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Asian American voters at a polling place, NEW AMERICA MEDIA WASHINGTON, DC –The number of identified registered Asian Americans more than doubled from 3.2 to 7.2 million after the most extensive ethnicity modeling was provided by the AAPI Victory Fund in partnership with VEDA Data Solutions. “Our biggest national databases are missing crucial details and do not provide a clear picture of voters,” said Shekar Narasimhan, chairman and founder of the AAPI Victory Fund. “When voter files list ‘unknown,’ it becomes challenging to engage with voters on issues that will resonate with them. This data will allow us to meet our goal of increased engagement with the growing Asian American community,” he added. “Micro-targeting at this level changes the outcome of elections. The system can more effectively target, research and communicate with over 7.2 million Asian American voters, including 1.4 million potential new voters,” explained Narasimha. Through data modeling, more than 7.2 million Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, South Asian and Vietnamese Americans were identified nationally, including over 1.4 million potential new voters. Prior to this model, organizations had ethnicity information on fewer than 3.2 million of the 18.5 million Asian Americans in the United States. “Increased naturalization rates and increased civic engagement have resulted in an unprecedented growth of new Asian American voters,” said Varun Nikore, AAPI Victory Fund vice chair of strategy & operations. “Our goal is to ensure that all eligible Asian American voters are registered and exercise their right to vote in this critical election.” The Asian American Read More …

Liberty Zabala’s family; she is the youngest child (right). CONTRIBUTED SAN DIEGO, California — Her father named her “Liberty” because she was born one day before Independence Day and her immigrant parents loved this country. Her middle name is “Angel” because she survived as a three pound premature baby. Liberty Zabala, daughter of the late expatriate Philippines journalist and foreign-service diplomat Larry de Venecia Zabala, is now in her 20s, has indeed survived and risen to a full-time reportorial position in a major news outfit in this city, NBC7. An Emmy-nominated reporter, Zabala previously worked as one of four reporter trainees selected from across the country for the NBC Reporter Development Program. Under the program, she went through intensive multimedia training alongside NBCUniversal’s top media executives, talents and coaches at NBC5 Dallas, NBC10 Philadelphia, and NBC4 New York under the direction of The Poynter Institute’s Al Tompkins. All-around journalist She writes, shoots, edits and reports enterprise stories for three live newscasts a day on NBC7. San Diego County, according to the Filipino American Center of San Francisco Public Library, has the second largest Filipino American population of any county in the nation, growing to 182,248 in 2010.   Los Angeles County has the largest with more than 374,000 in the last census. San Diego television news reporter Liberty Zabala. CONTRIBUTED Born and raised in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock, Liberty said the biggest challenge she faces as a news reporter for mainstream TV is conveying Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Read More …

Eric Santos and Angeline Quinto. CONTRIBUTED NEW YORK CITY — Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton added her voice to those of leaders in honoring the rich contribution of Filipinos to American society. The Outstanding Filipinos in America (TOFA) Awards celebrates Filipino American heritage with an annual community gathering at Carnegie Hall during Filipino American History Month. “As the fastest-growing minority population in the United States, Asian Americans are helping to grow the diversity that is the bedrock of our country,” Clinton said in her message to TOFA Awards. “That’s why I am so grateful to TOFA for its vital work to unify and pay tribute to the Filipino American community and to ensure that you are represented in our policies and leadership positions, in every industry in our country.” Boy Abunda. CONTRIBUTED Clinton alluded to her campaign slogan in explaining the Democratic aspiration for the next four years. “Like you, I believe in an America where no matter who you are or where you come from, you should have an equal shot at success. I believe that cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, and bridges are better than walls. It’s a simple but powerful idea: we are stronger together,” she said. Echoing this sentiment, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio noted how celebrations such as the TOFA Awards help strengthen multiculturalism in the city “where all people, no matter their background, can rise together.” “New York is defined by the Read More …

Bilateral ties between the Philippines and the European Union remains on track despite President Duterte’s outburst cursing the 28-nation bloc for expressing concerns over his government’s war on drugs that have so far left hundreds of suspects dead, its ambassador said on Wednesday. The European Union was not spared from the president’s verbal attack, joining UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US President Barrack Obama and the Pope who were earlier cussed by Mr. Duterte. EU lawmakers had said the President’s statements encouraged the killing of drug traffickers and users as he embarks on his bloody campaign promise to rid the Southeast Asian country of the scourge. “The European Union and the Philippines enjoy good relations, and we will continue to discuss this issue, among many others, in our bilateral contacts with the authorities,” EU ambassador Franz Jessen said. Offended Explaining why he was “bullshitting” the European body, Mr. Duterte said on Wednesday he took offense because he felt he was being unfairly reprimanded. “When I was mayor, that’s okay. It’s different now that I’m President because I represent a country,” he said in a speech before soldiers in Camarines Sur. “I am the President of the republic. Why would you insult me, why would you curse at me as if I’m under you? That’s why I’m bullshitting all of them,” Mr. Duterte said. In a speech before local government officials in Davao City on Tuesday, Mr. Duterte also lashed back at the European Union. The President said “fuck you” to Read More …