Asian Pacific Islander American Voters Election 2020
Leang and Neara, 60s, Cambodian American.
As citizens, it is our right, duty, and privilege to vote. We fled our beloved Kingdom of Cambodia due to the civil war which caused mass genocide, separation of families, hard labor, famine, and had our human rights taken from us. Democracy is very much alive in America and we want to keep it this way.
It is important that we vote in every election cycle, not just the Presidential election, but also the Gubernatorial and local elections. As voters, our voices are heard in the way we collectively vote. When we hear people complain about higher taxes or tax dollars being spent a certain way, we always ask them "Did you make your voice heard by voting?" Voting affects our way of living; positively or negatively.
Asian communities of all kinds are very underrepresented and we need to do our part by being civically engaged and active to make sure we aren't forgotten or left behind when decisions are made. The Black Lives Matter movement made us proud to know there are young people who are so passionate to bring awareness to innocent lives lost at the hands of violence. We all live in the same community and we must love and respect one another. Because of this, we believe our future is bright and we are in good hands.
We are sad when we read/hear about the number of deaths the virus has caused. If we had better leadership that relied on science and listened to public health experts, we would have our normal life back. Most countries outside of the U.S. are back to normal. We are used to socializing with our friends/family, volunteering and praying at our temple, and going on vacations but we can't do that right now. We used to visit the gym 4 to 5 times a week to stay healthy.
We want to see smart leaders who rely on expert advice from others. We want to see peace and mutual respect for one another - no matter race, religion, or gender.
