Leading By Example
The month of March is filled with juxtapositions between celebrations and reflections birthed by tragedies. It is in this month that we observe March 8th as International Women’s Day, celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women; yet at the same time across the globe, we watch brave Ukrainian women escaping with their young and their old or taking up arms fighting for their country. As we also commemorate the month of March as National Women’s History Month, we acknowledge the fact that throughout history, women have had to pay the ultimate price of wars waged by power-hungry men. I would be remiss to not mention that a year ago in March we experienced the horrific Atlanta spa shootings that led to the tragic deaths of eight AAPI women. It is always the mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, and sisters who will have to pick up the pieces of the shattered lives.
Although the Stop Asian hate movement have awakened the AAPI community to speak out against the hate crimes, we are still dealing with the fact that majority of the attacks against AAPI women are still occurring. We can’t talk about this issue only when another AAPI woman is brutally murdered. Whether or not it’s labeled a hate crime, let’s face it, with 74% of AAPI women reporting to have experienced racism and/or discrimination this past year, the results are a sobering reminder on the current state of safety for AAPI women in the US (National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum). There needs to be a long-term commitment from the community and from those in positions of power to direct resources to address the issues that AAPI women face.
Wanted: County Election Workers
Apply to be a County Election Worker The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk is looking for county employees who read, write, and speak a language other than English to serve as an Election Worker in the upcoming June 7th Statewide Direct Primary Election.
Serving as an Election Worker provides a unique learning experience and an opportunity to serve our community outside the traditional roles of service provided at the employees' current department. With the approval of the employee’s supervisors, the employee would be reassigned to serve as an Election Worker in the upcoming election.
If you are a county employee and you are interested in applying please contact your supervisor or your department's Human Resources Division for more information on how to apply. More information on the County Election Worker Program can also be found on LAVOTE.GOV/CountyWorker.
Language Services for Voters Los Angeles County is home to nearly 6 million registered voters across 3,100 square miles. It is the largest and most culturally diverse local voting jurisdiction in the United States. In Los Angeles County, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk provides language support in 18 different languages.
If a voter prefers to receive their election materials in a language other than English, they can:
Call (800) 815-2666, option 3
Re-register to vote on LAVOTE.GOV
Return the language request form attached to the Sample Ballot Book
More information on the multilingual services provided by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk can be found on LAVOTE.GOV.
Voices of LA AAPI Survey
As LA County continue to undergo profound demographic, social, and generational changes, to help provide a sense of clarity and guide these discussions, Cal State LA and the Pat Brown Institute have undertaken a pathbreaking survey project that explores the social and political orientation of four major racial and ethnic groups in LA County (Asian American, Latino, African American, and Jewish community). In this article, we will focus on their findings from interviewing 1,500 AAPI respondents living in LA County as it exists today. The knowledge that the results bring will hopefully guide the county as we head in the future.
“The AAPI community has not been silent,” said Nathan Chan, who led this charge as an expert in AAPI public opinion and voting behavior. “The AAPI community has responded to racial discrimination with even more involvement in politics, making their voices heard. The era of COVID-19 and anti-Asian hate has the potential to usher in a contemporary wave of AAPI political activism…. For a community that often feels invisible in the political landscape, the data that we are seeing today really show a community worth of engagement… the problem here is that there is simply not enough investment put into talking and outreaching to our communities.”
Call to Action for County Leaders
Dear County leaders:
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) County of Los Angeles (County) employees have become a very sizable minority group in the County workforce; however, they rank low in the ratio of executive managers to AAPI County employees. According to data from the County of Los Angeles Workforce Demographics, AAPIs constitute almost 20% of the County workforce, but only 8% of the executive managers.
There is a perception that AAPIs are highly educated and do not lack the opportunities to become managers or executives, especially in areas such as health, nursing, accounting, law, and information technology. But the numbers demonstrate otherwise. Although AAPIs are highly regarded, they are often thought to be docile or lack leadership qualities and assertiveness. For example, Asian Americans are often portrayed as a model minority — well educated, hard-working, dedicated, and successful. For this reason, they are regularly left out of discussions about discrimination in the workplace and overlooked for opportunities that would give them experience to qualify for an executive or manager position. In fact, Asians are often excluded in diversity and inclusion plans entirely.
The model minority myth has even made Asian Americans invisible during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are rarely mentioned by the media in economic impact reports, even though they have faced the sharpest increase in long-term unemployment. This is not surprising, since there is little understanding that 10% of Asian Americans live in poverty and that there is a huge disparity of education and income levels among AAPIs.
Redistricting LA Results
On December 15, 2021, the Los Angeles County Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) approved a map creating new lines for the five supervisorial districts. Regarding the AAPI community, the total population percentages increased in Districts 1, 2, and 3, while decreasing in Districts 4 and 5:
As part of the CRC’s processes, they listened to public testimonies, forms, and letters from numerous stakeholders, and developed hypotheses based on communities of interest. One of the hypotheses was to “Keep San Gabriel Valley in one supervisorial district because it increases the opportunity for AAPI community to elect someone of their choice”.
This hypothesis included the cities of Arcadia, San Marino, and Temple City, which continues to remain part of District 5. However, District 1 was able gain SD Before After Change the cities of Alhambra, Diamond Bar, San Gabriel, Hacienda Heights, and Rowland Heights, which moved in from Districts 4 and 5. In addition to Los Angeles County’s new lines, Los Angeles City Council voted to unify the Koreatown areas in a single council district, CD10.
The CRC’s final report included 15 lessons learned, one of which is to consider increasing the number of County Supervisors/districts, allowing Supervisors to be more responsive and better address the concerns of smaller communities of interest. This consideration would require a ballot measure and legislative changes. In the meantime, will the redrawn districts allow the communities of interest to be fairly represented? If not, we will have another opportunity to redraw the lines after the 2030 Federal Census.
