Improving the quality of translated voting materials, broadening government outreach to potential voters and increasing the number of in-person voting sites are key to boosting voter turnout among Asian Americans in Los Angeles, according to a newly published report from the UCLA Asian American Studies Center.

Asian-American community leaders and elected officials are coming together in support of a Los Angeles County proposal to give Asian Angeleños a voice when it comes to the county’s government while also cracking down on corruption.

A proposal to expand the Los Angeles county board of supervisors from 5 members to 9 and to create an ethics commission will make it to the November ballot.

"By wrapping this package of governance and ethics reform efforts, we know that bringing a package of reform will help to educate people. This isn’t just one change here or there but this is one package to bring broad sweeping change that increases diverse representation by communicating that with the community," said LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.

Filipino community leaders believe the added board members would foster more engagement with residents and their local governments.

"There will be better service for residents, there will be more connections to the board of supervisors, there will be more opportunities for residents to make their voces heard," said Nancy Yap of the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment.

A proposal to expand the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has garnered support from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) elected officials, who say that doing so could lead to the creation of a special district for the community.

Prominent AAPI congressmembers, Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36) and Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), joined county supervisors during a press conference on Thursday, July 18 to support a governance and ethnics reform package for LA County.

Some of L.A. County’s best-known Asian American leaders came out in strong support of a plan to expand the Board of Supervisors — and to get it before voters this fall.

Increasing the number of seats from five to nine will create potential for better representation and more diversity on the board, according to the group that includes Congress members Judy Chu and Ted Lieu, municipal leaders and heads of community organizations.

CAUSE Board Chair, Charlie Woo, is interviewed by World Journal and shares the importance of multicultural collaboration in addressing anti-Asian hate.

The Sacramento Bee reporters Gillian Brassil, Jeong Park, Andrea Briseño coverage on the new Congressional redistricting maps and their impact on Latino, Asian, and Black communities. This article features an interview with Nancy Yap, CAUSE’s Executive Director.

The Washington Post reporter Colby Itkowitz coverage on the newly approved Congressional redistricting maps. Coverage includes quotes from an interview with Nancy Yap, Executive Director of CAUSE.

Redistricting maps are not final until the commission takes a vote on Dec. 27. But Asian American leaders expressed optimism that the west San Gabriel Valley district would stay intact. The communities are currently in the 27th Congressional district represented by Democrat Judy Chu.

“I do feel like the community input really made a difference and made it very clear what [commissioners] needed to do,” said Nancy Yap, who leads the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE).

“So many of the things that we're experiencing as a community — from language translation and cultural competence to also experiences around the pandemic and anti-Asian hate — makes it important that we have a representative that understands our community and represents all of us,” Yap said.

Yap said that CAUSE and other organizations continue to keep an eye on the outcome for Asian-majority cities in the east San Gabriel Valley. Currently, draft maps move Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights and Walnut out of their current district shared with Buena Park and Fullerton, which have large Asian American populations, and groups them with Latino-majority Gateway Cities including Norwalk and Whittier.

Researchers from USC and UCLA, Dr. Christian Grose and Dr. Natalie Masouka, respectively, share evidence and findings supporting the San Gabriel Valley Asian American community will vote together for shared interests, based off of 2018 and 2019 voting patterns. Read more to learn about the impact the 2021 CA Redistricting draft maps will impact the Asian American SGV communities.

A proposal before the state redistricting commission would redraw two congressional districts currently represented by Judy Chu and Young Kim. Critics say the move would significantly reduce the percentage of Asian Americans in those districts and diminish their voting power regionally.

The plan arrives at a time when Asian Americans are in urgent need of strong representation in Congress, said Nancy Yap, executive director of the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE).

“With all that's happening with anti-Asian hate and COVID-19, and the impact that it’s had [on businesses] in the area, having that community together is meaningful,” Yap said.

CAUSE is among the dozens of Asian American civic organizations and leaders who have been blasting the proposed changes since a draft map came out Nov. 10.

Learn about Neighborhood Councils and how to make an impact in your local communities.

Diving deeper into who the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors are, what they do, and how they fit into the larger Los Angeles County Government.

Learn about the recent election-related bills signed into law.

Amidst the celebrations at the annual Year of the Dragon at Monterey Park’s Lunar New Year Festival, the air was charged with excitement, joy, and a palpable sense of community. Families and friends wandered through the event grounds, eagerly exploring the various activities on offer. Among the attractions, the CAUSE booth stood out, its line of attendees intriguing passersby. Here, amidst playful interactions and engaging discussions, CAUSE showcased its knack for fostering conversations about civic engagement, epitomizing its distinctive approach to community involvement.

The CD-10 Candidate Forum held on December 2nd marked a pivotal moment for Koreatown and the broader Los Angeles community. The event took place at South Asian Network’s new location in Koreatown and was hosted by AAPI Equity Alliance, and support from partnering organizations such as CAUSE, Koreatown Youth + Community Center (KYCC), Faith and Community Empowerment (FACE), and the Korean American Coalition - Los Angeles (KACLA), the event showcased the power of unity and civic engagement. As the election season progresses, the forum serves as a cornerstone for informed decision-making within the API community, shaping the future of Los Angeles City Council District 10. District 10 encompasses the diverse neighborhoods such as Arlington Heights, Koreatown, Little Bangladesh, Mid-City, Olympic Park, Palms, South Robertson, West Adams, West Pico, and Wilshire Center. 

Learn about the Los Angeles City Council.