The census is the largest publicly available dataset with SEAA data. It directly influences political representation and funding for our communities.
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Hmong Leaders Meet with Census Director on Hmong Misclassification
On Thursday, May 23, 16 Hmong and Asian American advocates met with Director Robert L. Santos of the US Census Bureau to discuss the need to reclassify the Hmong as Southeast Asian. The meeting comes as a result of a letter and petition with over 1,700 signatures to Director Santos asking the Bureau to address the issue and meet with community leaders.
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“We talk about how it is so important for us as a group of people to participate in the census, so we show up in the data. Once that data comes out, we will have information about ourselves. Right now, we don’t know how many of us live in the Bay Area, or even the city of Richmond.”
Director, Asian Senior/Adult Daycare Center
“I want to help Cambodians and other minorities be counted in the 2020 Census. We are a minority of a minority group. We are Asians, but we’re also Cambodians. There are only 260,000 of us in the United States according to the 2010 Census, so having everyone counted is important.”
Technical engineer
“It’s vital for us to know each other as a community, locally and nationally. Where are we, how many of us are there, and how can we use our collective numbers to be changemakers? These are questions I find myself asking when I’m planning my dance classes or looking out to a crowd during a performance.”
Director, Cambodian American Girls Empowering
“I’m the son, nephew, and grandson of Vietnamese refugees who benefited from ESL education and other social programs, and I feel like we’ve come full circle now that I’m a first-generation college graduate and ESL teacher. I know that the type of services my school district and I are able to provide relies on data from the Census, so it is so important that educators encourage their community members to complete it.”
ESL Teacher
“When individuals are invisible in data, they remain invisible in policy conversations. To understand how groups within the AAPI community fare in higher education and the specific challenges each face, we must disaggregate data along racial and ethnic lines. Doing so will reveal where inequities exist and, in turn, unlock the full power of postsecondary education to spur social mobility, economic health, and a stronger society.”
Institute for Higher Education Policy
“Without data disaggregation, this system makes students like me invisible, our needs are downplayed, and resources aren’t offered. Data disaggregation allows for students like me to be seen, to get the resources we need, and to reach our fullest potential.”
Minnesota student
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SEARAC wants to know how this shutdown is impacting you, your families, and your community. Tell us at bit.ly/SEARACShutdownSurvey or at the link in our bio.
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Last month, SEARAC launched Resources for Southeast Asian Refugees Facing Deportation, a webpage providing resources and answers to frequently asked questions for people facing deportation to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Share with your networks: bit.ly/SEAAdeportationresources.
Please note that it does not provide legal advice.
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Last month, SEARAC and our friends at @uccoflongbeach and Families in Good Health hosted the West Coast premiere of Southeast Asian American Journeys, the groundbreaking documentary series now available in its entirety with all five episodes. Thank you to our partners and community for being part of this amazing milestone. We are honored to celebrate Southeast Asian American voices alongside you!
Thuy Do, SEARAC Senior California Program Manager, shared, "Experiencing the screening with long-time community partners and leaders in Long Beach was touching, as we reminisced on our shared histories of resettlement. Witnessing and sharing the emotions with the audience members captured how far we have come as a Southeast Asian American community and how much farther we will go together, even through trying times." Photos courtesy of @mrheng562
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Read the full article at the link in our bio.
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