Asian Fortune Your source for all things Asian American
By Jennie L. Ilustre
Photos: JLI
Falls Church, Virginia–US Congressman Bobby Scott urged a big Democratic turn out at the polls at the official launching of the Democratic Asian Americans of Virginia (DAAV), held here on October 1.
Saying there’s a lot at stake in the Virginia elections, he noted that “if the same people who voted five years ago and last year” turn out at the polls on November 5, “we win.”
Scott, the first Filipino American member of the US Congress, and Muslim American US Congressman Andre Carson led the official DAAV kick-off, held at Fortune Restaurant here.
Both lawmakers spoke highly of their party candidates in the Virginia slate, including the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) candidates for the Virginia state legislature. Carson stressed having a multicultural society, calling it “the American way,” and ended his remarks with, “On to victory on November 5!”
The Asian American candidates for the Virginia House are: Delegates Mark Keam (VA-35th district), the first Asian American immigrant elected to the Virginia legislature, who is running for his third term; Hung Nguyen (VA-67), who aspires to be the first Vietnamese American elected to the Virginia legislature, and Atif Qarni (VA-13), who aims to be the first Pakistani American elected to the state legislature.
Nguyen ably did double duty as emcee and speaker. He remarked: “AAPIs are the fastest growing minority community in Virginia and it’s important our voice is always heard.”
He vowed, if elected, to help “grow an economy that works for each and everyone of us,” and to ensure that “all of us are given a fair shot at the American Dream.”
Leaders, who underscored Delegate Keam’s “performance and dedication as a public servant,” were confident about his reelection chances. Candidate Qarni noted the high percentage of Asian Americans in Fairfax County. Keam and Nguyen took turns introducing the VIP guests. They also acknowledged the hard work of DAAV leaders Jennifer Oh, Rosie Chu and others.
DNC AAPI
Democratic National Committee AAPI Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong echoed the other speakers, noting “how important it is to have a seat at the table” in influencing action on policy issues at the national and local levels. She added she was delighted to welcome DAAV, and looked forward “for this caucus to join the national caucus.”
She described Keam as “a trailblazer,” and congratulated Nguyen as a valuable member of her business family who is now a political candidate. She called on the party base to help them win on November 5, “including my old boss, Terry McAuliffe,” who is running for governor of Virginia.
She concluded, to cheers from attendees at the event, “In my lifetime, I hope to see an Asian American president!”
DAAV, Delegate Keam, DNC AAPI Caucus Chair Leong-Hong, candidate Aneesh Chopra, Sue Langley and Shekar Narasimhan were the Co-Chairs for the VA AAPI Caucus Kick-Off.
Keynote speaker Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (D, Illinois) did not make it to the event. Among the notable Democrats who did were: Chris Liu, former White House Cabinet Secretary; Paul M. Igasaki, Chief Judge and Chairman of the Administrative Review Board; Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) Chair Charniele Herring; candidate for Attorney General Mark Herring; and Stacey Kincaid, who is running for Sheriff.
Host Committee: Councilmember Grace Han Wolf; Naila Alam; Toora Arsala; Justin Fairfax; Alan Krishnan; Babur Lateef; Genie Nguyen; Larry Roberts and Cora Yamamoto. Friends: Congressman Jim Moran; Councilmember Jeanette Rishell and Sue Boucher.
The requirements for Caucus status include having a minimum number of members elected to the Democratic Party VA (DPVA) Central Committee. The Central Committee members participate in subcommittees that recommend party policy, and they all vote in DPVA leadership elections and regarding party policy authorizations.
Eleven AAPIs from across the Commonwealth were elected this summer and are members of the East, South, Muslim and Southeast Asian American communities. The official induction took place at the DPVA’s quarterly meeting September 27-28 in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
