Minorities in Public Policy Studies

In celebration of Memorial Day and Asian American Pacific Islander month, today's POC in policy is Daniel Inouye, Hawaii's nine-term senator.

Senator Inouye served as a medical volunteer during the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941. When the US Army ended its ban on the enlistment of Japanese Americans in 1943, Senator Inouye cut his medical studies short to enlist in the US Army, joining the all-Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He went on to become a decorated war hero, losing his right arm on the battlefield. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart for his valor. In 2000, President Clinton awarded him the Medal of Honor for his World War II service.

"I bring quadruple diversity to the Senate: I'm a woman; I'll be the first Asian woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate; I am an immigrant; I am a Buddhist. When I said this at one of my gatherings, they said, 'Yes, but are you gay?' and I said, 'Nobody's perfect.'"

As part of our continued celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Month, today's POC in policy is Senator Mazie Hirono. Senator Hirono is the first Asian American woman elected to the Senate, the first female senator elected from Hawaii, the nation's first Buddhist senator, and the first Asian-born senator.

Lawrence Benito is the CEO of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), a leading organization working with the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) to fight for just and humane immigration policies. 

Mr. Benito was honored by the White House as a Cesar Chávez Champion of Change earlier this year for his work fighting for justice for immigrants and other disenfranchised groups. The son of immigrants from the Philippines, Mr. Benito has dedicated the past 20 years to this work. He also serves on the board of directors for Chicago Public Media and is the immediate past president of the Asian American Action Fund of Chicago.

Alderman Ameya Pawar was elected in 2011, making him the first Indian American and Asian American to join the Chicago City Council. While running for office, Alderman Pawar created an app, Chicago Works, making it possible for Chicago residents to make service requests from their iPhones. 

Alderman Pawar was named to Crain's 40 Under 40 list in 2011 and as an Edgar Fellow by the University of Illinois in 2012. He represents Chicago's 47th ward.

Walk the street with us into history. Get off the sidewalk.

Dolores Huerta, a labor and civil rights leader, co-founded the National Farmworkers Association (now known as the United Farm Workers) with César Chávez. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, Ms. Huerta led national efforts to end the exploitation of farm workers and extend governmental protections.

Ms. Huerta took time off from her union work to work with the Feminist Majority's campaign, Feminization of Power: 50/50 by the year 2000, to encourage Latina candidates to run for office. The campaign resulted in a significant increase in the number of women holding local, state, and federal office.

Next Thursday, MiPPS will honor Kim Hunt, Executive Director of Affinity Community Services, at its 11th Annual Alumni Dinner.

Affinity Community Services is a social justice organization focusing on health and wellness, leadership development, and community building. Its core constituency consists of Chicago's LGBTQ community; however, the organization's work addresses the needs of the city's LGBTQ and Black communities.

A 2004 alumna of the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, Ms. Hunt is co-founder and managing partner of O-H Community Partners, Ltd, a management consulting firm that provides capacity building and technical assistance services to non-profits, foundations, and government agencies.  She has over 20 years experience in public policy and urban planning, with a focus on transportation issues.

Give light and people will find the way

Ella Baker was a civil and human rights activist. In 1943, she became the highest ranking woman in the NAACP when she was named the Director of Branches. Ms. Baker's philosophy of encouraging average folks to take on leadership roles in their communities is reflected in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), an organization she helped establish.

The environmental movement has to start looking out for the health and well-being of all communities, regardless of race or immigration status

Sudha Nandagopal has a long history as an outspoken proponent and educator on environment and social justice issues. During her fellowship year with Green Corps, a highly competitive environmental organizing training program, Ms. Nandagopal worked on issues ranging from cruise ship pollution of oceans to mercury pollution in water.

TIME Magazine just released its annual list of the “100 most influential people in the world,” and on that list is California's first female and minority attorney general, Kamala Harris. Ms. Harris is considered by many a rising star in state and national politics. In this “100 of 2013” entry, TIME calls Ms. Harris a “jurist to watch.” US House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who profiles Ms. Harris for TIME, writes, “As a new generation of women picks up the mantle of progress, [Harris] will always be among the first to stand up and step forward.”

Representative Jan Schakowsky was elected in 1998 to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District and serves as Chief Deputy Whip. In her role as congressional representative, Rep. Schakowsky has won legislative victories to protect the rights of battered immigrant women and expand housing opportunities for low-income people, among other issues. In addition, she has advocated to expand the country's hate crime laws.

Oscar Chacon is the Executive Director of the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC), a network of community organizations led by Latin American and Caribbean immigrants. Previously, Mr. Chacon served as the director of Enlaces America, a project of the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights.

Wade Henderson is President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund, the nation's premier civil and human rights coalition. Since he became President of the Leadership Conference in 1996, Mr. Henderson has worked to address policy issues of concern to the civil and human rights community. In addition, Mr. Henderson has published numerous articles on civil rights and public policy issues and previously worked with the NAACP and ACLU. 

Mr. Henderson has been received numerous awards recognizing his work on civil rights issues, including the prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights. The award recognizes individuals for working "tirelessly for human rights, both at home and abroad." 

He will join the @UChicago community this Saturday from 1:00-4:00 pm as a panelist at the Immigration Symposium. The event is FREE and open to the public. Lunch will be provided.

Sylvia Puente is the Executive Director of the Latino Policy Forum, the only public policy and advocacy organization in the metropolitan Chicago area working to improve educational outcomes for children, make housing accessible and affordable, promoting just immigration reform, and building the influence and leadership of the Latino community.

She has been recognized as one of the "100 Most Influential Hispanics int he US" by Hispanic Business magazine and was one of 25 women named a "Pioneer for Social Justice."

Ms. Puente will be at the University of Chicago this Saturday, April 20th, from 1:00 to 4:00 pmto participate in a panel as part of an Immigration Symposium sponsored by the Institute of Politics, MiPPS, the Human Rights Program, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the Roosevelt Institute, the UChicago Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights.

Life is not a spectator sport

Today marks the annual commemoration of Jackie Robinson's life and legacy. On this day, ballparks across the country celebrate Robinson's memorable career as a proud Dodger, UCLA all-star athlete, and US Army veteran. He is best known for becoming the first baseball player to break Major League Baseball's color barrier.

How do we free ourselves from our past, if we do not even know this past?

Ronald Takaki was an academic, historian, ethnographer, and author. He was the grandson of Japanese immigrants who worked on sugar plantations and grew up in a low-income area of Oahu, Hawaii. Regarded as the father of multicultural studies, his writings challenged stereotypes and brought attention to voices that had not been heard.