No Longer Invisible

Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) residents are the fastest-growing major racial group in Massachusetts, But for far too long, researchers and others have not invested in counting, exploring and better understanding the place of APIA people in the state. This doesn't just make APIA residents less visible -- it has serious consequences: without it, the needs, experiences, and perspectives of our diverse communities are too often overlooked or mischaracterized.

For this survey, a collaorative team from the Institute for Asian-American Studies (IAAS) a UMass Boston, the Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islanders Commission (AAPIC), the Asian and Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network (APIs CAN), and the Asian Community Fund (ACF) at the Boston Foundation developed survey questions that were then taken into the field in partnership with the MassINC Polling Group. The survey team connected with 1,417 APIA respondents from a wide range of  Asian and Pacific Islander backgrounds, asking them questions about their economic status, access to health care, involvement in political life and their support or opposition to a number of high-level issues.

The survey found a highly-engaged APIA population in Massachusetts, with high voter registration and community engagement rates, that feels many of the same problems cited by other racial groups -- such as a high cost of living, and a lack of housing, But at the same time, many AIPA respondents say even years after coming to Massachusetts that they don't feel a sense of belonging.

Click on the report button to explore and download the report from the Massachusetts AAPI Commission.