Statement to the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees ON AAPI COMMUNITY NEEDS
Although the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is the fastest growing population in Los Angeles County, the AAPI community still lacks adequate representation in many decision-making spaces. The vacancy created by LACCD Trustee Mike Fong being elected to represent the 49th State Assembly District represents the loss of the only AAPI LACCD Trustee.
With 16% of Los Angeles County residents and 10% of LACCD’s students identifying as AAPI, it is critical that the LACCD Board of Trustees understands the AAPI community and the diversity of its needs. It is vital that the appointee is familiar with the AAPI student community so they can be an informed and effective advocate.
As you consider the pool of qualified candidates to fill this vacancy, we share the following appointee considerations to ensure AAPI community needs are voiced and met.
Although the community college system provides the broadest educational opportunities, enrollment has been down in recent years. As a result, we know that the opportunities afforded by LACCD have not been taken full advantage of by those who have the most to benefit from it. Therefore, the diverse communities of Los Angeles County are not using these resources that are proven to contribute to upward mobility.
Having a representative that is experienced in supporting AAPI community college students and can relate to the AAPI community, which is the fastest growing ethnic group in Los Angeles County, is of utmost importance to the viability of the system, as it is both a stepping stone to four-year universities as well as vocational training.
It is also important that the appointee has deep connections with AAPI community organizations. Los Angeles County is home to some of the largest AAPI communities in the United States. These vast formal and informal AAPI networks play a significant role in how LACCD can understand and conduct outreach to the AAPI community to increase recruitment and retention of AAPI students.
Finally, educational disparities within the AAPI community have been overlooked and persistent due to a misconception that the AAPI community is monolithic. Through data disaggregation, we know that students with Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian backgrounds have lower retention and achievement rates. LACCD's 2018-2023 Strategic Plan recognizes that these "achievement gaps may be indicative of disparities in access, opportunity, and treatment within the District."
Knowing this, LACCD must select an appointee that knows how to ensure the most vulnerable populations of community college students, like students with Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian backgrounds, achieve their educational goals. The continued achievement gaps represent a loss to our economy and a missed opportunity to fully realize the human potential of marginalized ethnic groups that already endure considerable challenges such as English-language proficiency, poverty rates, etc.
We recognize and appreciate the efforts the LACCD Board of Trustees has taken to support the AAPI community such as passing a resolution denouncing anti-AAPI violence in 2021 and a resolution in support of AB 176 (Bonta) to disaggregate data and uncover educational disparities in the AAPI community in 2015.
We hope that LACCD will continue to build upon the work it has done to support the AAPI community at large by incorporating these recommendations in the appointment process to fill this vacancy.
CAUSE delivered the above appointee considerations to the LACCD Board of Trustees to ensure AAPI community needs are voiced and met and invites community organizations and members to collectively voice their concerns to the LACCD Board of Trustees by signing onto this joint statement.
ABOUT LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) is the largest community college district in California and the largest in the nation. The LACCD consists of nine colleges that serve the residents of more than 36 cities and communities in Los Angeles County, including East Los Angeles College (ELAC), Los Angeles City College (LACC), Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC), Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC), Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC), Los Angeles Trade Tech College (LATTC), Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC), and West Los Angeles College (WLAC). There are more than 250,000 students enrolled at these nine colleges.