Over the past year, more and more attention has been focused on an issue which has long been submerged in mainstream discussions of American politics – racism and discrimination against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. A wave of scapegoating and hate crimes related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the tragic spa shootings in Atlanta have made it clear how much work there still is to be done to fight this scourge. My guest today, Jeff Le, has been at the forefront of doing that work. A former policymaker who served at the highest levels of California state government and deployed to Afghanistan to serve his country, over the last year Jeff has been speaking out not only about anti-Asian violence but also the structural barriers which face Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in American politics and workplaces. We had a frank and enlightening conversation, and I hope you enjoy it.
Follow Andy on Twitter @andygawt for more.
Links to Jeff’s writing
I Though I Knew How to Succeed as an Asian in U.S. Politics. I Was Wrong (Politico)
How California Can Combat Anti-AAPI Attacks (Center for Health Journalism)
Credits
Host – Andy Gawthorpe
Growth consultant – Anne Stoop
If you have any questions or comments, you can email the show on producer@america-explained.com.
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