Friend — May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, when we celebrate the diversity and rich heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the United States. Throughout our country’s history, AAPI communities have fought to advance environmental and racial justice.

In fact, AAPI communities have been leaders in these movements from the very beginning. In 1965, Filipino-American labor activist Larry Itliong organized a strike of over 2,000 Filipino-American farmworkers — among their demands was better protection against pesticides that threatened workers’ health and the environment. After five years of striking, they secured higher wages, benefits, and regulations.

In 1987, Chinese-American scientist Charles Lee led the first empirical study uncovering environmental racism at a national level in the U.S. He later went on to organize a meeting of activists in Washington, DC, where U.S. leaders of color formally established the environmental justice movement.

The struggle for environmental justice continues to this day, and AAPI communities continue to be at the forefront, fighting for what’s right.

Like other communities of color in the United States, predominantly AAPI communities face higher levels of exposure to toxic substances — regardless of socioeconomic class — and pollution targeted at racially segregated neighborhoods.

AAPI communities are also among the loudest voices calling for urgent action to address the climate crisis, particularly in places like Hawaii and the Pacific coast, where rising ocean levels present an existential threat. Their advocacy reminds us that climate change isn’t a problem for future generations to solve — it’s threatening lives and livelihoods worldwide right now.

At LCV, we’re proud to stand with AAPI communities in fighting for an equitable clean energy future, environmental justice, and a strong democracy that includes and is responsive to this country’s full diversity. Here are just a few of the ways that we’re working to advance these important causes:

• We’re pressuring the Biden-Harris administration to achieve the full potential of the historic Inflation Reduction Act to address climate change and build a clean energy future. Learn more about the potential clean energy boom here >>
• We’re campaigning for new protections against environmental pollutants from power plants, which disproportionately harm AAPI and other communities of color. You can help us reach our goal by taking action here >>
• The legacy of racial segregation has left AAPI and other communities of color facing disproportionately high levels of exposure to tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks, which contribute to asthma and other debilitating illnesses. We’re campaigning to jump start the transition to cleaner vehicles and address this injustice to safeguard the health of the most impacted communities. Join us by taking action here >>

Thank you for standing in solidarity with AAPI and other communities of color, Friend. Our movement works best when we join our voices together to advance justice.

Onward,

Team LCV