Testimony / Statement
Testimony: Hearing on “Promoting Opportunity: The Need for Targeted Federal Business Programs to Address Ongoing Racial Discrimination”
Government programs like the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program, and those provided by the Minority Business Development Agency (“MBDA”), are essential for remedying past discrimination against racial and ethnic minorities, including Asian Americans, helping the American economy thrive, and reinforcing our democracy. These programs ensure that minority-owned small businesses are able to survive and thrive, benefitting not only the businesses themselves but the communities they serve and the nation as a whole.
Testimony for United States Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing "A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Stemming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America"
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (Advancing Justice | AAJC) submits this testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for its hearing entitled “A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Stemming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America,” held on September 17, 2024.
This written testimony is submitted on behalf of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (“Advancing Justice | AAJC”), a national non-profit organization founded in 1991 dedicated to advancing civil and human rights for Asian Americans. We strive to empower Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across the country by bringing local and national constituencies together and advocating for federal policy that reflects the needs of Asian Americans and promotes a fair and equitable society for all.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) has been a powerful tool to protect Asian Americans from discrimination and increase the community’s access to the ballot. Unfortunately, this tool has been rendered less effective in the wake of harmful and short-sighted decisions by the Supreme Court, including Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 2 (2013) (Shelby County) more than a decade ago. As one of the nation’s fastest growing racial groups, Asian Americans are also an increasingly significant part of the electorate.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC, National Action Network, National Urban League, and UnidosUS Call on FCC to Vote on Standard General - TEGNA
Today, in response to the FCC’s refusal to bring the Standard General - TEGNA transaction to a vote, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC, NAN, NUL, and UnidosUS released the following joint statement:
Today, a diverse caucus of the nation’s oldest and largest Civil Rights organizations have come together, with one voice, to make a simple demand of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission: Hold a full commission vote on Standard General’s acquisition of TEGNA.
The Relevance of Race in the Standard General Acquisition of TEGNA Broadcast Stations
In the context of a proposed acquisition of TEGNA broadcast stations by Standard General, recent statements have focused on the ethnicity of Mr. Soo Kim, the co-founder and managing partner of Standard General. Such media attention has become divisive and has distracted from substantive issues related to the transaction.
Advancing Justice | AAJC Submits Statement to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Briefing on the Federal Response to Anti-Asian Racism in the U.S.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC submits this statement to the United States Commission on Civil Rights for its briefing entitled “The Federal Response to Anti-Asian Racism in the United States” on March 24, 2023. Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Americans are still impacted by anti-Asian hate and violence.
Testimony for House of Representatives Hearing on "A Growing Threat: The Impact of Disinformation Targeted at Communities of Color"
On April 28, Director of Telecommunications, Technology & Media Emily Chi testified before the United States House of Representatives Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Elections Hearing on “A Growing Threat: The Impact of Disinformation Targeted at Communities of Color."
Testimony for "Discrimination and the Civil Rights of the Muslim Arab and South Asian American Communities" Hearing
Advancing Justice — AAJC recognizes the importance of the "Discrimination and the Civil Rights of the Muslim Arab and South Asian American Communities" hearing as the first Congressional hearing to examine how post 9/11 national security policies impacted and criminalized Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities. We write to express our concerns of the racial profiling and discriminatory targeting of the AMEMSA and Asian American communities.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC (Advancing Justice — AAJC) submitted this testimony for the public hearing on HS 922 (“Asian American History Curriculum Requirement”) held on February 25, 2022 by the Ways and Means Committee of the Maryland House in Annapolis, MD. The testimony is in support of HB 922, which seeks to include Asian American history into the history curriculum taught in schools across Maryland.