NJ Asian voters want their voices heard in politics

October 21, 2022

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Her friends and family do not understand why she’s doing what she’s doing. But June Wang is determined.

After more than a decade of helping Republican candidates and not seeing diverse candidates rise through the ranks, Wang, 54, started to ask, “Why not me?”

With her own seed money of $10,000, Wang, of Bridgewater, is seeking one of four open seats in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Board of Education race with six other candidates. The Chinese immigrant is knocking on doors as a first-time political candidate for the unpaid position.

At the Hanbok Festival in Fort Lee this month, Gidon Choi, 34, made the rounds, introducing himself to Korean Americans to garner support as a first-time Democratic candidate for Closter Borough Council. Spurred on by the hate crimes against Asian Americans since the pandemic began in 2020, the immigrant from South Korea decided that now is the time to seek to have a voice in public office.

Choi and Wang are among a new surge of Asian Americans seeking elective office for the first time this year in New Jersey, adding diverse voices to local politics. With hate crimes continuing against Asian Americans who are being scapegoated for the pandemic, these candidates are doing what is culturally uncomfortable, stepping up, speaking out and making waves.

Asian Americans represent a diverse range of nationalities, languages and viewpoints. Over the past decade, the Asian American population grew faster than any other racial group in New Jersey, up 44% to 1.05 million. That’s a vast swath of voting power. Still, Asians are not a monolithic group — and that’s proved a challenge to both major political parties.

According to a 2022 Pew Research study, Asian Americans have been the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the United States over the past two decades, but their growth has leveled off somewhat since 2018. Their number has grown by 9%, or just about a million eligible voters, in the past four years — greater than the 3% growth rate of the total number of eligible voters during the same time.

Asian Americans make up more than 6% of the U.S. population but fewer than 1% of elected leaders across all levels of government, according to a study by the Reflective Democracy Campaign, which promotes diversity in politics. Asians on both sides of the aisle understand the need for representation.

More: Asian advocacy in NJ:Very Asian Foundation shares advocacy with NJ AAPI leaders

Going against the grain

Running for office is definitely not a thing most Chinese immigrants would consider, Wang said with a laugh. But she feels compelled to help others like her.

An immigrant and English language learner, Wang understands the importance of education as a means to assimilating and succeeding in this country.

Wang, a mother to a teenage son, said her educational work is a calling. She founded SEED, a company helping Chinese immigrants through the college admissions process.

“I feel compelled to share a vision for academic excellence through creating a rigorous culture of learning,” she said.

Wang’s opponents are Saad Toor, Steven Singer, Sally Bartlett, Lynne Hurley, Lanfang Li and Emily Calistri. There are no political affiliations in school board races.

Wang readily admits that her friends and family do not understand why she would spend that much time and money for a volunteer position. But there’s more to life than money, she said.

“We need diversity on all levels,” she said.

Inspired to fight racism

Before moving to America as a high school student, Choi studied in China in middle school. The blend of cultures of Korean, Chinese and American is similar to diverse Bergen County, where 17% of residents are Asian American.

Running for office is not something that Choi considered. But he was inspired by his friend Brian Jon, founder of the Asian American Youth Council in Tenafly, who fought against discrimination at his high school. A Spanish teacher at Bergen Academies uttered “I hate Koreans.” The incident led Jon and students across New Jersey petition to have the teacher reassigned.

The incident inspired Choi to want to protect his family as husband and father of two young children — as well as the community — from future racist incidents.

“It is vital to have more Asian and Korean representation in office, especially now, because the Asian community continues to grow and thrive in Bergen County,” Choi said. “It is undoubtedly a dire need now because of all the recent Asian hate crimes and what is being done to prevent future accidents from repeating themselves.”

He’s been spreading that message in his campaign for Closter’s council, highlighting the diversity of the community. Choi has raised about $10,000 for his first-time campaign. The other candidates running for two positions are Choi’s fellow Democrat, Lena Kayzman, and Republicans Joseph Yammarino and Victoria Roti Amitai.

Choi is former executive director of Master Klass Academy in Palisades Park, a college-entrance exam preparation service and is currently an owner of Don Chicken fast food restaurant in Carlstadt. Education has been a key focus of his campaign.

“I believe it is our responsibility to present a better and more secure future for the younger generations,” he said, adding that he sees fewer students showing interest in local government. “I want to make more opportunities available to the younger population to understand the structure of our town’s government and the many ways it functions and integrates into our lives so that they can continue the development of this town and community.”

In Bergen County, residents are seeing more Asian Americans seeking elective office to reflect the diversity of the community. Last year, Ellen Park, an Englewood Cliffs attorney, became the first Korean American woman to be elected to state Assembly in Bergen County’s 37th District. Park is the only statewide elected official of East Asian descent in a state where Asians are the fastest growing segment of the population.

While more Asians are stepping up, the lack of representation is not lost on Wang. As a Chinese American immigrant, she said she is passionate about helping the underserved and the first generation of immigrants. She sees the struggles of first generation parents in filling out forms for their children. Access should be for everyone, she said.

New Jersey is the fourth most diverse state in America, according to a 2022 WalletHub study. As more people from all backgrounds step up to run for office, our elected officials will represent the new constituencies eager to have their voices heard.

Mary Chao covers the Asians communities and real estate in North Jersey. Email: mchao@northjersey.com.

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NJ Asian voters want their voices heard in politics

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