备战大选 加州州务卿：投票站将做好防疫 (Epoch Times)

州务卿帕迪拉表示，如果选民对邮寄选票不放心，有权在选举前（提前投票）或选举日到投票站亲自投票。图为橙县一处投票点。（李梅／大纪元）

【大纪元2020年10月10日讯】（大纪元记者姜琳达洛杉矶报导）从10月5日起，加州有2,100万选民陆续收到今年总统大选的邮寄选票。10月8日（周四），加州州务卿帕迪拉（Alex Padilla）在一场与亚美政联（CAUSE）联合主办的网络记者会上强调，邮寄选票并不是唯一的投票方式，各县都会设立投票站，而且会做好各种防疫措施，让选民可以安全到投票站投票。

在历年的美国选举中，部分选民都会选择用邮寄选票的方式投票。但今年加州州长纽森以中共病毒（COVID-19）为由签署法案，强行向州内所有的注册选民都寄出了邮寄选票，遭到一些民间团体和选民的抵制。

而继威斯康星州、新泽西州、纽约发生了邮寄选票被丢弃、地址姓名印错等事件后，加州洛县也有超过2,000位选民收到缺页的邮寄选票，无权为总统候选人投票。8日，圣贝纳迪诺警方证实，多封邮寄选票被丢弃在南加荒漠中。种种事件的出现，也使越来越多的选民开始质疑邮寄选票的公正性和安全性。

加州州务卿帕迪拉表示，就算收到邮寄选票，并不代表这是今年投票的唯一方式。如果选民对邮寄选票不放心，有权在选举前（提前投票）或选举日到投票站亲自投票。

他说，“今年亲自到投票站投票，就如同去超市的方式发生的改变一样，需要戴着口罩，跟着指示牌，我们会设置好安全距离，并且遵守一切公共卫生指令。投票站的工作人员预期会身穿PPE（个人防护设备）确保自身和他人安全。现场到处都会有大量的洗手液供大家（选民）使用，投票设备也会在每位选民使用后进行擦拭（消毒）。”

收到邮寄选票如何到现场投票？

如果是邮寄选票投票，帕迪拉提醒选民，在寄回选票时不要忘记签名，同时浏览官网 vote.ca.gov，追踪自己寄出的选票动态。

他说：“预计今年选举日投票人数盛况空前”。因此建议选民能尽早用不同方式完成投票。如果已收到邮寄选票的选民，请尽快填完寄出，不要等到最后一天。或者提前投票一开放，就立刻到投票站投票。

那收到了邮寄选票却想要到投票站亲自投票怎么办？帕迪拉说，选民可以到现场投票时带着所收到的邮寄选票，向工作人员证明自己还未投票。但如果没带选票也没关系，系统会识别选民信息，并确保选民尚未投票。

不过他多次强调，加州在邮寄选票方面已经进行了多年，能够处理大量的邮寄选票，邮寄选票也很安全。

邮寄选票问题多

但刚刚过去的一周内，加州各地已经发生多起选民收到多份邮寄选票的问题。就在9日，一名居住在Bakersfield的居民，就曝光收到了3张选票。

美国总统川普早前就多次谴责了通过邮寄投票方式，将使2020年的总统大选成为历史上最不准确、最具欺诈性的选举。

选举监督组织“加州选举诚信项目”（简称EIPCa）呼吁民众，为了避免自己的选票被他人利用、被丢弃，尽可能到投票站投票。最重要的是，投完票后，不要将自己收到的那份邮寄选票随意丢弃在垃圾箱或交由投票站工作人员，要亲自销毁掉。◇#

责任编辑：郑兴

加州州務卿：大選1人只能投1票 (World Journal)

亞美政聯舉行線上會議，呼籲亞太裔社區積極投票。（會議截圖）

加州州務卿帕迪拉（Alex Padilla）8日強調，11月3日大選一人只能投一票，不要去投票站親自投票後，再郵寄出通訊選票。

亞美政聯（CAUSE）8日舉行線上會議，邀請加州州務卿帕迪拉（Alex Padilla）及亞太裔社區領袖發聲，鼓勵亞太裔選民在將來臨的選舉積極投票，說明參與投票的重要性、郵寄投票的詳細信息、親自投票的安全性。

帕迪拉表示，每場選舉都很重要，尤其今年是大選年，總統選舉備受關注。他希望每位選民都能參與，以安全、簡單的方式投票，在投票時做好個人防疫衛生防護，對選票的安全性也更該注意。

他說，目前加州許多選民都已收到選票，選民可儘快填妥寄回。如果選擇親自投票的選民，現在就可以到投票站投票，之後電腦系統會馬上更新，標註某人已經投過票。如果投完後在郵箱中發現寄來的通訊選票，可忽略不管。他呼籲，一人只能投一票。

此外，選民如有語言偏好，可提前上網更新，網址：vote.ca.gov。還未來得及登記為選民的民眾，也可以儘快上網登記。

亞美政聯主席胡澤群（Charlie Woo）表示，州務卿向亞太裔社區宣導說明對亞太裔選民的承諾，以及了解語言資源對投票的重要性，因為今年2月他提供了有關選舉的翻譯文宣，對3月初選非常有幫助，此次他再次在亞太裔社區為選民提供資訊，有助於讓選民了解11月的大選，讓大家通過投票改變未來。

除了總統大選外，各地還有諸多民選官員的重要席位，以及關乎民生的各項提案，都需要選民投票決定。加州人口眾多，亞太裔社區人口成長迅速，胡澤群呼籲民眾把握權益，積極投票。

州務卿帕迪拉（Alex Padilla）到亞太裔社區介紹選舉及參與投票的重要性。（會議截圖）

Time running out for Census. Your last chance for 10 years. (AsAmNews)

The 2020 Census presents an important opportunity for Asian/Pacific Islander American (A/PIA) communities to make themselves and their needs known to the federal government.

