1 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to OK Daily with Meet 2 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: your Girl Danielle Moody, recording from the Home Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: you know, as we take this long march, the ten 4 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: months it is going to take to get to election day, 5 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: there is so much, so much that is going to happen. 6 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: There is so much that is going to test our faith, 7 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: to test our perseverance, to test our sanity. And I 8 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: cannot express enough how important it is going to be 9 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: to take care of yourself on a daily basis, to 10 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: whatever that looks like right, to take care of those 11 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: around you, to check in with people. How are you feeling, 12 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: How is your heart? How is your energy? 13 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: Right? 14 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: Not just the how are you? Oh, I'm fine, and 15 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: keep moving on, because to be honest, folks, none of 16 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 1: us are fucking fine. All of us are dealing and 17 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: reeling from a lot. That's why rest is important, but 18 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: continued conversation is really important. And that's why today I'm 19 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: really excited and happy to welcome back to wokf Veronicor, 20 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: who is the executive director of the AAPI Victory Alliance. 21 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: Why I'm excited to welcome him back is because we 22 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: get into a conversation of course, about the AAPI community 23 00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: and where he believes the most important issue to lie 24 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: and how they have changed over the course of the 25 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: last election, but also why this younger demographic in terms 26 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: of how it is, you know, measured against the black community, 27 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: the LATINX community and others. How twenty twenty was really 28 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 1: the first time that this community, this very diverse, big 29 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 1: community of twenty four million people showed up for the 30 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: first time, and will they show up again in twenty 31 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: twenty four and if so, for who, and if so 32 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: why so Varun and I get into a deep conversation 33 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: about what the stakes are, what his fears are, because 34 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: let us not forget what the Trump administry and Donald 35 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: Trump said and did during the beginning of COVID while 36 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: trying to pinpoint what would be a global pandemic on 37 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: one demographic, and how the violence against that community escalated 38 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: to numbers that they had not seen. And so what 39 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: happens to the AAPI community if another Trump administration were 40 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: to happen. So while we plan right for while we 41 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: expect the best, we plan for the worst. So Veron 42 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: and I get into a really honest conversation about how 43 00:03:52,520 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: his organization is planning and how AAPI Victory Aligned is 44 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: talking about the existential threat that MAGA supremacy poses to 45 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: the AAPI community and the country at large. Folks, I 46 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: am very happy and excited to welcome back in this 47 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: new year, Executive Director of AAPI Victory Alliance, Varun nekur 48 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: to wokf and Varun, I want to start out with 49 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: you know, it was funny I was looking through your 50 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: statement for twenty twenty three as you close out the year, 51 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: and it said, you know, off years are supposed to 52 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: be like quiet years, like we're just supposed to you know, 53 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: be able to breathe through them, and it just be 54 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: in preparation for the next election cycle. And that is 55 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: not at all what twenty twenty three, or frankly any 56 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: of the years have felt like as of late. And 57 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: so I wanted to give you an opportunity to tell us, 58 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 1: you know, how you felt, you know, as you had time, 59 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: you know, in a course of reflection of the last 60 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: year of closing down twenty twenty three. 61 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you and great to be with you Danielle again, 62 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 2: and a pleasure to speak to you and your your 63 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 2: fantastic audience. It was a year of consternation, right, I mean, 64 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 2: there was so many cross curnts happening, not only in 65 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 2: the United States, but geopolitically, right, I mean, right, we 66 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: hit the anniversary of the Ukraine War, we had another 67 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: unfortunate milestone in the attacks in Israel and the resulting 68 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: war in Gaza, and it's pervading, I think in our 69 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 2: domestic politics today. Certainly, I think that's a concern of 70 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 2: a lot out of a lot of people, but primarily 71 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: a lot of younger people that we rely on as 72 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 2: our core base on the left. And then, of course, 73 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: you know, I think too looking at how the Republicans 74 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: are getting prepped for their primary in a matter of 75 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 2: one week, the Iowa caucuses, and then shortly thereafter the 76 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: other successive you know, primaries and caucuses. So we're kind 77 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 2: of getting a glimpse, if you will, of what's ahead. 