City Council supports equitable representation

Demographic data does not often reflect the diversity and nuance within a racial group, such as the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, which includes numerous ethnic groups that each have its own needs.



H. 3115, “An Act Ensuring Equitable Representation in the Commonwealth” sponsored by Representative Tackey Chan, would require state agencies to collect and publicize data for major ethnic groups within the Asian, Pacific Islanders, Black or African American, Latino, White, or Caucasian groups. During this week’s Council meeting, the Council voted to adopt a resolution supporting this bill.



The bill clarifies that individuals are not required to fill out this information, and mandates that people cannot be denied services for not choosing to participate. Any personal information is kept confidential and protected by state and federal privacy laws.



The resolution offered by Council President Flynn states that, “Disaggregated data that specifies ethnic subgroups would allow us to better understand the different needs between ethnic groups, as the needs of our most underserved groups often vary greatly and are rendered invisible without disaggregated data. Policy and decision makers will be able to identify specific needs and challenges faced by each ethnic subgroup and come up with appropriate solutions.”



Solutions include providing the right interpreters to address language access needs at our schools and hospitals, as well as advocating for funding for certain diseases and mental health-related issues that disproportionately affect certain populations.



“With the rise of hate crimes against the AAPI community due to the pandemic, it is critical that we change policies that continue to render our minority communities invisible. This bill would be a meaningful step in creating better visibility, insight and understanding into their lived experiences,” said Council President Flynn.