Editor’s Note (6/18/2014 at 12:01 p.m.): In the June 4, 2014 print edition and in a previous version of this post, the International Examiner ran an early and incorrect draft of a letter to University of Washington President Dr. Michael Young by the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Washington State (APIC) and the Asian Pacific Directors Coalition of King County (APDC). The International Examiner regrets the mistake and apologizes to APIC, APDC, and our readers for the error. What follows is the final and correct letter dated June 2 that was sent from APIC and APDC to President Young. The letter thanks President Young for committing to meet with the community on July 31 at Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS). The letter also indicates that APDC has members who helped pave the way for earlier Asian inclusion in the Office of Minority Affairs (not paved the way for the Office of Minority Affairs as was mentioned in the earlier draft of the letter). This final draft of the letter below has 74 signers.
Dear Dr. Young,
The Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Washington State and the Asian Pacific Directors Coalition of King County look forward to meeting with you on July 31, Thursday, 3:30 p.m. at Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) to discuss restoration of the South East Asian student recruiter position in the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity. It is a matter of deep concern in our community. We are joined in this concern by University of Washington faculty such as Dr. Stephen Sumida and Dr. Connie So of American Ethnic Studies, and by state legislators such as Senator Bob Hasegawa, and Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, who wish to attend the meeting as well. Rogelio Riojas has also been invited and accepted our invitation.
The Asian American population is a community of contrasts which is extremely ethnically diverse. While some parts of the community have attained educational and economic success, other parts of the community have alarming educational and economic indicators. The Southeast Asian communities face significant disparities. For example, 37% of the Hmong community, 29% of the Cambodian community, 18% of the Laotian community, and 16% of the Vietnamese community live in poverty. High School dropout rates in these communities are shocking: 40% of Hmong, 38% of Laotian and 35% of Cambodian students drop out of high school. Like other groups which have student recruiters employed by OMAD, these communities clearly experience poverty and all the barriers of the opportunity gap. Like the other groups which have much needed student recruiters, the Southeast Asian communities require the support of a culturally competent student recruiter that comes from the relevant community.
The Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC) is a statewide coalition of community and business leaders and members with chapters in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, Yakima and Spokane Counties. APIC advocates on issues of concern to our communities, including equal access to education and closing the opportunity gap. APIC mobilizes our communities with civic engagement, voter registration, voter education, and public policy advocacy. APIC annually organizes 1,500 to 2,000 community leaders and members in 25 languages spoken by Asians and Pacific Islanders to attend our Asian Pacific American Legislative Day events in Olympia. Community and business leaders meet with Governor and legislative leadership and community members meet with their legislators. These events and statewide summits have been endorsed by over 100 community organizations, businesses, churches, and labor organizations statewide. APIC works closely with the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and with legislators on educational equity issues.
The Asian Pacific Directors Coalition (APDC) is a countywide organization with over 40 members, with leaders of Asian Pacific American community based organizations addressing a variety of policy issues, including equitable access to publicly funded education. APDC’s membership includes a former Seattle School District Board President, distinguished and award winning UW alumni, UW activists who helped pave the way for earlier Asian inclusion in the UW Office of Minority Affairs, and others with experience at all levels of public education.
Thank you for committing to meet with us and our community members; we look forward to seeing you soon at this important community meeting.
