if you work for the federal/state/local government
How many Asian Ams. will benefit from the great news?
90,000 Federal employees,
160,000 State employees, and
540,000 local government employees. A total of 800,000!
What is their situation today?
Sad! I have received so many complaints from government workers that he/she trained Caucasian/African-Am colleagues. A few years later, that person became his/her boss. I've received many inquiries about the rules of initiating an EEOC complaint or the names of lawyers who are known to handle Asian Am. cases.
HOWEVER, Asian Am. government workers are NOT without faults.
1) Our culture made us think that we'd "lose face" when others discriminated against them. So we'd hide such incidents from even our spouses.
2) We are easily intimidated by stories of how painful a law suit against our employers could be.
3) Worse, we are not willing to pay "dues" - time and money wise - to organize ourselves to fight discrimination via GROUP political clout. There are organizations like the FAPAC (Federal Asian Pacific Am. Council). Support these orgs. Pay your dues!
4) Worst, those who have "made it" don't care enough to help the ones who are facing discrimination in government jobs. What a shame for those Asian Ams who have "made it."
"When in Rome, do as Romans do." Adopt the American way.
What is the Good News?
A presidential Order is on its way to right the wrongs against Asian Am. federal employees. It was recommended by EEOC on 1/9/09. See http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/
The report stated:
"Strong leadership and personal commitment to diversity comes from the top down. To that end, the workgroup recommends that an Executive Order be issued by the President . . . . . . "
The recommended Executive Order (not to be confused with EO 11246) is very specific, has teeth and provides the funding to get the job done. See Appendix A of that report.
Will the Order benefit state/local gov. employees?
YES. There were precedents showing powerful indirect impact. Earlier presients had issued amost identically worded Orders for African Ams. and Hispanics. Those order triggered actions from Governors, County Executives and Mayors to right the historic wrong at the state/local levels. 80-20 is confident that the same will occur for Asian Am. state & local gov. employees.
How did this GREAT news come about?
80-20 contributed greatly. Here is what we did:
1/9/06 80-20 visited with EEOC Chairwomen Cari
Dominguez & 6 of her staff.
4/5/06 80-20 visited with Sen. D. Akaka of Hawaii, ranking member of the Senate Subcomm. on Federal Employees, and his staff.
11/7/06 Sen. Akaka became the Chairman of that Senate Subcomm. He wrote to EEOC inquiring about possible discrimination against Asian Ams. in the Fed. Gov.
1/31/08 Sen. Obama answered 80-20's questionnaire with single-word answers -- 6 YESES.
11/4/08 Sen. Obama became President Obama.
1/9/09 EEOC released the said report.
"Success has a thousand fathers." Other individu 232 als and Asian Am orgs. might have contributed to the above success. We thank them.
Please learn from our past mistakes. Pitch in & support 80-20 to support YOU. Go http://www.80-20initiative.net. Click on "JOIN 80-20." Pay your $35 or $50. Together, we shall overcome. Thank you.
Respectfully,
S.B. Woo
Acting Exec. Director (a volunteer), 80-20 PAC
