FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10-9-2012

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CONTACT: Johnny Wu, 216.539.4634, johnny@mdifilm.com

“A COMMUNITY OF CONTRASTS” REPORT DOCUMENTS GROWTH, LANGUAGE ACCESS ISSUES, ECONOMIC ISSUES OF ASIAN AMERICANS IN CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND—Asian Services In Action, Inc. (ASIA), in partnership with APIAVote, will present key findings from A Community of Contrasts: Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the Midwest, 2012 on October 29, 2012 at the Ariel International Center (1163 East 40th St.) from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Register for the event at http://www.tinyurl.com/asiapress.

A Community of Contrasts provides detailed data based on Census 2010 and other sources, including disaggregated data for over 20 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) subgroups in the Cleveland metropolitan area. The report shows a rapidly-growing community that faces different socio-economic challenges across ethnic groups and provides concrete policy recommendations addressing the specific needs of this diverse and complex community.

Ohio and Cleveland-area highlights in the report include:

• Population growth: While the Cleveland metro area’s total population is falling, Asian Americans were the area’s fastest-growing racial group, increasing 42% over the past decade.
• Language: Approximately 28% of Asian Americans in the Cleveland Combined Statistical Area are limited English proficient (LEP), higher than the LEP rate among Latinos (24%).
• Economic contributions: Asian American entrepreneurs in Ohio own over 18,000 businesses, employing more than 51,000 Americans and distributing nearly $1.4 billion in payroll.

Also of note in this election year is the increasing power of the Asian American electorate in the Midwest. Asian Americans in the Midwest are now the fastest-growing group of voters amongst all racial groups, and representation is increasing.

A Community of Contrasts was first released by the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice in Chicago on September 27, 2012. The Cleveland launch of the report is supported by the Chinese Professional and Entrepreneur Association, Cleveland Contemporary Chinese Culture Association, Chinese Women Association of Cleveland, Federation of India Community Associations of Northeast Ohio, Friendship Foundation of American-Vietnamese, MotivAsians, and OCA Cleveland Chapter.

The 12 states covered in the report include: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. A Community of Contrasts was made possible in part by the generous support of Bank of America, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, and Cyrus Chung Ying Tang Foundation.

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Asian Services In Action
Founded in 1995, Asian Services In Action’s mission is to is to empower and advocate for Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs); and to provide AAPIs access to quality, culturally, and linguistically appropriate information and services. Visit www.asiaohio.org to learn more.

The Asian American Center for Advancing Justice
The Asian American Center for Advancing Justice works to promote a fair and equitable society for all by working for civil and human rights and empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities, and is comprised of the Asian American Justice Center,  the Asian American Institute, the Asian Law Caucus, and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. Visit www.advancingjustice.org to learn more.