Tag: redistricting

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Thank You for Joining AABANY at our 15th Annual Fall Conference: “Building a Strong Foundation for a Brighter Future”

On Saturday, October 12, 2024, AABANY hosted its 15th Annual Fall Conference, “Building a Strong Foundation for a Brighter Future,” at Fordham University of Law. The Conference was co-sponsored by Fordham Law School’s Center on Asian Americans and the Law, and AABANY greatly appreciates Fordham’s support of this event.

The conference began with a buffet-style breakfast. Attendees chatted over pastries, coffee, bagels, and other assorted breakfast items, reconnecting with colleagues, while also introducing themselves to unfamiliar faces. 

The first part of the morning programs began at 9:00am and ran until 10:30am, presenting upon a diversity of topics, including: 

This year’s conference theme was “Building a Strong Foundation for a Brighter Future,” and the morning programs explored this topic in great detail. “Problem-Solving Courts and Person-Centered Justice,” for example, discussed the emergence and proliferation of problem-solving courts within the New York judiciary, their impacts on recidivism, and the judiciary’s vision to further expand the breadth of problem-solving courts within New York. Another program, “Artificial Intelligence in the Legal Profession: Transforming Practices and Future Trends,” considered the impact of AI and Generative AI on the legal profession. By promoting innovation, adaptability, and responsible use of AI, the program sought to foster a forward-thinking legal community.

After a 15 minute break, the second part of the morning programs, scheduled between 10:45am and 12:15pm, commenced, exploring the following topics:

The third and final installation of AABANY’s “Pathways to the Bench” series, coordinated by the Young Lawyers Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Government Service and Public Interest Committee, was also held during the latter half of the morning session. While the first two segments of the series had focused on showing how someone can become a federal clerk or state court attorney and explaining the nuances of landing on the bench, this capstone program, titled “Pathways to the Bench: Steps to the Federal Judiciary,” centered around four AAPI judges, who each shared their particular pathways to the bench, hoping to inspire others to follow in their footsteps and to give them the tools to do so.

To see photos from the morning session please click here.

Opening at 10:30am, the Fall Conference offered its annual Diversity Career Fair, organized by the Career Advancement Committee, featuring public sector, corporate, and law firm employers, each hosting informational sessions, meet-and-greets, and more. Participating employers included the Law Firm of Hugh H. Mo, P.C., the Office of the New York State Attorney General, Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and several District Attorneys’ offices. Employers and prospective employees conversed extensively, exchanging questions and learning more about one another. Some employers also collected resumes and conducted on-site first round interviews, allowing candidates to express their interest in working for participating employers. To see photos from the Diversity Career Fair, please click here.

Throughout the day, AABANY also hosted Link-Up Sessions, organized by the In-House Counsel Committee and Corporate Law Committee, which provided an opportunity for participants to engage in live meetings with in-house counsel who had indicated a current or future need for outside legal services. Applicants were pre-screened by in-house counsel based on their needs, and selected participants were then invited to join one or more Link-Up Sessions at the Fall Conference. These sessions facilitated connections between corporate law firm attorneys and in-house counsel.

After the morning programs concluded, attendees grabbed lunch boxes and headed to the Costantino Room, where the Plenary Lunch Session began at 12:30pm. The program, titled “Organizing to be Heard: The Importance of Redistricting and Coalition Building in the NYC Asian American Community,” featured five speakers: 

  • Hon. Marilyn D. Go (Ret.), Commissioner, New York City Districting Commission
  • Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Assemblymember, New York State Assembly
  • Elizabeth R. OuYang, Coordinator, APA VOICE Redistricting Task Force
  • Grace Pyun, Acting Executive Director and General Counsel, New York City Districting Commission
  • John Park, Executive Director, MinKwon Center

Vishal Chander, Managing Attorney, the Chander Law Firm PC, moderated this timely and important discussion.

Attendees listened attentively as the panelists discussed the impacts of congressional, state, and local district lines on communities, ranging from their influence on election results to the distribution of government funds. They then discussed the 2020 Redistricting Cycle and how it brought into attention the importance of redistricting due to the significant growth of Asians in New York, laying out the legal framework of districting and the impacts of voting rights laws on redistricting. Being that many of the panelists played influential roles within the 2020 Redistricting Cycle, they also shared personal anecdotes and experiences from that time. With preparations for the 2030 Redistricting Cycle beginning soon, the speakers emphasized the importance of continuing to educate the community on this topic and how the AAPI community can be heard in that process. To see photos from the Plenary Lunch Session, please click here.

