News

Sam Levin | New York Daily News

August 25, 2011

As the city pushes the U.S. Census Bureau to up its head count of Queens, a coalition of Asian-American groups is trying to make sure they don’t get short-changed, either.

Led by the Flushing-based MinKwon Center for Community Action, 11 groups joined together last month to pressure the state to be transparent about how it will redraw legislative districts.

“In order for democracy to be a true democracy, there needs to be full participation,” said Elizabeth OuYang, president of the New York chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans, which is part of the newly formed Asian American Community Coalition on Redistricting and Democracy.

The coalition wants to ensure that new district lines don’t dilute the voting power of Asian voters.

States across the country are preparing to redraw congressional and state legislative boundaries based on Census 2010 figures.

Thoughtful redistricting is especially important in a growing borough like Queens where new immigrant groups need a strong voice, advocates said.

The borough could also lose a congressional seat, since the state will lose two based on the census.

“Redistricting plays a pivotal and fundamental role in the opportunity for Asian-Americans and minority communities to meaningfully participate in the political process,” said James Hong, civic participation coordinator for MinKwon.

The city recently submitted a challenge to the 2010 figures, but even if the Census Bureau finds an error and ups the Queens count, the number of seats in Congress and the redistricting process will be unaffected.

On July 20, the coalition wrote to the state task force, a joint Senate-Assembly body that oversees redistricting, seeking information on the process.

OuYang said she’s concerned that they still haven’t heard back.

“In order for this task force to have legitimacy and credibility … there needs to be disclosure and access,” she said.

Advocates wishing to testify will have numerous opportunities, such as a hearing in Queens on Sept. 7, a spokesman for the Assembly speaker’s office said.

The task force hasn’t begun redrawing lines and will offer a second round of hearings once initial plans are published, he added.

“In Queens, legislative districts divide communities left and right,” said Jerry Vattamala, a staff attorney with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

“We are trying to keep communities together … where they can speak with one voice,” he said.

This article originally appeared in the New York Daily News.
Image featuring leaders from civil rights groups including Jerry Vattamala of AALDEF credit to Christie M. Farriella