Legislators launch AAPI caucus

State lawmakers launched the Asian American and Pacific Islander Issues Caucus in Hartford Thursday to fortify AAPI representation in the legislature and tackle the challenges faced by one of the fastest-growing communities in the state.

Sen. Saud Anwar said the bipartisan caucus will develop legislation that addresses the diverse needs of Connecticut’s rapidly growing AAPI population.

A key focus for parliamentarians is rejecting the harmful stereotype of the “model minority.”

“One of the challenges for Asian Pacific American Islanders in regards to support services and immigration status is they’re fighting against the ‘model minority’ perception,” Sen. Tony Hwang said. “The general public does not think that that community is in need.”

Policy priorities for the caucus include education, immigration reform, reducing economic and health disparities, language accessibility, obtaining recognition for key cultural holidays, increasing mental health supports and addressing a rise in AAPI bullying and hate crimes.

Hwang said that as a memeber of the caucus, it is important “not only to discuss legislative issues and social issues, but to be a symbolic representation.”

When considering engagement in the political process, Hwang said recognizing the history of the AAPI community in the US is critical.

“Asian Americans have been at the brunt of some of the most egregious legislation, the exclusion act, the internment of the Japanese Americans. If we are not engaged in the political process, we then become, ultimately, the victims of it,” Hwang said.

Founding members of the Caucus include Anwar, who is from Pakistan, Hwang, who is from Taiwan, Rep. Maryam Khan, who is from Pakistan, as well as Sen. James Maroney and Reps. Gary Turco, Rachel Khanna, and Kate Farrar, whose spouses are members of the AAPI community.

Lawmakers said Connecticut’s AAPI population jumped 113% between 2000 and 2020, but political representation has been gradual — it was not until 2006 that Attorney General William Tong made history as the first Asian American elected to state office when he joined the legislature.

“The heart of it is that the diversity of our state truly makes us stronger,” Farrar said. “For our Asian American Pacific Islander residents, often they may not see themselves represented or heard as vibrantly in the government process as they may see other communities.”

Farrar said the caucus’ commitment to educating, collaborating and building policy around the AAPI community, “really signals to all of the AAPI residents across our state that we hear you, we see you, and we want to do more to make sure that your voices are a part of the political process.”

The AAPI community makes up less than 6% of the state population, according to data from the 2020 Census.

Alan Tan, the co-chair of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, said the AAPI population is trending upward and Census numbers likely represent a “significant under count” due to outreach issues and other barriers.

“There’s a lot of work to be done in this area and connecting our AAPI populations to state, local, and federal government,” Tan said.

Tan said the commission “is very excited to work with this new caucus on addressing issues and proposed bills that cannot go elsewhere in this building.”

“Our focus has been on intersectionality, and I want to stress that this caucus exists to facilitate that,” Tan said.

Anwar said the Caucus will collaborate closely with the commission, the Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut, local leaders and AAPI residents to identify key concerns.

Anwar said the caucus will be “very inclusive,” welcoming any legislator who is passionate about AAPI issues, regardless of whether or not they or their spouse are Asian American.

“Essentially everybody in this legislative body represents people who are of Asian American descent in their community. And those issues are something that are relevant to the people they represent,” Anwar said.

Rep. Tom Delnicki, who represents South Windsor, home to one of the fastest growing Asian communities in the state, said he looks forward to contributing to the caucus.

“The more we learn about the people we represent, the better we are going to be able to represent them and to understand them and to learn what is important,” Delnicki said.