CAPAA Initiatives
Asian American Pacific Islander Voices in Education Initiative:
In June 2011, the Asian American & Pacific Islander Voices in Education Initiative was launched to prepare AAPI families, community leaders and organizations to be full partners in education policymaking in Washington State.
Meaningful participation of Washington’s AAPI communities in improving education is critical to its overall success. AAPI students represent 8 percent of the population in our K-12 public schools. However, barriers like the model-minority myth and the lack of data/research prevent a clear understanding of the problems AAPIs face in the educational system. Further, the community has limited civic engagement capacity to engage as a full partner in forming public policies.
The initiative is designed to address these needs and build on two reports released in 2008 recommending strategies to close the educational opportunity gap for Asian American and Pacific Islander students and the AAPI Civic Engagement Initiative in 2010.
The goal of the initiative will be accomplished through the following key outcomes:
- Action-oriented community based research influences education reform proposals. A series of focus group discussions on the challenges and opportunities for AAPI students and families in education will be conducted throughout the state. The major themes uncovered through the focus groups will then be validated through a phone survey of AAPI parents and families. More information on the focus group discussions can be found here.
- AAPI engagement in education reform increases through the development of policy priorities. Through a series of eight interactive workshops, participants will follow the principals of appreciative inquiry to design their ideal school system that will ensure the success of all AAPI students. Two statewide education summits will be convened for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to develop and ratify an education agenda that serves the needs of AAPI students.
- Civic engagement capacity of AAPI-serving organizations increases. The Asian Pacific Islander Coalition has a significant statewide reach in its advocacy. The initiative supports the capacity of APIC.
The AAPI Voices in Education Initiative partners include the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA), the Asian Pacific Islander American Think Tank (APIATT), the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC), the Washington State Association for Multicultural Education (WSAME) and the Win/Win Network.
Contact: Commissioner Frieda Takamura at ftakamura08@gmail.com
Asian American Pacific Islander Health Disparity Initiative:
In December 2011, the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs launched its AAPI Health Disparity Initiative. The initiative’s primary goal is to achieve health equity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in Washington State. The top priorities of the initiative are data collection, treatment, prevention, and education on the Affordable Care Act.
- Improve the reporting of data. Disaggregated data is critical for identifying which populations are most at risk, and what specific interventions are effective in improving the health for specific populations. We intend to improve data collection, analysis, and dissemination for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
- Treatment. We intend to develop a cultural competent education campaign targeted at the geographic regions where affected populations live. It will partner with ethnic community groups to increase awareness and encourage testing for prevention.
- Prevention. Address critical health issues (including access to care) that impact Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. Diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and infant morality are major issues among these groups.
- Educate. Provide information to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community on the Affordable Care Act.
Working in partnership with community-based organizations, the initiative has three core strategies, including:
- Promoting closer collaborations between state agencies and community based organizations;
- Developing mechanisms to monitor and report on progress toward achieving equity; and
- Facilitating input and feedback from the community.
Sponsors of the Asian American Pacific Islander Health Disparity Initiative include the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, the Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities, Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Health Care Authority, and the Department of Social and Health Services.
Contact: Commissioner Sofia Aragon at to.sofia.aragon@gmail.com
White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Sustainable Growth Summit:
In partnership with North Seattle Community College and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs hosted a Sustainable Growth Summit at North Seattle Community College on July 8, 2011, to raise awareness in the community on federal opportunities for communities to drive sustainable growth. Numerous workshops and panels bringing together federal and local officials to promote sustainable communities, encourage innovation, and support economic growth were held.
The goal of the summit:
- To engage the AAPI community on programs that help communities develop a clean energy economy
- To create green jobs and support economic growth
- To foster a healthy, innovative and sustainable environment
Workshops included:
- Financing and Globalizing a Green Business
- Clean Energy Technology
- Government Contracting-Opportunities for Businesses
- Connecting Health to Environment
- Healthcare IT-An Industry on the Rise
- Economic Development through Local Food
- Greening Your Lifestyle
Several hundred community members attended to hear featured speakers including: Cabinet member Christopher Lu; Christina Lagdameo, Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and Ronnie Chatterji, Senior Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisors. The Administration presented solutions to strengthen the local economy, protect the environment, create green jobs and allow access programs and leverage resources to build sustainable neighborhoods.
View video on remarks from the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Sustainable Growth Summit here.
