WASHINGTON — President Biden on Dec. 20 announced his appointments for the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, which was established in May, in tandem with the White House Initiative on AANHPIs (WHIAANHPI).
Under the leadership of Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai as co-chairs, the commission advises the president on ways the public, private, and nonprofit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for all AANHPI communities, and also on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking and policies to address intersectional barriers faced by AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities.
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) issued the following statement: “I am so grateful to President Biden for his commitment to elevating AANHPI voices and ensuring we are meeting the needs of our communities through his strong support for the White House Initiative on AANHPIs (WHIAANHPI), and I am pleased to see the president has appointed a group of highly qualified individuals to be commissioners.
“Like the AANHPI community, this group of appointees comes from diverse backgrounds, each bringing with them their unique experiences and expertise, all of which reflect the dynamism and vibrancy of our community. I am confident that together, this commission will help raise the profile and represent the needs and interests of all AANHPI communities nationwide.”
The following individuals were appointed as commissioners: Amy Agbayani, Teresita Batayola, Ajay Bhutoria, Luisa Blue, Kimberly Chang, Emily Chen, Daniel Dae Kim, Kerry Doi, Grace Huang, Victoria Huynh, Mia Ives-Rublee, Kamal Kalsi, Michelle Kauhane, Kevin Kim, Sarah Min, Simon Pang, Ai-jen Poo, Naheed Qureshi, Raynald Samoa, Sonal Shah, Smita Shah, Robert Underwood, and KaYing Yang.