Faithful Democrats
On Saturday, people of faith with gather in San Jose, California to share stories and bear witness to impact of immigration policy on our communities. Congressman Honda and Congressman Gutierrez are leading the effort to spread the word about the importance of comprehensive immigration reform, particularly in the lives of Latinos and Asian Pacific Americans.
This event and the movement for comprehensive immigration reform embody the multiple identities of Christians, Democrats, and Americans. I recently volunteered at a fundraiser for Mark Keam, a Christian Democrat running for the 35th District of the Virginia House of Delegates. In telling his story, Mark speaks passionately about the work of his father, a Christian Korean minister in Vietnam, and his commitment to serving others.
Soon after attending this event, I read a scholarly article by Professor Taeku Lee of the University of California, Berkeley. In his paper, Lee argues that civic engagement is a critical pathway for Asian Americans involvement in party politics. He finds that participation in church leads to increased political involvement.
As an Asian American Christian Democrat, I am intrigued by these connections between religion, politics and race. I believe as Christian Democrats, we are well positioned to build coalitions and build bridges across disparate groups, but we must recognize that we are not only combating different political perspectives, but cultures and languages and histories. As we work toward a world that is more compassionate and just, we must have the courage to break barriers and listen to the stories of others.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In