Now more than ever, it is critical that the United States government not only addresses the needs of our individual communities, but also collects and studies properly disaggregated data to account for the diversity of experiences within the A/PIA coalition.

In a time plagued by disease and a stifled economy, we must encourage completion of the Census to ensure that the most vulnerable and forgotten members of the A/PIA coalition are given appropriate support. The cycle can only begin by encouraging members of our community to complete the Census and make sure they are heard in the first place. (Note: Deadline is September 30)

The Rise of Asian Americans, an article published by the Pew Research Center in 2013, details the experiences of A/PIAs in various categories, such as income, education, religion, and marriage. This report generally paints a rosy picture of A/PIA achievement with robust data on the six most populous ethnic groups within the A/PIA community: Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, and Japanese.

However, this report from the Pew Research Center fails to provide data on groups other than the six most populous ethnic groups in the US. Failure to provide data on these groups – many of whom have immigration, education, and employment experiences that are markedly different than the aforementioned ethnic groups – creates roadblocks to properly utilizing data to help the entirety of the A/PIA coalition. A 2016 article from Family Inequality on Asian American expands on these differences and illustrates important disparities in A/PIA income. Using disaggregated income data from the 2014 American Community Survey, the graphic below reveals differences in annual hourly earnings by gender and ethnicity:

The differences between groups are quite drastic and swiftly dismantle any notions of a monolithic racial group. The relative invisibility of low-income A/PIA communities from the collective American consciousness is the first of many reasons why accurate completion of the Census and the assurance of government aid are important to A/PIA communities across the country. Without disaggregated data from the Census, A/PIA communities could potentially fall victim to gross overgeneralization.

The Census takes on personal significance to me as an A/PIA residing in the Midwest. A 2019 NBC News article cites that the Midwest has shown increasingly high rates of A/PIA growth in the past decade. This massive growth can be attributed to increased refugee resettlement in the region within the last decades, comprised mainly of “those of Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese descent.” The article additionally states that Iowa and Nebraska received nearly $13 billion in 2016 through federal programs such as Medicaid and food stamps, with 1 in 5 Asian families in both states falling below the poverty line.

Communities such as these struggle with visibility on two fronts: immediate stereotyping as a model minority who are thriving rather than surviving, and neglect by way of their geographic location away from robust enclaves. An inaccurate Census count risks the inability to improperly disaggregate data on the A/PIA community and identify important needs within various ethnic communities.

Convincing large segments of the A/PIA community to participate in the Census will certainly be challenging, and this does not just apply to older generations of A/PIAs who may feel jaded with their relevance to American politics or even suspicious of the federal government’s possession of their data.

As my other cohort members have noted, feelings of political ambivalence are common among first-generation A/PIAs, and these are feelings that are not easily confronted.

However, without an accurate count, communities within our coalition will ultimately suffer, and subsequent attempts to assist segments of the A/PIA coalition will be moot without data that can be properly disaggregated.

In the face of this urgency, I personally find excitement in what the future holds as regions of overlooked A/PIAs across the country begin to make their voices heard – this new energy among Midwestern A/PIAs is precisely why I joined the CLA program in the first place.

With the current Census and the upcoming election, I hope that this year can be the next chapter wherein A/PIAs around the country will mobilize for and with one another.

Nico Santos once said that, “Rising tides lift all boats,” so let us give respect to those whose boats are still struggling to stay afloat.

(About the author: Aber John Espinoza participated in a  six-week internship program for college undergraduates- the CAUSE Leadership Academy)

 AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our new Instagram account. Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or submitting a story.

What the US Census has to do with hunger in our schools (AsAmNews)

National school lunch program tackles hunger in our nation’s schools via Wikimedia Creative Commons.

If hunger and attending classes on an empty stomach has taught me anything, it’s that the Census is the one survey that everyone should fill out, whether or not they’re going to be entered in a $50 Amazon raffle.

Growing up in a low-income household, I learned to make do with little. My South-Asian American immigrant parents were focused on getting bills paid. I was expected to fend for myself, while simultaneously tending to my three younger siblings. After making lunches every day for my three brothers, I usually didn’t have enough ingredients or time in the early mornings to make lunch for myself. So, most days, I’d ignore the callings of my stomach. When I did have just enough money for school lunch, there were other issues: there weren’t any options for students with dietary restrictions like me or the food would sell out before I could get to the front of the lunch line. 

This is not my past alone; this was the case for many other Asian Pacific Islander (API) students who hailed from low-income households. We couldn’t partake in the lunchtime food trading circles. While little Karen was trading her PBJ sandwich for three chocolate chip cookies and a pack of goldfish, we played on the slides to keep our minds off our aching tummies. Yet, we knew that when our stomachs would rumble in class after lunch, the “I’m not hungry” we told our more affluent friends would no longer be valid. Even at school, our imaginations weren’t enough to let us escape hunger and the harsh reality of the growing economic instability present in our communities. 

According to a study from the Pew Research Center, Asians are the most economically divided group in the U.S. Even though Asians are the one racial and ethnic group with the highest income in the U.S., it’s not a status all or even most Asian Americans share. The myth that Asians are an ethnic and racial group that is doing well overall adds just distracts from seeing that the standard of living for low-income Asians continues to decline. Out of the data available from this Pew Research Center study, there’s no mention of the PI (Pacific Islander) communities and their income levels. This further shows that there is more accurate counting of people in the API community that is needed. 

Despite how badly the API community needs to be counted in the Census, an article by AAPI Data states that based on The 2020 Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Study (CBAMS), Asian Americans were the least likely of any racial group to complete the Census. In fact, 41% of Asian Americans in the study were concerned that the answers they provide in the Census will be used against them, rather than to help the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) community be accurately counted.