Sincerely,
Diane Narasaki, King County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Chair, Asian Counseling and Referral Service Executive Director, UW alumna, Dr. Samuel E. Kelly Award 2013
for
Lua Pritchard, Pierce County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Chair, Asia Pacific Cultural Center Executive Director
Van Dinh Kuno, Snohomish County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Chair
Vang Xiong, Spokane County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Chair
Dori Peralta Baker, Yakima County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Chair
Lin Crowley, South Puget Sound Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Chair
Mark Okazaki, Asian Pacific Directors Coalition Chair, Neighborhood House Executive Director
Monica Ng, Asian Coalition for Equality Seattle Chair, UW Alumna
Bob Hasegawa, Washington State Senator, 11th District, UW MPA, Distinguished Alumnus 2013, UW Nikkei Alumni Association
Alan Sugiyama, Executive Development Institute (EDI) Executive Director, UW alumnus, President Charles Odegaard Award, UW President’s Minority Community Council former member, UW Multicultural Alumni Partnership Community Service Award, UW EOP Student Leadership Award, UW Asian Student Council former Chair, UW Ethnic Planning Committee former member, UW Asian American Studies Planning Committee former member, Seattle School Board former President
Frank Irigon, UW Alumni Board former Trustee, UW Alumni Association Multicultural Alumni Partnership Club former President and current Board Member, Dr. Samuel E. Kelly Award, UW Alumni Helping Hand Award, first Asian on ASUW Board of Control, first Asian ASUW 2nd Vice President
Britt Yamamoto, iLEAP Executive Director, Ph.D., M.S., UW alumnus, UW Excellence in Teaching Award 2004, Antioch University Core Faculty
Tracy Lai, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Seattle Chapter President, UW Alumni Lifetime Member
Debadutta Dash, Washington State India Trade Relations Committee (WASITRAC) Co-Chair, UW Foster School of Business Center for International Business, Education & Research Advisory Committee
Ay Saechao, Southeast Asian American Access in Education (SEAeD) Coalition Founder and Co-Chair, TRiO Student Support and Retention Services, UW alumnus
Frieda Takamura, Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, Education Chair
Khoua Xiong, Spokane Hmong Association President
Seng Vue, Hmong Association of Washington President
Sinoun Hem, Cambodian Women Networking Association President
Sing Phoxay, Lao Association of Snohomish County President
Myle Shaffer, Vietnamese Association President of Snohomish County
Tuyet Nguyen, Vietnamese Community for Mutual Support of Pierce County President
Trong Pham, Greater Seattle Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, President
Narad Dahal, Bhutanese Association of Snohomish County President
Kyaw Thu, Burmese Association of Snohomish County President
Maria Batayola, Filipino American Political Action Group of Washington President, UW alumna
Alma Kern, Filipino Community of Seattle President
General Oscar Hillman, Filipino Community Alliance President
Roman Valisi, Filipino American League President
Ron Chew, Organization of Chinese Americans—Greater Seattle Co-President, UW alumnus
Rebecca Chan, Organization of Chinese Americans—Greater Seattle Co-President, UW alumna
Toshiko Hasegawa, Japanese Americans Citizens League Seattle Chapter President
Yuko Toth, Tanpoponokai Japanese Women’s Association President
Kilioni Prescott, Samoan Seniors of Pierce County President
Gary Lizama, IMAHE Guam Association President
Clarence Chun Fook, Hawaii Canoe Association of Washington President
Marissa Vichayapai, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) Seattle Chapter Co-Chair, UW MSW
Lisa Chen, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum Seattle Chapter Co-Chair
Jeffrey Hattori, Nikkei Concerns Chief Executive Officer
Dorothy Wong, CISC Executive Director
Beth Takekawa, The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, Executive Director
Andrea Akita, Interim Community Development Association Executive Director
High Chief Peter Leota Strickland, Samoan Pacific Organization Executive Director
Siniva Driggers, Samoa Nurses of Washington Executive Director
Reueta Doiron, Samoan Family Support Center Executive Director
Sili Savusa, Pacific Islander Resource Coalition; White Center Development Association Executive Director
Ira SenGupta, Cross Cultural Alliance Healthcare Program Executive Director
Rich Stolz, OneAmerica Executive Director
Lisa Chin, YearUp Executive Director
Pran Wahi, India Association of Western Washington Seniors Program Director
Dr. Ulisese Sala, Minister, Tacoma Congregational Christian Church of America Samoa
Reverend Suipi Vaielua, Fort Lewis Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa
Bernadette Agor Matsuno, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Director, UW MSW
Rosie Rimando—Chareunsup, Ed.D., South Seattle Community College Vice President of Student Services, UW MPA
May Toy Lukens, South Seattle Community College Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions Project Director, UW MPA
Tony Lee, Solid Ground Advocacy Director
Bev Kashino, YMCA of Greater Seattle Talent Acquisition Director, SPHR
Stella Chao, UW BASW, MSW
Cheryl Lee, UW JD 2016
Eunice How, UW Lutheran Campus Ministry Board Member, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum Seattle Chapter member, UW MPHA
Tagoipah Mathno, Cham Community of Seattle member
Deborah Sary, UW Khmer Student Association President
Michelle Lee, UW Myanmar Student Association President
Johnson Nguyen, UW Vietnamese Student Association President
Taylor Paul Anuhea Ahana-Jamile, ASUW Pacific Islander Student Commission Director
Tony Vo, ASUW Asian Student Commission Director, UW Alumnus
Yukimi Mizuno, Bellevue College Asian Pacific Islander Student Association (APISA) President
Michael Stewart, Bellevue College Asian Pacific Islander Student Association Marketing and Public Outreach Chair
Monica Chan, Seattle University Student Government Multicultural Representative
Camille Debreezeny, Asian Coalition for Equality
Surabhi Mahajan, Asian Coalition for Equality
Xengie Doan, Asian Coalition for Equality
Carol Li, Asian Coalition for Equality
Tiffany Chan, Asian Coalition for Equality
