Event Description

The American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee is hosting Eid Celebration and Honoring of Dr. Asif Mahmood, running for Lt. Governor of California, the first American Pakistani, determined to do so. Mr. Mahmood is a Los Angeles based physician, a Democrat and supporter of a “Medicare for all” national healthcare plan. He was raised in a small rural town in Pakistan before coming to the U.S. In his political campaign he is prioritizing fight against hate crimes, racial, religious and ethnic divide, poverty and poor health care in the U.S. To learn more about Mr. Mahmood’s political campaign please visit his campaign page at https://asif2018.com/

APPAC, among its goals, is also committed to support and promote higher political participation among diverse ethnic groups which makes up the population of this wonderful country. Many independent studies indicate that Asian Americans have a high level of political incorporation in terms of their actual voting population in the U.S. However, as a result of this group’s historically low voting rates, overall political incorporation of the general population is relatively low. Although the population of this group has increased in size by 600% in 30 years due to immigration, heavy naturalization and voter outreach efforts have provided this primarily foreign-born community with less than 1% of voters.

The low political incorporation of Asian Americans has posed a concern especially when taking into account the fact that they are the fastest growing population in the U.S. Among them, according to a 2015 research by Migration Policy Institute, it was estimated that there were 453,000 U.S. residents of Pakistani descent living in the U.S. The actual numbers of the American Pakistanis should be much higher than that figure. Pakistani-Americans have become the second fastest growing and the seventh largest group in the United States, research statistics have revealed in 2012.

Since its formation, APPAC is actively contributing to increased political participation of the American Pakistanis in the U.S. political life and processes. We are hosting the June 27th event with the same goal of attracting more supporters to Mr. Asif Mahmood’s political campaign – the first ever American Pakistani running for the position of Lt. Governor in one of the most important states of the country being California.

Please come and demonstrate your support!