Asian American Women: Issues, Concerns, and Responsive Human and Civil Rights Advocacy

185 Pages·2009·8.22 MB·English

Asian American Women: Issues, Concerns, and
Responsive Human and Civil Rights Advocacy
by Lora Jo Foo
2002 Ford Foundation

Contents
Preface 7
Introduction 11
Acknowledgements 21
Part 1
Economic Justice
Chapter 1
Welfare Reform’s Impact on Asian American Women 25
Chapter 2
The Trafficking of Asian Women 47
Chapter 3
Asian American Garment Workers: Low Wages, Excessive Hours, and Crippling Injuries 63
Chapter 4
Other Low-Wage Workers: High-Tech Sweatshops, Home Care Workers, and
Domestic Workers 81
Part 2
Health and Well-Being
Chapter 5
Health Care Needs of Asian American Women 101
Chapter 6
Sexual and Reproductive Freedom for Asian American Women 115
Chapter 7
Domestic Violence and Asian American Women 129
Part 3
Special Focus
Chapter 8
Hmong Women in the US: Changing a Patriarchal Culture 145
Chapter 9
Hawai’i–The Asian State 163
Chapter 10
Asian American Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgendered Persons–Moving from Isolation
to Visibility 175
Appendix: List of Interviewees 187
About the Author 193
Credits 195

Preface
(cid:2) (cid:2)
F
ifty years ago,the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration ofHuman
Rights declaring that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
rights,including the right to life,liberty,and security ofperson;the right to be free
from hunger; and the right to have clothing,housing,and medical services.Yet,
these fundamental human rights ofAsian American women are denied every day.
For example,they are trafficked into the US for sexual or severe labor exploitation,
they work excessively long hours and earn poverty level wages as garment and
domestic workers,they are slowly poisoned in high-tech jobs and endure degrad-
ing treatment when they try to access the US immigration,welfare and health care
systems.In addition,prevailing racist and sexist stereotypes create a perception of
Asian American women as the “other”and,as a result,their lives and issues are
practically invisible to mainstream America.The Ford Foundation commissioned
Lora Jo Foo to assist it in learning about the social and economic justice agenda of
Asian American women.1Her report,Asian American Women: Issues,Concerns,and
Responsive Human and Civil Rights Advocacy,illuminates the current situation of
Asian American women in the United States.
This report builds on work done in 1997 and 1998 by the National Asian
Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) to identify the issues facing Asian
American women.NAPAWF held meetings with Asian American women in San
Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City, and Minneapolis, the results of
which helped provide the framework for this report.The report “puts meat on the
bones” of that framework, focusing on the two states with the largest Asian
American populations,California and New York,and devoting special attention to
the State ofHawai’i2,which has the highest percentage ofAsian Americans,and to
Minnesota,the state with the second largest number ofHmong Americans (after
California).The first draft ofthis report was presented to a meeting convened by
the Ford Foundation in June 2001 of longtime Asian American women activists
from around the country who worked on the issues covered in this report.The
final report incorporates their comments,critiques and invaluable contributions.
Only empowered Asian American women can make lasting changes in their
communities and beyond.To achieve this,as the report shows,grassroots organ-
izing and base-building efforts are crucial.An equally effective advocacy model has
been the coalition work used by Asian American women.To build on what has
been achieved,for Asian American women to move their social justice agenda and
1
The issues facing Pacific Islander women are not covered in this report.Not having sufficient
familiarity with the Pacific Islander communities,Ms.Foo felt she could not write about or do
justice to their issues.A report on Pacific Island women is more appropriately written by a
Pacific Islander woman.
2
State residents prefer this punctuation.
7 Preface
make the systemic changes needed to end the civil and human rights violations
inflicted on them,a significant infusion of resources is needed to strengthen the
capacity ofthe grassroots,base-building organizations and coalitions and to build
regional and national infrastructure and institutions. The issues facing Asian
American women are dire but the resources available to them are disproportion-
ately low for the size ofthe population.
Although Asian American and Pacific Islander Americans (APA) are the
fastest growing groups in the United States and significant numbers live well below
poverty levels, very few resources are devoted to improving their situation.
According to a study by Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy,while
Asian Americans represent 4% of the US population, only 0.2% of foundation
funds were given to organizations working specifically on Asian American and
Pacific Islander concerns.Unable to access major sources of foundation funding,
Asian American communities have the weakest national infrastructure and insti-
tutions,and smallest budgets compared to their counterparts in other communi-
ties ofcolor.There are only two small national Asian American women’s advocacy
organizations with paid staff3,two fledgling national women’s membership organ-
izations without paid staff4,and five national Asian American organizations5whose
advocacy work,though not targeted at women’s issues,has had an impact on Asian
American women.
Despite the paucity offunding,beginning in the late 1960’s,Asian American
women organized against the civil and human rights violations inflicted against
their sisters.Lacking strong national and women’s organizations,the advocacy on
behalf of Asian American women,then and now,and as reflected in this report,
tends to be at the local level and through nongender specific organizations.
However,the impact ofthese efforts has gone beyond the local level because Asian
American women have worked with or led multiethnic coalitions in both joint
advocacy and organizing efforts.6As this report explains,these groups have suc-
ceeded on many fronts including the legislative arena,in union organizing,and in
consumer education campaigns,advocating for culturally and linguistically acces-
3
The Asian and Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Institute and the National Asian Women’s
Health Organization.
4
The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and the Asian Pacific,Lesbian,Bisexual
and Transgender Network.
5
The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium,the National Korean American Services
and Education Consortium (NAKASEC),the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center,the Asian
Pacific American Labor Alliance (AFL-CIO),and the Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum.
6
For instance,the San Francisco-based Asian Law Caucus led the successful statewide effort in the
passage ofthe Sweatshop Accountability Bill,which will help women garment workers through-
out California.The Caucus was also active in the effort to raise the minimum wage in California,
which resulted in an increase in the federal minimum wage.For many years,the San Francisco-
based Asian Women’s Shelter and other local shelters engaged in advocacy in California for
culturally and linguistically accessible domestic violence services that also had national impact.
88 PPrreeffaaccee
sible services and breaking the silence on issues not previously considered appro-
priate for public discussion in many Asian communities.
Asian American Women: Issues, Concerns, and Responsive Human and Civil
Rights Advocacy speaks to foundations and charitable organizations; local, state,
and federal level policy makers;advocates for social justice;universities and schol-
ars;and members ofthe public committed to strengthening democracy.I hope the
courage and integrity with which Asian American women speak through Lora Jo
Foo’s work on this report inspires and challenges institutions and individuals to
join in this conversation and respond to this call to action.
Barbara Y.Phillips
Program Officer
Human Rights
Peace and Social Justice Program
The Ford Foundation
9 Preface