The afternoon session began at 2:30pm, running in two segments. The first segment went from 2:30pm to 4pm and included the following programs: 

The second segment then took place from 4:15pm to 5:45pm, including the following programs:

Topics covered included diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession, how to interview clients, and how to understand implicit biases in the workplace. These programs exemplified the diversity of discourse that the Fall Conference sought to facilitate, providing crucial insights and exposing attendees to a broad range of ideas and perspectives. To see photos from the afternoon session, please click here.

After a packed day of learning, the Fall Conference concluded with a Cocktail Reception, sponsored by Falconeri, held in the Soden Lounge and Bateman Room. Attendees networked with one another, connecting over drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

During the Cocktail Reception, AABANY honored Hugh H. Mo with the 2024 Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award, bestowed annually to “an individual who has carved a path for others to follow, served the community as a mentor and role model, and made a lasting impact on the AAPI community through his or her dedication and commitment.” Hugh H. Mo, Founder and Principal of Mo Law and a co-founder of AABANY, perfectly exemplifies the award’s mission, having been a leader in the AAPI community and legal profession for nearly five decades. To read the full press release about Mr. Mo receiving this honor, please click here.

To see photos from the Cocktail Reception, go here and here.

AABANY thanks several groups for making the Fall Conference possible. First, we would like to thank the approximately 40 student volunteers who ensured that the CLE programs ran smoothly and without delay. They hailed from schools all across New York City and the northeast region, including:

  • Brooklyn Law School
  • Cardozo School of Law
  • Columbia Law School
  • CUNY School of Law
  • Fordham College at Lincoln Center
  • Fordham School of Law 
  • Hunter College
  • New York Law School
  • Northern Highlands Regional High School
  • Rutgers Law School
  • Seton Hall Law School
  • St. John’s University School of Law
  • Syracuse University College of Law
  • Tufts University

The volunteers assisted with registration, handled inquiries, and checked-in and checked-out attendees for CLE credits. Their support was instrumental in making the Fall Conference a success, and AABANY extends our heartfelt appreciation. We also thank Catherine Tran and Joon Choe, co-chairs of the Student Outreach Committee, for their efforts in recruiting and coordinating these volunteers.

AABANY also thanks our generous sponsors, without whom the Fall Conference would not have been possible:

  • Falconeri (Cocktail Reception Sponsor)
  • Broadridge Financial Solutions (Elite Sponsor)
  • Jackson Lewis PC (Elite Sponsor)
  • Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP (Gold Sponsor)
  • The Law Firm of Hugh H. Mo, P.C. (Gold Sponsor)
  • Anytime AI (Silver Sponsor)
  • Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Silver Sponsor)
  • Cooley LLP (Silver Sponsor)
  • Fish & Richardson P.C. (Silver Sponsor)
  • Milbank LLP (Silver Sponsor)
  • Anderson & Associates Law, P.C. (Bronze Sponsor)
  • Roundblock (Bronze Sponsor)
  • Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC (Bronze Sponsor)
  • Wilson Sonsini Goodrich Rosati (Bronze Sponsor)

To see some photos of our sponsors, go here.

We would also like to acknowledge our 2024 Annual Dinner Sponsors for their generous year-round support of AABANY. In particular, we would like to recognize Broadridge Financial Solutions, our Diamond Sponsor, and Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP, our General Counsel Reception Sponsor. For a full list of the 2024 Annual Dinner Sponsors, please click here. Thanks again for your continued support and commitment to AABANY; it empowers us to fulfill our mission and produce events like the Fall Conference.

Furthermore, AABANY thanks all of our esteemed moderators and panelists for their time and participation in this year’s Fall Conference. We also extend our gratitude to the Program Chairs for organizing such an excellent lineup of programs. And, finally, we sincerely appreciate all the attendees for making this such a special and enlightening experience for the entire AABANY community. We hope to see you at upcoming AABANY events. 

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AABANY Joins the Fight for Fair Redistricting in New York

AABANY has been closely following the current redistricting cycle for drawing of New York State Assembly, Senate and Congressional districts.  On January 31, 2022, AABANY members Marilyn Go and Rocky Chin joined approximately 50 other demonstrators assembled outside the offices of the New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR) to demand that public hearings be held before any vote by the State Legislature on redistricting maps for Assembly, Senate and Congressional districts.  The rally, which was organized by APA VOICE Redistricting Task Force (“APA VOICE”), was supported by various Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)  and other minority community and civil rights groups, including AALDEF, Caribbean Equality Project, Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College, Chinese-American Planning Council, Chinese Progressive Association, Common Cause – NY, Korean Community Services of Metropolitan NY, Latino Justice PRLDEF, MinKwon Center for Community Action, OCA-NY, South Queens Women’s March, and Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus.  

