Increase federal funding for Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions

Post-its and handwritten messages on a posterboard labeled with the year 1975

These colleges and universities are essential for increasing higher education access and success to low-income, first-generation Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students, including SEAAs.

Key resources:

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“I think that AANAPISIs are important because it allows for Asian American students, like myself, to come together and feel a sense of belonging. This space has allowed me to build relationships I know will last a lifetime. ANNAPISIs allow for there to be a community-based foundation for Asian American students who need that.”

alumnus of Irvine Valley College, an AANAPISI located in CA
People delivering a statement

“We need to be actively thinking about creative spaces and after-school programs that encourage participation from refugee parents in preparing their children for college. More importantly, we need to address language access. Without the ability to read documents or understand robocalls, parents are further barred from being informed on their childโ€™s educational attainment and success.โ€

Sovanna Pouv
Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell

“We need to invest far more in our school systems so that Southeast Asian American students, and all students of color, have a high quality education โ€“ at every level and no matter what path they choose to take.”

Roseryn Bhudsabourg
SEARAC board member
LAT participants striking a pose.

People Power in Action

Six people wear traditional attire adorned with flowers

Include Southeast Asian American ethnic studies in school curricula

Learning about the histories, culture, and experiences of our diverse communities, including SEAAs, benefits all students

Increase federal funding to support SEAA studentsโ€™ success

SEAAsโ€™ refugee history, their invisibility in education data and policy, and systemic racism create barriers to our studentsโ€™ educational success. Our government must address the disparities that SEAA students experience and invest in their futures.

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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