Our Faith, Our Vote: Pursuing Advocacy as Asian American Christians
By Devra Dato-on
O
n July 12-13, members of the AACC team and friends of the AACC gathered in Philadelphia for a working retreat. It was a time for AACC team members to connect with each other and also to learn about and engage in politics and advocacy work. I was blessed to be a part of it. For many of us, it was our first time to meet face-to-face, as most of us had only met over video calls. As someone who has mostly existed in majority white spaces, it was so refreshing to be with my Asian sisters and brothers. It truly felt like family.
As we spent time getting to know each other, I was struck not only by the shared experiences that we bonded over, but also by the diversity represented. We were Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese. Some of us were first generation Christians; others were fifth generation Christians. We came from every region of the country and from all walks of life. We represented five generations from Boomers to Gen Alpha. It was a reminder that Asian Americans are not a monolith and also a beautiful picture of the kingdom of God.
We had the opportunity to tour and learn about Philadelphia’s historic Chinatown. What started with a laundromat in 1871 became a vibrant community with family businesses, delicious restaurants, beautiful murals, churches, schools, and community centers (Visit Philadelphia). The community has faced challenges throughout the years, particularly as land redevelopment projects threatened its existence. In the 1960s, portions of Chinatown were razed to build an expressway and a convention center. Today, Chinatown faces yet another threat as its NBA team, the 76ers, has proposed to build a new arena right at the doorstep of Chinatown (The Library Company of Philadelphia). We got to hear from community organizers who are leading the fight against this land grab. The proposed construction would destroy residences and businesses and displace families who call this place home. Walking through Chinatown helped me see the importance of preserving this place. Asian American history is American history, and Asian Americans have been a part of the story of Philadelphia for over 150 years. We must not allow their impact to be erased.
After touring Chinatown, we walked to the Philadelphia Convention Center to attend the Presidential Town Hall hosted by APIA (Asian & Pacific Islander American) Vote, a nonpartisan organization that mobilizes Asian Americans to vote and to be civically engaged. AACC was among the co-hosting organizations of this event. We got to hear from elected officials, activists, and community organizers of Asian descent. A recurring theme from all the speakers was that your voice matters and your presence matters. Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the US. The population of Asian Americans grew from 11.9 million in 2000 to 22.4 million in 2019, which is an 88% increase (Pew Research Center). The 2020 election saw the highest voter turnout of Asian Americans in history, from 49.3% in 2014 to 59.5% in 2020 (AAPI Data). Many of the speakers pointed out how Asian Americans, a historically marginalized group, have become the margin of victory in important elections, due to the mobilization efforts of community leaders and increased voter turnout among Asian Americans. When Asian Americans show up and take their seat at the table, they can influence and enact policies that promote justice and equity for their community.
The opportunity that I have to vote in this country is not something I take for granted, as an Asian American woman. I think of the work of suffragists and voting rights activists who made my vote possible. Women won the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. One of the suffragists who made this victory possible was an Asian American Christian woman, Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. Lee was the daughter of a missionary pastor, and she immigrated from Guangzhou, China to New York City at nine years old. By the age of sixteen, she was actively campaigning for women’s suffrage, leading 10,000 people in the New York suffrage parade in 1912. After her father’s death in 1924, Lee took over his role as the director of First Chinese Baptist Church of New York City and later founded the Chinese Christian Center (National Women’s History Museum). She continued to advocate for women’s rights and to educate and empower her Chinese community.
What I find most fascinating is that Lee fought for the right of her fellow women to vote, even though she herself would not enjoy that privilege. Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese immigrants could not become citizens and therefore could not vote. It was not until the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 that Asian immigrants were able to become US citizens. But even after that, the fight for voting rights continued. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited racial discrimination in voting, and the Voting Rights Act of 1975 mandated accommodations for voters with limited English proficiency (League of Women Voters Pasadena Area). Lee died in 1966; it is unknown whether she ever became a US citizen or voted.
When I read Lee’s story, I see someone whose Christian faith informed her activism. I reflect on how I, an Asian American Christian woman, can similarly live out my faith in the public square. Though our citizenship is ultimately in heaven, we are sojourners in the earthly cities that we live in. When the children of Israel were exiled in Babylon, the Lord exhorted them to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV). The people of God are not called to withdraw from society, but to actively work towards our mutual welfare and flourishing.
In our representative democracy, one way that we can make an impact is through our vote. It may seem like a small and insignificant thing, but voting is powerful. If your vote were not important, we would not have a history of legislation that tried to restrict it. I know that, in an election year, it can be tiresome to be constantly inundated with messages to get out the vote. But the reality is that elected officials enact policies which can impact our lives and our communities. And most of the time, it is those often overlooked local elections, like city council and school board, that can have the most direct impact.
When I vote, I think not only of the impact the policies could have on me, but also on the people around me. Even if a policy does not directly benefit me, if it could alleviate suffering or empower the disenfranchised, then it is worth advocating for. As Christians, we are commanded to love our neighbor. One way that I can love my neighbor is by voting for policies that promote their flourishing. Scripture provides insight as to what a just and flourishing society looks like: it is one that cares for its most vulnerable members. “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other’” (Zechariah 7:9-10 NIV).
So I encourage you to take some time to research your candidates and ballot initiatives. Read a voters guide so that you can make an informed vote. Make a plan to vote on election day and encourage someone to vote with you. And after the election, continue to show up and speak up. Call or write to your elected officials. Attend your school board meetings. Go to town halls. Volunteer at an outreach center. Advocate for the marginalized and vulnerable in your community.
Our weekend in Philadelphia gave us the opportunity to witness first-hand how Asian Americans are actively taking part in our democracy, by standing up against eminent domain, organizing for voting rights, and running for public office. As Asian American Christians continue to show up with our vote and with our advocacy, we can create a more just and equitable society not only for ourselves, but also for the people around us.
Photos by David Li
Devra Dato-on is a music educator and content creator. She teaches private piano lessons and is also a middle school assistant choir director. She was on the multimedia team of two independent web series and was the social media team lead for a non-profit advocacy organization. She loves books, tea, baking, and board games.
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