President Obama Reestablishes Advisory Commission and White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama reestablished the President’s Advisory Commission and White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders by executive order (.pdf), which was initially established under President Bill Clinton and expired under the Bush administration. Obama noted that he has a personal connection to the Asian American community – his half-sister Maya;  brother-in-law, Konrad; his nieces, Suhaila and Savita; and the folks he grew up with in Indonesia, and in Honolulu.

A large segment of the Asian-American community is often ignored or blinded by the “model minority” perception and their needs not met. Approximately 60% of all Asian Americans in the United States were born abroad in 1998, and that very fact highlights some very specific issues that need to be addressed; hopefully, this reestablished commission can help address those needs.