occasion, I want to acknowledge all the communities and organizations around the country working to break that silence and address the impact of HIV on the diverse set of people who make up our nation’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

    The number of HIV/AIDS cases among AAPIs may be higher than reported because of underreporting or misclassification of Asian Americans and other Pacific Islanders. Many AAPIs in the United States experience cultural, economic and language barriers that contribute to discrimination and make HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts even more challenging.

    This is a time to acknowledge these challenges and expand the use of culturally appropriate solutions. As the lead organizer of National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the Banyan Tree Project as well as many other organizations have been working to create and share resources, plan local events and reduce HIV/AIDS-related discrimination and stigma in AAPI communities.  

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  • Innovatively Bridging the Healthcare Gap for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

    Posted by Kiran Ahuja on May 13, 2010 at 12:00 AM EDT

    On May 11, 2010, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders kicked off our first community roundtable at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant Secretary for Health, Dr. Howard Koh, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Dr. Garth Graham, were joined by senior officials representing the Administration on Children and Families, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Office for Civil Rights, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. We were also very happy to welcome a number of community organizations representing members of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans Health Committee and the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Alliance, and their partners.

    We were so proud to learn of the amazing work being done across the country. Presentations included innovative strategies in addressing Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health disparities through data collection, analysis, and disaggregation revealing the staggering rate of diabetes among American Samoans (47.3%); innovative community strategies addressing mental health disparities demonstrated a successful program providing a holistic continuum of services; and strategies addressing language access issues showed the tremendous services provided by a bilingual bicultural health care system.

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