Your Words

from Orlando Weekly - May 18, 2022

ICYMI

¶ May is AAPI Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. It is a celebration and acknowledgment of the history, traditions, and culture of Asians and Pacific Islanders that continues to impact American society positively.

AAPI Heritage commemoration was proposed in 1977 as a week-long observance of the accomplishments and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States in May 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869 due to the assistance of countless Chinese laborers. This observance was extended to the entire month of May in 1992 by President Bush.

The Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) chose “Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration” as their theme for May 2022. This theme is a continuance of FAPAC’s 20212024 “Advancing Leaders” series intended to empower leaders in the community and inspire innovation creating a brighter future for people of all ethnicities.

The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) recognizes the increase in hate crimes, especially those directed toward the Asian community. All Americans, regardless of race, deserve to be treated kindly and equally. As the Executive Director of the FCHR, I urge citizens of Florida who feel they have been discriminated against in the workplace, public accommodations, or housing to contact our agency. Our agency’s vision is to eliminate discrimination in the state, and contacting our agency is the first step to achieving that goal. The FCHR can be contacted at 850-488-7082 or by visiting the website at fchr.state.fl.us.

— Cheyanne Costilla, Executive Director, Florida Commission on Human Relations

¶ Rebalance the Supreme Court

When Donald Trump was in office, he and Mitch McConnell made three lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court. McConnell went so far as to defy Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish — that the next president appoint her replacement — by packing the Court with Amy Coney Barrett just eight days before the 2020 election.

The result? Today’s Supreme Court has been taken over by a hyperpartisan supermajority that is on the verge of dismantling abortion care in America.

But there’s something we can do. The Judiciary Act of 2021 would add four seats to the Supreme Court bench, restoring balance to the court. It’s the solution we need to move away from the extremely partisan rulings that now threaten our fundamental freedoms. Recent polling showed that the majority of voters support expanding the court.

Congress has changed the size of the Supreme Court seven times already in our nation’s history. It’s time to do it again. I’m urging our representatives to back this important bill now, so we know they want to protect the rights of the American people. The stakes are too high to stay quiet on this important issue.

— Angela Skelton, Belle Isle

To protect our reproductive freedoms, we need to expand the Supreme Court. The Judiciary Act of 2021 would add four new seats to the Supreme Court, bringing the number of justices to 13. It would help restore balance to a Court that Mitch McConnell has packed with right-wing extremists who are on the verge of dismantling abortion care in America.

Recent polling showed that not only do a majority of Americans believe that the Supreme Court should uphold the right to abortion care, they also agree that we need to restore balance to the court and support adding additional judges to the Supreme Court.

I’m urging Congress to pass the Judiciary Act so we can create an institution that moves away from partisan politics and represents the good of all Americans.