Creating Our Paths explored the paths created by trailblazing California political leaders Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Controller Betty Yee through individual interviews with CAUSE leaders. This event was also a part of the CAUSE Leadership Institute, allowing the CLI fellows to interact directly with the elected leaders.
SESSION #6: Campaign Mechanics
SESSION #5: Working Across Communities
Session 05’s theme was “Working Across Communities'' with an emphasis on the diversity within the Asian Pacific American (APA) community. Moderated by Nancy Yap, Executive Director of CAUSE, the panel featured ‘Alisi Tulua, Project Director, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Data Policy Lab at UCLA, and Mandy Diec, Director of California, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC).
SESSION #4: Race & Politics in LA
SESSION #3: Non-profits, Policy, and Political Office
"A Foodie Journey Through AAPI Heritage Month with Nancy Yap" (JCI Worldwide Inc.)
In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, JCI Worldwide is highlighting the plurality of cultures within the AAPI community with a series focused on the universal unifier: food. The essay below comes from our partner Nancy Yap, Executive Director of the Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE), a nonprofit organization committed to advancing the political and civic engagement of leaders in the AAPI community.
SESSION #2: Vote. Participate. Lead.
Session #1: WELCOME 2021 COHORT
CAUSE the Change: Statement Against Anti-Asian Hate
Congratulations Larry Chung!
CAUSE Congratulates Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris
We, at CAUSE, want to celebrate and recognize Kamala Harris’ historic moment as the first female, South Asian American, and Black American Vice President-elect.
This year’s historic voter turnout of more than 160 million people speaks to CAUSE’s mission of political and civic empowerment of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community. A recent statewide poll conducted in partnership with CAUSE, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), and Los Angeles Urban League, shows that 81% of APAs find their ethnicity important to their identity and how they think of themselves. Though they value their own ethnic identity, 57% of APAs also believe that they face racial barriers when it comes to involvement in politics.
As the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the US according to the Pew Research Center, APAs have an important role and opportunity in the upcoming years to be more civically engaged. The 2018 Asian American Voter Survey, conducted by AAPI Data and APIA Vote, found that an increase in APA civic participation is related to the increased number of APA elected officials and candidates running for office. CAUSE’s conducted statewide poll also shows that APAs most believed out of any other group, at 71%, that they will be more accepted in the United States in the future.
Having Kamala Harris on the Presidential ticket is momentous for our country and our APA community. It has inspired many APA voters to make their voices heard and get involved in this year’s election. CAUSE will continue working to increase APA civic participation and engage our powerful voting community by actively being part of the process to build today’s and tomorrow’s APA leaders.
We are so appreciative to all the voters, poll workers for their support in the voting process, and community organizers for their work, including increasing APA voter accessibility.
CAUSE has supported current and future APA leaders through the various programs that we offer. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was a keynote speaker at the 2013 CAUSE Women In Power Luncheon. Echoing similar sentiments in her Vice President-elect acceptance speech this past Saturday, she encouraged young minority women to pursue careers in politics and public service and reminded them that they are not alone.