The study established that out of all the communities of color, Asian American respondents have the most severe problems when it comes to barriers and misconceptions about the Census. The article also discussed a report released in January 2019 by the Census Bureau that uncovered barriers, which if not addressed, would lead to a major exclusion of AAPI people from the Census, resulting in massive problems for all Asian American communities, in addition to “governments, businesses, and nonprofit service providers”.

The evidence is clear: if the AAPI community is not counted in the Census, families like mine, which make up a lot more of the AAPI community than the mainstream media lets on, will continue to struggle. 

One of the many federally funded initiatives for which the US Government uses Census data in order to decide how much money should be allocated towards it, The National School Lunch Program is the reason that students like me are able to go throughout the school day with at least one hot meal.

The lunch program at my high school has now expanded to provide breakfast, lunch, and a “hot supper”. The Census’ data helps improve the organization, function, and efficiency of the program by better funding, which only happens if the population the program serves is counted accurately. Even during COVID-19, the program has provided free, non-contact, meal-pickups at schools. Needless to say: it is crucial that every AAPI person gets counted in the Census. We must do our part to help ourselves and our communities thrive, with a full belly, of course. 

(About the author: Amy Ahmed participated in a  six-week internship program for college undergraduates- the CAUSE Leadership Academy)

AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our new Instagram account. Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or submitting a story.

亞美政聯實習生畢典 網上舉行 (World Journal)

前州財長江俊輝出席畢業儀式向學生表示祝賀。（視頻會議截圖）

亞美政聯主席胡澤群出席。（視頻會議截圖）

亞美政聯（CAUSE）每年暑假都有參加領導實習計畫的實習生畢業，但今年的實習課程和畢業典禮都通過遠程舉辦，尤為不同。

7月31日，亞美政聯通過zoom给八名實習生舉辦畢業典禮。亞美政聯主席胡澤群表示，由於疫情原因，參加實習的學生們不能像平時一樣去民選官員、非營利組織辦公室工作和學習，但他表示當天的結業儀式不是和亞美政聯關係的終章，亞美政聯在未來將會依舊為學生們提供資源，包括人脈、指導以及組織的理事們都會在這裡。

這次的實習項目略有不同，實習生們遠程參加了許多講座和討論會，整個暑假項目一同完成一些人口普查的宣傳工作。在畢業典禮上，學生門展示了工作成果。作為高中剛畢業或大學就讀的年輕學子，他們通過社群媒體鼓勵民眾積極參與人口普查。胡澤群表示，以往在畢業典禮上都會授予畢業證書，但今年若只是電郵一份畢業證書給學生們又顯太遺憾，因此每位學生都有機會分享自己的感想。

前加州財務長江俊輝出席畢業儀式向學生表示祝賀，他鼓勵學生要去改變社會的「演算法」（algorithm），演算法是人寫的，無論是從科學還是文化方面，要去影響譜寫這個社會所用的「語言」，從而能讓這個社會對每一個人都更具有意義。

江俊輝表示，最近看到許多的抗議運動，尤其這一代年輕人積極走上街頭，令他受到鼓舞，因為這也是他年輕時會去做的事。今天的學生們有許多優秀的前輩學習和指導，但也要將自己的才能和專業發揮出來。尤其是在當下的特殊疫情期間，各專業的人才都可以有幫到社會的地方。

他表示，領導人也有「一窩蜂心態」（herd mentality）。美國雖是世界強國，卻在這次疫情表現最失敗，這是因為領導者對國際變化缺乏理解。因此了解並具有多元文化背景的年輕人，應勇於推動邊界，挑戰觀念陳舊不願改變的上一代人。總是那些受過良好教育的年輕人們，在推動著美國未來的成功。

目前在洛杉磯加大就讀的華裔實習生林函表示，以往說到亞裔只是想到華裔，這次通過實習感受到亞太裔的多元，對亞太裔歷史和特有問題有了更深了解，並探索了自己的亞太裔身分。她也深受鼓舞，希望社區能有更多關於公民參與的討論。

亞美政聯通過zoom给八名實習生舉辦畢業典禮。（視頻會議截圖）

亞太裔 僅一成支持學校全面重開 (World Journal)

作為加州人口增速最快的少數族裔，亞太裔（APA）在加州社會中的聲音越來越重要。（unsplash圖片）

亞美政聯主席胡澤群（圖片來源：百人會網站）

近日，亞美政聯（CAUSE）聯手戰略諮詢公司Strategies 360，共同完成了2020年加州亞太裔民意調查，重點關注了疫情下亞太裔對經濟重開以及族裔關係的看法。調查結論顯示，疫情下多數亞太裔對其他族裔的同情心與同理心更強，並且對經濟與學校重開持謹慎態度。

亞美政聯主席胡澤群（Charlie Woo）表示，在目前艱難時期，亞太裔社區理應在解決社會問題上擔負起領導角色。而此次民調的目的就是通過追蹤加州居民對目前社會的熱點問題的觀點變化，來更好地了解少數族裔社區在加州的生活感受。這也是亞美政聯與西裔和非裔社區第一次合作完成的民意調查。 

在對加州族裔關係的看法上，有一半的亞太裔受訪者表示自己能感到被他人歧視，較之新冠疫情爆發前增長了約8%。而認為加州族裔關係很好或良好的亞太裔居民也從疫情前的57%下降至44%。這一變化與亞太裔在新冠疫情期間因被部分公眾人物與其他族裔當成「新冠替罪羊」 而頻繁遭到歧視和種族攻擊有關。與此同時，胡澤群也表示，相比於在面對種族歧視時更傾向息事寧人的老一代亞太裔，新生代的亞裔不但對種族歧視更加敏感，也敢於站出來鬥爭。

遭受種族歧視的經歷也使亞太裔更加同情和理解其他少數族裔在社會中遭遇的不公正待遇。在本次的民意調查中，亞太裔居民普遍認為，有超過七成的非裔與西裔居民在日常生活中會遭遇種族歧視。與此同時，在對其他族裔的加州居民的調查中，有68%的加州居民認為，亞裔也要面對種族歧視問題，較之2月份上升了13%。這表明在目前的族裔關係下，不同族裔社區之間的同理心和同情心增強了，對抗種族主義逐漸成為了不同族裔社區間的共識。

