Our Work in California
California is home to the largest Southeast Asian American community in America.
SEARAC’s work in California centers on building our collective power. We partner with over 30 community-based organizations across the state to inform and deepen local and statewide advocacy with ripple effects for national advocacy.
Our fight for equity for refugee and immigrant communities includes:
- access to affordable health care;
- culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health care;
- data equity and visibility;
- ethnic studies in schools; and
- immigration reform.
Our major areas of focus
California policy seeding and leadership cohort
Launched in 2024, the CA Policy Seeding and Leadership Cohort (the “Cohort”) is an applied learning experience for staff at our partner organizations interested in growing as advocates for their communities at the state level. During this experience, Cohort members learn about the state legislative process, developing policy solutions, and advocacy strategies. As we commemorate the SEAA community’s 50th anniversary in the United States in 2025, the Cohort is guided by this question: How do we plant the seeds for new policy solutions or campaigns for SEAA communities to thrive in CA?
Health data equity
SEARAC engages with local and state-level health agencies to ensure high quality disaggregated health data and improved health outcomes for SEAA communities. Following the passage of CA Assembly Bill 1726, SEARAC currently co-chairs the Data Disaggregation Workgroup in partnership with the CA Department of Public Health, which focuses on implementing AB 1726 as a case study for improved race and ethnicity data collection and reporting across agencies. The workgroup is done in collaboration with diverse community partners, health providers, data scientists and researchers, and other data advocates.
Mental health for refugee and immigrant communities
Our advocacy focuses on advancing culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health care services, including through language access, improving health systems, addressing community stigma and barriers, uplifting community solutions, and growing a culturally competent provider pipeline. We engage with local and state behavioral health agencies to ensure the inclusion of SEAA communities in mental health programs and funding. We also conduct research on the unique mental health needs of SEAAs across generations.
Southeast Asian American ethnic studies and model curricula
We have successfully advocated for the inclusion of SEAA lesson plans into the CA Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum and supported the development of SEAA model curricula centering Cambodian, Hmong, and Vietnamese American histories, culture, and refugee experiences. SEARAC continues to ensure meaningful implementation of ethnic studies curricula across California and to share and build resources and curricula on SEAA communities.
Key Resources
