National CAPACD COMMENDS President Obama FOR Restoring federal wide AAPI initiative and naming Kiran Ahuja executive director

Washington, DC - National CAPACD applauds President Barack Obama for signing an Executive Order restoring the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Furthermore, we congratulate Kiran Ahuja for her appointment as the fifth Executive Director of the Initiative. “I have worked with Kiran for the past 10 years and am thrilled that President Obama has chosen someone who will be a passionate advocate and strong voice for underserved AAPIs. Kiran has a deep commitment to civil rights and equity and will most certainly be an innovator and champion not for only AAPI communities, but all who are underserved,” said Lisa Hasegawa, National CAPACD Executive Director.

This Executive Order calls for Federal Agency Plans to identify high-priority action items to improve the health, and well-being of underserved AAPIs, and also calls for evidence-based research, data-collection, and analysis on AAPI populations and subpopulations in housing, employment, and other economic indicators of AAPI community well-being. “Kiran’s combined experience in government, public policy and national AAPI advocacy will enable her to forge effective partnerships and produce meaningful results. We look forward to engaging with Kiran, and with the Co-Chairs of the Federal Interagency Working Group, Secretary Arne Duncan and Secretary Gary Locke,” said National CAPACD Co-Chair Sue Taoka.

In the coming months, the President will name a 20-member Advisory Commission responsible for making recommendations to improve the health and well being of AAPI communities and neighborhoods. “We stand ready to partner with the Commissioners who will provide critical input to federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Treasury and the Department of Labor in the development of their Annual Plans,” said National CAPACD Board Co-Chair, Kerry Doi.

“I had the honor of being a member of the original Initiative staff,” said Hasegawa. I believe Kiran is uniquely positioned to leverage the resources of the federal government, the ingenuity of our communities, and the commitment of the Obama White House to affect meaningful change.”

National CAPACD is a national advocacy organization dedicated to addressing the community development needs of diverse and rapidly growing AAPI communities. We are a network of more than 100 organizations and individuals in 17 states that serve low income Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, refugees and immigrants. Our member organizations implement innovative affordable housing, community development, organizing and planning strategies to improve the well-being of low-income AAPI communities.

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BACKGROUND

President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order to increase the participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Federal Programs on October 14, 2009.

http://www.aapimomentum.org/

Purpose of the Executive Order:
“To establish a President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and a White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Each will work to improve the quality of life and opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through increased access to, and participation in, Federal programs in which they may be underserved. In addition, each will work to advance relevant evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis for AAPI populations and subpopulations.”

Role of the Commission

The role of the 20-member Commission is to provide advice to the President, through the Secretaries of Education and Commerce, as Co-Chairs of the Initiative on:

* The development, monitoring, and coordination of executive branch efforts to improve the quality of life of AAPIs through increased participation in Federal programs in which such persons may be underserved;
* The compilation of research and data related to AAPI populations and subpopulations;
* The development, monitoring, and coordination of Federal efforts to improve the economic and community development of AAPI businesses; and
* Strategies to increase public and private-sector collaboration, and community involvement in improving the health, education, environment, and well-being of AAPIs.

The Commissioners are appointed by the President for a 2 year term and will include members who:

* Have a history of involvement with AAPI communities
* Are from the fields of education, commerce, business, health, human services, housing, environment, arts, agriculture, labor and employment, transportation, justice, veterans affairs, and economic and community development, or
* Are from civic associations representing one or more of the diverse AAPI communities

Meetings of the Commission are open to the public in accordance with the Federal Advisory Commission Act.

Role of the Federal Interagency Working Group

The Initiative will be housed at the Department of Education, with the Federal Interagency Working Group Co-Chaired by the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Commerce. The Interagency Working Group will be comprised of senior officials from 25 federal agencies and executive branch offices and other agencies as deemed appropriate. The IWG is responsible for the coordination and development of plans that will:

* identify Federal programs in which AAPIs may be underserved and improve the quality of life for AAPIs through increased participation in these programs;
* identify ways to foster the recruitment, career development, and advancement of AAPIs in the Federal Government;
* identify high-priority action items for which measurable progress may be achieved within 2 years to improve the health, environment, opportunity, and well-being of AAPIs, and implement those action items;
* increase public-sector, private-sector, and community involvement in improving the health, environment, opportunity, and well-being of AAPIs
* foster evidence-based research, data-collection, and analysis on AAPI populations and subpopulations, including research and data on public health, environment, education, housing, employment, and other economic indicators of AAPI community wellbeing; and
* solicit public input from AAPI communities on ways to increase and improve opportunities for public participation in Federal programs considering a number of factors, including language barriers.
* programs considering a number of factors, including language barriers.

25 federal agencies and executive branch offices are named in the Executive Order including:

* Department of Housing and Urban Development;
* Department of Labor;
* Department of Commerce
* Department of the Treasury;
* Department of Transportation;
* Environmental Protection Agency;
* Department of Education
* Department of Health and Human Services,
* Department of the Interior;
* Department of Justice
* Small Business Administration;
* National Economic Council;
* Domestic Policy Council;
* White House Office of Cabinet Affairs;
* White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement;

The White House Initiative on AAPIs was originally established by Executive Order 13125 by President William Clinton on June 6, 1999. The first Executive Director was Shamina Singh, followed by John Quoc Duong, Eddy Badrina and Jimmy Lee.

See Kiran's bio and more info at: http://www.aapimomentum.org/user/1/blog/kiran-ahuja-named-executive-dire...