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November 13, 2004

APAs are making political progress

Finally, Asian Pacific Americans are making significant inroads in politics and political empowerment.

This past election, more than 230 APAs ran for elected office at the local, state and national levels. Add to that the APA candidates who ran but lost in the 2004 primary election, and the total rises to nearly 300.

In comparison, about 190 APAs ran for office in 2002.

It’s gratifying to see this community realizing the importance of political participation. The unprecedented turnout by APA voters this year was mainly due to concerted get-out-the-vote efforts by community activists as well as Democrats and Republicans. Many more people are registered to vote now. They are interested in the outcome of the elections. They are familiarizing themselves with the candidates and the issues. They are beginning to realize that their vote counts.

And, perhaps most importantly, many more are seeing public service as a viable, worthwhile and rewarding profession. This, in particular, is crucial to the empowerment of the APA community. We need our own people at the decision-making tables. We need people who understand and can advocate APA issues and concerns. We also need public officials who can serve as role models for our future leaders.

For now, our greatest successes will come if we focus on getting APAs elected at the state and local levels. California, Washington, New York, Texas and other places with large concentrations of APAs offer the best chances at electing APA candidates. Those communities need to ramp up efforts to identify and cultivate their political leadership. They should also educate APAs on the importance of donating money to APA candidates. Without substantial financial support, no candidate in this day and age can win.

One group in particular seems to be making huge strides. No less than eight Indian Americans won their races — mostly in California, but also in the heartland and in the South. Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal just became the second Indian American to win a seat in Congress. Indian Americans across the country wrote him checks and followed his campaign closely. It’s not enough to make a lot of money in the technology sector; Indian Americans are learning that their success is dependent on the community’s political empowerment.

But the glass ceiling is still there. In many parts of the country, the percentage of APA elected officials is disproportionate to the number of APA citizens. In New York, for example, an Asian American was elected to the state legislature for the first time — just last week. It’s clear that the APA community still has a long way to go to achieve the political savvy and support system its candidates need to win elections.

We’re moving forward, but we have yet to reach the point where this kind of editorial is no longer needed.

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