Washington Post: Asian Americans & Hispanics Hold Balls to Celebrate 2nd Inauguration of President Barack Obama

The record voter turnout  by Hispanics and Asian Americans is being celebrated at several inaugural balls, policy fairs and immigration workshops this weekend.

“People have woken up and realized the power they have through their participation in the election. They are saying, ‘We did it. We helped him win,’ ” said Jaime Contreras, a ­labor union official, speaking about the re-election of President Barack Obama to the Washington Post

Many are converging on Washington, D.C. this weekend to promote immigration reform and the legalization of 11 million undocumented immigrants.

Christine Chen
Executive Director, APIA Vote

“We have more than 1 million undocumented community members, mostly grandparents, whose story hasn’t been told,” Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIA Vote said. “We have a lot of new political leaders, and after all the celebrating, we want to make sure people know what needs to be done when they go back home.”

Others are pushing to increase the numbers of Asian immigrants being allowed into the country with visas for skilled workers and to decrease the wait time for family members trying to reunite with loved ones already in the United. States.

1,200 celebrants largely from the Indian American community attended the“Indiaspora” Ball Saturday night and a separate “Pearl Gala” also organized by the Asian American community –is being held Sunday night ­.  Latino groups are hosting a huge celebration at the Kennedy Center featuring Eva Longoria and Marc Anthony