CA Commission on Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs Hearing

Term: 

Spring 2015

Description: 

The CA Commission on Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs Hearing was held on April 27, 2015 at UC Riverside, California. The mission of the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs is to elevate the political, economic, and social issues of Asians and Pacific Islanders by contributing to and strengthening how state government addresses the needs, issues, and concerns of the diverse and complex Asian and Pacific Islander American communities. Commissioners of the California Commission on APIA Affairs invited panelists to the hearing to discuss the challenges that Asian and Pacific Islander undocumented immigrants face.

Learning Outcomes: 

SWiBAT identify new bills that will affect undocumented students. 

SWiBAT gain new networks from interacting with panelists and commissioners. 

SWiBAT improve public speaking skills by appropriately preparing for the presentation. 

Assessment Rubric: 

	Advanced	Competent		Basic	Poor
SLO #1 New Bills	Have done research on new bills that affect undocumented students and could effectively advocate for multiple bills		Have done research on new bills that affect undocumented students and could effectively advocate for one specific bill	Have done research on new bills that affect undocumented students but do not know the details	Was not aware of new bills that affect undocumented students
SLO #2 Networking	Introduced themselves to commissioners and panelists, exchanged contact information, and  discussed bills they supported		Introduced themselves to commissioners and panelists and exchanged contact information	Introduced themselves to commissioners and panelists	Did not make the effort to introduce themselves
SLO #3 Public Speaking	Prepared for the presentation and confident in their presentation		Prepared for the presentation and somewhat confident in their presentation	Somewhat prepared for the presentation	Did not prepare for the presentation

Evidence: 

I had been invited by Jacqueline Wu from the Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) to speak about the needs of undocumented Asian American Pacific Islander students. We met at the Community Gathering Event that the Asian Pacific American Center (APARC) and the Asian American Studies (ASAM) had put on. She knew about my work as a Graduate Assistant at the Titan Dreamers Resource Center providing support to undocumented students. When I was offered the opportunity to advocate for undocumented AAPI students I did not hesitate. I knew that sharing my experiences would be helpful. I started researching AB 1366, which would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and encourage the University of California, to create Dream Resource Centers on each campus to assist certain students. It would help streamline the access to financial aid and other opportunities for undocumented students. I researched SB 247, which would authorize the governing board of each school district or county office of education to establish Dream Centers in high school to provide information about support services available to undocumented students as they pursue higher education. I also researched the Health for All Bill (AB 4), which would provide health care coverage for all Californians. I felt that I needed to advocate for this bill as well because our students are not just affected by what goes on on-campus, they are also affected by what happens to them and their families off-campus. Health care is a huge need for our undocumented students and their families. I would give myself an “Advanced” for researching new bills.


I would give myself a “Competent” for networking at this event. I was able to go and introduce myself to both commissioners and panelists. I was able obtain contact information from a few of them. I was able to connect with Commissioner EunSook Lee and MaiKa Yang. I also exchange contact information with representatives from the Korean Resource Center and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. It was great to speak to them and find out projects they are working on and possible collaboration we could plan to further advocate for the undocumented AAPI immigrant communities. 

Although I had researched the bills I presented on carefully and practiced my testimony, I still felt very nervous when I began speaking in front of the Commission. I stumbled on a few words in the beginning. However, I kept my composure, and I was actually confident in my answers when the commissioners asked specific questions regarding the bills and experiences of undocumented AAPI students. I was able to also highlight the need to streamline some of the current laws, especially the three year in CA high school requirement to be classified as an AB 540 student. I was able to highlight the struggles of undocumented students who don’t qualify for AB 540 and who have to pay out-of-state tuition. I felt that it was important that they are not forgotten. I would give myself a “Competent” rating for public speaking. 

Here are some pictures from the hearing:

Reflection: 

I really felt good advocating for undocumented AAPI students. I feel that as a community, our narratives or voices are not always heard. This was really a chance for me to voice some of the needs and concerns of our students. It also helped put in perspective why I want to be in this profession and that is to serve marginalized, underrepresented and underserved students. It also reminded me the power in saying “YES” to these opportunities and challenging ourselves to reach higher. Serving our students doesn’t only involve things that happen on-campus. Their lives are more complex and serving them holistically means that we must look at what affects them off-campus as well. It means being cognizant of the needs of their families and their communities. It really was a privilege to be given a chance to do this.