NEVADA Governor Steve Sisolak, along with First Lady Kathy Ong Sisolak, attended a special multicultural event highlighting the impact of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community on the 2021 legislative session.
The event, held on Wednesday, June 16, at the Desert Breeze Community Center, was hosted by the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) in partnership with ONE APIA Nevada.
Speaking in front of the attendees, Sisolak expressed appreciation for the AAPI community and called it “godsent” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since the beginning, the entire AAPI community has been godsent to us. They were the first on the front lines to obtain and procure PPE (personal protective equipment), when we were fighting with everybody in the world to get masks and gloves and gowns for our hospitals,” he said.
“They’re the first ones that stepped up and said ‘we can help,’” he added.
Sisolak also noted that the AAPI community is “leading in Southern Nevada in terms of being vaccinated,” adding that vaccinating more people is the only way to get out of the pandemic.
“You are our frontline workers, our doctors, our nurses, our small business owners, our hospitality workers, the people that welcome our visitors into our community, people on the front line to make it a safer and better Nevada,” he said.
The governor went on to call for more AAPI legislators that can “help pass legislation that can help improve the quality of life for everyone.”
Previously, the AAPI community made an impact on the 2021 legislative session, specifically the passage of Assembly Bill 195, sponsored by Assemblywoman Selena Torres, which enacts the English Language Learner Bill of Rights, which will increase language access for limited English proficient students and their families in K-12 education.
In addition, Senate Bill 420, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizarro, which will create a Nevada public option and make healthcare more affordable for all Nevadans, was also passed.
“The AAPI community is the representation of health, is the representation of our future. Thank you for providing us with a brighter future, a better future,” Sisolak concluded.
The multicultural event also celebrated the success of “Give in May,” a nationwide fundraiser supporting nonprofits dedicated to addressing the needs of the AAPI communities.
In Southern Nevada, the campaign raised over $95,000, benefiting organizations such as Bamboo Bridges, Kiwanis Young Professionals Las Vegas, 9th Island Cultural club, Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko, Sri Lankan America Association of Las Vegas, SNAPIQS (Southern Nevada Asian Pacific Islander Queer Society), Las Vegas Korean American Association, Ninth Island Aunties, and ACDC.
The award winners include: Bamboo Bridges: First place, Giving Challenge, $12,000; Sri Lankan American Associations of LV: Second place, Giving Challenge, $8,500; Ninth Island Aunties: Second place, Unique Donor Challenge, $8,500; and Taiko: Third place, Unique Donor Challenge, $5,000.
Aside from Sisolak and his wife, the event was attended by Assemblywoman Cecilia Gonzales, Assemblywoman Brittney Miller, Assemblywoman Rochelle Nguyen, and Assemblywoman Selena Torres. n
