Las Vegas, NV - Despite disappointing presidential election results, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) celebrates a victory in the battleground state of Nevada as the state turned blue and elected the first-ever Latina to serve in the U.S. Senate. 

American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) International Vice President and APALA National President Johanna Puno Hester stated: "We are thrilled with Catherine Cortez Masto's election to the U.S. Senate. Though we are now fighting an uphill battle with a GOP controlled presidency, congress and soon-to-be Supreme Court, we need women of color - like Catherine Cortez Masto - to be our champions and representatives. Her leadership paves the way for more immigrants and people of color - especially women - to have a seat at the table." 

"Everything we've done this year in Nevada has culminated to this moment. We've worked tirelessly to register over 3000 new voters, and by Election Day, our state turned out over three quarters of registered voters. That's huge to have that many people engaged," stated Gloria T. Caoile, APALA Nevada Chapter Leader who has continued to lead the on the ground efforts in the state for numerous cycles. "Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voices undoubtedly made a statement that our voices do count." 

Luisa Blue, International Vice President of the Service Employees International Union and APALA Board Member, added: “Asian American Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing racial group in this country and could very well be the deciding factor in future elections at the local, state and national level. While overall union density has been on the decline, unionization of Asian American Pacific Islanders has increased by 9%.  Labor needs to continue working with their AAPI membership to increase their participation and develop them to become leaders of their union. Though it was not in our favor this time, we will continue to build our base to Stand Up and Fight Back against the racist, sexist and xenophobic rhetoric and any policies that will come out of this new administration.”

"We went from being marginalized to being the margin of victory in the silver state - and that says a lot to the organizing on the ground," APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana concluded. "Nevada is a key example of how we need to be organizing in other states to ensure the voices of our communities are heard and represented at all levels of government."

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Washington, DC - Today, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) is deeply disappointed in the election of 45th president Donald Trump. The loss comes after months of advocating for candidates who represent and understand Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and marginalized populations.
 
"We are so disappointed in the outcome of this election, but we respect the democratic process and will work with the Trump administration to better the lives of all working people," stated American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) International Vice President and APALA National President Johanna Puno Hester. "Now more than ever we need to ensure that our communities are not victimized by Islamophobic, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, and racist rhetoric and actions. We need to hold America to a higher standard."
 
APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana declared: "We’re hurting, our communities our hurting, but we won't stop fighting. Under a Trump administration, we're going to have to stand strong to fight for the issues we care about. Immigration. Black Lives Matter. Ending Islamophobia. We're taking a stand for our communities. Seeing where the hearts and minds of Americans truly lie is quite frightening. But we cannot stop now because our work to dismantle this white supremacist system becomes that much more important.”
 
Monica Thammarath, APALA 1st Vice President and Senior Liaison at the National Education Association (NEA), added: "This is an incredible step backwards for our country. A lot has to be said to elect a candidate who has ran a campaign on racism, misogyny, and xenophobia instead of electing the most qualified candidate in our lifetime. We must take this as a call to action and work harder than ever with local communities to strengthen the bases we have built this election year – particularly in Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina, and other states – during the next four years so that in 2020 we have a president who understands and elevates our issues.”

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The campaign will target all early vote states and will encourage voters to cast their ballots early 
 
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Latino Victory Project, Sierra Club Political Committee, America Federation of Teachers, APALA, VL Action, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, For our Future, NextGen Climate, America’s Voice, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, LPAC, and the NRDC Action Fund are launching an early vote day of action on November 1st. The organizations will be participating in local actions in all early vote states, and will be launching a digital campaign to encourage potential voters to hit the polls early and send a strong message to the candidates that are attacking communities of color, our planet, and our rights. 
 
“Latino voters are coming out to the polls early and in large numbers to make it clear that we are determined to hold politicians accountable and to fight for the future of our families and our community,” said César J. Blanco, interim director for Latino Victory Project. “This day of the dead, we are encouraging everyone to vote early and help us end the political careers of those who stand against us. Day of the dead is a day for us to honor our legacy and the memory of those who have passed, as that it’s  a day for us to remember that Latinos and all Americans deserve dignity and respect, and we won’t stand for politicians who attack our heritage and who speak out of both sides of their mouth and try to court us, while standing with Trump and his hateful campaign. Let’s celebrate our culture and give el día de los muertos a new political meaning by issuing a warning to future politicians, and keeping our promise to participate.”
 