78 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,799 Speaker 2: And I think as we looked at twenty twenty three, right, 79 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 2: which you know, as you mentioned, was supposed to be 80 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 2: the down year. It was supposed to be the year 81 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 2: that you could perhaps take a little bit of a 82 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 2: breather because you knew twenty four was going to be 83 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 2: busy the presidential year. It really wasn't because we you know, 84 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 2: at least organizers like me, executive directors who run organizations 85 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 2: like my like mine. You know, we all know what's 86 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 2: really ahead, and we felt I think, you know, I 87 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 2: don't want to speak for everyone, but I feel like 88 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 2: we were all very much in preparation mode, knowing that 89 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: we know the boogeyman that Donald Trump is because we 90 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: had four years of him, and we know we don't 91 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: want to go back. And yet in some ways we 92 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 2: feel like there's a lot of ground that we have 93 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 2: to retread, right, we have to write. We didn't think 94 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 2: we would have to necessarily motivate our own core base 95 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 2: to the extent that we're looking at all the pulling 96 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: and saying, oh my gosh, yeah, we haven't done a 97 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 2: great job with black people. We haven't done it. You know, 98 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 2: there's still a lot of work to do with with 99 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: latinos Asians. You know, we're sort of the new kid 100 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: on the block, if you will. In terms of the 101 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 2: twenty twenty election, you know, it was sort of in 102 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 2: some ways our coming out ceremony from the perspective of 103 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 2: there was fifty percent of all the voters in twenty 104 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 2: twenty in the API realm. We're first time voters, right, 105 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: so we're looking at next year saying, wow, we we 106 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 2: have a lot of work to do with our own days. Yeah, 107 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 2: that doesn't even speak to you know, how most elections 108 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: are decided, which are folks in the middle, the so 109 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 2: called persuadable voters. That's not even talking about the persuadable voters, right, 110 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 2: So we have to shore up our base, which means 111 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 2: we have to do a better job speaking about how 112 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 2: you know, there's a lot of negatives about the economy. Certainly, 113 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,719 Speaker 2: inflation is still too high, but we've seen it coming down. 114 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 2: Gas prices are coming down. But I think we on 115 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 2: the left haven't done a really great job in speaking 116 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 2: about economic populism in a way that that's really gaining 117 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 2: any traction with younger people and even the middle class 118 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 2: folks that you know, live paycheck to page, people who 119 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 2: now have to restart paying their student loans. We've done 120 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 2: a good job, and I don't know why, I mean, 121 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 2: why are we having these conversations every two years, every 122 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 2: four years? Wow, you know, we really suck at this 123 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 2: and we get to a better job. But we obviously 124 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 2: do right because we're looking at the pony. We're looking 125 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 2: at the data and it's all pointing in the same direction. 126 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 2: So we have a lot of work to do before 127 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 2: we even get into the main center of the fight, 128 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 2: which is fighting for those you know, three to five 129 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 2: percent of people in the middle. Just imagine we're going 130 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 2: to spend about four billion dollars on this election to 131 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 2: speak to that three to five percent in the middle. Yeah, 132 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: and so we got a lot of work to do. 133 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 2: And I think we're we're a lot smarter than we 134 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 2: were at this point in time four years ago, eight 135 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 2: years ago. But I think at least this time we've 136 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 2: got a lot more clarity about the fight ahead versus 137 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 2: we were really shocked in surprise when we woke up 138 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 2: on you know, election day eight years ago when Donald 139 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 2: Trump got elected. 140 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: You know, I want to talk for a minute about 141 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: the stat that you mentioned with regard to fifty percent 142 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 1: of the AAPI voters in twenty twenty were first time voters. 143 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 1: And you know what prompted folks for the first time 144 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: to decide to go into the voting boots. And do 145 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 1: you suspect that there is still energy there for them 146 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: to return four years later? 147 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 2: That is the big question. I mean, you hit the 148 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 2: nail on the head. And I think the only evidence 149 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 2: that we have that perhaps there is a little bit 150 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 2: more gas in the tank is the fact that we 151 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 2: looked at all these elections in states prior to today, the 152 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 2: Virginia election in most recently last year, where we were 153 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: able to flip the state House in Virginia and so 154 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 2: and then you looked at all the elections where abortion 155 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:17,559 Speaker 2: was on the ballot, and the anecdotal data from those 156 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 2: elections in Ohio, in Kansas, all those other states point 157 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 2: to continued enthusiasm at least on this issue. Right. But 158 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 2: that being said, there's probably more that we still don't 159 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 2: know about what drives the API community. And