PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS - Western Region Townhall Meeting
By: Eric Sung
August 4, 2000

The President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders held its very first townhall meeting last monday, taking the first step in improving the quality of life for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

On June 7, 1999, President Clinton signed Executive Order 13125 to improve the quality of life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through increased participatioin in Federal programs. EO 13125 established the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and a Federal Interagency Working Group on AAPIs.

President Clinton appointed 15 commissioners with a history of involvement in the communities from fields ranging from health to civil rights. The Honorable Norman Mineta was designated as the chair of the commission. The purpose of the commission is to provide recommendation to the president, focusing on the following: Develop, monitor and coordinate Federal efforts to improve Asian American and Pacific Islander participation in government programs; Foster research and data collection for Asian American and Pacific Islander populations and sub-populations; and increase public and private sector and community involvement in improving the health and well-being of AAPIs.

EO 13125 also established a Federal Interagency Working Group. The group, composed of deputy secretaries from Federal departments and designated independent agencies, will advise the president on Initiative activities. The goals for the first year includes the development of an inventory of current programs and funding levels related to AAPIs, and a plan to address their needs in Fiscal year 2001. The second year will focus on the development of a three-year integrated federal plan that will be submitted to the president by May of 2001.

Finally, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is the coordinating office between the commission and the Interagency Working Group. The Department of Health and Human Services is the lead Federal department responsible for implementation of the Executive Order.

On Monday, July 24, 2000, the historic, first ever Western region townhall meeting to discuss the needs of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders was held in Los Angeles. The townhall meeting was simultaneously video-casted to various cities in the Western region of the United States. Here in Denver, the site of the video-cast was the Health Resources and Services Administration building on Stout Street.

The townhall meeting began at 10 in the morning with welcome and opening statements. The testimonies from various members of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders started around 11 am. Throughout the rest of the day was structured panels dealing with various issues from health and human services to economic and community development. Many individuals from the Asian American communities came out to share their views with the commission. We heard from people such as Michael Matsuda, a teacher who came forth to speak on issues relating to education; Tim Dang, director of East West Players who spoke on AAPI art organizations; Ismael Ileto, brother of Joseph Ileto, a victim of hate crime; and our very own Daniel Oh, who spoke on community and economic development in emerging AAPI communities.

After the panels ended, the commission opened up the floor to the general public. People from different states in the Western region came forth to speak to the commission. Individuals like you and me shared personal feelings and frustrations and sought comfort in knowing that the AAPI communities from different states were fighting the same battles and cared enough to come together on this historic day. A few members of the Colorado AAPI communities spoke their mind, but many, myself included, didn't.

On a personal note, this historic townhall meeting was undoubtly a success with hundreds testifying and an absence of equipment failure. Locally, I feel that it was a shame so few in the AAPI communities came to be a part of this momentus occasion. However, I do believe that communcation was to blame for this lack of support. Few in our communities heard about this event.

Finally, It is my hope that the momentum generated by this first townhall meeting will not be lost, and the future townhall meetings in NYC and Hawaii will be able to ride the wave and carry it further. I wish to believe that our president and our government is finally recognizing the power and the contributions of AAPIs, and that this is the first step of many to come. However, it is my fear that this Executive Order is simply a measure by the president to appease AAPI over the scapegoating of Asian Americans that yearmarked the past few years. For our sake i hope that is not the case.

For more information regarding the Initiative, please visit the Initiative's website at: http:// www.aapi.gov

Information regarding Executive Order 13125 is as taken from "Executive Order 13125: Improving the Quality of Life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders - Fact Sheet"