We, the undersigned, OPPOSE the nation-wide efforts to have the government disaggregate Asian-American racial, ethnic and national origin data because it would disenfranchise, divide and discriminate against Asian-Americans.

Asian-Americans Are Already the Smallest Racial Group
We are diverse individuals who stand united against singling out Asian-Americans, who comprise only 6% of all Americans, making them the smallest of the five racial groups categorized by the US Census. Asian-Americans already struggle to have their voices heard by the government and other institutions. As the minority of all minority groups, Asian-Americans should not be divided into more than 24 even smaller racial, ethnic and national origin groupings which would further marginalize their voices and make them even easier targets for discrimination.

Disaggregation Pits Asian-Americans Against Each Other 
Asian-Americans already receive a disproportionately small share of resources from the local, state, and federal governments. In New York City, for example, Asian-Americans represent 12% of residents and are among the poorest communities, but receive less than 2% of all social services funding. Disaggregation will only be used to identify differences within the Asian-American communities and create divisions among them. 

Racial Data Is Easily Abused and Dangerous
We are alarmed that the government is considering singling out certain groups to collect specific racial, ethnic and national origin data. For Asian-Americans, the trauma of internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 remain seared in their minds. More recently, anti-Asian attacks have grown exponentially in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. In education, racial data is being used to stir resentment among racial groups and justify open discrimination against Asian-Americans. 

Targeting Only Asians is Racist
We oppose singling out and targeting Asian-Americans as the only minority group to be disaggregated. There is no effort to disaggregate African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, European-Americans, Native Americans or multi-racial Americans. Singling out Asian-Americans for data disaggregation is racist. 

The Promise of America is that we are all equal, free and united as Americans no matter our backgrounds. Targeting one group of Americans to further subdivide, subcategorize and segregate is completely contrary to that Promise. Let’s all stand united as Americans to OPPOSE disaggregating the racial, ethnic and national origin data of our Asian-American neighbors, colleagues, friends and families.