Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders definitely seem more engaged with the political process these days. Maybe it’s the DNC being in Denver that’s made me sensitive to everything that’s going on. Maybe it’s Obama’s Hawai’i connections. Or maybe AAPIs are finally coming out of the shadows and fighting to have our voices heard, and not be invisible anymore.
Here’s an email being distributed by the group, Asian Americans for Obama, by the Hawai’ian-born actress Kelly Hu, who showed up unannounced at an AAPI Caucus meeting during the DNC (shown above):
Dear Friend,
For years, I have worked to encourage more Asian Americans to make a difference by voting and getting involved in the political process.
But this year, Sen. Barack Obama has inspired me to fight for change by supporting a candidate for the very first time.
Like you, I know our community and our country desperately need something better after the last eight years. As an Asian American and a Hawaiian, I know that Sen. Obama understands the perspectives and experiences of Asian Americans better than any presidential candidate in our history.
When I attended the Democratic National Convention two weeks ago, I saw my fellow Hawaiians weeping with joy as one of our own accepted the nomination for President.
But Sen. Obama cannot win without our help. This year, we must all do our part, and we can’t be satisfied with just giving him our vote.
Please join me in the fight for change by giving $25 to the campaign. https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/OVFAsianAmericans
Your individual contribution may seem small, but Sen. Obama has shown us that this is a campaign built by the grassroots – by the hard work and contributions of millions of regular people. By working together, the Asian American community can make a real difference.
Besides donating, you can join me in this movement by visiting www.AsianAmericansforObama.com. Use the links on that page to join our Facebook and My.BarackObama.com groups, then invite your friends, family, and colleagues so we can spread the word to as many people as possible before Election Day.
Use the “Contact Us†form to tell us what you can do to help. We’ll have to knock on a lot of doors, make a lot of phone calls, raise a lot of money, and get a lot of voters to the polls if we’re going to win this thing. We have a lot of work, but we can do it with your help!
Mahalo,
Kelly Hu
