CONTACT

DESCRIPTION

Asian Pacific Islander American Voter Initiative

History

In 2004, National Voice partnered with Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) community-based organizations to coordinate the largest Get Out the Vote effort targeting the APIA community. Last year provided the opportunity to strengthen community infrastructures and to deepen relationships within the APIA community. Through these coordinated efforts, over 50 community-based organizations in 10 states worked to increase APIA participation in the electoral process.

Through community reflection, valuable lessons were also learned that will strengthen the movement. Lessons included:

• Community-based leadership must be support and developed.
  
  
• Culturally and linguistically appropriate training must be used.
  
  
• Early commitment and resources to community-based organization is most effective in building a voter engagement program.
  
  
• Strong relationship with community-based organizations is essential to an effective voter engagement program.
  

However, like other minority communities in the United States, the APIA community faces many obstacles and barriers to voting, including access to proper voting information and language barriers. The national election protection effort last year in 2004 was a good start, however CCP recognizes that a more comprehensive and targeted plan needs to be developed in conjunction with community based organizations.

2005 and Beyond

Building on the success of 2004, the Center for Civic Participation (CCP) continues the vision and mission of expanding democracy by supporting community-based organizations’ efforts to increase and encourage voter participation and civic engagement in the APIA community.

The APIA Voter Engagement Initiative will use culture and language as tools of empowerment to create change and strengthen our country’s democracy. CCP aims to meet our objective by taking to following steps:

• Encourage collaborative work and sharing of resources among 501(c)3 organizations.
  
  
• Support the development and strengthening the capacity community-based organizations through training and other resources.
  
  
• Provide access to voting information and other “voting 101” information to maximize overall voter engagement activities.
  
  
• Provide technical and tactical support in developing culturally appropriate plans of voter engagement.
  
  
• Link APIA community- based organization to non-APIA organizations to ensure sharing and exchanging of knowledge and skills.
  

As the political participation of grassroots communities grow, so does the strength and diversity of our political institutions. The APIA community has a role in building a better America.