Elections are one of the ways that we exercise our power as a community. We conduct seasonal Get Out The Vote campaigns with the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition to register, educate, and engage the Asian American and immigrant communities to show up and display our power on Election Day.

Asian American and immigrant communities have historically faced barriers that prevent participation in elections. We protect our communities’ rights to vote by recruiting, training, and deploying volunteer poll monitors to over 100 precincts every election day to ensure that voters’ rights are protected.

Asian Americans face a unique set of challenges in Chicago and across the state. We educate our communities year-round on issues and current events, promoting action beyond election season.

Every year, we organize a legislative advocacy day in Springfield with our partners in the PAVE Coalition. Over 400 Asian American community members participate annually to rally and meet with elected officials at the state capitol on issues that affect our communities.

A complete Census count ensures that our communities get the resources and representation that they deserve. Historically, Asian American and Pacific Islanders are among those most likely to be undercounted. In the 2020 decennial Census, we will be working to educate our communities and get a complete count of AAPI communities in Illinois.