Press Release
CONTACT: Vincent A. Eng (NAPALC)
(202) 296-2300
Tuyet Le (AAI)
(773) 271-0899


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2005

Washington, DC – In a move that reflects the growth and strength of Asian American communities throughout America’s heartland, the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium and the Asian American Institute are pleased to announce AAI as the Chicago affiliate of NAPALC. AAI will join current affiliates, the Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California.

Founded in 1991, NAPALC works to advance the human and civil rights of Asian Americans through advocacy, public policy, public education, and litigation on a local, regional, and national level. Located in Washington, DC, NAPALC is one of the nation’s leading experts on issues of importance to the Asian American community including: affirmative action, anti-Asian violence prevention/race relations, census, immigrant rights, immigration, language access, and voting rights.

Based in Chicago, AAI was established in 1992 as a pan-Asian not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to empower the Asian American community through advocacy, by utilizing research, education, and coalition building. AAI specifically works to improve cooperation and mutual understanding by bringing ethnic Asian American communities together; raise the visibility of the Asian American community and spotlight its concerns so that elected officials, policy makers and the general public will understand issues of importance to Asian Americans; and gather and disseminate data about Asian American communities.

Working with NAPALC in Washington, DC, ALC in San Francisco, and APALC in Los Angeles, AAI will become part of a nationwide effort to increase advocacy, public policy, and public education on civil rights issues affecting all Asian Americans. AAI will continue to address the need for advocacy on Asian Americans issues for the nearly half-million Asian Americans in Chicago and Illinois. Census 2000 showed that of the ten states with the highest Asian American growth in the United States, six were located in areas outside of the West Coast or Eastern Seaboard.

“NAPALC has had a long and successful working relationship with AAI,” said Karen K. Narasaki, President and Executive Director of NAPALC. “The joint decision to establish a formal affiliate relationship makes sense given the significant Asian American population in Illinois. The affiliation will provide an additional level of coordination and collaboration on key issues affecting Asian Americans in this nation.”

“Our affiliation with NAPALC will greatly strengthen the resources that AAI can provide to the Asian American community,” said Tuyet Le, Executive Director of AAI. “AAI is looking forward to working with NAPALC by providing its input in shaping the national policy agenda.”

“Contrary to popular belief, Asian American communities are not restricted to the East and West Coasts,” said John C. Yang, Board Chair of NAPALC. “Our affiliation with AAI will enable our collective organizations to better address and serve the needs of Asian American communities everywhere.”

“According to the 2000 Census, Chicago ranks right after San Diego, CA as the seventh largest Asian American population by place,” said Sharon K. Legenza, Board Chair of AAI. “Strategically the affiliation with NAPALC provides our organization with additional resources and expertise to advocate on behalf of Asian Americans in Chicago.”