For Immediate Release: June 17, 2022
Contact: media@napawf.org

Washington D.C. – Earlier this week, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) led a special White House meeting on reproductive rights with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community.

The discussion centered around the devastating consequences that overturning Roe v. Wade would have on AANHPI communities, where eight out of ten women believe they should have the right to make their own reproductive choices.

Advocates highlighted the importance of using an intersectional approach anchored on ensuring accessibility, language access, and cultural competency; all crucial in reproductive freedom.

“For far too long, our community has had to deal with compounding issues including misogyny, paternalism, outright sexism that makes talking about abortion taboo, plus language barriers, cultural stigmas, and low rates of insurance coverage for the most vulnerable,” said Isra Pananon Weeks, Interim Executive Director and Chief of Staff, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

Attendees included:

  • Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Liaison, the White House Office of Public Engagement, the White House Gender Policy Council, and the Office of the Vice President 

  • Isra Pananon Weeks, Interim Executive Director and Chief of Staff, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)

  • Yvonne Hsu, Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)

  • Jiny Kim, Vice President of Policy and Programs, Asian Americans Advancing Justice

  • Juliet Choi, Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum

  • Adam Carbullido, Policy Director, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations

  • Monica Khant, Asian Pacific Institute for Gender Based Violence

  • Amanda Ngyuen, Founder and CEO, RISE

  • Sina Uipi, Policy Associate, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities

  • Grace Huang, Asian Pacific Institute for Gender Based Violence

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The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build collective power so that all AAPI women and girls can have full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.