Va. Asian-Americans seek political clout
Coalition aims to raise the fast-growing population's concerns

By Paul Bradley
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Sunday, May 16, 2004


ARLINGTON - Virginia's rapidly growing Asian-American population is struggling to make its collective voice heard as it strives to overcome persistent cultural and language barriers.

That was the message heard yesterday by the Virginia Asian Advisory Board, which held a its first public forum as part of its effort to develop recommendations for Gov. Mark R. Warner.

"This is a historic occasion," said Eric Liang Jansen, president of the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia. "It has never happened before in the state of Virginia, with various Asian-Pacific-Americans coming together. The state of Virginia will be listening."

Liu-Jen Chu, a Richmond woman who leads the advisory board, said, "This is the first time the commonwealth has held a forum to hear from the state's Asian-American communities about their issues and concerns."


Residents of Asian descent are Virginia's fastest-growing minority group, according to the Census Bureau. Between 1990 and 2000, the Asian population increased 62 percent, to more than 261,000 people. Over the same time, Virginia's non-Asian population increased by 14 percent.

Asians now make up about 4.3 percent of the state's population, according to census figures. In some areas of the state, the percentage is much greater. In Fairfax County, for example, Asians are 13 percent of the population. In Arlington County, the figure is nearly 9 percent.

But those numbers have been slow to translate into political clout. If that is to change, the varied groups - including those whose members trace their roots to China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, India and elsewhere - need to work together, said Francey Lim Youngberg, who runs a consulting firm in Washington.

"You have to demand a place at the table," she said. "No one is going to give it to you. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. That is the reality."

Paul M. Igasaki, a former member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said persistent stereotypes about Asian-Americans as brainy achievers undermine efforts to capture the attention of political leaders.

"One of the most frustrating and damaging realities is the stereotype of the model minority," he said.

"We are seen as technocrats and nerds rather than managers and leaders," he said. "Some do very well in our community, but some don't. The greater needs get lost in the stereotype."

Igasaki cited statistics that show 10.7 percent of Asian-Americans live in poverty. The poverty rate for Vietnamese-Americans and Laotian-Americans is 16 percent. In places across Northern Virginia, low-income Asian-Americans are being squeezed out of their homes as inexpensive apartments convert to pricey condominiums, said Kim Cook, director of the Vietnamese Resettlement Association.

Asian-Americans also face barriers because they do not share a common language, as do Hispanics, another fast-growing minority group. Within the overall category of Asian-Pacific-Americans, there are nearly 50 ethnic subgroups.

The language barriers mean that Asian-Americans often live in isolation and do not become part of the larger American culture or take advantage of available public services, the board was told. Nationwide, more than 40 percent of Asian-Americans struggle with the English language. Among some groups, the percentage of those who do not speak English is much higher.

Kim Miller, a Korean-American activist, said many newcomers avoid politics because they are unfamiliar with the American system and are too busy earning a living to get involved. Only aggressive outreach will change that, she said.

"It takes time, energy and a lot of effort to improve civic participation of Asian-Americans," she said. "We need leaders from each community to put the necessary emphasis on this important issue. . . . We must learn to speak up and be noticed."


Contact Paul Bradley at (703) 768-4478 or pbradley@timesdispatch.com

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