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ATJ and BMP | Building Power in the Midst of Crisis in Texas Asian American Communities and Beyond

Asian American activists in Texas have been facing wave after wave of crisis response over the last year – just as many Asian American organizations have throughout the country. In this article published on The Forge, read about how Asian Texans for Justice is building out rapid response infrastructure for the long run. It also includes recommendations and strategies, touches on Building Movement Project’s Balancing Act report (featuring AAPI Civic Engagement Fund grantees Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, Asian Americans United, Asian American Federation, CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, and Chinese Progressive Association-San Francisco), and a toolkit for organizations needing to provide rapid response in real time.

This article is co-authored by UyenThi Tran Myhre, Coordinator of Movement Building Programs at the Building Movement Project, and Lily Trieu, Executive Director at Asian Texans for Justice. See the toolkit mentioned in the article below.

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An image from the cover of "The Deciding Margin" report, with protestors who are holding signs reading "Not Your Model Minority" and "Stop Asian Hate"

ATJ | The Deciding Margin: How AAPI Voters Will Shape the Future of Texas

Recognizing the potential power of AAPI voters – the fastest-growing electorate in the country – Asian Texans for Justice (ATJ) commissioned a polling project, the first of its kind from a Texas-based AAPI organization, designed to better understand AAPI voters’ political views and policy preferences. Given the size of the Texas AAPI population as the third highest nationally, this project is also an opportunity to elevate the profile of AAPI voters across the United States.

In summer 2022, 2700 likely Texas voters, of which 660 were AAPI voters, in the November 2022 midterm election were surveyed by Change Research, an organization with the mission to provide polling and strategy to organizations and campaigns that share our vision for a more humane, scientific, and just world. Unless otherwise noted, the findings in this report are based on the polling data from Change Research.

The purpose of this report is to provide insights from that poll to better inform political candidates, policymakers, organizers, media sources, and the general public about AAPI voters and the importance they play in Texas policy and politics. The data are clear: AAPI voters in Texas are diverse, younger than the general population, dissatisfied with their current representation, and motivated to vote.

Read the report below, and access the one pager, poll topline overview, and crosstabs at this link.

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OCA-GH & AALDEF | Amicus Brief on Texas Redistricting

In 2011, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), together with pro bono counsel Kaye Scholer LLP, filed an amicus brief in Perry v. Perez on behalf of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) Greater Houston Chapter urging the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm a Texas district court’s interim redistricting plan after the Department of Justice (DOJ) contended that the Texas state legislature’s plan diluted the voting power of Asian Americans and other people of color.

AALDEF’s amicus brief in Perry v. Perez contends that the district court’s intervention was necessary because of significant evidence that the state legislature’s PlanH283 discriminates against Asian Americans, including:

  • Vietnamese American representative Hubert Vo’s district was merged with another district represented by Scott Hochberg. The House Redistricting Committee told Hochberg it intended to give him an advantage over Vo. The Asian American, Latino, and African American bloc of voters who have elected Vo since 2004 was dispersed.
  • PlanH283 greatly reduced the Asian American population in District 26 – where it is highest in the state – while doing nothing to offset the loss to Asian American representation. The district court noted this reconfiguration made District 26 “irregularly shaped” and “may have been an attempt by the State to intentionally dismantle an emerging minority district.”
  • Representative Beverly Woolley, who led the redistricting process in Harris County that led to PlanH283, excluded minority representatives from the process. She told them, “You all are protected by the Voting Rights Act and we are not. We don’t want to lose these people due to population growth in the county, or we won’t have any districts left.”

Following a trial in January 2012, the three-judge district court in Washington, DC denied Section 5 preclearance on August 28, 2012 in a lengthy and mostly unanimous opinion. In its ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to allow Texas to put its congressional, state senate and state house redistricting plans into effect because they have not been precleared under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. (co-counsel Kaye Scholer)

Read the brief below, and see the press release at this link.

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OCA-Greater Houston Census 2020

Visit OCA Greater Houston’s page on the 2020 Census

Every ten years, the U.S. Census counts every living person in this country. 2020 is one of those years! Every household contributes to the Census by counting each and every person, and yes, that includes newborns, living in their home by April 1, 2020. Why does this matter?