在對待警察的態度上，有54%的亞太裔受訪者認為，目前的警察存在系統性的種族歧視問題。但同時僅有5%的亞太裔受訪者支持部分抗議者提出的解散警局的觀點。79%的亞太裔受訪者支持對警局進行改革。改革方式包括改進警方訓練項目和將部分警局資金分配到其它社會項目上。儘管一個月前的抗議活動讓許多亞裔對社會治安產生擔憂，依然有56%的亞太裔受訪者認為，抗議活動讓不同族裔間的關係更近了。

在對待經濟與學校重開的問題上，儘管眾多服務業和零售業的亞裔居民在疫情下遭遇了嚴重經濟打擊，但依然有77%的亞太裔受訪者擔心，政府在經濟重開計劃上操之過急。74%的亞太裔受訪者認為，疫情最嚴重的時候尚未到來。在學校重開問題上，有47%的亞太裔受訪者支持學校繼續採取全部遠程教學法，33%的亞太裔受訪者支持學校有限開放，僅有11%的亞太裔受訪者支持全面重開學校。

胡澤群表示，亞太裔雖然在新冠疫情下受到了嚴重的經濟衝擊，但是多數亞太裔對家人和社區衛生健康的關注依然高過其對經濟問題的擔憂。在疫情早期，許多亞裔因為通過在亞洲的親屬得知新冠疫情的嚴重性，因此早早的做好了防疫準備。而隨後美國疫情的發展趨勢也證明了亞裔在防疫上的謹慎態度是正確的。

胡澤群最後表示，希望這項民意調查能夠加強亞太裔在加州的政治聲音，使主流社會能夠更加關注亞太裔對現存社會問題的聲音，同時也希望越來越多的亞裔能夠關注公共政策問題，一起努力為社會的發展和改善提供解決方案。

Poll: Majority Asian Americans believe race relations have worsened, feel unhopeful about COVID-19 recovery (Asian Journal)

Photo by Rolande PG on Unsplash

The survey also found that the majority of Asian Americans support recent protests, police reform

The coronavirus pandemic has been the singular, collective constant of 2020.

The virus has been, not only an issue of public health and safety in a medical sense, but also in a cultural sense, dredging up familiar tones of anti-Asian, especially anti-Chinese, racism and xenophobia that blames the Asian community for the pandemic.

Then the recent uproar over-policing and systemic racism brought on by the high-profile killings of unarmed Black individuals came to the fore, broadening the scope of community discussions on the state of racial equality (or lack thereof) in America.

The Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) — partnered with Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and Los Angeles Urban League — conducted a recent poll that sought to gauge the Asian Pacific American (APA) response (as well as those from other ethnic groups) to the COVID-19 situation in the United States as well as the ongoing conversations and proposals related to policing and systemic racism.

The two-part poll series comprises responses from 1,184 adults across California.

“These historic series of polls track the shifts in Californians’ attitudes towards some of our state’s most pressing issues, and we now have a more vivid picture of how communities of color are feeling in California,” said CAUSE Board Member and poll director Dan Schnur. “This is the first time that organizations representing these three communities have teamed up on a project like this one, and we’re honored that CAUSE was able to play such an instrumental role in bringing this coalition together.”

The poll, which is a comparative poll to one that was conducted in February, found that 86% of respondents were “worried about themselves or their immediate family contracting COVID-19,” and 74% of APAs in California believed that the worst of COVID-19 has yet to come to the Golden State.

If the spike in COVID-19 cases continues in California, 76% of APAs believe that the economy will continue to deteriorate and 77% believe that the government was reopening and lifting safer-at-home restrictions too quickly. (On the flip side, 16% were more concerned that the restrictions were being lifted too slowly.)

“In these difficult times, California’s Asian Pacific community can and should play a leadership role in taking on the state’s most pressing challenges and working together toward necessary solutions,” CAUSE Board Chair Charlie Woo said in a statement.

In regards to race relations, 44% of APAs would describe race relations in America as “excellent” or “good,” a 13-point decrease from February when 57% expressed that view.

Moreover, since the beginning of the pandemic, 50% of APAs feel or have felt personal discrimination from others, which is up from February’s 42%.

As for the overall issue of anti-Asian racism, 68% of APAs in California now recognize that Asians are and can be targets of racism.

“COVID-19 has ignited widespread discrimination and hate crimes towards Asian Americans, which has evidently affected their perception of race relations. Asian Americans have become more aware of the discrimination against their own communities, as well as against other communities of color,” said Woo. “The fact that more Californians [now] recognize Asian Pacific Americans don’t just fit in as model minorities, but also are discriminated against and face challenges too, shows huge progress.”

APAs also expressed awareness of discrimination towards other groups, with 77% believing that African Americans “frequently or sometimes” face racism; 70% believe the same for the Latino community.

In terms of anti-Black racism in policing — and the overall impact that police have on American society — 54% of APAs believe that the police’s use of brute, fatal force against unarmed Black individuals were examples of systemic racism, “whereas 31% believe these are isolated incidents,” the poll read.

A whopping 79% of APAs support police reform, but 33% of APAs prefer the disinvestment of police in favor of funding and allocating some police responsibilities to other government agencies.

In regards to the recent protests which brought together people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, 56% of APAs found that the protests have promoted racial unity and optimism for a more inclusive America. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Should you send your child back to school? Parents are stressed and divided (Los Angeles Times)

Natalie Burge, a teacher at Giano Intermediate School in West Covina, sits in her empty classroom. Officials are debating whether to reopen campuses in the fall.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Weeks before the start of school, Californians are deeply split over whether campuses can safely reopen amid the ongoing coronavirus surge — caught in a collective moment of uncertainty and anxiety also reflected among teachers and education leaders.

