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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Latest related posts
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! SEARAC is thrilled to announce that we are hosting a virtual screening of all five episodes from our Southeast Asian American Journeys documentary series, produced in partnership with the Center for Asian American Media. Come celebrate Southeast Asian American stories with us on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 4–6 pm ET (1–3 pm PT) as we wrap up this year’s 50th commemoration of Southeast Asian American refugee resettlement.
The event will include guest appearances from community members featured in the films and a Q&A with the executive producers, including director Quyên Nguyen-Le.
Learn more at seaapower.com/journeyslivestream and join us live on Facebook and YouTube from anywhere in the country. We hope to see you there for this special, one-time event.
Nov 26
SEARAC excited to welcome a new community of supporters who are ready to invest deeply in the future of Southeast Asian American communities. By joining SEARAC`s new Rooted in Giving Circle, you are helping to sustain SEARAC’s advocacy, leadership development, and community power-building for years to come.
This giving season, stand with us. Help ensure our communities continue to grow, heal, and lead with strength.
Learn more or join today: searac.org/donate-to-searac
Nov 25
Washington community, we’re thrilled to announce that @seaajourneys_doc will be shown on Dec. 10 in Seattle! The film screening will be hosted at @theatreoffjackson and will feature a Southeast Asian author book sale from @mamsbookstore.
Join this community celebration and buy tickets at seaa.click4tix.com
Nov 21
SEARAC continues to urge our elected officials to protect the Department of Education and preserve the many programs that Congress created to guarantee equal access to educational opportunities for every student.
Read our full statement at the link in our bio.
Nov 20
“For me, gold has come to symbolize memory: the resilience, stories, and traditions my mother’s generation carried across oceans.“
For the descendants of Southeast Asian refugees, this year’s 50th commemoration of our community’s story is a time for pause. For her recent blog post, Polly Woodbury, an LAT 2025 participant and the founder of jewelry brand Angkorian Collection, shares how the process of healing can take many forms. For Polly, it has been a combination of pursuing higher education to focus on Cambodian mental health, reconnecting to her Cambodian roots, and honoring the strength and artistry of her ancestors through jewelry. Polly reminds us that healing is a generational effort, with each new generation reclaiming what was lost and carrying forth the courage of their ancestors. Read Polly’s full blog here: https://shorturl.at/SMpcI
Nov 20
