Ensure meaningful implementation of data equity laws

We convene a data equity workgroup in partnership with the California Department of Public Health, to ensure data laws are compliant and best practices are institutionalized. We focus on Assembly Bill 1726 as a case study, which mandates the disaggregation of health indicators into more specific AA and NHPI subgroups.

Key resource:

This policy brief presents key challenges to implementing California Assembly Bill 1726, which passed in 2016 and requires the California Department of Public Health to break down broad demographic data it collects into more specific Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander subgroups.

Members of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Asian Health Services, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center.

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โ€œData disaggregation is a decades-long advocacy issue that Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities have fought for and will continue to fight for until our communities are thriving. EPIC understands data disaggregation is one of the critical ways to uncover and address NHPI health and social inequities. AB 1726 would make the health outcomes of additional NHPI ethnic groups including Tongans and Fijians visible.โ€

Empowering Pacific Islander Communities

โ€œSoutheast Asian Americans (SEAAs) experience unique health inequities due to our experiences with war, genocide, and displacement. For example, heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death for SEAAs in California, potentially linked to toxic chemicals used during the violence in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Almost half of SEAA Californians are limited English proficient and experience linguistic and cultural barriers to accessing care. Community leaders and policymakers need disaggregated data in order to identify disparities various populations face and create evidence-based solutions that improve health outcomes for all.โ€

SEARAC
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People Power in Action

Ensure accurate SEAA representation and self-identification

The census is the largest publicly available dataset with SEAA data. It directly influences political representation and funding for our communities.

SEARAC is thrilled to see AB 1242 move forward! AB 1242 will strengthen language access for our communities by updating the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act and make sure translations done by AI have humans overseeing them. Thank you to @asmstephanienguyen for her leadership and to all our partners in the CA AA & NHPI Health Equity Coalition! 

Posted @withregram โ€ข @ocapica97 ๐Ÿ›๏ธ OCAPICA and our incredible AANHPI partner organizations @asianhealthservices @socalpicrt @causeusa @searac @pihp_oc @asianresourcesinc @advancingjusticesocal @pacificislandertf came together at the Capitol to provide testimony in support of AB 1242 by @asmstephanienguyen โ€” a vital step toward health equity for our communities. ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿฝ

AB 1242 addresses the need for language access for not only Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations, but for all communities in California.

Weโ€™re proud to advocate for change and uplift the diverse voices that make up the AANHPI community. Letโ€™s keep the momentum going โ€” equity begins with access. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ“Š๐Ÿ’ฌ
 
Thank you to these amazing organizations for voicing your support @childrennow @chirla_org @pivotorg @cpcainsights @western_center @nourishcalifornia @endchildpovca

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Earlier this month, the SEARAC team joined our friends at @caamedia for the premiere of our docuseries, Southeast Asian American Journeys. This landmark series, part of the Our Roots, Our Power campaign, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian American (SEAA) refugee resettlement and uplifts unique stories of community strength, survival, and self-determination. 

We are grateful to our partners, storytellers, producers, filmmakers @smellydurianface @joualeelens @oanhnhi.nguyen, and โ€” most of all โ€” the heroes of these episodes for this opportunity.

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