that's why 160 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 2: at least you know, as we look forward in planning 161 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 2: about next year. For next year, we I think we 162 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 2: can point to some other issues like gun violence, which 163 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 2: is now ticked up the ranks in terms of priority 164 00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 2: for not only our community, but others that I think 165 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 2: we have to speak to not only our community but 166 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 2: all communities that this is not necessarily going to be 167 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 2: a single issue election, right that if we had a 168 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 2: little bit of tactical diversity in how we campaign next year, 169 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 2: that perhaps we can achieve gains that not only get 170 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 2: us certain levels of win at the top of the ballot, 171 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 2: but where we really need them to have a strong democracy, 172 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 2: and that's in the bottom of the ballot, right. That's 173 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 2: why state ledge races, city council races, court circuit court races. 174 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 2: These are all like the bedrock of our society, in 175 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 2: our democracy, and we can't let our foot off the 176 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 2: gas there more than anywhere. And that's unfortunately the areas 177 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 2: of our electoral politics that get the least amount of 178 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,319 Speaker 2: attention until it's late in the process, they get the 179 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 2: least amount of money. They're not as sexy because it's 180 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 2: not for Congress, it's not for Senate, it's not for 181 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 2: the presidency. And so one of the things that we 182 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 2: looked at as we were doing all this planning and 183 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 2: preparing in twenty twenty three was how do we develop 184 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 2: a strategy such that if we were to lose at 185 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 2: the top, if we were to lose the Senate, if 186 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 2: we were to lose the White House at the very least, 187 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 2: where could we get some gains that could be our 188 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 2: insurance policy, and that is in the states. So we 189 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 2: looked at states that where perhaps we can flip a 190 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 2: state Senate or a state you know, house to delegates. 191 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 2: Arizona is a great case where if we you know, 192 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 2: we're close, we're in a deficit, but we're close to 193 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 2: perhaps knocking off some incumbents that could turn the tide 194 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 2: for us, and that could preserve Arizona as a state 195 00:13:54,280 --> 00:14:00,559 Speaker 2: that you know, you know has for example, reproductive freedoms 196 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 2: you know, cemented in their state constitution. Right. So we 197 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: looked at all those states when we were developing our 198 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 2: campaign plan, and it's really more bottom up focused than 199 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 2: it is top down. We'll have plenty of time to 200 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 2: talk about Joe Biden, We'll have plenty of time to 201 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 2: talk about federal races. They're not going to starve if 202 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 2: we don't help them directly today. But where we need 203 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 2: the most attention is on those lower rungs of the 204 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 2: ladder because there's not as much attention paid. They're not 205 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 2: household names people can't name, oftentimes as their local state center. Right. 206 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 2: So that's really what we're trying to do. 207 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: You know, I wonder too, because you had brought up 208 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: the wins that we had seen, particularly around those states 209 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: that put up amendments around abortion right that abortion, you know, 210 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: outside of what Democrats have believed for decades, is actually 211 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: a very key issue for more than half of the 212 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: popular And I wonder how you find, as you're listing 213 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: out the priorities in gun violence having ticked back up, 214 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: where you see the AAPI community as it relates to abortion. 215 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: And just recently, you know, you have Missouri Republicans coming 216 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: out and proposing legislation that will most likely pass to 217 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: have the death penalty for as an option for women 218 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: who who go and get reproductive care who have an 219 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: abortion outside of you know, outside of their of their 220 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: state lines. And so I wonder how that issue plays 221 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: and where it is in your list of priorities. 222 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 2: I mean, we're we're we're not a reproductive rights organization 223 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 2: because we we want you know, women led organizations and 224 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 2: organizations that have this on the front burners. So we 225 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 2: often follow their lead and take their their advice in 226 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 2: terms of how to message. But that being said, we 227 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 2: still have to independently kind of track the nature of 228 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 2: this issue given its huge salience since the Dobbs decision. 