White House Vice President Kamala Harris participated in a moderated conversation with Jerry Won, host of the Dear Asian American podcast, and actress and producer Poorna Jagannathan to close out the White House Forum on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders on May 6, 2023. During the conversation, the Vice President highlighted the importance of Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander representation in the Biden-Harris Administration, her Asian American heritage, and the rise of anti-Asian hate and racism in America. She also reiterated the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to addressing issues affecting the Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community. The conversation was livestreamed on WhiteHouse.gov/live.
The White House Forum on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, centered around the theme of Visible Together, brought together community leaders, organizations, elected officials, business leaders, and Commissioners of the President’s Advisory Council for the White House Initiative on Asian American, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
The Biden-Harris Administration has taken several actions to address anti-Asian hate and racism. On September 15, 2022, the White House held the United We Stand summit to address the effects of hate-motivated violence. On May 20, 2021, the President signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which instructed the Department of Justice to review hate crimes related to COVID-19, establish an online reporting database, and make hate crime reporting more accessible at the state and local government level, providing language support for many Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and communities of color. On January 26, 2021, President Biden issued a Presidential Memorandum on Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance AA and NHPI Communities, establishing an official policy of the Administration to stand up against anti-Asian racism, xenophobia, nativism, and bias. On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, a whole-of-government initiative to advance racial equity and root out systemic racism from federal policies.
Vice President Harris has also shown leadership in addressing anti-Asian hate and racism. On January 25, 2023, the Vice President traveled to Monterey Park, California, to pay her respects at the memorial at Star Dance Studio following a mass shooting. On September 15, 2022, she opened the United We Stand Summit against hate-fueled violence at the White House. On August 8, 2021, the President and Vice President met with Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Civil Rights Leaders. On May 20, 2021, the Vice President introduced the President ahead of signing a new hate crimes law that aims to address rising attacks on Asian American community members. On March 19, 2021, the President and Vice President visited Atlanta to condemn attacks on Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in the aftermath of a white man killing predominately Asian women; six of the eight victims were Asian women.