The federal government gives $675 billion a year to communities around the country. Each person counted in the Census, from your newborn to your parents, means another $15,700 for your community over the next 10 years. By participating in the Census, you are bringing tax dollars back into your community to improve your family’s life with better schools, roads, and hospitals.

Have you ever wondered why you don’t see more Asian names when you vote? Through a complicated process called gerrymandering, the Asian Americans have been stripped of our political power. Every 10 years, in a process called redistricting, Asian Americans fight to increase our political power. The Census is a very important part of this.

Currently, more Asian Americans live in Houston than there are being counted. This means that tens of thousands of us in this city don’t exist! When we participate in the Census, we show the government that more Asian Americans live in cities like Houston than they think. We can use this pressure to gain more political power.

Good schools are important. Political power is important. The Census is important for both of these, and more. In 2020, Asian Americans around the country are counting on you to participate and get your family counted. COMMIT TO GETTING COUNTED TODAY: http://www.ocahouston.org/pledge

If you or someone you know needs technology or language assistance, see our list of Census Assistance Days.

COVID-19 and Our Asian Community

In observation of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, ABC13 reporter Miya Shay will moderate a discussion highlighting the strain experienced by Asian-owned businesses, a marked increase in harassment and racism-related incidents against Asian people in Texas, and positive impacts the community is making in the fight against the coronavirus.

Panelists for the town hall include:

  • Debbie Chen, Houston restaurateur and Executive Director of OCA-Greater Houston, a civil rights organization advocating for the AAPI community
  • Chloe Dao, fashion designer and television personality
  • Paul Gor, Asian Chamber of Commerce Houston director of community services
  • Mustafa Tameez, president and founder of Outreach Strategists

Event details from ABC13: https://abc13.com/abc13-to-host-covid-19-and-the-asian-community-town-hall/6193623/

 

OCA-Greater Houston Monthly Immigration Forums

OCA-Greater Houston provides free assistance preparing N400 Citizenship applications for individuals with Greencards (Legal Permanent Residents) each month. If you have had your Greencard for 5 years (or 3 years if based on marriage to a US Citizen), you can apply for Citizenship. We suggest you come and start preparing your application 4 to 5 months before your 5 or 3 year date of receiving your LPR Status. THESE FORUMS WILL BE VIRTUAL FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2020!

Check out the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/501349720789718/

Information you need for us to help you prepare your application:

  • Driver’s License or ID card
  • Social Security Card
  • Legal Permanent Resident Card (Greencard)
  • Past and Current Passports
  • Addresses and Dates of every place you have lived at for the past 5 years (in chronological order starting with the most recent dates)
  • Company and/or School Names, Addresses and Dates of every place you have worked at for the past 5 years (in chronological order starting with the most recent dates) Also include any periods of time you were either a homemaker, student, and/or unemployed
  • List of Dates & Reason for Court Appearance for all traffic tickets or other court related issues
  • List of all current and past spouses, dates of marriage and divorce, current spouse’s A# if they have one or date of naturalization (citizenship date), their birthdate, and their current residence address
  • Marriage certificate if you are applying for citizenship based on marriage to your spouse for at least 3 years
  • List of all children (biological & stepchildren), their A# if they have one, their birthdate, and their current residence address
  • SNAP Award Letter if you have one and your tax return for last year if you want us to check if you can qualify for a waiver or discount of the USCIS Application Fees

 

 

How Can You Support #BLM in Houston & Be An AAPI Ally?

Compiled by Angela Tang, Jack Morillo, Sunnie Liu. OCA-Houston has produced a document with information and resources on how you can support Black Lives Matter in Houston, Texas and become an AAPI ally.

View the entire document here

For a user-friendly version of this guide, click here! or Click below to learn more about how you can…

Share this doc: tinyurl.com/BLMAAPI

 

 

COVID-19 Resources – OCA-Greater Houston

Visit their COVID-19 Resources page here

OCA-Houston has compiled a list of COVID-19 Resources which include: