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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Latest related posts
For our final Workplace Wellness blog series, SEARAC California Deputy Director Mandy Diêc, penned a blog about countering ideas of "productivity" and "urgency" in social justice work. Mandy writes, "I believed that burnout and emotional taxation was just part of the commitment to social justice. SEARAC taught me that this was directly opposed to values of equity, justice, and community care."
Read her blog post at the link in our bio.
Mar 26
SEARAC`s newest report, Rising Up, shows us that the evidence is clear that Southeast Asian American students thrive in educational environments that make them visible and valued. Effective strategies include culturally responsive curricula, such as ethnic studies, Southeast Asian American studies, and heritage language learning; culturally competent educators; culturally appropriate mental health supports; and intentional efforts to foster belonging through student organizations and
community spaces.
Read the full report and our newly released executive summary at bit.ly/RisingUpSEARAC
Mar 23
Our second finding from our new education report, Rising Up, is that lack of data prevents clear picture.
Most data groups Southeast Asian American, South Asian, and East Asian students into a single “Asian” category. This masks inequities and reinforces the harmful “model minority” myth. We need data to be broken down and disaggregated to reveal the unique experiences of Southeast Asian American communities. This will provide educators, researchers, and policymakers with information on how to better support them.
Read the full report and our newly released executive summary at bit.ly/RisingUpSEARAC
Mar 19
Get @reshare_app • @asmmiabonta As Trump ramps up his mass deportation machine, thousands of Californians are facing immigration court, one of the most complex legal systems in the country, without a lawyer and without a fair shot. These are our neighbors, our friends, our community members. Research shows that having a lawyer makes you five times more likely to win your case. AB 2600 is our chance to stand up for our neighbors and protect due process for every Californian.
Mar 18
We are breaking down the key findings from Rising Up, a new report on the state of education for Southeast Asian American students. Our first key finding is that outcomes are improving, but remain uneven across ethnicity and gender.
Community advocacy has resulted in increased supports for Southeast Asian American students and we`re seeing Southeast American students graduating from high school and enrolling in college at higher rates than previous generations. However, that progress has been uneven and includes ethnic and gender disparities. Read the full report and our newly released executive summary at bit.ly/RisingUpSEARAC
Mar 18
