In most data and major statistics, heterogeneous minority populations are often represented as monoliths, single groups all falling under a single racial umbrella. College acceptance, employment, income, and wealth statistics all confine the diverse groups of Asian or Latin ethnic origin to blanket categories such as “AAPI” or “LatinX.”
More than just losing cultural individuality, real disparities surface within Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Filipino Americans (among other Asian groups) when it comes to education and health outcomes, median income, and more; all of which are blurred when statistics lack the nuance to differentiate between the groups.
The bill’s supporters claim vague data is inaccurate and damaging to the groups it misrepresents. They believe that Americans are often presumed to be successful and considered the ‘model minority’. In reality, each ethnic subgroup within the Asian American community holds unique narratives, experiences, and challenges. But, the idea that Asian Americans are a monolith erases this reality and flattens the public’s understanding of the specific struggles faced by each ethnic subgroup. This view of Asian Americans has overshadowed the unique struggles many Asian Americans face today. A 2019 study shows those of Filipino or Hawaiian origin are up to 18.9 percentage points more likely to get diabetes than, say, an American of Chinese origin (34.5% chance compared to a 15.6% chance). With statistics that do not account for these differences, the struggles of the Filipino community can fly under the radar.
Income disparities can also be masked by universal statistics. Asian Americans as a whole have a higher median household income than the average American ($78,000/year compared to $66,000/year). One will also find that Indian Americans earn a median household income of $127,000 a year, earning almost twice as much as the average American household. Burmese American families earn only $46,000 a year on average, operating far below the American median. This makes Asian Americans seem to be a high-achieving group, a “model minority.” In reality, many Asian American ethnic subgroups, like Burmese, are facing financial adversity in American society.
Reactions to the bill are not all positive. In a post-COVID social climate, many Asian American groups, especially those of the Chinese community, have been the target of increased discrimination because of the pandemic. As many fear, the singling out of Chinese Americans in data reporting and sharing could further exacerbate this issue. A stronger association with one’s country of origin regarding, for example, health access, could prove dangerous to many who already experience unfair political scrutiny. As vice president of the Asian Americans for Equal Rights, Helen Yang, puts it, “Anytime the Chinese government does something wrong, we get blamed.” Leaving Chinese Americans further blamed for the actions of a government they often have little to no connection to could be a serious consequence of the new bill.
The new bill allows Massachusetts state agencies to “collect, organize, and assemble public data on major ethnic groups.” The bill also claims that “By breaking down data into subgroups for all racial groups, it creates more visibility for the diverse experiences within communities.” With the bill’s passage, the visibility of all Asian American subgroups could be increased, and awareness about their struggles could become more widespread, at least at the state level.
The bill has possible effects not just in the health or occupational sectors, but also in aiding victims of domestic violence. Dawn Sauma of the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence notes, “Information on domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking is incomplete. We lack data on diverse and marginalized populations—such as the Asian, Pacific Islander, and immigrant communities—who often face multiple barriers to disclosing abuse and accessing help. Better data on these groups would help service providers reach these groups, better meet their needs, and ultimately reduce these acts of violence.” Indeed, more targeted and readily available aid can be enabled by the new law.
George Huynh of VietAID explains that “For many immigrants from Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia, the refugee experience can have a significant influence on health and economic outcomes. Aggregate data that lumps all Asian Americans together often covers up this difference, making our communities appear to not need attention or intervention.” On August 9, 2023, Governor Maura Healey signed into law the Data Equity Bill (H.3115). She said, “It will bring new transparency and accuracy to data gathering and reporting in Massachusetts [and allow for] the unique struggles many subgroups face which are sometimes hidden behind the blanket of inaccurate statistics.”
