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I live in Detroit, where I worked as a community organizer for almost a decade before being elected to the state legislature. I served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives and as the Democratic Floor Leader for my first Senate term. I am currently serving as a state senator in Michigan’s 3rd Senate District.
Every day as a state senator looks a bit different! On days when I’m at the capitol, I usually take part in:
Senate sessions,
Committee hearings, and
Meetings with various organizations and people visiting the capitol.
Afterward, I’ll drive home and attend a community meeting or event with my kids.
The days I’m not at the capitol usually consist of:
Meetings and events throughout my district,
Doing some work at our district office, and
Community meetings or events and my kids’ activities!
My kids are one of the reasons I got involved in gun violence prevention. I remember seeing so many of the terrible mass shootings across the country and gun violence deaths in my community that made me think: Where are we safe? Where will my kids be safe?
I was part of the first gun violence prevention caucus in the Michigan legislature. The volunteers and gun violence survivors who keep speaking up and sharing their stories inspire me to keep going on this journey. I have had so many memorable interactions with advocates. One that stands out in my mind today is talking with Michigan State University (MSU) students after the MSU shooting in February 2023. Another is hearing the Omilian family testify about their daughter, Maggie, in the Michigan Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee. Finally, being part of the March for Our Lives in Detroit in 2018 among thousands of young people and their adult allies was a powerful moment for me.
I am proud to be Asian American and Taiwanese American. My racial and ethnic identity are a big part of who I am as well as being a daughter of immigrants. AANHPI Heritage Month is a great opportunity to reflect on our history, rich heritage, and the many issues we still have to work on. One way I mark the month is by going to lots of AANHPI Heritage Month events, including:
The APA Day at the Capitol in Michigan,
An Asian Night Market at Eastern Market in Detroit, and
The Council of Asian Pacific Americans cultural show with my children!
I was the first Asian American woman elected to the Michigan legislature, where I co-founded the Michigan Asian Pacific American Legislative Caucus. The Caucus has:
Lifted up issues like making January 30 Fred Korematsu Day,
Passed language access legislation, and
Worked on AANHPI (and multiracial) history curriculum legislation.
We work in partnership with various organizations and the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission to identify and work on issues in the community.
Our work on language access legislation, which Governor Whitmer signed into law in 2023, is particularly significant to me. I sponsored the bill in the Senate, and Rep. Ranjeev Puri sponsored the corresponding House bill. This legislation, called the Statewide Meaningful Language Access Coordination Act, requires state departments and agencies to take steps to provide equal language access. These steps will ensure that people who speak or read a language other than English can better access state government services in a language they understand.
Personally, I am proud to have co-founded Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote Michigan and Rising Voices. These are two great organizations in Michigan engaging AANHPI community members in our democracy and on critical issues. AANHPI community members are speaking up about issues ranging from hate crimes to gun violence. Too often, others assume we are the “model minority”—that we are polite, and won’t push back on an issue. And sometimes pieces of our culture teach us to “not rock the boat.” Now, we see more and more Asian Americans rallying, speaking out, and organizing on a whole range of issues affecting our community and in solidarity with other communities.
“One thing more people are starting to understand is that AANHPI communities are not a monolith. We are diverse! We are strong!”
The rise in hate against Asian Americans during COVID-19 was alarming. Unfortunately, we know it has not gone away. We know that a lot of hate incidents go unreported. We also know that more Asian Americans are purchasing firearms thinking it will help protect them. I was proud to support hate crimes legislation in the Michigan legislature. In 2021, the Michigan legislature passed a resolution condemning anti-Asian hate and discrimination. We also secured money in the budget to increase Know Your Rights outreach into the AANHPI community about hate crimes and how to report them.
One thing more people are starting to understand is that AANHPI communities are not a monolith. We are diverse! We are strong! We are the fastest-growing racial demographic in the state of Michigan and across the country. We have a lot in common with other communities of color. Many of our community members have been through war or fled persecution or poverty. We have a range of religions, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses.
If people want to learn more, a few things they can do are:
Read books about Asian American history,
Attend events to learn about Asian American issues, and
Ask local Asian American civic groups about their top priorities and how you can help.
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