5 Reasons to Celebrate Asian American Month

By Jennie L. Ilustre

 

Americans of Asian ancestry have reasons to celebrate Asian American Month this May, given several developments lately. Although there’s still a lot more issues that need to be addressed, they can point to at least five recent developments that are a cause for celebration.

 

 

1 Senate Passes “The Covid 19 Hate Crimes Act”

In a surprising development, the US Senate approved “The Covid 19 Hate Crimes Act” by a 94-1 vote, after bipartisan legislators introduced amendments to the bill filed by Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D, HI).

Congresswoman Grace Meng (D, NY) had filed a companion bill in the House of Representatives. She urged the House to swiftly consider the bill so President Biden can sign it into law.

Asked why the bill faced a smooth sailing in the Senate on April 22, Irene Bueno of NVG in the nation’s capital and a top presidential aide in the Bill Clinton White House, replied: “They amended the bill to build support for Hirono’s bill.”

She added: “But I think the most important thing is that Republican Leader Senator (Mitch)) McConnell indicated he was supporting the bill because he is the proud husband of an Asian American woman (former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao) and he encouraged his Republicans colleagues to support the bill.”

In related news, the Washington Post had reported earlier that “in a show of bipartisan solidarity, 26 governors and more than 60 former officials condemn anti-Asian attacks.”

Ms. Bueno was among those mentioned in the Post story, as well as Cesar Conda. Conda served as a senior aide to Vice President Richard B. Cheney. He was also a former chief of staff to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida).

Both were part of a bipartisan group of four Filipino Americans, all of whom had previously worked in top government positions and had joined forces to push for the bill’s passage. Ms. Bueno stressed, “Cesar was very instrumental” in also building support for the bill.

The Hirono bill had originally faced an uphill climb with Republicans opposing it. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, S.C.) noted the country already has a hate crimes law. But the Hirono bill aimed to address the spike in anti-Asian racism acts of violence across the country, after the pandemic started last year.

Congresswoman Meng remarked, “The former president and his Congressional Republican enablers trafficked racist, bigoted terms to describe covid-19. In doing so, their language stoked people’s fears and created an atmosphere of intolerance and violence, which persists even today.”

The original bill would designate “an official of the Department of Justice to expeditiously review hate crimes“ reported to federal, state and/or local law enforcement. It was amended to give the Department of Justice more time to do so.

As amended, the bill would also, among other things, included guidance on raising awareness of hate crimes during the pandemic. For more details and updates, visit hirono.gov

 

2 Andrew Yang is the frontrunner in the primary for New York City Mayor.

On June 22, New York Democrats will choose the nominee for mayor in the November elections. Andrew Yang has a good chance of winning. He has gained prominence and political heft after running in the Democratic presidential primary last year.

From the start, he has consistently been the frontrunner in a crowded field in the NYC mayoral Democratic primary. When he announced his candidacy, the namesake grandson of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. endorsed him. He has garnered the endorsement of top NYC officials, including the crucial endorsement this month of Congresswoman Grace Meng (D, NY).

 

3 Asian Americans unite, take action against racism.

The surge in anti-Asian American racism across the country has led to a united action by Americans of Asian ancestry. The Mainstream Media has taken notice of the series of bold actions from a minority group that usually shuns attention.

For one, Asian Americans have been holding rallies across the country. In New York, organizations from the Black community, a major force in fighting for civil rights throughout the nation’s history, have formed coalitions with them. The Hispanic American community has also joined forces in the cause.

Prominent achievers in showbiz, the fashion industry and in tennis and other sports have also spoken strongly to stop anti-Asian racism. Many have also opened their wallets. Some top American showbiz personalities have also given donations to advocacy organizations and causes.

Stop AAPI Hate, a group in San Francisco, California, started a website to receive reports of racist slurs and acts against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It has since gotten some 4,000 reports since March last year. The group has also proposed policy actions to the Biden administration.

Asian American Advancing Justice, led by Executive Director John C. Yang, has been a strong advocate in fighting racism. It has consistently lobbied on legislation, issued strong statements, and formed coalition with other groups to fight racism against Asian Americans.

 

4 Bonta is new California Attorney General.

Assemblyman Rob Bonta made history as the first Filipino American California Attorney General when he was recently appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to replace Xavier Becerra. Becerra. Becerra was appointed Health and Human Services Secretary by President Biden.

Bonta noted in his website: “My parents – they are my heroes. They were activists who marched for civil rights in Selma and advocated for democracy in the Philippines. When I was a few months old, they joined Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to organize exploited farmworkers in the Central Valley for better pay and working conditions.

“They instilled in my siblings and me a commitment to making the world a better place. They taught me to call out – and root out – injustice whenever I saw it. That’s why I decided to become a lawyer for the people, because I understood that a crime against any one of us is a crime against all of us.”

 

5 Vice President Kamala Harris has a (front) seat at the table.

Years ago, who knew an American of Asian ancestry would soon occupy a seat at the table in the White House? Vice President Kamala Harris, whose late mother was originally from India, has a seat at the table, and a front seat at that. She is also considered a frontrunner in the 2024 elections, should President Biden decide to pass on a reelection bid.

President Biden, who served as Vice President during President Obama’s two terms, has said Harris would be the last person in the room when he makes major decisions. Also, among other things, he has appointed Vice President Harris to work on diplomatic policy regarding immigration.

Americans of Asian ancestry also acknowledge a change in the congenial climate under President Biden. Biden’s policies support Asian American concerns. Among other things, he issued an executive Memorandum denouncing Anti-AAPI Hate on January 26, six days after his inauguration. He has also initiated a more humane immigration policy, including an executive order to keep the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) throughout his term.

DACA is an Executive Order issued by President Obama in 2012. It allowed adults–who were under age 16 when they entered the U.S. without authorization–to stay in the country to study and to work without fear of deportation.

To qualify, applicants should not have a criminal record, must have completed education or are attending school, must pay a fee, and must register with the government. DACA is renewable every two years.