AAPI Contribution: Sara Sadhwani
With March being Women's History Month and with the upcoming June and November elections around the corner, it's the perfect time to highlight an Asian American woman in Los Angeles County making great strides in this area. We'd like you to meet Professor Sara Sadhwani of La Canada --- a LA County resident, Assistant Professor of Politics at Pomona College specializing in American politics and race and ethnic politics, and most recently, a commissioner on the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) for the State.
Meet Genie Chough
In a safe, socially-distanced Q&A fashion, we will introduce you to a County leader whose work and words of wisdom may inspire you in your career development in the County. In this issue, we introduce you to Genie Chough, Chief Deputy Director of the Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department (CSSD)
Mental Health Matters: Mental Health Awareness Amongst AAPIs
Did you know that AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month both fall in May? In anticipation of this time of celebrating AAPI contributions and recognizing the importance of mental health, LACAAEA is actively working with the LA County Department of Mental Health and other community leaders to provide panels and workshops for the AAPI communities starting in May.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, suicide is the leading cause of death for young Asian Americans from ages 15 to 24. We are also the least likely of all racial groups in the nation to seek out mental health services due to various cultural factors. Mental illness is viewed as a weakness and as reflecting negatively on the entire household.
Many believe that it’s due to problematic upbringing, which puts the parents’ reputation at stake. The model minority image also adds overwhelming pressure on many AAPIs as they strive to uphold this image or risk being looked down on. Language is another obstacle to receiving help as 32.6% of AAPIs are not fluent in English. There is a lack of translated material and outreach efforts to spread awareness to AAPIs even though our communities desperately need all the help we can get.
LACAAEA will be kicking of virtual mental health workshops with a panel of guest speakers in May. Please be on the look out for an email notification from us for a date and time. We welcome you to spread the word to your family and friends and participate in this conversation with us to help improve the lives of our AAPI communities
Contributions from our Community: Fitting into America
The month of March is filled with juxtapositions between celebrations and reflections birthed by tragedies. It is in this month that we observe March 8th as International Women’s Day, celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women; yet at the same time across the globe, we watch brave Ukrainian women escaping with their young and their old or taking up arms fighting for their country. As we also commemorate the month of March as National Women’s History Month, we acknowledge the fact that throughout history, women have had to pay the ultimate price of wars waged by power-hungry men. I would be remiss to not mention that a year ago in March we experienced the horrific Atlanta spa shootings that led to the tragic deaths of eight AAPI women. It is always the mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, and sisters who will have to pick up the pieces of the shattered lives.
Although the Stop Asian hate movement have awakened the AAPI community to speak out against the hate crimes, we are still dealing with the fact that majority of the attacks against AAPI women are still occurring. We can’t talk about this issue only when another AAPI woman is brutally murdered. Whether or not it’s labeled a hate crime, let’s face it, with 74% of AAPI women reporting to have experienced racism and/or discrimination this past year, the results are a sobering reminder on the current state of safety for AAPI women in the US (National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum). There needs to be a long-term commitment from the community and from those in positions of power to direct resources to address the issues that AAPI women face.
Mapping Our Roots: Little Bronze Tokyo
LA—the “global metropolis.” Home to people of many different racial and ethnic backgrounds. However, although Calif. had entered the Union (US) as a free state, many still attempted to create an “Anglo paradise” due to the Gold Rush, an agricultural boom, and a location close to the sea. Many pushed “efforts to subordinate Mexicans, exclude Chinese, and prohibit blacks,” which resulted in various genocides, uprisings, and policies in SoCal. Despite the segregationist housing, discriminatory job market, and targeted violence, LA still proved itself to be a place filled with the promise of higher wages and homeownership. Many parts of LA had become enclaves and hubs of businesses, landownership, art, and activism.
It was an executive order. The war that the US had once claimed neutrality in had touched the homeland and exacerbated tensions both subtly held and overt. Following the tragedy at Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which authorized the forced removal of all people deemed a “threat to national security” from the West Coast to internment camps further inland. While the order affected Italian and German Americans as well, the target of such an order was those of Japanese descent—regardless of American citizenship status or years of residence. Japantowns up and down the West Coast became ghost towns. One of these towns was Little Tokyo.
During this war period, many people continued to flock to Los Angeles to fulfill their dreams. The migration patterns brought many ethnic minorities to the city and, due to housing restrictions, lived and worked closely together. After Japanese residents were evicted from their homes by the military, the influx of new residents still had no place to reside except in places where building owners had many vacant properties to fill. Many African Americans from the Deep South created a home in Little Tokyo and by October 1943 African American businessmen created the Bronzeville Chamber of Commerce. Since housing was still scarce for non-whites who were restricted from the suburbs, Bronzeville, unfortunately, became subject to overcrowding and other slum-like conditions. Even so, Bronzeville and nearby Central Ave became a bustling hub of artistic creations. “Breakfast clubs,” or nightclubs that stayed open until the night turned into breakfast time, were filled with jazz and blues. War workers now had more disposable income and they spent it how they desired.
During the 1945 transition, as Japanese Americans returned to Bronzeville/Little Tokyo, African Americans left the central area due to buy out, leases not renewed, and in some cases, lawsuits. Not all African Americans left the area, and even with some racial tension, there was much collaboration that had continued throughout the interwar period and beyond. Organizations like the Nisei Progressives helped African Americans find housing and African American attorney and chair of the California Race Relations Commission Hugh MacBeth argued the case of People vs. Oyama after being the chief voice exposing the injustice against West Coast Japanese Americans. Although Bronzeville is no longer physically present in Little Tokyo, historian Martha Nakagawa continues to highlight this piece of longforgotten LA history.