The only way to keep your rights is to assert them. Because so much rides on the outcome of voting, including funding for community improvements and services, Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIAs) cannot afford to sit on the sidelines during the elections. We must get involved!  Beyond voting, there are other ways for our voices to be heard. Asians and Pacific Islanders can have a big impact on how resources are distributed in our communities by participating in surveys such as the U.S. Census. Conducted every 10 years, the results of the Census weigh heavily in determining the level of government financial support allocated for every community. For example, because of the high participation of APIAs in the 2000 and 2010 Census, under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, King County has qualified for voter assistance in Chinese language since 2002 and Vietnamese language since 2010. In 2015, King County expanded access even more, including Korean language materials.  Seattle community organizers wore campaign buttons, such as this one, encouraging Asian Pacific Islander Americans to both fill out their 2000 U.S. Census surveys and testify at U.S. Census Bureau hearings on various issues such as racial identification.  Excerpt from Wing Luke Museum exhibit, “Our Voice… Our Democracy: Civic Engagement in the Asian Pacific Islander American Community,” 2008 and 2017. Button courtesy of Akemi Matsumoto. 

– Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

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