Parents, as indicated in a new statewide poll, are grappling with the prospect of stressful, less effective learning at home — not to mention continued child care woes — and fears that children exposed at school could bring COVID-19 and its potentially deadly risks into their home.

Similar concerns among school workers are expected to crystallize in Los Angeles on Friday morning when the teachers union will recommend a delay in reopening campuses tentatively planned for Aug. 18. For now, learning from home — in place since mid-March — should continue, union leaders said.

The California Teachers Assn. on Thursday made a similar but less explicit statement, saying that conditions for keeping students safe have not been satisfied statewide.

L.A. school officials have not yet made a final decision other than to say that instruction will begin on the first day of school, one way or another.

Yolanda Ford-Swinton, who cares for an 8-year-old granddaughter, exemplifies the angst.

“I do think she needs to go back at least some of the time,” said Ford-Swinton, whose granddaughter attends Cowan Avenue Elementary in the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles. “But I’m so afraid because I don’t know what’s going to be in place.”

“Will everyone be tested for COVID-19 when they enter? If they have a fever, will they be sent home? Will there be a full-time nursing staff? It just creates a level of stress.”

Overall, Californians are closely split on whether to continue with distance learning or go ahead with a limited reopening, according to the poll, which was conducted in consultation with The Times.

About 4 in 10 California adults want to stick with full-time distance learning this fall. A similarly sized group favors a limited reopening with students in school on alternating days or on half-day schedules. The staggered schedule would allow schools to comply with social distancing requirements, which typically require students to remain six feet apart.

Fewer than 2 in 10 support having students attend classes full time in person on a daily basis — even if they follow social distancing guidelines, the poll found.

Respondents took part online in the California Community Poll from June 26 through July 6. The survey was commissioned by the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality and the Los Angeles Urban League. Strategies 360, a California-based polling and political strategy firm, polled 1,184 adult citizens. The margin of sampling error is 3 percentage points.

The question of when and how to reopen campuses has divided experts and roiled politics up to the White House, with President Trump this week threatening to withhold funding for schools that don’t open and challenging the advice of his own experts. He questioned the need for social distancing and labeled the safety guidelines from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as too tough, expensive and impractical. The CDC on Thursday refused to change its guidance.

“It’s clear that most Americans are much more conflicted about how to proceed — whether it’s about wearing a mask or sending their children to school — given the wide range of messages they’re hearing from their elected leaders,” poll director Dan Schnur said.

California officials are contemplating, at best, a hybrid format, with students combining online sessions and work-at-home materials with part-time classes on campuses in small groups.

Alberta Brinson Moore of Leimert Park explained her conflicted sentiments. Her 15-year-old son was “having the time of his life” at Dorsey High School, playing soccer, earning almost all A’s and making friends, despite having to work through attention deficit hyperactivity and a speech disorder.

Since the pandemic, he’s had only three speech sessions, and none of his online instruction has been live: “My son really needs some kind of social engagement.”

“But I’m a realist — we have to see what the numbers are,” she added, referring to the county’s spike in coronavirus infections.

Moore, 58, has diabetes and high blood pressure, and she recently received radiation treatment for breast cancer.

“I’m the person that — something happens, it’s not just gonna be a sniffle,” she said.

In the poll, undertaken before Trump began touting reopening schools, residents of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties — where the toll from COVID-19 has been heaviest — were significantly more in favor of keeping students off campus than residents of other parts of the state.

The poll found only small differences between parents and non-parents on the issue, but significant differences among different groups of parents. Among parents earning more than $75,000, about 3 in 10 supported a full reopening this fall. Among parents earning less than $75,000, only half as many supported reopening.

Black and Asian Pacific American parents were especially supportive of sticking with distance learning, with half or more in those groups in favor. Latino parents were most in favor of a partial reopening, with nearly half supporting that option. Whites, who have been less likely than Black people or Latinos to be hit by the virus, were the most evenly divided, with about 1 in 5 backing a full reopening.

Moreover, the political polarization that has divided Americans on nearly everything in recent years reinforces an urban-rural split, the poll found. Self-identified Republicans and conservatives, who are more likely to live in non-urban parts of the state, were much more likely to back reopening than were Democrats and liberals.

“These poll numbers show that Trump’s call for a full reopening is most popular with men, seniors and rural white voters,” Schnur said. “Trump will almost certainly not win California in November, but the demographic groups that are most supportive of opening the schools are the voters he needs to win in more competitive states.”

But for most — including education leaders — the issues are more pragmatic than political.

“It seems to me that we are ill-prepared for the reopening of schools,” said Lynwood Supt. Gudiel R. Crosthwaite. “Given the increase in rates not only in Southern California but throughout the country, it seems almost irresponsible for schools to open.”

Lennox School District Supt. Scott Price said he’s been involved in discussions with leaders of other school systems and some expect they’ll be ready with some form of hybrid learning, while others say they probably will need to start the school year using distance learning. His school system is working out its strategy for the fall.

Las Virgenes Unified, which straddles the border of Ventura and L.A. counties, announced Thursday that it would offer both a hybrid schedule and online-only instruction — not that it will be easy. The district already has spent $850,000 on safety and health enhancements, while cutting its districtwide budget.

“We’re still running about 70% to 30% in favor of being on campus.” Supt. Dan Stepenosky said. “Schools are critical for both public health and the economy. ... If we don’t open or don’t do it right, both the public health and economy will struggle.”

Antonio Mendez can attest to the economic hardship.

An independent trucker who lives in the San Diego area, Mendez took on responsibility for supervising his children’s studies while his wife holds onto her credit union job. He doesn’t have anyone besides his mother to watch his sons, ages 7 and 12, and he doesn’t want to risk exposing her.

