South Asian representation in politics and other July 2024 updates

South Asian representation is growing in U.S. politics as more Indian, Sikh and other community members run for office and take on leadership roles in government. This is in large part due to the fact that Asian Americans have been the fastest-growing electorate for years — and because we’re raising our voices to advocate for our communities.?

Despite our historic gains, it’s disheartening to see rising levels of racism, bigotry, and xenophobia against South Asian political leaders and the broader community. Now is a critical time for us to work together in solidarity to push back against the hate.

Keep reading for more on how we’re building our collective power to mobilize against injustice.

KEEPING UP WITH THE COALITION

Holding major news outlets accountable

After the New York Post falsely reported that the shooter at Donald Trump’s rally was a Chinese man, we publicly demanded a retraction notice and an apology for spreading misinformation. And within 48 hours, we succeeded.?

In today’s inflamed political climate, all it takes is one false or sensationalized statement to incite hate and bigotry against entire communities of people. That’s why it’s critical that we continue to hold news outlets accountable for reckless misreporting that endangers communities like ours.?

“Their misreporting literally set off a flood of misinformation, racist content, outrageous conspiracy theories It really sparked fear in the Asian American community.” - Stop AAPI Hate co-founder Cynthia Choi to the San Francisco Chronicle

Combatting anti-South Asian hate

We joined Asian Americans nationwide in condemning conservative commentators for launching racist attacks against Usha Vance and Harmeet Dhillon — two Indian American political figures who appeared at the Republican National Convention.

As we pointed out to Politico , racist attacks against South Asian leaders will likely fuel hate against South Asian communities as well.?

“As bigoted attacks against Usha Vance and Vice President Harris grow…it’s clear that the political leaders and others fueling this hate are completely disregarding the safety and wellbeing of Asian American and immigrant communities.”?- Stop AAPI Hate to Politico

Building political power for our community

Our Policy and Advocacy team flew to Philadelphia to participate in the 2024 APIAVote Presidential Town Hall as a member of the national host committee.?Joining a crowd of 1,200 people from across the country, we had the chance to meet and engage with dozens of AA/PI leaders and elected officials — and discuss civil rights, public safety, and other issues that our communities care about.??

NUMBER OF THE MONTH

Indian Americans* live in the United States, according to the 2020 Census.

It represents a 55% increase over the last decade, making Indian Americans the largest AAPI sub-population in the country. Here’s what else you should know:

1?? High voter turnout

Indian American voters show up to the polls more than any other Asian subgroup, according to data from the last four presidential elections.

2?? Political representation

There are 5 Indian Americans serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and 40 across state legislatures.?

KEEPING UP WITH THE COMMUNITY

Understanding hate incident and crime data

AAPI Data released a digital data guide to improve understanding of data on hate acts targeting AAPI communities. It includes data from multiple sources — including Stop AAPI Hate — to help policymakers, journalists, and community organizations better understand AAPI communities.?

Studying the long-term impacts of the Maui wildfires

Researchers at the University of Hawai?i at Mānoa will conduct a five-year study to examine the government’s response to the Lahaina wildfires.?The study will see how the government’s response impacted the physical and mental health needs of affected residents. It will also take a look at how cultural insensitivities and related factors have exacerbated pre-existing health disparities for Lahaina’s Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Filipino, and Mexican communities.

TERM OF THE MONTH

What is Dusky Peril?

On September 4th, 1907, five hundred white laborers in Bellingham, WA, assembled to expel a community of South Asian migrant workers from the city. The racist and anti-immigrant backlash of this time propelled the creation of the National Origins Act of 1924 — a xenophobic law that created a “quota system” limiting the amount of immigrants from coming to the U.S.

As the population of Asian Americans continues to rise, we are already seeing more anti-Asian rhetoric and anti-immigrant policies. For example, in response to unfounded rumors that Vivek Ramaswamy would take U.S. Senator J.D. Vance’s seat in Congress, conservative commentators are falsely claiming there’s an “Indian coup taking place in the United States.”? Click here to learn more about Dusky Peril here.

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