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The Foundation is a national non-profit dedicated to strengthening relations between ethnic communities. We are committed to the belief that direct, face-to-face dialogue between ethnic communities is the most effective path towards the reduction of bigotry and the promotion of reconciliation and understanding. |
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The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding hosted another Inter-Ethnic Congressional Staff Luncheon on Wednesday, October 31st on Capitol Hill. This luncheon was held to discuss shared successes and challenges of the Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) and Latino American communities and how these two groups can work together on the issues they have in common. The Foundation felt it was imperative to host a forum on this rarely discussed relationship, and welcomed the opportunity to continue the coalition and relationship building The Foundation does on and off Capitol Hill. Congressman Mike Honda, Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) offered remarks on the divisiveness of American politics saying, "It is not in tranquil times that our Constitution is tested. It is in times of tension, turmoil, trauma and terror when our Constitution is challenged. It is up to us to protect it in those times of war hysteria, which can blind us, and to draw the line and say 'no more'.. We say we're family, we have to act like it." Vice Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressman Raúl Grijalva, also addressed the audience. "As a community, we share in several struggles: language, immigration and pursuit of the American dream," he said. "We must use these struggles to unite, rather than choose to be divided by our superficial differences. Our differences are not liabilities, rather they add to the strength and diversity of our country." This luncheon, co-hosted with the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), also featured a knowledgeable panel of APIA and Latino lay leaders who discussed issues such as immigration, discrimination, remittance, and economic and political empowerment. Panelists included Tuyet Duong, Staff Attorney for Language Access and Disaster & Emergency Preparedness at the Asian American Justice Center, William Ramos, Washington, DC Office Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Angela Arboleda, Director of Civil Rights and Criminal Justice Policy at the National Council of La Raza, and Helly Lee, Advocacy Initiatives Project Director for the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center. Basya Laye, Foundation Director, welcomed the staffers and the lay leaders and introduced Judith Morrison, Regional Director for South America and Caribbean at IAF, who joined Alicia Simmons, Congressional Outreach Director of The Foundation, in facilitating the discussion. The discussion focused on issues the APIA and Latino American communities have in common including immigration, language access, poverty, media representation, young leadership, the domestic agenda, international development, the relationships between these two transnational American communities and the importance of coalition building in advocacy work. Edward Lewis, National Manager of Strategic Communications & Media Relations for Government Affairs for Toyota Motor North America also offered greetings. Toyota is a major sponsor of The Foundation's Washington, DC Congressional Outreach Office. Also in attendance were Jennifer Hodges, General Counsel for the Inter-American Foundation and representatives from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus institute. The Foundation hosts two staff luncheons each year. They are attended by staffers who work for members of the ethnic caucuses, or belong to the various ethnic staff associations on Capitol Hill, as well as leaders from national lay organizations. |
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