The South Asian American Vote 2012

WashingtonLeadership Program 2012 Scholars, July 2012

The Washington Leadership Program Scholars, Summer 2012

Photo source: http://www.thewlp.comPhoto source: http://www.saapri.org

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“the South Asian community has grown by

78% in the last decade [in America.]1”

we are a community of over 3.4 million people and growing.

growing numbers means growingpower for our demographic in this country.

there is no time more crucial to take responsibility and express what is

important to us than this 2012 presidential election cycle.

Governor Mitt Romney campaigns during the South Carolina primaries

1. “A Demographic Snapshot of South Asians in the United States, 2012” http://www.saalt.org/pages/Reports%7B47%7DPublications.htm-l#census2010?utm_source=Census+Factsheet&utm_campaign=Census+2010&utm_medium=email

Photo source: University of North Carolina, Associated Press Database

the big barrier

although the number of South AsianAmericans who can vote increased over two-fold in the past decade2, only 30% of the com-

munity voted in the last presidential elec-tions.3

Bobby Jindal, the first Indian-American to be elected as Governor, with his family

this is the year to be a changemaker.

2. http://www.saalt.org/attachments/1/SAALT%20AAF%20National%20Fact3. Indian American Center for Political Awareness, “Indian American Political Participation”sheet.pdf

Photo source: http://www.mpidirect.com

today the average undergraduate student finishes school with over $16,000 in debt. in addition, the

unemployment rate for 16-24 olds is at its absolute highest level in the past 6 years. student votes can

make a difference in relevant future policy

President Obama reaches out to the South Asian American youth community

why should I vote?

Photo source: Asian American Pacific Islanders for Obama Database

current immigration laws pull apart families, and children who are U.S. citizens suffer immigration raids in their homes. ‘these children often

experience what no U.S. citizenshould. they live in constant fear of

abandonment because they have seen and heard of neighbors and family members being

picked up and deported.4’”

4. http://www.fairimmigration.org/tag/south-asian-americans-leading-together/

south asian americans make up a large subset of American small business

owners, yet do not express their political voice to affect commerce policy

Photo source: http://www.thedebtofnations.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/article-21.jpgPhoto source: http://www.fairimmigration.org/tag/south-asian-americans-leading-together/

now what?

college campuses are full of students with passion, skills, and a desire to make change

in the world. advocacy is all about harnessing that energy towards the cause most important

to YOU, and really getting everyone to contribute their talents to a bigger effort.

here are some tips to help POINT your campus campaign in the right direction and get South Asian-Americans registered and ready to vote!

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publicize using every resource available to you in your region

organize other advocates with a passion for the cause.

initiate events and communication with the big players on your

campus.

travel as much as possible. go to events, gatherings, conferences, and make the trip to your state legislature

or Washington, D.C.

let people know that you are pushing for the South Asian vote and ask them how they can support you

as you follow these five steps,here are a few points to keep in mind!

absentee ballots. many college students are outside their home states and need to submit

absentee ballots in order to vote. each state has a different timeline for their electoral process,

which can be tricky to navigate. politically affiliated websites are available online to help in-terested voters, such as www.gottavote.org and www.longdistancevoter.org, non-partisan sites

that explains the absentee ballot registration process in general.

listservs. one of the best and most often overlooked ways to reach a wide audience is

through email listservs. if you serve on the board of a South Asian or AAPI organization, send a short message out to that listserv explaining

why it’s important for our community to vote.

check out these links!

APAICS (Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies): www.apaics.org

a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting AAPI participation in politics.

APIAvote: www.apiavote.orga plethora of resources provided by a national nonpartisan organization whose goal is to mobilize and empower Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to participate in

the civic and electoral processes.

CAPAC (Congressional Asian Pacific-American Caucus): http://capac-chu.house.gov/

this Congressional caucus is chaired by Dr. Judy Chu, the first Chinese-American woman to serve in Congress, and comprised of members of Congress who wish to

address the issues and concerns of the AAPI community.

Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL): www.capal.orga charitable and educational organization dedicated to building leadership and

public policy knowledge within the Asian Pacific American community. its mission is to promote APA interests and success in public service careers and to provide infor-

mation and education about APA issues to the community as a whole.

WHIAAPI (White House Initiative on Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders): www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/aapi

the WHIAAPI was reestablished by President Obama in 2009, and works to improve access to opportunities and quality of life for AAPIs.

Photo source: http://www.shirari.com

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VOTE 2012

an initiative of the washington leadership program

summer 2012

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