The speakers at the rally expressed concern that AAPI and other minority groups would have no input into the redistricting process.  As Marilyn Go noted, the New York State Constitution contemplated that the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) would have the primary responsibility to draw new redistricting maps, but only after extensive public hearings.  However, due to a partisan split with commissioners deadlocked, the IRC submitted two sets of redistricting maps to the Legislature on January 3, 2022 and, notwithstanding a directive from the Legislature, did not redraw maps by the January 25th deadline set.  The following day, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins issued a joint statement to announce that the Legislature would draw its own maps and vote on the maps by the end of the following week.  

At the time of the rally, LATFOR had neither issued any maps nor scheduled any hearings, despite three letters sent by APA VOICE, the last letter of which AABANY and about 60 other organizations had endorsed.  Later on January 31, the Legislature issued a set of redistricting maps for proposed Congressional districts and maps for Assembly and Senate districts the following day.  The Legislature then proceeded to vote to approve maps on the third day after their issuance and Governor Hochul signed the bill setting Congressional districts on February 1, 2022 and State Senate and Assembly districts on February 2, 2022.  

Current redistricting efforts are of particular significance to the AAPI community in New York, because of the substantial growth of the AAPI population since the last census — from 1,038,388 in 2010 to 1,385,144 in 2020.  The increase in the number of AAPIs accounted for 42.1% of the population growth in New York State and the AAPI community now constitutes 15.8% of the population in New York City and 9.5% in New York State.  See https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=New%20York%20State%20population%202010&tid=DECENNIALCD1132010.P1.  

Despite their increasing numbers, few AAPIs have been elected to state office in New York State.  There are only three AAPI State Senators out of 63 in New York Senate (Senators Jeremy Cooney, John Liu and Kevin Thomas, the latter two being the first AAPIs elected Senators in 2018) and four AAPI Assembly Members serving in the 150-person State Assembly (Assembly Members Ron Kim, Zohran Mamdani, Yuh- Line Niou and Jennifer Rajkumar).  Congresswoman Grace Meng became the first AAPI representative from New York to serve in Congress when she was elected in 2013.   

Although the redistricting maps will set political boundaries for voters for the next decade, the New York State legislature drew and approved map lines in one week.  The experience in New York, as well as what has been reported as occurring in many other states, have led to much cynicism about the politicization of redistricting in this current cycle.  However, voters do matter and the redistricting process is vital for groups such as AAPIs and other groups that lack political clout.  In fact, AAPI groups were among the most vocal in hearings before the IRC to express their dissatisfaction over proposed lines.  Even though they ultimately did not have a say in the final drawing of districts, AAPIs let their concerns be known.  For example, community groups advocated for the vibrant South Asian community in the Richmond Hill/South Ozone park area not be divided into seven different Assembly districts, as it is currently.  The IRC drew districts similar to that proposed by APA VOICE and other groups in a Unity Map to have this community wholly within one assembly district.  However, under the bills passed, this community is now divided into three assembly districts.   Much remains to be done.

The redistricting process will soon begin for New York City.  AAPIs have exercised and should again exercise their opportunity to inform politicians that they are involved and their interests cannot be ignored. If you want to know how you can work with AABANY on this issue, reach out to the Issues Committee here: https://www.aabany.org/page/154

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In the News: AABANY Joins Push for Adoption of “Unity Map” in New York Redistricting Process

On January 4, 2022, City Limits published an article entitled, “As NY Redistricting Forges Forward, Asian American Groups Push for ‘Unity Map’” detailing an independent coalition’s efforts to establish more equitable districts in the state.

As the redistricting process continues in New York, a coalition of three civil rights legal groups—the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Center for Law and Social Justice, and Latino Justice—seek to combat the fragmentation of minority communities. Altogether forming the Unity Map Coalition, the groups’ proposed “Unity Map” recognizes the rapid growth of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in New York and aims to preserve the political power of communities whose interests have historically been undermined in the redistricting process. 

If adopted by Governor Kathy Hochul, the “Unity Map” would replace drafts developed by the state Independent Redistricting Commission, drafts which have been influenced by the coalition’s input but that have failed to fully address issues relayed by community members. Legal groups, such as AABANY, in addition to pro-democracy groups have signed onto a letter requesting another opportunity from state lawmakers to provide public comment before the governor approves draft maps. 


To read the full article, click here.

