DAPHNE KWOK APPOINTED TO CHAIR PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY
COMMISSION ON ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS
Commission to work with White House Initiative, community leaders to advise federal
agencies on needed services for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
On Monday, July 26, President Obama appointed Daphne Kwok of San Francisco, Calif. as
Chair of his Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders. The Commission
was re-established last year by the President as part of a White House Initiative to improve the
lives of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities underserved by federal
resources.
White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders Executive Director Kiran Ahuja
said Kwok’s more than two decades of experience as a community leader at both the national
and state levels make her an invaluable asset to the Commission.
“Daphne knows what services and protections Asian American and Pacific Islanders need
and what resources they can bring to the table to build a strong collaboration with the Obama
Administration,” said Ahuja. “Together, we’re going to work hard to let all Asian American and
Pacific Islanders know the resources the Administration has available to help improve their
everyday lives."
Kwok is currently the Executive Director of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of
California. She previously served as the executive director of the Angel Island Immigration
Station Foundation, the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, as well as
the Organization of Chinese Americans, a national civil rights organization with more than
10,000 members. She was also the first-elected Chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific
Americans.
In addition, Kwok has served on the Secretary of Energy's Advisory Council and on the boards
of a wide range of Asian American and Pacific Islander groups, including APIA Vote, National
Japanese American Memorial Foundation, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, National
Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development and the Asian Pacific American
Caucus of the American Political Science Association. She is also a Founding Board Member
of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund.
As chair of the Commission, Kwok will work with the White House Initiative to increase public-
and private-sector collaboration and community involvement in the effort. Kwok will work
closely with Ahuja and the Initiative co-chairs, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and U.S.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, in addressing issues that are critical to the AAPI community.
Thus far, the White House Initiative has held dozens of meetings with top agency officials and
community leaders from across the country on issues including education opportunities,
housing, jobs, employment issues and health disparities. The work of the Commission is
more important than ever as AAPIs have experienced the largest decline in homeownership of
any racial group over the last year and their poverty rates, work-related injuries and job losses
have also increased.
From the White House
Pres. Barack Obama