To better serve the rapidly growing Asian American and Pacific Islander population in the U.S. South, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the national affiliation of Asian American civil rights groups, is expanding through the inclusion of a new affiliate organization in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), founded in 2010, will now be known as Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta. It is the first nonprofit legal organization serving Asian Americans in the South, and the go-to source for education and policy information about Asian Americans in the South.
The Advancing Justice affiliation eagerly expands its presence to the South, a region that saw the fastest rate of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population growth, according to the 2010 census. In Georgia alone, the AAPI population doubled to 330,000 in ten years, constituting three percent of the population. The growing population has tremendous implications for civic engagement; between 2004-2008, AAPI voter turnout in Georgia increased by 71 percent.
“Asian American communities are growing the fastest in places many people wouldn’t expect, including the South. We’ve been organizing Asian Americans in Atlanta for the past four years, making sure that this emerging community is civically engaged. We’re thrilled to join Advancing Justice to help strengthen civil rights for all, both locally and nationally,” says Helen Ho, executive director of Advancing Justice- Atlanta.
Advancing Justice – Atlanta is the fifth Advancing Justice affiliate, joining Advancing Justice – AAJC in Washington DC (founded in 1991), Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco (founded in 1972), Advancing Justice – Chicago (founded in 1992) and Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (founded in 1983).
Today’s announcement, made during the Advancing Justice Conference in Washington, DC, coincides with the release of a new report from Advancing Justice, “The Changing Face of the South: Building Electoral Power in Emerging Constituencies,” which details what the Asian American population boom means for midterm races, future elections, and economic success in the South. The report can be downloaded here.