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Press Release: NYC Council Unity Map Released

From our friends at AALDEF:

Civil Rights Groups Announce Unity Map for NYC Council Redistricting and 9/4 Press Conference

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), LatinoJustice PRLDEF, National Institute for Latino Policy (NILP), and the Center for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ) of Medgar Evers College have released the NYC Council Unity Map, a joint proposal for new City Council districts that reflects New York City’s changing demographics and protects the voting rights of Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans.

AALDEF, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, NILP, and CLSJ will hold a joint press conference on the Unity Map on Tuesday, September 4 at 12 noon on the steps of City Hall. Please RSVP to [email protected] or 212.966.5932 ex.217.

To read more and see the maps, go to http://bit.ly/unitymaps.

Unity Maps

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AABANY Testifies at City Council Districting Commission

On August 16, AABANY, through its Executive Director Yang Chen, gave testimony at a public hearing convened by the City Council Districting Commission.  AABANY testified as a member of ACCORD, the Asian American Community Coalition on Redistricting and Democracy, and urged the Commission to draw lines that kept communities of interest together in Manhattan.  Citing the Voting Rights Act and applicable Supreme Court precedent, AABANY indicated that the current district lines in Chinatown and the Lower East Side may not comport with legal requirements.  As part of its testimony, AABANY submitted a copy of its March 2003 letter to the Department of Justice, which dealt with the same issue.  To read the testimony and the letter, go to bit.ly/blog_Testimny_CityCnclDstrctngComm

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Press Release: Congratulations to Linda S. Lin on Nomination to City Council Districting Commission

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 4, 2012

Contact:  Yang Chen – (718) 228-7206
 
 

ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK APPLAUDS

CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENT OF LINDA S. LIN TO DISTRICTING COMMISSION

NEW YORK – May 4, 2012 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) welcomes the news that City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Minority Leader James Oddo announced eight appointments to the Districting Commission on May 3.  The Districting Commission meets once every ten years following the decennial census.  Based upon changes in the population of the City, Council district lines are redrawn to accommodate shifts in population within the City.  

“I am pleased to announce the Democratic Caucus appointments to the Districting Commission,” said Speaker Quinn. “These five individuals together with the appointees of Mayor Bloomberg and the Council’s Minority Caucus will take on the important task of redrawing our electoral districts fairly. I want to thank them for their leadership, for the challenging work they will do, and for their service to our City. ”

Among the Council appointments is:

Linda S. Lin

Ms. Lin is a senior attorney with Liberty International Underwriters and a former Associate of the law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.  Ms. Lin is the Immediate Past President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York.  She is the former law clerk for U.S. District Judge Dora L. Irizarry.  She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and Binghamton University. She resides in Forest Hills, Queens.

 “AABANY is pleased that the City Council has appointed our Immediate Past President Linda Lin to this important position,” said AABANY President Jean Lee. “Linda has been following the redistricting issue closely and is well-informed about the impact that properly drawn district lines will have on the civic engagement of under-represented populations, including the Asian American community.  With the explosive growth of the Asian American population in New York City over the past decade, we hope that the City Council Districting Commission will draw lines taking into account this significant demographic shift. We applaud the City Council on its appointment of Linda Lin.  We believe she will prove to be an asset to the City Council Districting Commission.” 

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community.  Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole.  AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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Additional information about AABANY is available at www.aabany.org

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Village Voice: Advocates Look Toward Next Redistricting Frontier: City Council Lines

Village Voice: Advocates Look Toward Next Redistricting Frontier: City Council Lines

Third article about ACCORD’s March 20 press conference.  Here’s an excerpt:

ACCORD, along with other advocacy groups, has devoted a lot of its energy to the rapidly-growing Asian population in Queens, which has skyrocketed 300 times faster than the rest of the borough’s population over the last ten years. In this local redistricting process, Hong said he would like to see an increase in Asian-American majority Council districts in Queens.

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Capital New York: Council Redistricting Bearing No Resemblance to Albany’s

Capital New York: Council Redistricting Bearing No Resemblance to Albany’s

Capital NY: ACCORD

Second of two articles reporting on ACCORD’s March 20 press conference at City Hall.  Here’s an excerpt:

But as the fastest growing population in New York, the city’s Asian-American population is poised for the biggest gains. Originally focused on the state-level redistricting, a number of groups formed Asian-American Community Coalition on Redistricting and Democracy, or ACCORD, to address the concerns. Now looking at city council lines, members of ACCORD said that along with Flushing, already a majority-Asian district, Elmhurst and Sunset Park could potentially produce “Asian” districts.

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