>>> A COALITION OF ASIAN AMERICANS ARE DESCENDING ON SPRINGFIELD TOMORROW ADVOCATING FOR LEGISLATION.

IT IS FOR ASIAN AMERICAN ACTION DAY LED BY THE PAN- ASIAN VOTER COLLATION.

IT IS ALSO HAPPENING DURING HERITAGE MONTH.

JOINING US NOW GRACE PIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR .

AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE VIETNAMESE ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

GRACE, WELCOME IN.

WE HAVE TALKED A LOT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

WHAT IS THIS DAY ALL ABOUT?

>> EVERY MAY DURING ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH THEY GO AND BRING ADVOCATES TO SPRINGFIELD.

HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS TO ADVOCATE ON ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

WE REALLY WANT TO UPLIFT THINGS LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, TO REALLY PRIORITIZE AND TO SHOW LEGISLATORS THAT THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS A MOBILE AND ACTIVE AND CARES ABOUT A LOT OF IMPORTANT ISSUES.

>> YOU MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE EXPECTED AHEAD TO SPRINGFIELD TOMORROW ADVOCATING FOR COMMUNITY.

WHO IS A PART OF THE COALITION?

>> YES, IT IS A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF ASIAN AMERICAN, MUSLIM FOLKS, DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES AND OTHER LANGUAGES THAT ARE BEING REPRESENTED.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED.

THE PLATFORM THAT IS COMING OUT IS OF THE COALITION.

A VERY DIGGERS GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER.

>> HOW ARE FOLKS FEELING AHEAD OF THE TRIP.

>> YES, FOLKS ARE REALLY EXCITED.

I KNOW WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR SINCE THE PANDEMIC THAT WE ARE GOING BACK IN PERSON.

FOLKS ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE UP TO TALK TO LEGISLATORS AND ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES.

WE DID A LOT OF PREP WORK TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ISSUES AND THE BILLS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE.

NOT ONLY IS IT A TOUR OF THE CAPITAL , A LOT OF FOLKS TIME BEING IN SPRINGFIELD, -- THEY CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN THEY'RE THERE.

>> THERE ADVOCATING FOR LANGUAGE EQUITY.

TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT?

>> DURING THE PANDEMIC I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE STARTED TO PAY ATTENTION MORE TO ISSUES THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING BECAUSE OF THE RISE OF ASIAN RACISM.

ALL OF THE BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE FACED INTERNS OF ACCESSING NEEDED BENEFITS AND SERVICES LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT SERVICES OR FOOD STAMPS OR ANY OTHER STATE PROGRAM.

OUR ACT WOULD EXPAND INVESTMENT AT STATE AGENCIES AND ENSURE THAT THE AGENCIES ARE PRIORITIZING LANGUAGE ACCESS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS YOU'VE SEEN LANGUAGE BARRIERS IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY?

>> DURING THE PANDEMIC WE SAW THE IMPACT.

EVEN JUST BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO WASH HER HANDS AND HOW WE GET TESTING AND STUFF.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WERE ALL PROVIDED IN ENGLISH.

WE SAW HOW CHAOTIC AND CONFUSING IT WAS.

IMAGINE DOING THAT IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE.

PEOPLE NEEDED TO STEP UP IN THIS MOMENT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY.

>> AS YOU BOTH MENTIONED, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT ASIAN AMERICAN ACTION DAY IS BEING HELD IN PERSON SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE POLITICAL MOVEMENT OR THIS MOVEMENT IS DIFFERENT FOR ASIAN AMERICANS ?

>> LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE ISSUES THAT ASIAN AMERICANS FACE.

THERE IS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE HAVE EXITING SERVICES, INTERACTING WITH GOVERNMENT, JUST THE BARRIERS THAT THEY FACE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.

WE REALLY HOPE TO UP LIFT THAT MORE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEW MOMENT WHERE THERE'S ALSO INCREDIBLE ASIAN AMERICAN LEGISLATION.

-- IT IS SO FAR BEYOND THE ONE THAT WE STARTED A YEAR AGO.

>> AS WE MENTIONED, IT'S ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTHS.

WE HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.

WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE --?

>> WE ARE DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

IT'S HOUSING, IT'S BEING ABLE TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE, SOUTHEAST ASIAN