Statement on the Election
The current Trump administration has enabled the rapid dismantling of our democracy. Our rights that so many of our families believed and fought for are diminishing quickly. Our communities face a plethora of violence from the disappearance of our loved ones through deportation and detention to LGBTQ folks being violently dehumanized through government approved initiatives. Meanwhile, we struggle to make ends meet, particularly after the government cut access to Medicaid and SNAP. The president and his administration are waging a war that nobody wants using our hard-earned money. According to the AAPI Policy Survey Report, the majority of Asian Americans (69%) believe that we are spending too much money on the military and too little on education (70%). The current make-up of the US Congress is all but for Trump’s agenda and blindly supports everything that he is doing, having little power to stop what is happening. Our voices matter, our votes matter.
Our communities have responded with innovation, creativity, and tenacity as we have often done throughout our history. We know how to support and thrive in hard times, which speaks directly to the resiliency of our people. We have seen neighbors helping neighbors by coordinating ICE patrols, delivering groceries to impacted community members, and more. We have seen everyday people taking action against– and closing– ICE’s detention warehouses in states like Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Virginia. We saw coordinated, city-wide strikes to show our power and create the necessary pressure on our elected officials.
Elections have immediate, tangible consequences, and our most impacted community members feel them the most acutely. While we continue to fight for long-term change, we use our right to vote and our influence to shape our everyday living conditions.
Many of our communities fled violence in our homelands in order to find safety and protection from harm. We vote to take back our power to shape this democracy and our local communities. We vote to hold accountable those who are voted in.
Southeast Asians are the Margin of Victory
9 Reasons Why We Vote
Have you noticed the cost of fish sauce, rice, and prahok lately? We vote to keep our loved ones fed.
Southeast Asians are part of the fastest growing groups in the US, and that means we can shape the election and the futures of our people.
Many in our communities do not have the right to vote, and they are among the most impacted by current policies and laws.
Many of us fled violence and wars. We know the horrors of displacement and the challenges of resettlement. We vote to ensure these experiences do not get repeated.
Our votes can ensure policies and officials that support accessible healthcare, affordable housing, and job security.
Our values of building community and caring for each other guide us, and voting is how we put these values into action.
We can vote for officials and policies that work for us, not corporate interests. Our vote can make a difference in our daily lives.
Our vote is a voice for peace, prosperity, and well-being for all, now and in future generations.
The role of the government is to serve its people. Our vote is for our fair and equal treatment.
Top Five Priority Issues
WE VOTE OUR VALUES
We trust in our values, therefore we vote. Our values guide us, and voting is how we put them into action. We believe in justice, equality, and community, and by voting, we uphold these principles.
ចុចទីនេះដើម្បីស្តាប់
Txhais lug Moob
ຟັງເປັນພາສາລາວ
A Southeast Asian Vote is a Vote for:
- Economic Security
- Humane Immigration System
- Comprehensive Health Care
- Culturally Relevant Education
- Climate Justice
01
Economic Security
A Southeast Asian vote is a vote for…
Community empowerment, economic justice, and sustainable futures. We believe in an economy that builds community wealth, prioritizing the needs and voices of our people. We are the 99%, and we are proud members of the working class that drives this nation’s prosperity. Our contributions, from nail salons to restaurants, factories, and beyond, are the backbone of a thriving economy—not corporations.
Affordable education, healthcare, and security for all. Economic security for Southeast Asians means investing in opportunities that uplift our communities, ensuring that every family has the resources to thrive. We reject an economy that exploits us and leaves us behind.
Solidarity with workers everywhere. A Southeast Asian vote is a vote for small business owners, nail salon workers, restaurant employees, factory assembly line laborers—both here and abroad. It’s a vote that says no to the politics of division and yes to building a united, socially conscious community.
Southeast Asians who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and rising costs. Many of our families live below the poverty line. We vote for leaders who understand the real cost of living—who know the price of a a bag of rice and the struggle to make ends meet, especially due to inflation and tariffs.
Affordable and safe homes which are out of reach for too many, forcing multiple earners within families to scrape together enough to buy or rent a home. A Southeast Asian vote is a multigenerational vote, reflecting our commitment to ensuring a stable future for our elders, our children, and the generations to come.
