By Jack Sandmeyer
WASHINGTON, DC – The Biden White House has released its official strategy for advancing equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities based on the action plans of 32 federal agencies and all 15 of the President’s cabinet secretaries.
According to the White House, the plan’s objective “builds on the Administration’s broader equity agenda and details much needed investments in AA and NHPI communities and priorities, including data disaggregation, language access, and combating anti-Asian hate.”
This seismic stratagem comes in the wake of the President’s signing of Executive Order 14031 in May of 2021 which addressed the faults of social and economic institutions towards AA and NHPI communities.
“For far too long, systemic barriers to equity, justice, and opportunity put the American dream out of reach of many AA and NHPI communities,” said the administration.
The administration identifies the individual areas which are in most need of the federal government involvement, indicating, it says, the White House’s intention to bring about equality towards the intended communities.
“Across the federal government, agencies have stepped up their efforts to respond to the increasing number of bias incidents and discrimination against AA and NHPIs, promote belonging, equity, and inclusion, and improve access to federal resources,” said the administration.
The White House said it has also taken strides towards expanding language access across all federal programs.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administrations have both taken steps to increase accessibility to necessary information through the addition of multiple new AA and NHPI language bases.
Another area for which the strategy places heavy emphasis on is the building capacity for AA and NHPI communities and organizations within the U.S.
The White House maintains its stated goals will bring about an increase in access to federal contracts, grants, and opportunities for these communities to break down persistent barriers to federal resources and the pursuit of opportunity.
One of the final and most important aspects of the strategy’s intentions towards the social wellbeing of AA and NHPI communities is through the administration’s plan to create a diverse workforce within the federal government.
Through both the recruitment and retention efforts of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the White House said it hopes the strategy will help promote the emergence of occupational opportunities for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities and individuals.
