FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  CONTACTS:
TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2004                                      Janelle Hu (APIA VOTE 2004), 202-223-5500
                                                                                    EunSook Lee (NAKASEC), (323) 937-3703
                                                                                    Marie Watteau, 202-842-9882

ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN GROUPS JOIN FORCES WITH OTHER IMMIGRANT CHAMPIONS TO HELP EMPOWER MORE THAN 2 MILLION IMMIGRANT VOTERS

Effort to Include Voter Registration and
Get-Out-The-Vote Campaigns in 31 States

Washington, D.C.— The Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) campaign is joining forces with Immigrant Vote 2004, a cooperative project of the New American Opportunity Campaign, in mobilizing an effort by more than one hundred grassroots groups. APIA VOTE 2004 is 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.

Immigrant Vote 2004 leaders will be announcing their new initiative in partnership with the National Association of Hispanic Publications to activate more than 2 million immigrant voters in 2004 in 31 states (Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, N. Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, S. Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and W. Virginia). APIA ethnic media are highly welcome.

Asian Pacific Islander Americans and Latinos are the fastest growing communities and they are coming together with other immigrant groups to make sure that immigrant voices are heard and their power felt in this election year. Immigrants share similar concerns and are an untapped voting block. They have the potential to be the deciding factor as new and swing voters - especially when one in nine people living in America is an immigrant, and that over two-thirds of the APIA population was born outside of the United States. Find out how groups are elevating the voices of immigrant voters and workers.

WHAT: Press briefing to announce Immigrant Vote 2004

WHO: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Jon Melegrito
Center for Immigrant Democracy, Jorge Mursuli
El Mundo Newspaper Publisher, Las Vegas, NV, Eddie Escobedo Sr.
Gamaliel Foundation
National Association of Hispanic Publications Foundation, Tom Oliver
National Council of La Raza, Clarissa Martinez
New American Opportunity Campaign, Maria Echaveste
Project Vote, NaKeisha Sylver
Newly Registered Immigrant Voters, Mr. and Ms Phongbouhapha

WHEN: Wednesday, June 9, 2004, 9:30-10:15 a.m. EST

WHERE: Holeman Lounge, National Press Club, 529 14 th St. NW, 13 th Fl.

For those reporters who wish to participate over the phone, you can call toll-free to
(800) 230-1093 and ask for the Immigrant Vote 2004 call.

Pictures from the press event will be available for publication on the following website.

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