FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Grace Pai (Executive Director)
gpai@advancingjustice-chicago.org (224) 289-5291
CHICAGO, IL — April 10, 2023. On behalf of Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the 56 undersigned organizations representing Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, we write to express our strong support for the confirmation of Julie Su to serve as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor to Chair Sanders and Ranking Member Cassidy.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice – AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, AJSOCAL (Southern California), Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago.
Two years ago, Advancing Justice first supported Ms. Su’s candidacy to be Secretary of Labor, as well as her nomination for her current role as the Deputy Secretary of Labor. If confirmed to be the U.S. Secretary of Labor, Ms. Su would become the only Asian American head of a federal department.
In her current role, Ms. Su has been an indispensable leader within DOL, working across government for a more inclusive economy. This has included working closely with Secretary Walsh to avert a nationwide railroad strike, improving labor standards enforcement to protect the most vulnerable workers, and modernizing workforce development programs. Ms. Su has not only built strong working relationships among federal government leaders to accomplish this progress, but has also built trust with labor unions, worker organizations, and business groups across the country.
Since her confirmation as the Deputy Secretary at the DOL in 2021, she has served as the de facto Chief Operating Officer managing over 16,000 federal employees and a budget of over $14 billion. Now, with this and past experience, she is uniquely qualified and positioned to further deliver on labor, workforce, and employment goals for the nation.
Previously serving as Secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Ms. Su led the largest state labor department in the United States, managing a governmental agency of over 11,000 employees for the most populous state in the nation. In the face of the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was a clear leader in protecting the health and safety of workers and promoting sound economic policy to support small businesses and their workers. Prior to this position, Ms. Su’s work as the California Labor Commissioner for nearly a decade brought praise from both workers’ advocates and the business community for her effectiveness in governance and enforcement, promoting fairness for both workers and employers.
Before her service in government, Ms. Su fought for human rights and worked to protect the rights of the most vulnerable. Ms. Su began her career litigating workers’ rights cases at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), formerly known as Asian Pacific American Legal Center, exposing the atrocities in sweatshops in El Monte, California where Thai garment workers were trafficked into the United States and forced to sew garments behind barbed wire and under armed guard. Her effectiveness as a litigator brought forth a multimillion-dollar settlement and protected the rights of the most vulnerable workers in our country as well as paving the way for protections for immigrant human trafficking survivors.
Decades later, Ms. Su is a nationally recognized expert on labor policy and workers’ rights, dedicating her over 25-year career to the advancement of workers’ rights, fair labor practices, and advancing equity and opportunities for workers.
Ms. Su’s career demonstrates how uniquely positioned she is to successfully lead the U.S. Department of Labor. Furthermore, her lived experience as a daughter of immigrants, a woman of color, and an Asian American makes her uniquely qualified to lead the Department charged with the immense task of protecting the livelihoods of all Americans in our vibrant and inclusive democracy. We urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Julie Su as U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Sincerely,
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AJSOCAL
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Asian Law Caucus
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Atlanta
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago
APAPA-TX
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Asian American Civic Association
Asian American Coalition of Ohio
Asian American Federation
Asian American Leadership Council
Asian American Voices United
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
Asian Community Development Corporation
Asian Community Development Council
Asian Counseling and Referral Service
Asian Law Alliance
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL)
Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)
Asian Services in Action (ASIA)
Association of Asian American Investment Managers
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)
BPSOS
CAPIUSA
Center for Southeast Asians
Chinatown Service Center
Chinese American Citizens Alliance
Chinese Community Center
Council of Korean Americans
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
Filipino Advocates for Justice
Hamkae Center
Hmong National Development, Inc.
Island Liaison, Inc.
Japanese American Citizens League
Japanese American Citizens League, Arizona Chapter
Laotian American National Alliance
LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics)
Main Line Chinese Culture Center, Inc.
Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA)
National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
National Federation of Filipino American Associations
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
National Tongan American Society, The
New Mexico Asian Family Center
OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Houston Chapter
Ohio Chinese American Association (OCAA)
Pacific Asian Counseling Services
Self-Help for the Elderly
SERVICES IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND EDUCATION NETWORK (SIREN)
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
South Asian American Policy and Research Institute (SAAPRI)
South Asian Public Health Association
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
Cc: Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
###
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at advancingjustice-chicago.org.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice | AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago.