COMMUNITY GROUPS CALL ON NEWSOM TO PRIORITIZE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES
Over 40 Organizations Deliver Policy Recommendations to Incoming Governor Newsom
Sacramento, CA — Over 40 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) organizations delivered a series of policy recommendations to Governor Gavin Newsom’s office on his inauguration day. The recommendations urge the Governor to address the needs of low-income, limited-English proficient and immigrant communities of color in California.
AANHPI communities are the fastest growing racial groups in California. There are over 6.6 million Asian Americans living in California, making up nearly 17% of the state’s population. Despite the growth of the AANHPI population and electorate and their social and economic diversity, policies focused on and engagement with AANHPI communities have not kept pace.
“Historically, the needs of AANHPI communities have been overlooked while their impact on the state has grown by leaps and bounds over recent decades.” said Anthony Ng, Immigrant Rights Policy Manager at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles. “The AANHPI community is critical to California’s shared future and should be considered and prioritized by the incoming Governor. We recommend policies that will uplift our most marginalized communities, and as a result will lift us as a whole.”
A major component of the policy recommendations brought forward by the organizations is to disaggregate data across state programs, departments, and services. The state currently lacks disaggregated data for AANHPI sub-groups such as the Bangladeshi, Cambodian, and Samoan population, which has contributed to the wide education and health disparities that exist across the spectrum of AANHPI ethnic groups.
Other policies outlined in the recommendations include:
Expand restorative justice strategies, strengthen requirements around school bullying, and institute student programs focused on intercommunity relations
Grant mass pardons to immigrants and refugees facing deportation who have demonstrated that they have rehabilitated
Support the California Department of Justice and Attorney General in their ongoing litigation challenging the proposed citizenship question on the 2020 Census
Protect and advance the rights of low-wage immigrant workers against labor exploitation, with an emphasis on combating wage theft, immigration status-related retaliation, discrimination, and labor trafficking
Increase development of affordable housing, and address homelessness
Support universal coverage and health for all regardless of immigrant status, and increase cultural and linguistic competency of our healthcare system
Reduce barriers to voting for limited-English proficient voters
“We call on Governor Newsom to enact these recommendations from Asian and Pacific Islander civil rights organizations to create a more inclusive, prosperous California for all of its communities,” said Angela Chan, Policy Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus. “The needs of low-income AANHPI communities are urgent and deserve action by the new administration.”
The full set of policy recommendations can be found at bit.ly/AANHPI-Newsom.
CONTACT:
Christina So, (415) 848-7728, christinaso@advancingjustice-alc.org
Jessica Jinn, (213) 241-8817, jjinn@advancingjustice-la.org
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Advancing Justice – CA is a partnership between Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (Advancing Justice – ALC) in San Francisco and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (Advancing Justice – LA).