“I don’t want to send my kids to school if there’s any threat of them catching this,” Mendez said.

For now, he wouldn’t feel comfortable even with a partial reopening of schools: “When I go pick up the groceries, I see people outside with no masks on. Those people might have kids. If they’re acting that irresponsibly … and I’ve gotta send my kids to school with those children, I’m not doing that.”

But Danielle Simmons, of San Bernardino, says her children, ages 7 and 10, need to get back to something as close to normal as possible.

“The distance learning,” Simmons said, “it really is a headache.”

Though Del Rosa Elementary provided a laptop and iPad, the family had problems signing into Google Classroom and muting microphones, eating up time and causing frustration.

Besides, her children “need that interaction. ... They need to get out of the house and go back to what they’re familiar to,” she said.

But she will also consider whether the school is operating safely and will keep watch for spikes in the virus, she said.

“Remote education doesn’t work very well for very many kids,” especially for young children and low-income families, said Jesse Rothstein, a professor of public policy and economics at UC Berkeley, who’s had to help manage schoolwork for his own children at home. All the same, “you can’t go to schools if it’s not safe.”

And when it comes to the coronavirus, “there’s a lot of science that we don’t understand.”

Views on race relations in state alter dramatically as more white people see reality of discrimination, survey shows (Los Angeles Times)

Californians’ perceptions of race relations in the state have shifted dramatically since the spring, with views statewide having grown significantly gloomier than they were five months ago, according to a new statewide poll.

The survey, which compares its results to a similar poll conducted in February, offers a before-and-after look at how Californians’ attitudes have shifted in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, George Floyd’s death and the nationwide demonstrations that ensued.

Some 54% of respondents said that relations between people of different races and ethnicities in California were just fair or poor, an uptick of 13 points since February. The number of California adults who believe those relations were excellent or good dropped from 57% to 44%, the poll found. The shift, the poll indicated, occurred across racial and ethnic groups in relatively equal numbers.

White Californians are now much more likely than they were earlier this year to say that Black people, Latinos and Asians are “frequently” discriminated against. The uptick comes as data have shown that the virus disproportionately affects Black and Latino communities, and has led to an explosion in anti-Asian hate incidents, said Paul Ong, director of UCLA’s Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, who was not involved in the poll.

“The impacts are unevenly distributed — whether we’re talking about health, whether we’re talking employment or stability or negative racial encounters,” Ong said. “Under COVID-19, those things have become much more visible and a lot deeper.”

The poll also found that respondents do not attribute the rising tensions to the recent protests over race and social justice.

On the contrary, most Californians, 55%, believe that protests over the deaths of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others have brought people in the state together, rather than splitting them further apart. A plurality of respondents described the protests as “justified” and “impactful,” at 31%, but also as “violent” and “dangerous” — 30% and 28%, respectively.

“The categories aren’t and don’t have to be mutually exclusive,” said Drew Lieberman, senior vice president at Strategies 360, the polling and research firm that conducted the survey.

According to the survey, 67% of Black respondents say that they face frequent discrimination in California. And although the poll shows that whites have become more likely to acknowledge discrimination against people of color, it registered a small countertrend in the increased portion of whites who asserted that white people face discrimination, and the number of whites who said that their racial identity is “extremely important” to them. Both those numbers have gone up, especially among Republicans and Trump supporters.

Respondents took part online in the California Community Poll from June 26 through July 6. The survey was commissioned by the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality and the Los Angeles Urban League in consultation with The Times. Strategies 360 polled 1,184 adult citizens. The margin of sampling error is 3 percentage points.

In addition to taking the pulse on race in the aftermath of nationwide protests, the poll also exposed the manner in which the COVID-19 pandemic “colors everything else that’s going on right now,” Lieberman added.

The poll also found that a majority of Californians believe police treat Black people unfairly and perceive systemic racism in law enforcement — a question that was not part of the February survey. Respondents were more divided on how police treat Latinos (46% believe Latinos are treated fairly, while 48% believe they are treated unfairly) and believe that police treat Asians and whites mostly fairly.

And while nearly all of those surveyed support police reform, Californians are divided on which reforms they support. Some 6% would abolish police departments and shift their funding and responsibilities to other agencies, while 12% would leave departments as they are and ensure they have the equipment and funding they need to do their jobs properly.

Another 45% support additional accountability and training, and 32% would go further to shift significant parts of police funding and responsibilities to other agencies while maintaining their role in handling violent crime.

“We’re facing a lot of these conversations, not because they’re new, but because of environment,” said Helen Torres, executive director of HOPE. “There’s huge racial inequalities in our communities and our society, and that creates frustration across the board.”

The data show substantial racial gaps on police reform, with Black respondents most likely to favor shifting funding and responsibilities away from police and whites least likely to endorse such major reforms.

Just over 45% of Black respondents say they would shift funds away from police, while 34% of Latinos and 28% of whites feel that way.

Police reform “is at the heart of a lot of the discussions that are going on,” said Michael Lawson, president of the Los Angeles Urban League.

“It is at the core of what Black Lives Matter is demanding, and is an essential part of moving forward,” Lawson said. “There have been discussions going back to the Rodney King situation. This is a continuation of that.”

The recent spate of police killings of unarmed Black Americans and subsequent protests has also led to a change in perceptions on discrimination, Lawson added.

“The visibility of people standing in the streets and saying, ‘Enough is enough’ is a big change,” he said. “There is something different. The needle has moved.

”Compared with February, white respondents are 18 points more likely to believe Black Americans are discriminated against frequently (from 22% saying as much in February to 40%), 10 points more likely to believe Latinos are discriminated against frequently (from 22% to 32%), and 13 points more likely to believe Asians are discriminated against frequently (from 7% to 20%).

There is a “continuing hierarchy” in which respondents perceive Black Americans to be the most affected by discrimination, followed by Latinos and Asian Americans, Ong noted.

