ACR 61, as introduced, Chu. May 2015: Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
This measure would recognize May 2015 as Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, One of the earliest records of Asian and Pacific
2Islander Americans in the United States dates back to 1763 in New
3Orleans, Louisiana, where Filipino sailors who worked the
4Manila-Acapulco trade route settled; and
5WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have made
6indelible contributions to the history of California and the United
7States that include, but are not limited to, building the
8Transcontinental Railroad, serving honorably in the Armed Forces,
9fighting for the United States in foreign wars, coorganizing the
10Delano Grape Strike, and advocating for civil rights; and
11WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have endured
12hardships, including unjust working conditions, prejudice, and
13discrimination in some of the darkest times in our state’s and
14nation’s history, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, naturalized
P2 1citizenship ineligibility, the Alien Land Law, antimiscegenation
2laws, and Japanese internment; and
3WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans continue to
4cultivate, advance, and lead in the fields of art, fashion, business,
5technology, education, science, government, law, humanities,
6medicine, sports, and entertainment; and
7WHEREAS, California is home to over 5.8 million Asian and
8Pacific Islander Americans, more than any other state, and Asian
9and Pacific Islander Americans are one of the fastest growing
10ethnic populations in the state and nation; and
11WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans constitute
1216 percent of California’s population and represent diverse
13ancestries that include, but are not limited to, Asian Indian,
14Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Burmese, Cambodian, Chamorro,
15Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Iu-Mien, Iwo
16Jiman, Guamanian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian,
17Maldivian, Mongolian, Nepalese, Native Hawaiian, Vietnamese,
18Okinawan, Pakistani, Samoan, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai,
19Tongan, and other Pacific Islander; and
20WHEREAS, California’s Asian and Pacific Islander American
21entrepreneurs are innovative and lead many successful businesses
22to the pinnacle of their respective industries nationally and globally,
23and own 15 percent of businesses in California; and
24WHEREAS, The California Commission on Asian and Pacific
25Islander American Affairs was established in 2004 and is charged
26with advising the Governor, the Legislature, and state agencies on
27issues relating to the social and economic development, rights,
28and interests of California’s Asian and Pacific Islander American
29communities; and
30WHEREAS, The California Asian and Pacific Islander
31Legislative Caucus, a caucus of State Assembly Members and
32Senators, is composed of a record high 11 Members during the
332015-16 Regular Session and represents and advocates for the
34interests of the diverse Asian and Pacific Islander American
35communities; and
36WHEREAS, Federal law designates May as “Asian/Pacific
37American Heritage Month” in Section 102 of Title 36 of the
38Unified States Code; and
39WHEREAS, Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage
40Month provides Californians with an opportunity to recognize the
P3 1achievements, contributions, and history of Asian and Pacific
2Islander Americans; now, therefore, be it
3Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
4thereof concurring, That the Legislature commends Asian and
5Pacific Islander Americans for their notable accomplishments and
6contributions to California, and recognizes May 2015 as Asian
7and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month; and be it further
8Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
9of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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