Cultivating lifelong, socially responsible citizens. We live in multigenerational households, and our vote reflects the collective wisdom and experiences of our communities. We stand together for economic security, justice, and a future where everyone can thrive.
02
Humane Immigration System
A Southeast Asian vote is a vote for…
The right to stay in the communities we have built. We advocate for a system that reflects the values of compassion, fairness, and inclusivity. We want our families to be able to stay together without the fear of immigration raids and deportation.
The value of our communities. We believe in an immigration system that treats every individual with dignity and respect. Our history as refugees and immigrants informs our commitment to ensuring that future generations can find safety, opportunity, and a place to call home in this country.
Safety and intergenerational healing. We carry the experience of survivors of war, genocide, and displacement, and we vote equipped with the knowledge this brings. Our vote is an affirmation of our right to heal and thrive, ensuring that the trauma of our past is recognized and addressed in the policies that end cycles of punishment and violence.
Embracing our duty as survivors and descendants of genocide and displacement. Our vote and participation in the democratic process is a powerful act of resilience and determination. We vote not only for ourselves but for our ancestors who fought for our survival and for future generations who deserve a world where justice and humanity prevail.
A welcoming society that acknowledges our past, supports our present, and secures a future where all families can live in peace and prosperity.
03
Comprehensive Healthcare:
Bodily Autonomy, Reproductive Rights, and Medicare
A Southeast Asian vote is a vote for…
Access to comprehensive, compassionate and equitable healthcare. We believe that everyone, regardless of income or background, deserves free, high-quality healthcare that meets their needs. Our communities thrive when we have access to the full spectrum of care, from preventive services to treatment, without the burden of cost. Furthermore, the U.S. health system must recognize and integrate traditional healing practices commonly used in Southeast Asian communities as a valid and essential part of healthcare.
Bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. We stand for the right of women and all individuals to make informed choices about their own bodies, including the right to access safe and legal abortion. The ability to choose and be in control of one’s own reproductive health is fundamental to our freedom and well-being.
The dignity, health, and longevity of our aging adults. As our elders age, they deserve care that honors their culture, contributions and supports their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. A Southeast Asian vote is a vote to protect and uplift our elders, ensuring they live with dignity and respect in their later years.
The right to choose and express one’s gender and sexuality. We believe in a world where everyone can safely embrace and express their true selves. Whether seeking gender-affirming care or living authentically in one’s gender and sexuality, our communities must have the support and resources to do so without fear or discrimination.
Access to safe gender affirming care. Everyone deserves the right to bodily autonomy. Gender-affirming care is a crucial part of this. A Southeast Asian vote is a vote for bravery, acceptance, and the right to pursue one’s truth in a safe and supportive environment in this lifetime.
04
Culturally Relevant Education
A Southeast Asian vote is a vote for…
Access to an education that is culturally relevant, inclusive, and free from barriers. We believe in passing knowledge to the next generation through diverse forms of education, including storytelling, heritage language, traditions, arts, and cultural teachings. Our classrooms should reflect the wisdom of our elders and communities.
Ethnic studies in K-12 and higher education, ensuring that Southeast Asian history and experiences are taught and valued. We want an education system that empowers our youth and honors our heritage.
Educational environments that are academically rigorous and embrace our diversity and meet the unique needs of our children. Free tuition at colleges and universities, making higher education accessible to everyone. For the inclusion of ethnic studies in K-12 and higher education, ensuring that Southeast Asian history and experiences are taught and valued.
Safe schools for every student. Our students deserve an environment for learning. Racism, gun violence, bullying, and policing has no place in our schools. K-12 students have a right to transportation to school without fear of violence.
05
Climate Justice
A Southeast Asian vote is a vote for…
Our shared future—a future where caring for the planet is as vital as preserving our language, arts and cultures.
Ensuring food security through farming, and supporting farmers whose livelihoods sustain our communities.
Our role as stewards of the land, wherever we are. Our ability to grow kitchen gardens, eat healthier, and store our own food is directly linked to the fight for economic justice, which depends on a thriving ecosystem and the preservation of our environment.
Safeguarding our planet and ecosystems. We know how chemical weapons and bombs devastate both land and people. Our votes are key to stopping war and weapons development for the sake of ourselves and for the environment.