229 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 2: And we know two things. One, we know it's a 230 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 2: turnout issue, but we need a lot more research into 231 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 2: the sub demographics within the AAPI community that make up 232 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 2: this large you know, Frankenstein of a term AAPI, Right, 233 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 2: we didn't invent it, right, it was some white guy 234 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 2: in the census. I asked, who probably came up with 235 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 2: this term? This term. But once again, when the term 236 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 2: was made up in the seventies, there was only one 237 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 2: million AAPIs. And now we're twenty four million. We are 238 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 2: the fastest growing you know stats I think a lot 239 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 2: of your listeners already know of. And so that being said, 240 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 2: there are like, for example, to kind of get into 241 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 2: a little bit more nuanced but also to bring home 242 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 2: the point that we're not this monolith, which is, we 243 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:11,400 Speaker 2: need to know how a sixty year old, for example, 244 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 2: first generation Filipino American immigrant feels about abortion because we 245 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,679 Speaker 2: know that the Filipino community is very highly religious and 246 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 2: highly Catholic, right, and so but we need to know 247 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 2: what messages perhaps we could persuade that that person versus 248 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:35,159 Speaker 2: a twenty four year old second generation Korean American male. 249 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 2: Let's say, right, and you think about it. We you know, 250 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 2: we've got six plus major ethnicities that make up the 251 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 2: API community. They make up about eighty five percent of 252 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 2: all the APIs in this country, right, And so when 253 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 2: we're trying to do our type of campaign politics, it's 254 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: not one size fits all. It is essentially we need 255 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 2: to know how each of these demographics think. But also 256 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 2: given the fact that you know, roughly thirty percent or more, 257 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 2: forgetting the figure I apologize, I think it's sixty percent 258 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 2: or more of APIs, our first generation immigrants. The immigrant mindset, 259 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:23,920 Speaker 2: the immigrant sort of you know, attitude is different than 260 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 2: a person who's been here for generations, who may not 261 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 2: even know their ancestral history. And it's because because of 262 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 2: that specific dynamic that I think is largely unique to 263 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 2: APIs and also to Latinos to a degree that we 264 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 2: need to know the mindset of you know, each generation 265 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 2: in our community. And once we do, we'll have a 266 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 2: much better idea on how to test and message to 267 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:58,160 Speaker 2: each levels of those demographics. But you know, no other 268 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 2: demographic really has to go through the level of detail, 269 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: through the level of nuance that we do because of 270 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 2: this Frankenstein term, if you will, right, and because we 271 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 2: would be doing our own people a disservice trying to say, yeah, 272 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 2: you know, there's one API message and it is this 273 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 2: and it will work on everybody. And I think unfortunately 274 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 2: a lot of campaigns who don't have the time or 275 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 2: the intellectual, you know, curiosity, that they just want to 276 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 2: appeal with one message because you know, and I think 277 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: to their detriment in the end. Given that a lot 278 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 2: of districts that are battleground districts in Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, 279 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 2: North Carolina, a lot of places that are going to 280 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 2: be the current and the future battlegrounds in the United 281 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 2: States of America. I can't forget our friends in Texas 282 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 2: too that, you know, unless we get to that level 283 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,120 Speaker 2: of nuance, we're going to be missing out on tens 284 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,479 Speaker 2: of thousands, in some cases hundreds of thousands of votes. 285 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 2: And that's where all this where these elections local, state, 286 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 2: federal are going to be decided. 287 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: Let me ask you this, vern because it's something that 288 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: you know that I am kind of battling with as 289 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: I delve into conversations with folks in twenty twenty four, 290 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: which is that while we you know, various organizations and 291 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 1: movements make plans to win, right, I think that the 292 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: stakes of losing in twenty twenty four are the highest 293 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: that they have ever been, And I wonder, you know, 294 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 1: while I do believe and wholeheartedly agree with you, you 295 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: have plenty of time to focus on the top of 296 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 1: the ticket. I think it's much more important to do 297 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:56,400 Speaker 1: the ground game in local and state and city elections. 298 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: What do you find will be the recourse if Republicans 299 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: who we know are racist, these you know, Christian nationalism 300 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 1: that this takes hold. What does the recourse look like 301 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: for a community that was made a target right during 302 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: COVID by the president, former president of the United States, 303 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:25,719 Speaker 1: by an entire party. What is that? What is you know? 304 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:30,439 Speaker 1: I'm just curious as to the fear level and threat 305 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 1: level that you that you foresee. 306 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 2: I mean, it is what we all experience collectively as 307 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:42,160 Speaker 2: a nation between twenty sixteen and twenty twenty on steroids. Yeah, 308 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 2: I mean, I was listening to twenty year prior podcasts. 