ASIAN American and Pacific Islanders are now the fastest-growing racial group in San Diego County, according to a new report by Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, the nation’s largest API legal and civil rights organization.
The report, in collaboration with the Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC), is titled “A Community of Contrasts: Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (NHPI).” It notes that this racial demographic experiences the most growth in poor and unemployed people.
According to the 2010 Census, San Diego County is home to 410,000 Asian Americans and 31,000 NHPI. One out of every seven residents across the county is Asian American or NHPI. Between 2000 and 2010, the Asian American population in San Diego grew 38 percent, faster than any other racial group. The NHPI population also grew 25 percent over the decade.
In contrast, San Diego County’s total population grew only 10 percent and the Anglo-White population decreased 3 percent over the same period.
Record numbers of Asian Americans and NHPI in San Diego County are registering to vote and casting ballots, the research noted. Nearly 90,000 Asian Americans were registered to vote countywide as of the 2012 General Election. While Asian Americans made up 6 percent of the county’s voters during that election, those who were eligible to vote make up over half the margin of victory in several legislative districts, including State Assembly Districts 77 and 79, State Senate District 39, and Congressional District 52.
While API-owned businesses are making contributions and have created over 50,000 jobs in San Diego County, growing numbers of Asian Americans and NHPI struggle to make ends meet. Unemployment, an unstable economy, and other factors have contributed to this overall struggle.
“Our diverse communities are growing at top rates and making real contributions to San Diego, but many also need help,” said Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles. “This growth deepens the urgency of our public policy concerns.”
From 2007 to 2013, the number of unemployed Asian Americans grew 95 percent and the number of unemployed NHPI increased 103 percent. During the same period, the number of Asian Americans and NHPI living below the poverty line increased 56 percent and 23 percent respectively.
“Community of Contrasts” also found that the success of some API communities in San Diego County in the education arena overshadows significant challenges faced by others. Data from the California Department of Education show that NHPI students are both less likely to graduate from high school and to have completed required college courses. Among adults, Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans are among those least likely to have a high school degree. Samoan and Laotian American adults, in addition, are less likely than all other groups countywide to have a college degree.
API communities are disproportionately impacted by disease, but many lack access to care and health insurance. Cancer is the leading cause of death among Asian Americans; according to research, there is a much higher proportion of Asian American deaths due to cancer, compared to other racial groups.
Among NHPI communities, the leading cause of death is heart disease. NHPI also have an age-adjusted death rate higher than all racial groups countywide.
Approximately 50,000 Asian Americans and 4,300 NHPI in San Diego County remain uninsured.
“Data in this report show tremendous social and economic diversity in San Diego’s Asian American and NHPI community,” said Kristin Sakaguchi, research analyst and the primary author of the report. “In contrast to the model minority stereotype, some have achieved success, while others are facing considerable challenges.”
(LA Weekend June 13 – 16, 2015 Sec. A pg.6)
