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Past Accomplishments
Summary of 2005-2008
In its first few years, the UC AAPI Policy MRP did the following to set a firm foundation:
- As of July 2008, there have been nearly 35,000 visitors to the MRP website, with a distinct rise in visitors after the AAPI policy experts database became functional and after the November 2007 Education conference. The MRP staff continues to recruit new faculty to affiliate with the MRP and to participate in the database project. The database now has 46 faculty participants, but not all have provided permission to be publicly listed.
- The MRP worked with the UCLA Asian American Studies Center to conduct an analysis of Asian American voters, resulting in an analytical brief entitled “Wakening the Sleeping Giant?”, released on July 2, 2008. The MRP also worked with LEAP (Leader Educational for Asian Pacifics) to assemble a team of faculty to write essays on Asian American civic and political engagement.
- In total, five issues of the MRP newsletter, "California AAPI Connections" were published and distributed. Each issue featured one of the faculty affiliates including career highlights and current projects, publicized faculty affiliate accomplishments, featured interviews of Asian American elected officials, and included descriptions of AAPI community based organizations
- To increase the linkages between empirical research and policy discourse, the MRP has begun to facilitate and encourage faculty affiliates to produce policy reports through participation and leadership of working groups. In 2007-08, the health policy working group was started to address a gap of information regarding AAPI populations and health issues, in collaboration with Assemblymember Eng and his office, which will result in the publication of a policy report – The State of AAPI Health in California.
- With support from the UC Program on Opportunity and Equity, the MRP awarded two mini-grants ($5,000) to teams of faculty and graduate students. The purpose of the mini-grant program is to assist and support the translation of academic research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders into policy briefs. Providing financial support to graduate students, this program also encourages researchers to develop skills to disseminate empirical research for application in policymaking.
- Through interviews conducted for the newsletter and through coordinated events, the MRP was able to cultivate relationships with other multi-campus research units, researchers, elected officials and their staff, and community leaders. These relationships will be key in the development of future collaborations. For example, after Assemblymember Mike Eng (49th Assembly District) participated in the MRP’s education conference in November 2007, his office and the MRP have begun work on a report on health issues facing AAPI communities in California.
- Two initial planning meetings: UC faculty and AAPI community leaders met in Los Angeles (April 2005) and in Oakland (May 2005) to jointly articulate goals and objectives for the MRP.
- UCLA hosted the MRP’s first mini-conference on October 15, 2005 – “Strengthening the AAPI Policy Infrastructure: Community-based Research, Teaching, and Advocacy."
- By December 2005, at least one faculty member at each UC campus committed to participate in the planning and leadership committee for the MRP. Berkeley, Davis, LA, Riverside, and San Diego campuses are each represented by two faculty members in the MRP.
- A working relationship was established with the Joint Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus. Don Nakanishi met with Assembly member Judy Chu, co-chair of the Joint Caucus, in December 2005 to discuss potential collaborative projects. The Joint Caucus was formed in February 2005 and consists of Assembly Members Wilma Chan, Judy Chu, Shirley Horton, Carol Liu, Ted Lieu, Alan Nakanishi, Alberto Torrico, Van Tran, and Leland Yee. The mission of the Joint Caucus is to represent and advocate for the interests of California’s API communities and to encourage API participation and representation in all levels of government.
- A proposal for a California Policy Research Center (CPRC) Graduate Policy Associate position and research project was submitted and selected. The Joint API Legislative Caucus sponsors the project. The research project advances the goals of the UC AAPI Policy MRP and the Joint Caucus by identifying emerging issues confronting AAPI communities in California that can be addressed through future collaborative applied research projects.
- A support letter for AB 2420 was sent to Gloria Negrete McLeod, Assembly member and Chair of the Assembly Business & Professions Committee. AB 2420 would provide additional disaggregation of ethnic data, which would allow for the formulation of sound public policy and programs.
- Details about the MRP’s goals and plans were presented at the April 2006 meeting of the Asian Pacific American community Research Roundtable in Los Angeles, in an effort to continue developing the MRP’s network with Southern California community-based organizations and community leaders.
- Community affiliate organizations were identified: Asian American Justice Center, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Filipinos for Affirmative Action, and the Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance.
- Paul Ong and leaders from community affiliate organizations presented a plenary session on AAPI policy research at the annual conference of the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS). Based on the AAAS plenary session, MRP faculty submitted recommendations to the Board of AAAS to encourage and strengthen applied/policy/action research within Asian American Studies.
- UCLA hosted "RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM: Impacts of Welfare Reform on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs)" in June 2006. The symposium bought together university and government researchers, as well as community representatives and legislative staff. It examined current research on this population, discussed the implications for policies and programs, and identifed new research.
Pictures
Web version: Symposium
PDF version: Research Agenda
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