WHIAANHPI Highlights, December 23, 2021
As 2021 draws to a close, I
would like to take this moment to thank you for your efforts and support in
advancing equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian,
and Pacific Islander communities. With your partnership this year, we have officially
launched the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and
Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian
Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; brought important updates
to the community through our stakeholder engagement efforts; and strengthened a
foundation for federal interagency policy changes and regional community
outreach.
To keep your family safe
this holiday season, please remember that COVID-19 vaccines continue to be the
most effective way to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to
COVID-19. If you have already received two doses of the vaccine, a booster shot
is also recommended to help keep up protection. Further information about booster eligibility from the CDC
is available here.
I look forward to our
continued partnership in 2022 and beyond. Wishing you and your loved ones a
safe and happy holiday season and a joyful New Year!
HHS Secretary Becerra Launches WHIAANHPI,
Announces Co-Chair Ambassador Tai
Secretary Xavier Becerra (bottom left), Ambassador
Katherine Tai (bottom right), Erika Moritsugu (top right), Krystal Ka‘ai
(bottom center) and Hannah Kim (top left) at the virtual press conference for
the launch of WHIAANHPI, December 9, 2021.
On December 9, 2021, Health
and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra launched the Biden-Harris
Administration’s WHIAANHPI and announced U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
Ambassador Katherine Tai as his co-chair of both WHIAANHPI and the President’s
Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific
Islanders. In addition to the two co-chairs, Krystal Ka’ai, WHIAANHPI Executive
Director, and Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and AA and
NHPI Senior Liaison, also made remarks. The announcement also included the
launch of WHIAANHPI’s Interagency
Working Group and Regional
Network. Read the press release here, and watch the announcement here.
President Biden Appoints 23 Community Leaders
to President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and
Pacific Islanders
This Monday, December 20, 2021,
President Biden announced the 23 new commissioners of the President’s
Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Read the announcement here.
The appointed commissioners are: Dr. Amy Agbayani,
Teresita Batayola, Ajay Bhutoria, Luisa Blue, Dr. Kimberly Chang, Emily Chen,
Kerry Doi, Grace Huang, Victoria Huynh, Mia Ives-Rublee, Dr. Kamal Kalsi,
Michelle Kauhane, Daniel Dae Kim, Kevin D. Kim, Sarah Min, Simon Pang, Ai-jen
Poo, Naheed Qureshi, Dr. Raynald Samoa, Sonal Shah, Smita Shah, The Honorable
Robert Underwood, and KaYing Yang.
HHS Secretary Becerra and USTR
Ambassador Tai also released the following joint
statement:
“As co-chairs of [the Commission],
we offer our sincerest congratulations to the 23 commissioners who have been
newly appointed today. They are distinguished leaders and experts from across
the country, representing communities and private and public sectors
nationwide, representing the diversity of the AA and NHPI populations. We look
forward to working together to provide independent recommendations to the
President and the Federal government on ways the public, private and non-profit
sectors can collaborate to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and
NHPI communities.” Read the full press release here.
Marketplace Open Enrollment Deadline January
15
Don’t miss your chance! January 15, 2022 is the last day to enroll in
marketplace health plans. With the American Rescue Plan, more than 150,000
uninsured now have access to zero-dollar premium plans, and 197,000 uninsured
Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders may now be eligible
for additional savings. Discover plans available to you and enroll today here.
From the start of Open
Enrollment through December 15, 2021, a historic high of more than 13.6 million
people have already enrolled in health insurance coverage for 2022 through
HealthCare.gov and State-based Marketplaces. Thanks to the American Rescue
Plan, 92% of people who selected federal Marketplace coverage will receive
premium tax credits. Read the HHS press release on Open Enrollment updates here.
Last Chance to Submit Public Comments for
COVID-19 Hate Crimes Guidance
On October 5, 2021, Attorney General
Merrick B. Garland and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra co-hosted a listening
session with stakeholders on the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which was
signed into law by President Biden in May. Under the legislation, the
Department of Justice and HHS, in coordination with the COVID-19 Health Equity
Task Force and community-based organizations, are required to issue guidance
aimed at raising awareness of hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
deadline to submit public comments is January 10, 2022. Comments should be
emailed to COVID19HateCrimesGuidance@hhs.gov.
White House Highlights
White House Fellows Deadline January 7
The 2022 to 2023 White House Fellows
application is now live. Applications are due January 7, 2022 at 4:59 PM EST.
The purpose of this program is to provide gifted and highly motivated young
Americans with first-hand experience in the process of governing the Nation and
a sense of personal involvement and responsibility in the leadership of
society. Learn more about the program history, criteria, and interview process here. Questions or comments can be sent to whitehousefellows@whf.eop.gov.
