On January 23, more than 50 members of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum were hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement and the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) to discuss various issues involving women’s health, including the impact of the Affordable Care Act, reproductive health, immigration, and the safety concerns of nail and hair salon workers. The AAPI women heard from the White House and WHIAAPI staff, including the following: Hallie Schneir and Avra Siegel from the White House Council on Women and Girls, Felicia Escobar of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Sarah Hurwitz of the White House Council on Women and Girls, Debbie Berkowitz and Ken Nishiyama Atha of the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Three members of NAPAWF gave personal testimony regarding important issues facing AAPI women in America today. Diana Bui from the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance discussed the dangerous working conditions and chemicals which surround the hair and nail salon industry. Linh Chong from Arkansas discussed the immigration and deportation system in America and its effects on family unity. Jenny Ton of San Francisco gave moving testimony regarding her own mother’s health. Ms. Ton’s mother was ravaged by organ damage upon learning that one of her kidneys had been stolen during a procedure meant to remove kidney stones. Her remaining kidney was not able to make up for the loss, and she was in serious need of a transplant. Ms. Ton noted that over 10 years of “countless hospitalizations, copious prescription drugs, and many unexpected surgeries” went by while her mother could only be sustained through taking over 15 prescription drugs a day. She thanked President Obama for passing the Affordable Care Ac t because as she noted, “It is because of Medicaid that my mom was able to see me, the youngest of her 6 children, be the first to graduate from college. To se her eldest daughter [marry] and become a proud grandmother.”
The White House Initiative on AAPIs works collaboratively with the White House Office of Public Engagement and the designated Federal agencies to increase Asian American and Pacific Islander participation in programs in education, commerce, business, health, human services, housing, environment, arts, agriculture, labor and employment, transportation, justice, veterans affairs and economic and community development.