Daniel Oh testifies at historical Town Hall Meeting of President Clinton’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
By John Chin
August 16, 2000

On Monday, July 24, 2000, the first Town Hall Meeting of President Clinton’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders was held. Established through Executive Order 13125, the Commission will advise the President on ways to improve the quality of life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Lisa Hasegawa, Community Liaison, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders extended an invitation to Daniel Oh, Chair of the recently formed Governor’s Asian Pacific American Advisory Council, to participate in the historical town hall meeting. Hasegawa asked Oh to address issues of emerging Asian communities.

The following is the prepared text used by Oh to make his presentation.

"The Asian communities in Colorado, currently estimated at about 80,000, will be the second fastest growing population sector in the state over the next ten years according to the U.S. Census. While the majority of APAs in Colorado are first generation, there are APAs who represent the fifth generation of their family in the state. Moreover, the Asian Roundtable of Colorado, an umbrella organization of APA groups, estimates that there are over 300 Asian organizations in the Denver metroplex and state of Colorado. These include religious, philanthropic, business, cultural, performing, service and community-based organizations.

Reliable sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the State Demographer’s Office, believe that, depending on how you catalogize them, there are about 25 Asian Pacific American groups in Colorado. These include: Korean, Japanese, Mongolian, Tibetan, Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Laotian, Hmong, Cambodian, Thai, Burmese, Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Hawaiian, Samoan, and Polynesian.

One significant trend among APA groups in Colorado has been a significant increase in collaborative efforts on any number of mutual concerns. For example, the Donald A. Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Center for Performing Arts was the recent site of the successful "Celebrate India 2000." Celebrate India 2000 was, as the name suggests, a celebration of East Indian culture. But, the community-based steering committee for this event was pan-asian. This event was endorsed and supported not only by the Indian community but also by other Asian organizations such as the Asian Chamber of Commerce, Kumming Sister Cities International, the Organization of Chinese Americans Denver Chapter, the Chinese American Cultural Center, and the Filipino American Community of Colorado.

Colorado municipal governments have also begun to recognize the importance of local APA communities. The growth of Asian related task forces and councils is evidence of this. The Denver Public School has an Asian Education Advisory Council that assists Denver schools. Denver has an active Mayor’s Advisory Council that keeps the mayor abreast of issues important to the Denver Asian communities. Similarly, the city of Aurora has supported the Aurora Asian Partnership, an APA organization focused on business development.

Colorado State government, under Governor Bill Owens, has also taken a strong interest in APA affairs. In the fall of 1999, at the request of Governor Owens, an Asian Pacific American (APA) Business forum was held at local Chinese restaurant. Nearly 100 Asian Pacific American business and community leaders attended the forum. A broad range of issues was discussed.

Subsequent to this forum, the Governor's Office encouraged Colorado's Asian Pacific Americans to formulate a Governor's Asian Pacific American Advisory Council. Governor Owens plans on meeting with this new Council four (4) times a year. The Council’s vision is "To Improve the Quality of Life for APAs in Colorado." Its mission statement reads, "To define and articulate the business, culture, education, and socio-economic issues of the Asian Pacific American communities and to work with state government to develop public-private collaborations, partnerships and solutions in Colorado."

The Governor's Asian Pacific American Advisory Council is made up of 18 Asian Pacific Americans who were appointed based on their demonstrated record of community service to Colorado’s APA communities and proven ability to work with others outside their own ethnic communities. The Council has four (4) standing committees including Education, Business Development, Public Relations, and Social/Culture. Youth initiatives are common to all committees.

In addition, the Governor’s office has agreed to convene a statewide Governor's Summit on Asian Pacific Americans Affairs. This summit will bring together all of Colorado’s Asian Pacific Americans to gather data, information, and community concerns on APA community development, business assistance, education, youth, elderly, intergeneration issues, hate crime, immigration, health, civic participation, and other issues. A planning committee is currently working on this summit, expected to be held in the fall.

In summary, Asian Pacific American communities are thriving in Colorado. There are the same socio-economic issues that impact all APA communities in the United States, but the collaborative efforts of APA groups such as the Governor’s Council, the Asian Roundtable, the Asian Chamber of Commerce and others are indicative of the growing importance and clout that these communities now are beginning to have."

JJohn Chin is President of the Organization of Chinese Americans, Denver chapter. OCA is dedicated to "embracing the hopes and aspirations of Chinese and Asian Pacific Americans in the United States." Founded in 1973, OCA has 80 chapters and affiliates. OCA maintains its headquarters in Washington, D.C. For more on OCA, go to http://www.ocanatl.org.