ACR 125, as introduced, Chau. Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
This measure would recognize May 2016 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
P2 1discrimination in some of the darkest times in our state’s and
2nation’s history, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, naturalized
3citizenship ineligibility, the Alien Land Law, antimiscegenation
4laws, and Japanese internment; and
5WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans continue to
6cultivate, advance, and lead in the fields of art, fashion, business,
7technology, education, science, government, law, humanities,
8medicine, sports, and entertainment; and
9WHEREAS, California is home to over 5.8 million Asian and
10Pacific Islander Americans, more than any other state, and Asian
11and Pacific Islander Americans are one of the fastest growing
12ethnic populations in the state and nation; and
13WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans constitute
1416 percent of California’s population and represent diverse
15ancestries that include, but are not limited to, Asian Indian,
16Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Burmese, Cambodian, Chamorro,
17Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Iu-Mien, Iwo
18Jiman, Guamanian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian,
19Maldivian, Mongolian, Nepalese, Native Hawaiian, Vietnamese,
20Okinawan, Pakistani, Samoan, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai,
21Tongan, and other Pacific Islander; and
22WHEREAS, California’s Asian and Pacific Islander American
23entrepreneurs are innovative and lead many successful businesses
24to the pinnacle of their respective industries nationally and globally,
25and own 15 percent of businesses in California; and
26WHEREAS, The California Commission on Asian and Pacific
27Islander American Affairs was established in 2004 and is charged
28with advising the Governor, the Legislature, and state agencies on
29issues relating to the social and economic development, rights,
30and interests of California’s Asian and Pacific Islander American
31communities; and
32WHEREAS, The California Joint Asian and Pacific Islander
33Legislative Caucus, a caucus of State Assembly Members and
34Senators, is composed of 12 Members during this session and
35represents and advocates for the interests of the diverse Asian and
36Pacific Islander American communities; and
37WHEREAS, Federal law designates May as “Asian/Pacific
38American Heritage Month” in Section 102 of Title 36 of the
39Unified States Code; and
P3 1WHEREAS, Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage
2Month provides Californians with an opportunity to recognize the
3achievements, contributions, and history of Asian and Pacific
4Islander Americans; now, therefore, be it
5Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
6thereof concurring, That the Legislature commends Asian and
7Pacific Islander Americans for their notable accomplishments and
8contributions to California, and recognizes May 2016 as Asian
9and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month; and be it further
10Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
11of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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