Charlie Woo, the board chair of CAUSE, said it was important for Californians to understand that Asian Americans are also discriminated against.

“People need to be aware of the challenges we face,” Woo said. “The fact that Californians [now] recognize Asian Americans don’t just fit in as model minorities, but also are discriminated against and face challenges ... that’s big progress.”

少數族裔領袖對話 談平權不同調 (World Journal)

NBC洛杉磯新聞發布會，胡澤群（左上方）等少數族裔領袖暢談熱點話題。（亞美政聯提供）

今年開年不利，新冠疫情（COVID-19）肆虐、警察暴力執法、少數族裔抗議示威、種族關係緊張，公共健康和社區安全對少數族裔社區產生重大影響。主流電視國家廣播公司（NBC）在21日舉辦一場少數族裔領袖對話，邀請亞美政聯（CAUSE）主席胡澤群（Charlie Woo）、西裔政治平等組織（HOPE）領袖托雷斯（Helen Torres）和非洲裔洛杉磯城市聯盟（Los Angeles Urban League）主席勞森（Michael Lawson），舉辦了三大少數族裔領袖線上新聞座談會，表達各自族裔的觀點，但對於平權法案不同調。

該場會議的特色是對少數族裔聯盟的一項民意調查進行討論，以評估他們對加州在公共健康和社區安全等多個議題上的看法。今年2月，亞美政聯、西裔政治平等組織和洛杉磯城市聯盟結成了夥伴關係，旨在增進少數族裔社區之間的了解和合作。

NBC資深記者諾蘭（Conan Nolan）主持會談指出，當前社會的熱點議題，包括種族關係、警察執法、移民、平權、新冠疫情等，以及對各大少數族裔的影響和看法如何？

胡澤群指出，有關種族關係的調查，在全國層面的反映很糟糕，負面和正面的看法為二比一。但是，在加州層面，對於種族關係的看法，正面略為大於負面。

有關近日熱點ACA-5修憲法案，旨在廢除1996年通過的209修憲案，恢復平權法案。主持人指出，自從209修憲案通過以後，加州大學各校區的亞裔生註冊人數增加了一倍，亞裔社區怎麼看待平權運動？

胡澤群回答，亞裔社區整體上對於加州大學亞裔生的註冊人數和現狀是滿意的。但是，各個亞裔學生和家庭的情況不同，有不少人還處於貧困狀態。而且，亞裔內部在加州大學入學註冊率也不平衡，差別大，華裔生的註冊率比較高。所以，亞裔社區對於ACA-5的態度也不盡相同。

然而，其他兩位領袖一致表示，非洲裔和西裔社區絕對支持ACA-5修憲法案，將可以為他們帶來平等和縮小差距，包括入學、就業和政府合同。

NewsConference: Groups Unite Forces for an Impact on Health, Safety (NBC Los Angeles)

On Sunday, June 21, 2020, CAUSE’s Board Chair Charlie Woo joined Helen Torres of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and Michael Lawson of the Los Angeles Urban League on NBC Los Angeles with Conan Nolan where they talked about our coalition’s poll on race relations in California, efforts to help communities of color in the COVID-19 fight and more.

A link to view the complete program can be viewed HERE.

非裔維權運動 為亞裔敲響警鐘 (World Journal)

洛杉磯國際事務（Los Angeles World Affairs）17日舉辦線上研討會。（左上開始順時針方向分別為：主持人Dan Schnur、胡澤群、Helen Torres、Michael Lawson）

洛杉磯國際事務（Los Angeles World Affairs）17日舉辦線上研討會，討論了美國種族主義問題。亞美政聯（CAUSE）主席胡澤群（Charlie Woo）作為嘉賓之一，也探討了在新冠肺炎疫情下，亞裔群體所受到的歧視。

胡澤群說，根據亞美政聯今年2月的一項調查，加州大部分亞裔都對身分認同表示樂觀。雖然承認對亞裔的歧視存在，但是他們相信未來可以融入到美國社會，成為一名「加州人。」胡澤群說，亞裔是持有「認為自己是加州人」觀點比例最高的族裔。但是新冠疫情中，亞裔經常被歧視，將亞裔視為「外國人」，被要求離開美國。

胡澤群說，這種歧視已經不是「靜悄悄」的了，甚至是公開的。當亞裔在電視上看到喬治佛洛伊德等非裔的遭遇，認識到種族歧視不僅存在於某個種族，而存在於全人類。這次的全國抗議事件，對許多亞裔是一記響亮的「警鐘。」

針對因此引發要求對警察制度改革的全美抗議活動，胡澤群認為改革警察體制應該是深層次的。目前白宮提出的改革案都是比較基礎的，例如禁止警察使用勒頸棍，建立跟蹤數據庫等，但他說，民眾要求的是更深層次的改革，是警察執法態度的改變，是警民關係的改變。

胡澤群說，民眾當前呼喊廢止（defunct）警察，但是多數人不清楚到底想要的改革是什麼。他說，警察不同於社工，擔任的角色是不一樣的。警察每天要處理的事務中，涉及精神有問題的人，有暴力傾向的人，讓他們以社工方式來處理這些問題是不可能的。川普總統此前提到警察與社工合作的建議，這是一個值得考慮的方向。此外，將警察系統中的一部分錢用於社會平等建設，也是不錯的選擇。

論壇另一位嘉賓勞森（Michael Lawson）是人權組織「洛杉磯都市聯盟」（LAUL）的執行長兼主席。他說，非裔的維權運動很早就開始，並持續很多年，並不單單是這次因為佛洛伊德的死造成的。即使在疫情期間，人們也沒有「坐以待斃」，不同種族的人群上街遊行表達不滿，要求變革。即使有些人不確定自己想要的是何結果，但是也都站出來抗議，顯示了社會中積壓已久的矛盾。