President Biden and The First Lady
Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack, Mark Anniversary of Guru
Nanak Dev Ji’s Birth
President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr.
Jill Biden marked the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with a
somber visit to the World War II Memorial in the Nation’s capital on December
7, 2021. Read the President’s Proclamation on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance
Day here.
On
November 19, 2021, the President and First Lady extended their wishes to the
Sikh community on the 552nd anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the
founder of the Sikh faith. Read the President’s statement on the Anniversary of
Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Birth here.
White House and WHIAANHPI Roundtables for AA
and NHPI Entrepreneurs and CEOs
On November 30, 2021, the White House
and WHIAANHPI hosted a listening session with AA and NHPI hardware
entrepreneurs to close out National Entrepreneurship Month. During the session,
senior Biden-Harris Administration officials discussed ways that the
Administration is committed to working with entrepreneurs to increase access to
capital, federal procurement, and access to recovery programs.
On December 21, 2021, the White House
and WHIAANHPI met with AA and NHPI CEOs and business leaders to listen to the
economic challenges AA and NHPI business leaders are facing and their ideas to
move the economy forward.
Senior Biden-Harris Administration officials meet with AA
and NHPI CEOs on December 21, 2021.
Federal Agency Highlights
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Deputy Labor
Secretary Julie Su Visit Pilipino Workers Center
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Deputy Secretary Julie Su
visit the Pilipino Workers Center, December 6, 2021 [Source: U.S. Department of
Labor].
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Deputy
Labor Secretary Julie Su visited the Pilipino Workers Center’s Larry Itliong
Village on December 6, 2021 to meet with Los Angeles-based worker centers.
Secretary Walsh and Deputy Secretary Su spoke with immigrant workers and
learned about their advocacy work for workplace justice.
National Endowment for the Arts Highlights AA
and NHPI Artists
The National Endowment for
the Arts featured first-person narratives of eight AA and NHPI artists in the
latest issue of its agency magazine titled “Showing Strength Through Creativity.
Equity and Access in the Arts for Asian American/Pacific Islander
Communities." Read their stories here.
NASEM Convenes “COVID-19, Health Equity, and
the Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian Communities” Workshop
The National Academies of Science,
Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) convened a two-day public workshop on December
7 and 9, 2021 on how the COVID-19 pandemic has uniquely affected the AA and
NHPI communities. Click here for more information including the
meeting materials.
Resources and Opportunities
Treasury Department’s State Small Business
Credit Initiative (SSBCI)
The American Rescue Plan Act
reauthorized and expanded the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, which
established the original SSBCI program. The new version of the program will
provide a combined $10 billion to states, the District of Columbia,
territories, and Tribal governments to empower small businesses to access
capital needed to invest in job-creating opportunities as the country emerges
from the pandemic. The funds will also support recipient jurisdictions in
promoting American entrepreneurship and democratizing access to startup capital
across the country, including in underserved communities. Applications for
SSBCI capital programs from states, territories, Washington, DC, and Tribal
governments must be completed by February 11, 2022. More details here.
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
The
Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing financial assistance for
COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. Learn more
about this program in multiple languages, including Chinese, Korean and
Vietnamese here.
ICYMI: Webinar on the Importance of COVID-19
Booster Shots for AA and NHPI Communities
In a joint webinar from Association of Asian Pacific Community Health
Organizations (AAPCHO) and HHS’ We Can Do This campaign, experts shed light on
and answer the community’s questions about booster eligibility, safety,
accessibility, and effectiveness against COVID-19 variants. You can access the
webinar here.
Economic Development Administration’s Good
Jobs Challenge
The U.S. Economic Development Administration’s American Rescue Plan Good
Jobs Challenge aims to get Americans back to work by building and
strengthening systems and partnerships that bring together employers who have
hiring needs with other key entities to train workers with in-demand skills
that lead to good paying jobs. These systems and partnerships will create and
implement industry-led training programs designed to provide skills for and
connect unemployed or underemployed workers to existing and emerging job
opportunities. The application deadline is January 26, 2022. You can find more
details here.
AmeriCorps: MLK Day of Service
The commemoration of the MLK Day of Service is a call to act on Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.'s legacy of social justice and equity. This day marks our opportunity
to recommit as citizens by volunteering in service to others. Through those
efforts, we can strengthen ties to our communities and one another while we
address critical issues that divide us. This year, MLK Day will take place on
Monday, January 17, 2022. Follow the digital conversation on MLK Day and
the days leading up to it on AmeriCorps’ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Visit here to
find information, including:
- How
to add your MLK Day volunteer opportunity to the AmeriCorps search tool
- How
to find in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities on MLK Day
- Tools,
resources, and informational webinars for participating and planning MLK
Day service projects in your community.
