In this election season, both major parties are going out of their way to court Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
The Democrats formed a multi-million-dollar Super PAC recently to push its candidates in key states like Nevada. And the Republican National Committee set up an Asian Pacific American Center in Chinatown in May.
AAPIs are a diverse community, representing multiple cultures and languages ... but are there any issues most AAPIs support, regardless of party?
We examine the AAPI voting bloc in the first episode of Exit Spring Mountain season two.
Karl Catarata, one of the episodes guests, talked about his identity and his struggle as a young Asian American Pacific Islander politician.
"I've been waiting for this moment, someone was gonna’ ask me that, like, you know, you're both..." he said.
No one's asked you that?
"Nobody has, yeah, you're both LGBTQ and AAPI running for this very public office. And you're also very, you come off as very young. My Asian face looks a little bit younger than maybe a face of someone who has a beard or who has a mustache. You know, folks, underestimate the fact that it's this young person. And when it comes to the question about pushback, both as an Asian man… and as a gay man, where is that reconciliation?"
Miss an episode? Catch up on the last season here!
The Exit Spring Mountain team includes senior producer Nessa Concepcion, with support from production consultant Sonja Cho Swanson, academic research consultant Mark Padoongpatt and assistant producer and researcher Isabelle Chen Rice. Joe Schoenemann oversees podcasts as news director at Nevada Public Radio, and our sound editing, mixing and mastering is by Christopher Alverez.
Lorraine Blanco Moss is the host and executive producer.
Like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and leave us a review. Also, follow us on Instagram @ExitSpringMountain.
Karl Catarata, Nevada state director, Human Rights Campaign; Amanda Khan, press secretary, AAPI Democratic Caucus Nevada; Janelle Wong, professor of Asian American Studies, University of Maryland, College Park; Mitch Lozada, Project Arkada
