Posted by: MD Sharman, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Office of Public Engagement in Partnership and Equity Initiatives
May 7, 2024
Guam is often referred to as “Where America’s Day Starts” because the sun rises 14 hours earlier than the capital. USDA Program Coordinator Leehan Wei recently traveled to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to visit these underserved communities and work on outreach and partnerships.
Mr. Wei is the first program coordinator for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) in the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE). This initiative works to improve the quality of life for AANHPI individuals and communities across the country by increasing access to and participation in federal programs.
During the trip, Lihan visited local universities in Saipan and Guam, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices, and met staff from the Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which was conducting an agricultural census in the region. I met with The Agricultural Census is the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and unbiased information about agriculture in the region, and the accuracy of its collection and results are critical to policy-making over the next five years. “This is OPPE’s first trip and we worked with as many stakeholders as possible,” Wei said.
Mr. Wei will work directly with the White House Initiative to highlight the unmet needs of the AANHPI community and the dynamic community assets that can be leveraged to meet many of those needs.
This month, the White House and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are preparing to host a major AANPI Heritage Month celebration in Washington, DC, on May 13, 2024. This event brings together current and former leaders. To reflect on the progress the AANHPI community has made over the past 25 years, we have compiled reports from five presidential administrations.
In May, we celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month, honoring Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who bring valuable cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity to the United States. AANHPI’s contributions, strengths, and legacy are forever tied to America’s history and have played an important role in building this country for generations. Without their contributions, America’s story would be incomplete.
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