另一位嘉賓托瑞斯（Helen Torres）說，種族問題在如今的美國社會沒有好轉。在今年2月的一項調查，加州人只有10%認為全美範圍的種族關係在變好，只有20%的民眾認為加州的種族關係在變好。在經濟體系中，種族主義體現在收入的不平等。其中非裔、拉丁裔的收入的不平等問題較嚴重。在對公益組織的慈善捐款中，給為特定種族爭取利益類組織捐款額僅占1%。

三位嘉賓都認為，解決當今種族問題離不開各族裔、各機構、各政府之間的協力合作。只有以身作則，並且協力配合才能戰勝美國種族不平等這一歷史性問題。

CAUSE Board Chair Charlie Woo Helps Lead Conversation on Racial Justice, Discusses APA Community Involvement on race relations in los angeles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Justine Ventura Mejia

Programs Manager

Phone: (213)269-4639

Email: justine@causeusa.org

What:  “Confronting Racism: A Pandemic Within a Pandemic” Livestream will feature community leaders from across Los Angeles in discussion about current events from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic to the murder of George Floyd and the persistent pandemic of racism. The conversation will address community concerns across racial groups and solutions to uplift each other, LA, and the nation as a whole.

Who: 

Charlie Woo -- Board Chair, Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE)

Michael Lawson -- President & CEO, Los Angeles Urban League

Dan Schnur -- Politics Professor, USC, Pepperdine, Berkeley

Helen Torres -- CEO, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)

When: Wednesday, June 17, 2020

11:00AM - 12:00PM

Charlie Woo will also be available for one-on-one interviews with interested reporters. Please contact Justine Ventura Mejia at (213) 269-4639 or by email at: justine@causeusa.org 

Where: Online

Register HERE

Why: The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and COVID-19 have both exposed a myriad of issues from criminal justice to healthcare with a common theme of racism and inequity. Los Angeles must move forward together as the whole nation fights the pandemics of racism and COVID-19. This coalition will lift the voices of their communities by sharing critical insights on minority communities, issues that matter now, and ideas for a better future.

About CAUSE

Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan, community-based organization with a mission to advance the political empowerment of the Asian Pacific American community through nonpartisan voter outreach, training, and education as well as leadership development. 

Since its founding 1993, CAUSE has led efforts to drive APA civic engagement, from facilitating in-language Get Out The Vote workshops in the Greater Los Angeles Area to hosting the first-ever APA-facing gubernatorial debate in California history in 2018. CAUSE plans to continue efforts in 2020 to mobilize the community by providing the knowledge, access, and network to inspire APAs of all ages to voice their vote. 

For any further inquiries, please contact CAUSE via phone at (213) 269-4639 or email at info@causeusa.org. General information can be obtained from our website at www.causeusa.org. Our office is located at 1605 W. Olympic Boulevard, Suite #1027, Los Angeles, CA 90015. 

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搭建橋樑跨文化對話研討會：面對種族主義 亞裔不應沉默 (World Journal)

各族裔社區領袖探討如何搭建橋樑，面對種族問題尋找出路。（會議直播截圖）

針對近日因種族問題引發的全美遊行抗議活動，洛杉磯紀念博物館8日聯合各族裔社區領袖，以主題為「搭建橋樑：關於面對種族主義的跨文化對話」舉辦線上研討會，為目前面臨的問題尋找解決方案和出路。亞美政聯（CAUSE）主席胡澤群（Charlie Woo）作為亞裔代表指出，亞裔應該在是否支持警察和遊行抗議中尋找平衡點，更重要的是亞裔不應該保持沉默。

洛杉磯市警局局長摩爾（Michel Moore）與會表示，搶劫已經對數百家商家造成巨大傷害，搶劫是不應該的。他認為，現在警民關係對立，的確應該作出改變，執法透明度，他並希望警察能深入社區，了解居民的需求，分擔職責，警察不再僅僅把自己標榜為執法人員，更多需要的是警民合作。

儘管此次是因非裔引發的種族問題，但許多遊行活動中不乏亞裔支持者，並且大多是年輕人。胡澤群表示，事實上很多亞裔在這個國家也是被人另眼相待，他們被冠上是「外國人」，而不是美國人。因為亞裔參政不積極，在大環境中沒有存在感，尤其是華裔新移民、留學生，面臨一些政治因素及中美貿易問題，目前的中美關係幾乎進入冰點，讓大家更加艱難。

而新冠疫情爆發後，川普政府指責這是中國的問題，宣稱是「中國病毒」，導致疫情期間亞裔面臨種種挑戰，甚至出現反亞裔現象，亞裔面臨著種族歧視，被其他人認為亞裔將病毒帶來這個國家，如果亞裔離開了，疫情就會好轉。胡澤群表示，面對政府的不公平指責，亞裔不會抱怨，導致整個族裔都成為受害者，就連疫情期間奮戰在一線的亞裔醫護人員都無一例外地遭遇指責。他認為，亞裔也是美國重要的一部分，大家應該團結一致抗擊疫情，聯合各族裔對話。

警察專注於和平抗議的人群，卻在暴徒對商家打砸搶時消失的現象，胡澤群表示感到痛心。他說，亞裔文化中人們相信、支持甚至依賴警察可以維護社區治安，保衛家園。事實上，1992年洛杉磯暴亂時，警方放棄韓國城，韓裔只有自己拿起槍來保衛家園，防止暴徒闖入。

胡澤群提到，他不希望這樣的事情重演，這次疫情重挫各行各業，商家還未恢復過來，又遭暴徒侵襲。大型商家有保險還可以緩一口氣，可是很多亞裔商家都是小本生意，甚至無法負擔保險，多重打擊之下很多生意都再也回不來了，失去工作、商業合約，損失慘重。他支持和平遊行，但不支持暴徒趁機作亂。

他指出，教育、投資年輕一代非常重要，但希望亞裔能尋找平衡點，需要大家參與，總是保持沉默並不是解決問題的辦法。