ASIAN GREEKS UNITE WITH APIAVOTE CAMPAIGN TO MOBILIZE 20,004 APIA YOUTH

Monday, August 9, 2004

Washington, DC - For the first time in history, Asian Pacific American Greek-lettered organizations nationwide are collaborating for a common goal, increased voter registration and turnout among APIA youth. The APIA Greek Alliance (AGA) has partnered with APIAVote, a national coalition of non-partisan nonprofit organizations that encourages civic participation and promotes a better understanding of public policy and the electoral process among the Asian and Pacific Islander American community.

The cooperative campaign will register and mobilize 20,004 young APIA voters for the upcoming election. This will include 100% registration among every member that is eligible to vote within the participating AGA organizations. Specifically, the AGA will lead APIAVote’s ongoing efforts to mobilize APIA youth networks across the nation. This will be accomplished by integrating voter registration and mobilization into the campus activities, recruiting APIA youth on college campuses to host coordinated voter registration drives on campus, and turning out the APIA youth vote in November.

APIAVote will host trainings at the AGA National Conventions in order to train and educate over 500 AGA student organizers. Over 2,600 AGA members at 71 campuses will drive 20,004 voters to the polls on November 2. To that end, the APIAVote and AGA will conduct national voter registration drives during the weeks of September 18 and October 4.

“The APIA Greek Alliance collectively represents over 2,600 undergraduates across the United States,” said Jeanette Moy, Greek Alliance Coordinator. “This coalition aims to increase the number of registered APIA youth voters, by networking the Asian American university communities through our 164 chapters. Historically, our national organizations have never worked together on one concerted project. We are excited to begin a positive, working relationship through this worthy campaign, in one of the most critical elections years in recent history.”

“Effective channels that ensure the concerns of APIA youth are properly addressed are still nonexistent,” said Josh Larson, Pi Alpha Phi Fraternity Coordinator. “Now is the time to organize! What better foundation to build the APIA community upon than its youth? By getting involved in the electoral process, we, the APIA youth can make sure that generations to come will have a stronger voice.”
"We’re all so excited not only to unite as the Asian Greek Alliance but also to join hands with APIAVote in this endeavor,” said Melissa Montenegro, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority. “We are confident that our partnership with APIAVote will amplify the voice of Asian Pacific Islander Americans and exclaim to our communities that 'Yes, we are here and our concerns need to be heard!’”