Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (D-AS), vice-chair of CAPAC, were scheduled to join Asian & Pacific Islander American Community leaders on May 5 for the introduction of a major electoral initiative, according to a press release issued by Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART).

The initiative involved the launch of APIA Vote, a non-partisan coalition of groups that believes Asian Pacific Americans must raise their level of political participation.

Apart from Reps. Honda and Faleomavaega, other speakers at the event were to include Preetmohan Singh, national director of SMART, Gloria Caoile of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Christine Chen of the Organization of Chinese Americans and Lisa Hasegawa of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, among others.

The Los Angeles Times last month reported that the number of Asians in the U.S. will triple over the next half-century as an aging white population slips from its traditional majority perch.