309 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 2: You had mentioned that, and common knowledge in the news 310 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,360 Speaker 2: was that Trump admitted that on day one he will 311 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,679 Speaker 2: be a dictator for only one day apparently, but we 312 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 2: know his track record, and so what does he planned 313 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 2: on doing? I think it was the week prior days 314 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:10,680 Speaker 2: prior week prior to the October seventh attack in Israel, 315 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 2: Donald Trump said that he was going to enact another 316 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:21,439 Speaker 2: Muslim ban. This was even before what had happened. So 317 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 2: now he has further fodder that he's going to use 318 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 2: to terrorize the people of color of our country. He's 319 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 2: going to terrorize the LGBTQ community, he's going to terrorize 320 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 2: poor people. He's going to terrorize anybody that is not 321 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:47,919 Speaker 2: of you know, Anglo heritage and of Christian faith. We 322 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 2: know that, and it's going to be worse because they've 323 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 2: already started collecting binders of people that you know, have 324 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 2: drunk the kool aid, but have you know, have not 325 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 2: left him, right, A lot of his former cabinet, a 326 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 2: lot of his former political appointees have left him. A 327 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 2: lot of his supporters have left him. So that's why 328 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 2: they're developing these binders full of people that are as bad, 329 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 2: if not worse. There was somewhat of a you know, 330 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 2: to a degree like some folks in his last administration 331 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 2: that we're trying to temper his craziness. Yeah right, and 332 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 2: we're not going there anymore. They've already let those quotes out. 333 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 2: And you think it's bad enough where you've had some 334 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 2: tempering authority in the last administration. Without those restraints in 335 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 2: another administration, we are all doomed. Yeah, And and it 336 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 2: almost seems hyperbolic to say, yes, this is the most 337 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 2: important election of our lifetime. But I mean, I hope 338 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 2: it's obvious that given you his words, which we have 339 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 2: only heard part of because we're in maybe not tuning 340 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 2: into Truth Social and Fox News on a daily basis, 341 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 2: but it's all there for you know, folks to see. 342 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:13,879 Speaker 2: But once the nomination becomes secure, once we start ticking 343 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 2: down these caucuses and primaries on the Republican side, it's 344 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 2: going to become much more mainstream and we're going to 345 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 2: hear about it on a daily basis. And maybe we 346 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,400 Speaker 2: just needed to break from all this batshit crazy stuff. Yeah, yeah, 347 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 2: I certainly did. I mean, how much can. 348 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: Person can you take? Yeah, But at the end of 349 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: the day. 350 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 2: Right, well, you know, whether you want to hear it 351 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:36,119 Speaker 2: or not, you're going to see it on Business and News. 352 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 2: You're going to see it on you know, even the 353 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 2: most you know, uh uh, it might be on like 354 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 2: if you're watching you know, the outdoor channel, it's going 355 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 2: to be on the outdoor channel. It's going to be 356 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: on every channel known to man because we won't be 357 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 2: able to escape it. 358 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, with the minute that we have left, 359 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,919 Speaker 1: please tell people how they can get involved with AAPI 360 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 1: Victory Alliance, you know, how keep up with what is 361 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,880 Speaker 1: going on and how they support. 362 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for the opportunity. You can visit 363 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 2: API Victory Alliance dot com, sign up for our newsletter. 364 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 2: We're very easy to find on social through the same channels, 365 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 2: and I would say, at the very least sign up 366 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 2: for our newsletters because I think what we're really focused 367 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 2: on this year is getting out ways that if you 368 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 2: are even inkling to spend five minutes a day, five 369 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 2: minutes a week to do a text bank, to do 370 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:36,680 Speaker 2: a phone bank, to donate money, whatever you're able to do, 371 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,360 Speaker 2: you know it's going to be full steam ahead. We're 372 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 2: going to need everybody in this election to really kind 373 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 2: of fight back. And I hope that your listeners come 374 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 2: and visit because or do something, you know, whether it's 375 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 2: API or not, because we are really are going to 376 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 2: see armageddon this time around. It's going to be worse. 377 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 2: We won't have the I think certain tools in our 378 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 2: tool belt that we had last time around, and so 379 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 2: we're going to get everybody to fight, state, local, national, 380 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 2: It's it's it's really gonna I can't say this enough. 381 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 2: I feel like I'm saying the sky is falling, because 382 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 2: from my vantage point, it really is. It looks like 383 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 2: Donald Trump has secured the nomination. It's locked in, and 384 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 2: now we have to get ready for what's next. 385 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 1: One hundred percent Varunicour, thank you so much for making 386 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: the time to join wok F really appreciate you, and 387 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: we'll check in with you as the calendar ticks down. 388 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: That is it for me today, dear friends on wok app. 389 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 1: As always, power to the people and to all the people. Power, 390 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.