This week, Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) hosted two events in LA and OC to honor our legislative and community partners who are leading the charge on language justice, protecting LGBTQ+ communities and fair redistricting process.
Our “Legislative Champion” awards went to Assemblymember Mike Fong (AD-49, Alhambra), Majority Leader Isaac Bryan (AD-55, Los Angeles), Senator Tom Umberg (SD-34, Santa Ana), and the “Community Champion” award went to Viet Rainbow of Orange County (VROC).
“If the community-based organizations are the heart that bring life to these policy issues, our elected officials are the head and mouthpiece. Our dedicated representatives work tirelessly to speak out on our behalf and navigate the legislative system to effectively pass these pieces of legislation. We are honoring them today for being such strong champions and allies to all of us and our API community.” said Connie Chung Joe, CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California
Assemblymember Mike Fong took initiatives when he recognized our local governments must do more to disseminate critical information during times of crisis, after his district was victim to one of California’s most devastating mass shootings. He introduced AB 1638, a bill that requires local governments to determine their community’s language needs moving forward, so that in future emergencies like that of a mass shooting, these governments will disseminate in-language information to their residents. The bill was signed by the Governor.
He also partnered with AJSOCAL to introduce HR 41, an Assembly resolution that declared May 19, 2023 as Combat Asian Invisibility Day, a day for the Assembly to recognize and reflect on the diverse needs within the Asian community. The resolution had 72 co-authors and received bi-partisan approval.
“I am honored to receive the Legislative Champion Award and commit to prioritizing our community’s needs in Sacramento. Thank you to AJSOCAL for your leadership and advocacy,” said Assemblymember Mike Fong (D-Alhambra).
Majority Leader Isaac Bryan collaborated with AJSOCAL and various other co-sponsors to introduce AB 1248, a bill that would have directed large jurisdictions to establish an independent redistricting commission by 2030. A vital issue in ensuring that the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community and other disenfranchised communities can achieve fair maps that protect our representation in various levels of government.
“The redistricting process must be inclusive and transparent,” said Majority Leader Bryan. “I’m grateful for organizations like AJSOCAL who are working with my office to strengthen the redistricting process and move legislation forward that prioritizes our communities over politicians. We can and will reach those goals for every voter in California.”
In Orange County, AJSOCAL partnered with The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) and Center for Asian Americans in Action (Center for A3) to honor Legislative and Community Champions in the area.
California State Senator Tom Umberg was the critical leader in helping to secure $5 million for the CSU Asian Bilingual Teacher Education Program. With this funding, California is on track to see 44% more certified Asian language bilingual teachers in the next two years, compared to the 2019-2020 academic year, to teach in dual immersion classrooms, and we could even see the first Khmer credential courses in the summer of 2024!
“I am thrilled to learn that this funding is able to support faculties, teachers and our students, ” said Senator Umberg. “Orange County has some of the most vibrant Southeast Asian communities in the state, and the country. I look forward to seeing Khmer certified bilingual teachers in our dual immersion classrooms in the near future because of this funding.”
Our Community Award went to Viet Rainbow of California (VROC). This year, we witnessed multiple attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. Some members in the California Legislature even went so far to introduce a “forced outing” bill. When a local school board in Orange County voted to support such legislation, VROC galvanized community members and spearheaded a community letter issued to the school board urging them to rescind their endorsement of the bill, and to meet with local LGBTQ+ community and allies to learn about their lived experiences and needs.
We are inspired by VROC’s courage to lead our community to hold elected officials accountable.
“The fight for acceptance and inclusivity of LGBTQ+ youth and the community as a whole is not over,” said Uyen Hoang, Executive Director of VROC. “We will continue demanding to be seen and heard by our community and our elected leaders because together we can build a future that we deserve.”
Mary Anne Foo, Executive Director at OCAPICA said she is proud to have various champions in Orange County who are committed to uplifting Asian American needs across the state. “As an organization that serves over 80,000 Californians in more than 20 languages, we are thankful for partnerships in OC and in Sacramento,” said Foo. “I encourage legislators to continue engaging with the Asian American community across the state and ensure the state continues to invest in language accessibility across the board: mental health, education, voting rights, workforce and beyond.”
Founding Executive Director of the Center for Asian Americans in Action, Priscilla Huang, urges attendees and legislators to look for opportunities to work with community-based organizations to promote equitable racial, education and health policies for all Californians. “We must also ensure voters are equipped with the right tools so they can safely cast their ballot and have their voices heard,” said Huang.
The event showcased a gallery walk highlighting the challenges faced by the AAPI community and the diverse strategies employed by our community partners to tackle these issues. Take a closer look at the gallery walk here.
