Briefing Highlights Katrina's Toll on Asian American Communities in the Gulf
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 10/19/2005
Language difficulties, limited information flow, and immigration consequences are among the challenges faced by the tens of thousands of Asian Americans affected by Hurricane Katrina, according to the advocates, lawmakers, and relief workers who participated in a September 29 briefing on Capitol Hill.Louisiana was home to more 50,000 Asian Americans, many of whom lived in the areas affected by Katrina. Southern Mississippi was home to about 7,000 Asian residents. Affected communities included Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Bangladeshi, and Korean Americans. Many of the Asian Americans in the areas hit by Katrina are refugees and immigrants, some undocumented.
Local relief agencies testifying at the briefing called for government agencies and national relief agencies such as the Red Cross to provide more effective responses toward the Asian American evacuees of Katrina.
Rep. Mike Honda, D. Cal., joined in this call, stating "With the Asian American Pacific Islander community's resources severely limited throughout the Katrina storm area, the federal government and national assistance organizations must be prepared to accommodate issues involving language assistance and cultural competence."
Juliet Choi, staff attorney for Asian American Justice Center (AAJC, formerly National Asian Pacific Atlantic Legal Consortium), discussed three barriers preventing adequate relief from reaching these communities: dispelling the Asian American "model minority" myth; economic considerations for the fishing industry; and cultural or language differences that may prevent individual people from seeking out or receiving FEMA benefits.
Traci Hong, director of the Immigration Program at AAJC, discussed how the consequences of many Asian Americans' immigrant status contribute to disparities in access to relief. With proof of citizenship or immigrant status, or the basis for immigration status, such as a school or place of employment, destroyed by the hurricane, immigrants face the additional hurdle of proving entitlement to government services and benefits.
Many participants noted that Vietnamese faith and community-based organizations have the language and cultural resources available that are needed to help these communities and have been providing it without government assistance, but believe they may have reached "the end of their rope."
"Our parishioners are getting frustrated with the situation. We have challenged ourselves beyond what we could handle to support these unfortunate people," said Reverend Joseph Vu of the Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church in Houston, who recounted his frustration with FEMA and the Red Cross. "We need your immediate attention desperately in assisting these evacuees to return our facilities back to normal life for our children and parish activities," Vu said.
FEMA Congressional Liaison Melissa Janssen promised that efforts to reach these communities are being negotiated and that nonprofits will be "reimbursed."
Rick Pogue, Red Cross Senior Vice-President for Human Resources, told the audience that the organization was in the process of hiring a new, "community advocate" to work with the Asian American community, prompting some in the audience to ask why this was necessary when there were organizations already directly linked to these communities willing and ready to help.
