Call to Action for County Leaders
Dear County leaders:
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) County of Los Angeles (County) employees have become a very sizable minority group in the County workforce; however, they rank low in the ratio of executive managers to AAPI County employees. According to data from the County of Los Angeles Workforce Demographics, AAPIs constitute almost 20% of the County workforce, but only 8% of the executive managers.
There is a perception that AAPIs are highly educated and do not lack the opportunities to become managers or executives, especially in areas such as health, nursing, accounting, law, and information technology. But the numbers demonstrate otherwise. Although AAPIs are highly regarded, they are often thought to be docile or lack leadership qualities and assertiveness. For example, Asian Americans are often portrayed as a model minority — well educated, hard-working, dedicated, and successful. For this reason, they are regularly left out of discussions about discrimination in the workplace and overlooked for opportunities that would give them experience to qualify for an executive or manager position. In fact, Asians are often excluded in diversity and inclusion plans entirely.
The model minority myth has even made Asian Americans invisible during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are rarely mentioned by the media in economic impact reports, even though they have faced the sharpest increase in long-term unemployment. This is not surprising, since there is little understanding that 10% of Asian Americans live in poverty and that there is a huge disparity of education and income levels among AAPIs.
In recent years the County has focused on evaluating promotion opportunities through a racial equity lens to overcome the challenges qualified candidates of color face due to the intentional structuring of opportunity, implementation of policies and practices, and assignment of value based solely on skin color. It is important for organizations, including the government, to support diversity and inclusion that result in equity, so employees from diverse communities can be authentic, contribute fully, and enjoy the benefits of employment.
For the County to move closer to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves; County departments need to review hiring and promotion policies to promote equity and inclusiveness. The County will have to root out racial bias if they want to develop leaders who reflect an increasingly diverse employee and customer base.
As the AAPI community continues to grow in Los Angeles County, AAPI residents should be able to look to their AAPI County leaders, in all levels of government, for assistance, support and leadership. In addition, a diverse workforce can help the County benefit from the positive impacts it makes on County residents who engage with the County frequently for assistance, support, and leadership.
Department heads, executives and managers of all backgrounds should provide mentorship to all employees. As in every profession, the lack of mentors and contacts is a barrier to career advancement. Mentors from all backgrounds who take a continuous and concerted interest in the careers of AAPI employees, is what is needed.
So, to start we are looking to you, the 8% of County AAPI executives and managers to shoulder the leadership of mentoring talented and qualified AAPI employees at the County. Start by assessing the diversity of your departments for future leadership and management roles. Your actions should create mentorship opportunities, provide leadership and management training to these individuals so they can successfully promote. Track your diversity numbers and increase your diversity percentages in supervisorial and mid-level management roles to align with the diversity of the County workforce more closely. And lastly, sign up to join LACAAEA and participate in virtual workshops, speaker panels, or social events to share your experiences with County employees.
Building the path to leadership for County employees of all backgrounds must be part of the unfinished work of the County. The time to act is now.
According to data from the county of Los Angeles Workforce Demographics, African American County employees are 19% of the County workforce and hold 21% of the executive management roles. Latinx County employees constitute 39% of the workforce and hold 24% of the executive management roles. Caucasians are 22% of the workforce and hold 45% of the executive management roles.
Kristin Stoller. “Asian American Workers Face Higher Long-Term Unemployment Rates Amid Pandemic.” Forbes, March 19, 2021, https:// www.forbes.com/sites/kristinstoller/2021/03/19/asian-american-workersface-higher-long-term-unemployment-rates-amid-pandemic/? sh=eab905541bf7
Abby Budiman and Neai G. Ruiz. “Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population.” Pew Research Center. April 29, 2021, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/29/key-facts-aboutasian-americans/.
