New bill in the N.C. House would create AAPI heritage commision

Last week, legislators in the North Carolina House of Representatives filed a bill to establish an Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage commission in the state. 

If passed, House Bill 704, sponsored by N.C. Rep. Maria Cervania (D-Wake) and N.C. Rep. Ya Liu (D-Wake), would be allotted $250,000 in the state budget each cycle.

In 2022, Cervania and Liu were the first Asian Am erican women to be elected to the N.C. House. 

According to the bill, the heritage commission would work with the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources in the preservation, interpretation, and promotion of Asian American and Pacific Islander history, arts and culture.

The commission would have nine members, some appointed by the governor, others recommended by the General Assembly and another appointed by the secretary of the DNCR.  

While Asian Americans currently make up 4 percent of North Carolina’s voters, Liu said that AAPI was the fastest-growing demographic in the state between 2020 and 2023. 

“[AAPI] are a population that was traditionally underrepresented in social media, in culture and politics, but now, because of their growing numbers and growing influence, the community wants a bigger voice,” Liu said.

Liu also emphasized the importance of teaching AAPI history in North Carolina schools.

She recently re-introduced House Bill 619, which aims to add units on AAPI impact to school curriculums. 

Head of Education and Political Engagement for North Carolina Asian Americans Together, Shruti Parikh, said she hopes the bill will help educate the state on the ways that Asian Americans have impacted North Carolina’s history.

Parikh said that she recently learned about the use of the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville and the Assembly Inn in Montreat as a Japanese internment camp during World War II. 

Part of her support for the bill, Parikh said, is to ensure every North Carolinian knows important history — like that of the internment camp. 

“[NCAAT] believes that Asian American culture, history, and identity is integral to the fabric of North Carolina,” Parikh said. “Anything that helps to promote that in a positive light, we're excited about.”

Liu said that her main goals for the bill are honoring AAPI history in the state and raising awareness about the struggles the AAPI community endures, like hate crimes and the income disparities. 

Cervania said that her intention is to raise awareness about AAPI populations in the state. 

“Not only the history, but the art, the culture, what brings people together, like breaking bread, being in exhibits or having communities connect with each other,” Cervania said. “It's not meant to be symbolic. It's really bringing real work, real passion to help people understand one another.”

Parikh said that she hopes the bill will take into account that Asian Americans aren’t a monolith, which is something she said has happened in the past. 

Parikh said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, initiatives to vaccinate marginalized communities didn’t reach Asian Americans, because pre-existing data showed that Indian Americans and Chinese Americans were getting vaccinated at higher rates. However, she said many Asian Americans who aren’t Chinese or Indian are from refugee populations that have low access to vaccines and education. 

“I would like to see more access and attention paid to populations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that are not just from these more educated, more affluent populations,” Parikh said. 

Liu said she is concerned for the bill’s future amidst a swarm of cuts to DEI programs and is worried it will be written off as “woke agenda.” She said it isn’t about pitting one race against another, it is about recognizing the contributions of a growing population in the state. 

Cervania said the bill is meant to increase AAPI pride and visibility. 

“[On AAPI panels] we often talk about being silent and being invisible and this is a time to let people know that we've always had a commitment to North Carolina, and that we want to tell our story, and that helps make a full story on who we are as a state,” Cervania said.

@sdanbarry

@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com