Washington, DC – On October 16, 2014, the labor movement lost an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) trailblazer who not only helped pave the way for the diversity in the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), but also laid the foundation for diversity in Hollywood and in the American workforce. Sumi Haru’s decades of leadership transcended boundaries and communities. Her legacy as a pioneer for the AAPI community and people of color serves as a constant reminder of the importance of equal representation in the workforce.

Sumi Haru was a talented actor who appeared in diverse roles in movies, on television, and in the theater. She was also a TV talk show host, a popular public speaker, and published an autobiography entitled 'Iron Lotus.' She first joined SAG in 1968 and AFTRA in 1972 where she continued to serve on their national board of directors for nearly 40 years. Haru was an integral part of SAG-AFTRA, serving as the interim president of the Screen Actors Guild and also as the recording secretary. Additionally, she was a co-founder and national chair of SAG’s Ethnic Employment Opportunities Committee and also was the Western national chair of AFTRA’s Equal Employment Opportunities Committee. She helped develop SAG’s affirmative action conferences as well as career days focused on equal employment for all. In 1995, Haru went on to become the first Asian American woman to serve on the AFL-CIO Executive Committee as the National Vice President where she helped lead the American labor movement for 6 years.

“As an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) pioneer that paved the way for AAPIs and other communities of color in the labor movement, APALA is grateful for Sumi Haru’s lifelong dedication to advocate and fight for civil rights, equality, representation, and diversity in the labor movement,” said Johanna Puno Hester, APALA National President. “We will continue to honor her legacy through our organizing efforts to ensure equity and equality in the workforce.”

​Sumi Haru was a founding member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, and served on the APALA Executive Board for many years. #

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​Washington, DC – Today, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is proud to release the 2014 Congressional Voter Guide. To better educate the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, APALA’s voter guide provides a report on a variety of actions taken by members of the 113th U.S. Congress. Critical legislation regarding Minimum Wage, Equal Pay, Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Immigration Reform and others that greatly impact the AAPI community are decided by our elected officials in Congress.

The 2013 Census Bureau estimates that nearly 19.4 million AAPIs reside in America today. “As our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community continues to grow, so does our collective political power,” said Gregory Cendana, APALA Executive Director. “Our Every Vote Counts political program furthers the mission of APALA by supporting AAPI civic engagement through involvement in voter registration, education, mobilization and protection.”

“With the 2014 midterm election less than a month away, APALA will continue to make phone calls, knock on doors, and do whatever is necessary to ensure that the AAPI community is informed and ready to vote,” said Johana Puno Hester, APALA National President. The 2014 Congressional Voter Guide was developed to hold elected officials accountable on issues pertaining to AAPI worker, immigrant and civil rights. “By voting for candidates who fight for economic justice, support worker, immigrant, and civil rights, we protect the interests of our community and empower all of us. APALA believes every vote counts.”

​To ensure our collective AAPI voice is heard and represented, APALA is encouraging members and partners to sign up to phone bank and volunteer be poll monitors/ poll workers. Only by becoming more involved in the electoral and legislative process can we influence government to become more responsive to our issues. ###