Too often, the term “Civil Rights” prompts recollections of sometimes violent, often antagonized, protesters taking the streets to fight for the rights that they believe they deserve. And while such outpourings of action deserve acknowledgment in their own right, the term “Civil Rights” is not solely restricted to these mass very-public gatherings of followers. Rather, the struggle for civil rights is often one that is simple and goes unnoticed: it is as easy as completing a short questionnaire, registering to vote, writing a letter to your Representative in Congress, or helping a friend translate an otherwise-foreign immigration form. Ultimately, civil rights is about ensuring that subtle and explicit forms of disenfranchisement facing Asian Americans today do not define the intricate role that Asian Americans play in today’s changing global atmosphere. While fighting to ensure equal opportunities for Asian Americans and combating blatant forms of prejudice, we push forward with the recognition that Asian Americans have become an indispensible part of this nation’s infrastructure in the fullest sense, and that we, too, are entitled to the liberties guaranteed to all.

Specific issue areas that will be addressed this year include:

• Census 2010
• Voting Rights & Legislation
• Ensuring Equal Opportunity
• Addressing Hate Crimes
• Immigration
• Human Rights

Over the summer, my biggest goal will be to gear up for the fall Census 2010 Campaign. This will include putting together Census 2010 Fact/Information sheets as well as a cohesive Action Plan that can be implemented on each campus, as well as distributed through the UPenn conference. You can expect these materials to be released mid-July. Aadditional updates are forthcoming on these aforementioned issues.

The Civil Rights Taskforce Chair is currently Derek Mong, a soon-to-be freshman in Duke’s Class of 2013. For information, feel free to contact him via email at civilrights@ecaasunational.org. Additional information about the Board members can be found under the Contact Us page.