Celebrating the AAPI Heritage Month: Opportunity at Local Polls and a New American Dream

April 22, 2021

Opportunity at Local Polls and a New American Dream

April 22, 2021

Opportunity at Local Polls

The growing #StopAsianHate movement has activated huge support for Asian American communities. As we continue to take action in a wide variety of ways whether it's through education, organizing rallies, or events, it is time to also integrate voter registration into all of our activities. We need to also focus on advocating for policy changes, concrete solutions, and proper resourcing to ensure that our communities are safe and the ingredients for creating the conditions for increased hate are eliminated. This also includes breaking the stereotypes placed on the Asian community as the Perpetual Foreigner, Model Minority, and the “Other”. We need to hold our elected officials accountable and question the candidates running for office.

This can only be achieved if we continue to demonstrate our strength at the polls. The 2020 presidential election highlighted why voting is important. Your vote matters every year. For some cities like New York City, elections are quickly approaching in June. There are also other local elections for the State Legislature, Mayor, School Board officials, Sheriffs, and City Councils where we need to show our strength in supporting candidates who will support real resolutions to #StopAsianHate. More importantly, these local elections are decided by even thinner margins than the presidential, according to Rock The Vote, since only 1 in 5 voters participate in off-year elections.

Here are 3 easy things you can do to increase participation in this year’s elections:

Text AAPI to 788-683 and this tool powered by APIAVote & Rock the Vote will help you get registered
Share this LINK: apia.vote/reg
Have a website? Embed http://apia.vote/VRTools

Check out our helpful tips on how to integrate voter registration into your #StopAsianHate rallies and programs: http://apia.vote/VRTools

ACTION TODAY to #StopAsianHate

The Senate's passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act (S. 937) as amended by the Hirono-Collins-Blumenthal-Warnock Substitute Amendment is a welcome step forward. This important legislation includes critical provisions to expand language access and culturally competent and linguistically accessible public education campaigns to reach communities targeted by hate with information regarding reporting, data collection, and support services, and also includes the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality Act (Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act). We urge the Senate to continue to move our country forward in addressing hate and providing much-needed support for individuals and communities impacted by hate and discrimination.

Passing On AAPI History

We celebrate the Illinois House’s passage of an HB376 which mandates the inclusion of Asian American history in schools. As the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jennifer Gong- Gershowitz (D) explained, “Asian Americans are a part of the American fabric, but we are often invisible.” We look forward to seeing similar initiatives taken up across the country. Meanwhile, The Asian American Education Project has been working on building lesson plans and administering workshops to promote Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history. We encourage you and all our followers who are educators to participate in these workshops to learn more about AAPI history.

Explore the New American Dream

As a co-host, we are proud to join The WNET Group in announcing NEW AMERICAN DREAM: Five Weeks of Virtual Town Halls On Disrupting Systemic Racism and Envisioning the Nation Beyond It (April 28-May 26). Each week, a panel of expert thought leaders will examine systemic racism in relation to one of five pillars of contemporary society: voting rights, artificial intelligence, and genetic data, journalism, antiracism, and cultural narratives. The focus is on strategies and solidarity, with an understanding of history and eyes toward the future. Join Christine on April 28th at 5:00 pm as she participates in a panel to discuss campaigns to build and diversify political power!

All events are FREE and open to the public. Streaming live on Wednesdays at 5:00 pm EST at Thirteen.org/NewAmericanDream. Full event info and free registration are also at the link.

Presented by The WNET Group, America’s flagship PBS station. Curated by Brian Tate

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