AAPI Nexus: Policy, Practice and Community

Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial group and transform New York City into a majority ‘minority’ city. The decennial census allows for the political redistricting in accordance with the goal of the fourteenth amendment. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) launch a survey-based study to document New York City’s historic and emergent Asian neighborhoods. AALDEF aims to learn of the Asian immigrant populations whose interests are typically not represented in the political or policy discourses. The survey discusses the survey findings for four neighborhoods with the most concentration of Asians. Their goal was to draw a district boundary that kept Asians in a neighborhood whole to create opportunities in electing a politician who will represent their interests. The article discusses neighborhood boundaries and its subjectivity influenced by various social factors including such as gender and race. The quality of the neighborhoods and its problems, and how being Asian affects that situation.