UNITED States President Kamala Harris and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on Thursday, Feb. 3 swore in 23 members, including 3 Filipina American community leaders, of President Joe Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs).
They were joined by U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai, who serves as Commission Co-Chair alongside Secretary Becerra and delivered congratulatory remarks.
In December, Biden appointed the members to advise him on AANHPIs issues. Among them are Amy Agbayani, Teresita Batayola and Luisa Blue representing the Fil-Am community.
“We know there’s still a lot of work to do in an affirmative way, in a purposeful way, in an intentional way about ensuring that people are engaged, that they are involved, and that we are relevant to the way that they are experiencing and living life, and that we are connected with their goals and their dreams for themselves, for their families, and for their community. And that’s why it’s so important to have you all as the leaders that you are together in this advisory group, because the work that you will do is to give us candid feedback,” said Harris to the commissioners on Thursday. “On behalf of the president and myself, thank you yet again for the life that you have chosen to live, which has been a life of leadership and service.”
Agbayani is an Emeritus Assistant Vice Chancellor for student diversity and equity, University of Hawai’i at Manoa. Agbayani was born in the Philippines and received her education from the University of the Philippines, East West Center and the University of Hawai’i. She is a former chair of the Hawai’i Civil Rights Commission, conducts research on AANHPI in higher education, member of the Patsy T.Mink PAC and The Legal Clinic for immigrant justice Hawai’i.
Batayola is the President and Chief Executive Officer of International Community Health Services, Washington state’s largest Asian and Pacific Islander non-profit health center providing comprehensive health care to all those who need affordable care, especially immigrants and refugees. Batayola is an advocate for health care access, equity, and addressing social determinants of health. ICHS has received awards for its high quality of care and Batayola has been recognized in the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Award for Outstanding Business & Philanthropic Contributions, Woman of Courage Undaunted from the University of Washington Women’s Center, and the Filipino Women’s Network’s Most Influential Filipino Woman in the World.
Blue retired from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in August 2020 after serving as an Executive Vice President for four years, one of the highest ranking AAPI officials in the labor movement. During her term was responsible for the SEIU Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Engagement and Leadership program, a member of the Racial Justice Task Force, chair of the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, and chair of the Ethical Culture Committee. She served on the SEIU Executive Board prior to her election as Executive Vice President. Luisa continues to be active in the community and serves on the Asian Health Services Community Board, a Trustee on Alameda County Health Systems Board of Trustees, and Vice President of the AAPI Victory Alliance Board. Luisa is the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren.
The Commission will advise the president on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The Commission is also charged with advising the president on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face. The Commission will include civic leaders from across the country and will reflect the rich diversity of AANHPI communities across the United States.
Other commissioners include Ajay Bhutoria, 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.
Biden on May 28, 2021 signed Executive Order 14031, “Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders” to establish the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and deliver on his commitment to reinstate and reinvigorate this historic Initiative. (AJPress)
