Did you know that, after English and Spanish, the third most popular language spoken in New York is Chinese? That's according to a report by Slate in 2014. In California, and Nevada, it's Tagalog. And Vietnamese is the third most popular language spoken in Texas, Oklahoma, Washington and Louisiana. Korean fills that slot for Virginia and Georgia.
Asian Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing population in the United States, having outpaced Hispanic growth since 2012.
And in the last couple of decades they have steadily migrated beyond America's coastal states into its heartlands.
And according to local nonpartisan organization APIA Vote "In the last three presidential cycles, approximately 620,000 new (Asian American and Pacific Islander) voters entered the electorate, with eligible AAPI voters in various states making up more than 5 percent of the state's electorate ..."
"Over the past 15 years, Virginia's population of Asian Americans has soared from 261,000 to 628,000, including 250,000 US citizens of voting age," according to the Washington Post.
In Nevada, where the Filipino American population is around 120,000, the number of eligible voters from Asian American community has reached 11 percent of the electorate.
In Florida, that number is only around 2.5 percent of the electorate, according to the APIA Vote, but in an NBC article from March "this election year, there's an all-out effort to grow the vote." Florida, after all, can make or break a presidential bid, as was the case in 2000 when Bush won by 537 individual votes over opponent Al Gore.
While the AAPI community comprises more than five percent of the citizen voting-age population in seven states -- Hawaii, Alaska, California, Washington, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York -- it is also a community that faces a number of huddles due to various voter restrictions. They also are the most ignored population, suffering from a lack of outreach from community organizations and political parties.
Many are naturalized citizens and these voters have the highest rates of limited English proficiency.
Since 77 percent speak another language other than English at home, many rely on ethnic media to get their primary source of information, according to Asian American Advancing Justice. Vietnamese Americans lead among the groups with 61 percent reporting a lack of English proficiency, followed by Chinese Americans at slightly over half, and Korean Americans at just over a third.
Asian American voters are moving steadily toward the Democratic party, in part due to anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy proposals from one Republic candidate after another.
The Democrats speak of unity and celebrating diversity. It was president Obama who re-established the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in 2009. His records in nominating a record number of Asian Americans to cabinet posts and federal judgeships are welcome by the Asian American community.
Yet, while "There is some initial evidence that these efforts are working," warned Karthick Ramakrishnan of the American Prospect "they have yet to reach the scale necessary to fully integrate Asian Americans into American civic and political life."
This November election Asian Americans can make their voices heard and influence the outcome of the political process. And now more than ever, it would be a mistake for candidates, both at the local and national level, to overlook their vote.
Why the South China Sea Could Be the Key to Winning in Swing States
Andrew Lam is an editor at New America Media in San Francisco and the author of "Birds of Paradise Lost," a collection of stories about Vietnamese refugees in San Francisco, "East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres," a book of essays on East-West relations, and a memoir, "Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora."
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.