Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - AAPI Women Host House Parties For Hillary

House Parties To Coincide With August 19th ABC News Debate

On Sunday, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Women for Hillary will gather at 65 house parties in 12 states and the District of Columbia to watch the ABC News Democratic presidential primary debate. The debate watch house parties are part of the campaign's ongoing effort to reach out to and organize AAPI voters.

"I am honored to have the support of so many people in the AAPI community," said Hillary Clinton. "I want to be the President that represents all Americans and I look forward to working closely with the AAPI community to change the direction of the country."

Irene Natividad, co-chair of AAPI Women for Hillary, spearheaded the effort to organize the house parties. House parties are expected to take place in California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Washington state.

"The energy among AAPI women for Hillary Clinton's candidacy is palpable," said Natividad. "Like many Americans, we in the AAPI community are ready for change and we know that Hillary has the strength and experience to restore the promise of the American Dream."

According to the Census Bureau, the AAPI community is the fastest growing ethnic group in the country and currently represents five percent of the total population. AAPIs have particular political strength in several early caucus/primary states. For example, in California, the number of AAPIs eligible to vote has more than doubled from 1990 to 2005. Currently, there are 2.5 million eligible AAPI voters in California, representing 12 percent of California voters. In Los Angeles and Orange Counties alone, there are more than 215,000 AAPI women who voted in the 2004 election according to the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California.

"It is great to see a candidate focused on the AAPI vote," said Judy Chu, Vice Chair of California's State Board of Equalization and co-host of a house party in Pasadena, CA. "While many in our community are flourishing, AAPIs still face many challenges with respect to health care, civil rights, and immigration. Hillary has a plan to tackle those tough issues and we know that we'll always have an open door to her White House. That's why we're supporting her."