The KNPR's (88.9) "State of Nevada" Program
In the March 7’s radio program one of the segments talked about the role of the Asian community in the upcoming presidential elections. The show’s guests were Vida Lin who is the president of the Asian Community Development Council, Cherina Kleven and Marc Matsuo who are the managers of Asian Community Development Council ("Asian Voters Crucial For November"). It is not a surprise that every election many political parties have courted the minority groups in order to gain more support. As year pass by, the diversity of the demographics continue to change all over the country, most especially in Nevada. The radio program reported that Asians are now growing in numbers and this will considerably be crucial in the November elections. Around 11 percent of the population in Nevada is Asian and this number is second only to Latinos. Lin said that there are more than 200,000 Asians and Pacific Islanders living in the city right now with Filipinos making up the largest portion of the group. However, there are also people from other Asian countries like China, Korea and Vietnam.
One of the controversies or issue discussed in the program is that, many politicians do not address the Asian community during their campaign and they focus more on the African American and the Latinos. Kleven said that with the growing number in the Asian community, this may be the best opportunity for the community to let their voices be heard. Matsuo agrees with this and says that many Asians sometimes choose to be quite because it is often part of the Asian culture to just work hard and not complain. Being vocal about government issues is not very common in the cultures found in Asian countries which are why Matsuo thinks that it is already in the Asians’ character to just be quiet. However, he encouraged the people in his community that now is the best time to speak up and not lag behind other minorities like the Latinos and African Americans. In 2008, the influence of the Asians and Pacific Islanders took the election to a surprising turn when they chose Obama over McCain with 63 to 19 percent. Now, the guests talked about how Asians seems to favor the democrats over the republicans.
When asked what they would want to ask the presidential candidates about, all three of them mentioned Nevada’s problem on education. Recent reports reveal that Nevada’s education system is now behind all the other states. Many education officials feel disheartened with this and are looking into some of the factors which led to the students to get low test scores. Many reports even look beyond the school system and considering other factors like parents’ education levels and income. Just this year, Nevada has ranked lowest after seven years and it was found out that children from the state are less likely to success compared to children from the other states. Matsuo stated the importance of investing in the children in Nevada because they define the state’s future. Lin also pointed out the existence of bilingual schools for the Asian children and how important for the state to cater also the needs of these children in order for them to get the proper education.
With that, Lin, Matsuo and Kleven also thinks that economy is also a problem in Nevada citing that the presidential candidates should also talk about giving equal job opportunities for the people of Nevada. Matsuo explained that there are many Asians who are in Las Vegas who are part of the first and second generation immigrants and are bringing their families with the hopes they can provide better lives for them. He cited the fact that the whole country was built by the immigrants who came with hopes and dreams for a better future for their families. They said that the Asian community is much like the Latino voters who put jobs that is why economy and the education as the most important issues in Nevada.
Lastly, Lin also talked about immigration reform in Nevada. The Asian Community Development Council was able to hold a voter registration effort during the recent Chinese New Year celebration to encourage immigrants to vote for their new country. Matsuo revealed that although it was only partially successful and they were able to let more people register to vote, the next challenge is to get them out to the polls. They agree that immigrants account for the substantial growth of the state since they are part of the state’s workforce which is about a quarter. That is why, it is important for presidential candidates to focus on them since they can affect the elections in November.
Lastly, the three guests emphasized that the Asian minority groups is growing faster in Nevada compared to any other states. These people are well-educated and are also known to be one of the top spenders which help the state’s economy. With their growing numbers, the three guests think that the presidential candidates should also look into their community like how they look into Latinos and African Americans. With their numbers, they can influence the November elections. They encouraged the presidential candidates to look into the issues governing the education and immigration of the Asian community. One cannot deny how their number can provide a great impact to the result of the elections, which is why it is important that these candidates address all the minorities, not just in Nevada but also in the other states of the country.
Works Cited
"Asian Voters Crucial For November." State of Nevada. Nevada Public Radio. KNPR 88.9, Nevada Las Vegas. 7 Mar. 2016. Radio.