“Since May, For Our Future and its partners have had millions of face-to-face conversations with voters about the high stakes of this election and to connect on the issues most important to them," said Amanda Brown, For Our Future's Campaign Director. “We are proud to stand with our partners in these closing days to remind voters once again of the power they hold with their votes -- not just in the presidential but also critical down-ballot races -- to shape their future and our country’s future.”
 
Michael Brune, Sierra Club Executive Director said, "Pollution and the climate crisis often have a disproportionate impact on Latinos and other minority communities. This is a fact that Latino voters will keep that in mind as they head to the polls early to vote for climate and environmental champions. The Sierra Club is proud to join this coalition's efforts, because we know that together, we're stronger, and we'll elect the people that will fight to protect our communities."
 
Gregory A. Cendana, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO said, “Communities of color have a huge stake in this year’s election, and we’re mobilizing the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to take advantage of early voting. In Nevada alone – a battleground state with the fastest growing AAPI population in the country-- we’ve seen over 40,000 early votes cast already. When we come together around issues that matter most to us, the power of our communities can’t be stopped!”
 
Maria Teresa Kumar, of VL Action Fund said, "Enthusiasm to vote has been incredible in our community and we've already seen record numbers of Latino voters in Florida, Texas, and Nevada, take a stand against hatred and bigotry. Our community understands that there is too much at stake in this election, and we will continue to encourage Latinos to vote early, and remind them that our vote is our greatest equalizer."
 
“Donald Trump and his Republican allies who have stood by him through all his sexist, racist rhetoric are completely unfit to represent us. With so much at stake this election, it's important for everyone to make sure their voice is heard. Early voting gives people an opportunity to vote when it's more convenient for them -- and everyone should take advantage so that Donald Trump doesn't get anywhere near the nuclear codes,” said Jessica Mackler, President of American Bridge.  
 
“LPAC is proud to join the Latino Victory Project in launching Early Vote Day. Hillary Clinton and the progressive champions running for office this year are fighting to ensure the American dream is available to all of us, and we can pursue those dreams free from bigotry and bias,” said Beth Shipp, LPAC Executive Director. “Our country is truly stronger when we stand together, and we will show our strength at the ballot box.  Across the country, our communities are coming together to take a stand against the divisive rhetoric of this campaign season by exercising our fundamental right to vote.”
 
“This election season, the stakes are higher than ever before,” said Tiernan Sittenfeld, Vice President of Government Affairs at League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund. “We know climate change is disproportionately impacting low-income and communities of color, and that these communities bear an undue burden of polluted air and water, as we all saw in the tragic lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan. LCV Action Fund and our allies are working to ensure we elect candidates who share our values, from the White House to the State House, by exercising our right to vote, and to vote early. That’s why our GreenRoots program is on the ground in 11 battleground states engaging LCV members in turning out voters for LCV Action Fund endorsed candidates. All the progress that we’ve made in the past couple of years – including the first-ever national standards for carbon pollution from power plants with the Clean Power Plan, the rejection of the dirty and dangerous Keystone XL pipeline, and the historic international climate agreement in Paris – is on the line. We’re in the homestretch, and LCV Action Fund is all out for the last 11 days.”
 
“This election, everything we care about is on the line--from climate change, to income inequality, to racial and gender equity. That’s why voters--especially young voters--must show up at the polls in record numbers to make their voices heard,” said Tom Steyer, President, NextGen Climate. “We know that broad participation makes our democracy stronger, and with so many states offering early vote this year, there’s no excuse not to go to the polls. When we show up--when we vote--America wins.”
 
"I cannot wait to vote in this election, and I know many people who feel the same way. There has never been a starker contrast between the two parties then there is today, not just at the presidential level but all down the ballot.  There is so much at stake.  Americans are ready for this election to be over, and for our elected leaders to actually get moving on making progress that matters.  With a majority of Americans from every background and every political ideology supportive of commonsense immigration reform, that's a great place to start," said Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director for America’s Voice. 
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