Asian Fortune Your source for all things Asian American
By Jennie L. Ilustre
Years from, now, historians would point to 2022 as a major turning point in the nation’s history. Imagine the country as someone nearly falling over a cliff, or a car rushing towards one. Thankfully, disaster was averted.
Once again, Americans proved that the nation is the beacon of democracy. And they did it in a peaceful way, through elections. Doubtless, Americans of Asian ancestry did their share. In a year when red lights kept perilously blinking off and on, these are the people in the community who made a difference.
Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) Candidates
In the November 8, 2022 midterm elections, a record 346 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) candidates ran for state and federal office, including in U.S. territories. This was the finding of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS).
Remarked Madalene Xuan-Trang Mielke, President and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS): ““APAICS applauds all of the AA & NH/PI candidates who ran in this cycle, many of whom are first-time candidates.”
She added: “There’s been so many exciting historic firsts from this cycle, including Aruna Miller being elected as the first South Asian Lieutenant Governor in the nation and Nabilah Islam as the first Bangladeshi woman elected to the Georgia State Senate.”
But she lamented that there continues to be a glaring problem. “Unfortunately,” she pointed out, “AAs & NH/PIs are still grossly underrepresented across the country.” She vowed that APAICS will continue to offer resources, training and community for those interested in pursuing public office, “so that one day, we will no longer need to break barriers for representation.”
APAICS’s Findings
At the Federal level, 76 candidates and 3 candidates in U.S. territories ran for election. Of this figure, 17 candidates won and 3 candidates won in U.S. territories. One Senator was re-elected to the U.S. Senate. A total of 16 Representatives and 3 Delegates were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. One Senator, 8 Representatives and one Delegate elected are women.
In State-wide Elections, 17 candidates and 2 candidates in U.S. territories ran for election.8 candidates won and 1 candidate won in a U.S. territory; 1 candidate was re-elected as Governor in a U.S. territory; 2 candidates were elected as Lieutenant Governors; 3 candidates were re-elected as Attorney Generals; 1 candidate was re-elected as Secretary of State; 2 candidates were re-elected as State Treasurer; 4 candidates elected are women, and 1 candidate in a U.S. territory that was elected is a woman.
In State Elections – 244 candidates and 4 candidates in U.S. territories. Of this figure, 132 candidates won and 4 candidates won in U.S. territories; 84 candidates elected are women and 4 candidates in U.S. territories elected are women.
For more details, visit www.apaics.org
Every year, APAICS builds a comprehensive database of candidates through its AA & NH/PI Candidate Pipeline, where it monitors general election results for state and federal elections across the nation.
APAICS is a national non-partisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization “dedicated to promoting Asian Pacific American participation and representation at all levels of the political process, from community service to elected office.”
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Voters
By now, it is no longer news that Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), transformed in recent election cycles as a formidable voting bloc, can provide the margin of victory for candidates in tight races in battleground states. They proved it when President Joe Biden won in 2020. In last November midterms, they proved it in Nevada’s close race for Senator, among other states.
Varun Nikore, AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director, said anti-Asian racism, which escalated during the pandemic, motivated AAPIs to register as voters and to cast their vote as game changers in recent election cycles.
Consider: A Pew Research found that the Asian American electorate surged 139% over two decades. As Executive Director Margaret Fung of Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), stressed in an email: “In the last decade, Asian Americans have been the fastest-growing racial group in the electorate, numbering more than 13.3 million Asian American voters. Their support or opposition can make or break a close election.”
Nikore noted “our increasing power as an electorate and voting bloc.” (See related story, “Rep. Lieu: Top Post Linked to APA Power.” Congressman Lieu credited his historic election as vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus in Congress to an acknowledgment by his colleagues of the Asian Pacific Americans’ “burgeoning political power.”)
Advocacy Leaders, Staff and Volunteers
At this time of the year, leaders of advocacy organizations make their appeal for donations to sustain, and even strengthen, their programs which serve the Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) community.
The nation is living in challenging, volatile times, when advocacy organizations need to level up in responding to issues and concerns of the community.
Their appeal is for corporations and individuals to give, and to give generously. December is the last month of the year for companies and individuals to take advantage of tax–deductible donations.
Asian American Artists
In 2022, the nation prevailed over dark challenges, thanks in part to the arts, for lifting people’s spirits up. And Asian Americans and Asians, with their extraordinary talents, continued to make waves in Hollywood and in the international scene – both in front and behind the camera.
Consider: Dave Bautista in 2022 appeared in “Thor: Love and Thunder,” and he is so in-demand that he has three major films lined up for 2023, including “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol.3”; writer and Director Jon Chiu of “Crazy Rich Asians” fame, directing “Wicked; actress Michelle Yeoh, starring in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
Consider: Lee Jung-jae’s historic Emmy win for Best Actor in drama for “Squid Game.”
Dr. Abraham Kim, Executive Director of Council of Korean Americans: “These historic wins are another important validation that Asian TV programming, actors, and storytelling have global appeal.”
He added. “We hope this opens doors for more non-English programming for American audiences, and more leading opportunities for Asian American and Asian creative talents on TV, in film, and other media forms.“
