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.
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SEARAC Policy Brief Highlights Opportunities, Challenges to Achieve Data Equity for AA and NHPI Communities in California
SEARAC is proud to release “AB 1726: A California Case Study on Disaggregating Public Health Data by Race and Ethnicity,” a new policy brief that presents key challenges to implementing California Assembly Bill 1726, which passed in 2016 and requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to break down broad demographic data it collects into more specific Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) subgroups.
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“Data 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.”
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
“Southeast 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.”
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CAAMFest 2025 is coming back to the Bay Area with an amazing line-up of films from Asian America. SEARAC is proud to share that Southeast Asian American Journeys, a docuseries uplifting the diverse stories of SEAA communities, is premiering at CAAMFest on May 10. SEARAC produced this series alongside @caamedia. We are grateful to our partners, storytellers, producers, filmmakers, and — most of all — the heroes of these episodes for this opportunity. For the full program and tickets, visit CAAMFest.com.
May 5
CAAMFest 2025 is coming back to the Bay Area with an amazing line-up of films from Asian America. SEARAC is proud to share that Southeast Asian American Journeys, a docuseries uplifting the diverse stories of SEAA communities, is premiering at CAAMFest on May 10. SEARAC produced this series alongside @caamedia. We are grateful to our partners, storytellers, producers, filmmakers, and — most of all — the heroes of these episodes for this opportunity. For the full program and tickets, visit CAAMFest.com.
Thank you for joining us during this Week of Commemoration. We remain committed to honoring and uplifting the voices of Southeast Asian American communities across the United States.
Our fight for visibility, equity, and justice does not end with this 50th commemoration. It is a milestone in a much longer journey. We invite you to join us in reimagining a more just future for all — during these next 50 years and beyond.
Today, we honor the story of Lao Americans. From demanding the cleanup of unexploded ordnance to advocating for the protection of SEAAs from unjust detention and deportation, Lao American leadership embodies the power and persistence of the Southeast Asian American diaspora — the will to survive, resist, and thrive against all odds.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
May 2
Thank you for joining us during this Week of Commemoration. We remain committed to honoring and uplifting the voices of Southeast Asian American communities across the United States.
Our fight for visibility, equity, and justice does not end with this 50th commemoration. It is a milestone in a much longer journey. We invite you to join us in reimagining a more just future for all — during these next 50 years and beyond.
Today, we honor the story of Lao Americans. From demanding the cleanup of unexploded ordnance to advocating for the protection of SEAAs from unjust detention and deportation, Lao American leadership embodies the power and persistence of the Southeast Asian American diaspora — the will to survive, resist, and thrive against all odds.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
Today, SEARAC honors the 50th commemoration of Hmong American refugee resettlement and the incredible legacy the Hmong community has built over five decades.
As we mark this 50-year milestone, we reflect on a history shaped by loss, resilience, and hard-won progress. The Hmong community continues to navigate the challenges of displacement and systemic barriers, even as it builds power across generations. SEARAC remains committed to amplifying Hmong voices and ensuring that their contributions continue to be recognized and valued.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio.
May 1
Today, SEARAC honors the 50th commemoration of Hmong American refugee resettlement and the incredible legacy the Hmong community has built over five decades.
As we mark this 50-year milestone, we reflect on a history shaped by loss, resilience, and hard-won progress. The Hmong community continues to navigate the challenges of displacement and systemic barriers, even as it builds power across generations. SEARAC remains committed to amplifying Hmong voices and ensuring that their contributions continue to be recognized and valued.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio.
On this day 50 years ago, Saigon fell and the lives of millions of people who called Vietnam home were forever changed. April 1975 marked a chapter of profound loss and mass displacement for Vietnamese families, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland in search of safety and a new future. Against all odds, communities from Vietnam have survived the trauma of war; and five decades later continue to fight for a vision of abundance, not just survival. But this is not just the story of the Vietnamese, it is also the story for the Mien, Tai Dam, Montagnard, and other Southeast Asian refugees who fled.
As the largest Southeast Asian community, Vietnamese Americans carry our responsibility to stand together with all communities living under threat. We must protect each other, our dreams, and our democracy. And we must remind this Congress, this administration, and this country that we not only belong here but are woven into the American fabric. Our story is not one just of escape, it is also a story of resilience, of love, and of hope. For 50 years, we have transformed trauma into power.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
Apr 30
On this day 50 years ago, Saigon fell and the lives of millions of people who called Vietnam home were forever changed. April 1975 marked a chapter of profound loss and mass displacement for Vietnamese families, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland in search of safety and a new future. Against all odds, communities from Vietnam have survived the trauma of war; and five decades later continue to fight for a vision of abundance, not just survival. But this is not just the story of the Vietnamese, it is also the story for the Mien, Tai Dam, Montagnard, and other Southeast Asian refugees who fled.
As the largest Southeast Asian community, Vietnamese Americans carry our responsibility to stand together with all communities living under threat. We must protect each other, our dreams, and our democracy. And we must remind this Congress, this administration, and this country that we not only belong here but are woven into the American fabric. Our story is not one just of escape, it is also a story of resilience, of love, and of hope. For 50 years, we have transformed trauma into power.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
This month, Cambodian American communities across the country observed days of remembrance as a time of solemn reflection for victims and survivors of the Cambodian Genocide, which claimed the lives of about a quarter of the country’s population (an estimated two million people) between 1975 and 1979 under Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime.
For loved ones lost in Cambodia, we mourn and hold their spirits close to our hearts. In their memory, we uphold our commitment to confront injustice wherever it emerges.
Today, we also celebrate the incredible will of the Cambodian American people, many of whom continue to heal from the trauma and have rebuilt their communities with courage and grace. Their stories are a testament to human strength and the enduring spirit of survival.
Let this day serve as a reminder of our shared humanity, as inspiration to speak out against hatred and violence in all their forms.
Learn more at the link in our bio!
Apr 29
This month, Cambodian American communities across the country observed days of remembrance as a time of solemn reflection for victims and survivors of the Cambodian Genocide, which claimed the lives of about a quarter of the country’s population (an estimated two million people) between 1975 and 1979 under Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime.
For loved ones lost in Cambodia, we mourn and hold their spirits close to our hearts. In their memory, we uphold our commitment to confront injustice wherever it emerges.
Today, we also celebrate the incredible will of the Cambodian American people, many of whom continue to heal from the trauma and have rebuilt their communities with courage and grace. Their stories are a testament to human strength and the enduring spirit of survival.
Let this day serve as a reminder of our shared humanity, as inspiration to speak out against hatred and violence in all their forms.
Learn more at the link in our bio!