Southeast Asian Americans face unique challenges and disparities that are often hidden under aggregated “Asian American” data. Our coalition aims to end the practice of lumping dozens of diverse communities of Asian descent into one broad “Asian” category and to increase visibility for SEAAs. In California, we build on the passage of Assembly Bill 1726 (to disaggregate health data for AANHPI groups) to support and improve data equity efforts across our health and education systems.

Southeast Asian American history is a part of American history, and all students benefit from learning about our communities’ unique stories and experiences. We advocate for language equity, support and resources, and meaningful ethnic studies curricula in our education systems. Our coalition helped pass Senate Bill 895, which requires California to develop a model curriculum incorporating Cambodian, Hmong, and Vietnamese American refugee histories.

Southeast Asian Americans have some of the highest rates of limited English proficiency and are more likely to live in poverty. Experiences with war, genocide, and displacement have also left many SEAAs with disproportionate physical and mental health challenges. We advocate for health access, culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and community-defined best practices for care. In California, we support improvements and accountability to the state’s behavioral health system under the Mental Health Services Act.

Southeast Asian Americans are at least three times more likely to be deported on the basis of an old criminal conviction, compared to other immigrants. Many refugees are part of the school-to-prison-to-deportation pipeline due to experiences with poverty, underserved schools, and racialized bullying. In California, we advocate for individuals at risk of deportation and to dismantle state-level incarceration and immigration systems that disproportionately harm SEAA communities.