(former title: California API Policy Summit Wrap-Up: A bit too East Asian male-centric for me)

I just got home from the California API Policy Summit. Good dialogue, community connections... yet re-realizing that we still need to do a lot of work educating our community. This was made very clear to me during the first day's dinner banquet. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke was the big honoree of the evening. Everyone was really excited to have him there. And having seen him speak at another event a few years back, I noticed how he has become a much better speaker. I joked with friends about whether all of Obama's nominees have to go through speech delivery workshops, because Locke has become very inspirational in his presentation.

At one point in his speech, Secretary Locke began listing the fantastic (and growing) list of Asian American political pioneers. As a side note, it was exciting to have Judy Chu at the Summit, since she's expected to be the first Chinese American WOMAN elected to Congress! Anyway... as Locke listed folks, he mentioned a bunch of East Asian American men. When I realized he neglected to mention Patsy Mink, I almost jumped out of my seat, and my table mates had to calm me down.  Patsy was not only the first Asian American Woman elected to Congress, she also authored Title IX, which forever impacted gender equality!  Another notable omission was Dalip Singh Saund, the first ever Asian American (Sikh) elected to Congress. 

I know that Secretary Locke probably had someone else write his speech, but come on... we have to know our history, and this is even more apparent to me now as I reflect on Ron Takaki's passing.

Patsy Mink is a hero of mine, not only because she was an Asian American woman, but also because she was FIERCE, and pushed the agenda for women's rights and the empowerment of women of color. And Mr. Locke, you made these great Asian American pioneers - both Patsy Mink and Dalip Singh Saund - invisible and silenced. SAD! So sad, that here's a picture of me ... very sad, during your speech.

I'll forgive you this time, Secretary Locke, but don't be so East Asian American and male-centric!

UPDATE (7/24): It's come to my attention that some organizers of the Summit and perhaps some folks connected to Secretary Locke are unhappy about this post.  I have to say that the only thing I omitted here is that the Secretary started the list of pioneers with S.I. Hayakawa, who is perhaps the biggest Asian American SELLOUT EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  In fact, a very famous and prominent Ethnic Studies professor whom I was sitting next to at dinner almost jumped out of their (staying gender neutral here to protect said professor's i.d. While I don't mind publicly calling out stuff like this, they might have an issue with it.) seat stating in disbelief "SI HAYAKAWA!? How could you start this list with SI HAYAKAWA!?" I had to calm them down a bit, but then there was the omissions of Mink and Saund... and that's when I started with "How do you leave Patsy Mink and Dalip Singh Saund out!?" So our table had a humorous chorus of "SI HAYAKAWA!!!!???!" and "Where's Patsy and Dalip!?!?!?"

Again... know your history! And, as President Obama says... let's hold each other accountable!