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.
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SEARAC Commemorates the 17th Anniversary of AANAPISIs
Since its founding, AANAPISIs have served thousands of first-generation and low-income students, including Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs).
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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
“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 child’s educational attainment and success.”
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 – at every level and no matter what path they choose to take.”
SEARAC board member
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Latest related posts
For millions of Californians, Medi-Cal is a lifeline, especially those who are aging, low-income, live with disabilities, or have various immigration statuses. @CAgovernor is proposing to cut care for the members of our community who are struggling the most in his #CAbudget. Now is the time to get loud and fight back!
Help us make sure #CAleg hears our plea; share this post, make a call, and send a letter at the link in @healthaccessca bio!
May 28
🚨Today, the California state Assembly PASSED AB 1537 by Asm. Bryan, the No Side Jobs for ICE Act!
As ICE tears families apart and terrorizes local communities, it’s also spending millions trying to recruit local law enforcement into its ranks. Despite the protections passed in CA, nothing in state law prevents local police and sheriffs from ‘moonlighting’ as deportation agents.
AB 1537 will CLOSE this loophole and bring urgently needed transparency. THANK You to Asm. Bryan (@isaacgbryan), the co-authors, all legislators who voted “aye,” and all of the community organizations that came out in support. Now, on to the Senate!
May 27
Every student deserves to be seen and heard. Our data must reflect their unique lived experiences. When Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students are lumped into broad categories, their struggles and their strengths both become invisible.
This AANHPI Heritage Month, SEARAC proudly supports the reintroduction of the All Students Count Act of 2026. This bill would require the federal government to collect and report education data disaggregated by distinct AANHPI ethnic groups.
Thank you to Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Pramila Jayapal for championing this bill.
🔗 Learn more at the link in our bio.
#AllStudentsCount #CountUsAll
May 21
Last week, SEARAC hosted the third installment of our Rising Up webinar series, examining gender disparities in Southeast Asian American students` educational attainment. Kham Moua, SEARAC National Deputy Director, shared how immigration policies in the 1990s criminalized Southeast Asian boys and men. This created not just a school-to-prison pipeline, but a school-to-prison-to-deportation pipeline.
You can join SEARAC tomorrow, May 19, for the next installment of our webinar series at bit.ly/RisingUpPt4.
May 18
Education is a right, not a privilege. Join SEARAC on May 19 for our Rising Up webinar series as we explore how community colleges are increasing access and affordability for Southeast Asian American students. Featuring Dr. Tchay Her of Fresno City College`s United Southeast Asian American Program (@fcc_useaa). RSVP today: bit.ly/RisingUpPt4 or at the link in our bio!
May 14
