EDUCATIONAL DIGITAL INITIATIVES — THE HOT POT The Hot Pot is a monthly video podcast hosted by Princess Mae Visconde, Senior Community Engagement Manager at APIAHF. This show is a space for us to have important conversations, share knowledge, experiences, and insights while honoring the unique identities that make up AA NH/PI communities. AA NH/PI communities are often lumped together, but here at the show, we recognize that each culture is unique. Each community is unique. Each month together we will learn from community leaders who advocate and are a part of AA NH/PI communities. ​ WATCH NOW NEW PODCAST UPDATES EDUCATIONAL DIGITAL INITIATIVES —

OUR LEADERSHIP — JULIET K. CHOI, JD PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER LILY SHEN CHIEF OF STAFF AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF COVID-19 RESPONSE MICHAEL H. CHAE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER MARY L. SMITH, JD VICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS JOHN "JAKE" GREENE II INTERIM CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER KAMANAʻOPONO M. CRABBE, PhD COUNSELOR VICTORIA LAI, JD COUNSELOR

HUMAN EQUITY & HUMAN RIGHTS Health equity means that every individual has the opportunity to attain optimal health and well-being. To achieve health equity, our country must work to address pervasive disparities in both access and outcomes. Our experience has shown us that achieving health equity requires in-depth research to identify problems and solutions, responsive policies to population needs and smart investments in communities. In doing so, we must address both the underlying socio-economic factors and existing policies that drive health care disparities. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR POLICY WORK Expanding Access to Healthcare Medicare and Medicaid Data Disaggregation Human Equity and Human Rights MEDICARE & MEDICAID DATA DISAGGREGATION EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE HUMAN EQUITY & HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY — RESPONSIVE RESEARCH Data and research are the underpinning of any effort to achieve health equity. We cannot address disparities without first understanding what they are and who they impact, followed by understanding what interventions and changes are needed to adequately and effectively uplift affected populations. Since, and before, the groundbreaking 1985 Heckler Report, which failed to accurately reflect the realities of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, advocates and academics have worked for better reporting. We work to advocate for research, both by government and private actors, that accounts for disaggregated data, includes the voices of relevant communities and furthers our understanding of how health equity can be achieved. ​ ADDRESSING POLICY SHORTCOMINGS Public policy can both exacerbate and minimize health disparities. We believe that policymakers at all levels of government must act to address previous injustices and prevent future disparities. Policy interventions to achieve health equity range from ensuring communities of color have access to safe, livable communities to closing nationwide gaps in cancer outcomes, maternal mortality and diabetes prevention. SMART COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS We believe empowered communities are best positioned to determined what is needed for achieving their own health equity. Decision-making and research must include input and leadership from affected communities. Funding local efforts of community based organizations, who know best the needs of their neighborhoods, are often the most effective ways to address disparities. And while national problems often require national solutions, we must account for the ways those solutions will impact diverse communities. ​ POLICY HUMAN EQUITY & HUMAN RIGHTS — LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR POLICY WORK Expanding Access to Healthcare Expanding Access to Healthcare Data Disaggregation Medicare & Medicaid

SHARONDA ELIZABETH EVERETT PROGRAM MANAGER OUR BOARD OUR LEADERSHIP OUR STAFF ABOUT OUR STAFF — Progressive experience in the nonprofit sector with over the 20+ years in Human Services. Sharonda first developed her fierce drive for social justice when entering the field of as a youth educator over 20 years ago. She has since served in roles ranging from direct service to organizational leadership. Sharonda currently serves Program Manager with APIAHF’s Capacity for Health (C4H) project. Sharonda holds a Master of Arts in Human Services from Lincoln University. She also received a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from University of Delaware’s, Center for Community Research and Service. Next Item Previous Item BACK TO ALL STAFF

PRESS RELEASE APIAHF APPLAUDS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES JUNE 18, 2024 WASHINGTON – Today, on the 12th Anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, President Biden announced two new immigration actions that continue his commitment to protecting immigrant communities. • Eligible spouses and children of U.S. citizens who have lived in the U.S. for ten or more years will not need to leave the U.S., and they can remain with their families when applying for a “green card." They can also continue to legally work and receive protection from deportation while they wait. • Dreamers who have earned a degree from a U.S. college or university and have an offer of employment from a U.S. employer can now quickly secure a work visa. Juliet K. Choi, President & CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) and former Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, gave the following statement: “President Biden continues to improve the lives and conditions for immigrant communities and builds upon his Spring announcement of expanding health coverage for DACA recipients by opening coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders represent about ten percent of DACA recipients, and half of all DACA recipients are college graduates. This new process will expedite their work visa from six months to two weeks. “The administration’s announcement to keep families together and working during the green card process underscores the President’s commitment to our values and makes America safer and stronger.” ### The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Next Item Previous Item BACK TO PRESS RELEASES

EDUCATIONAL DIGITAL INITIATIVES PRESS RELEASES RESOURCES EDUCATIONAL DIGITAL INITIATIVES RESOURCES UPDATES PRESS RELEASES UPDATES — WHAT'S HAPPENING Lowering Costs for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders: How the Inflation Reduction Act Makes Health Care and Prescription Drugs More Affordable DECEMBER 14, 2023 GO NOW PRESS RELEASE States Must Take Action to Ensure Children and Families Have Medicaid Coverage DECEMBER 18, 2023 GO NOW FEATURED RESOURCE APIAHF Comment on HHS Proposed Rule on Discrimination Based on Disability Updated 11-8-2023 NOVEMBER 2023 GO NOW FEATURED RESOURCE HPV Routine Immunizations Fact Card AUGUST 2023 GO NOW LATEST NEWS —

PRESS RELEASE APIAHF APPLAUDS THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION’S PLAN TO CRACK DOWN ON SURPRISE JUNK FEES IN MEDICAL SERVICES JULY 7, 2023 WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden announced a series of new actions to lower health care costs and eliminate loopholes for surprise junk fees in medical billing for American families. Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of APIAHF, issued the following statement: “We applaud the Biden-Harris administration for taking additional steps to protect American families from predatory billing. Medical debt is a serious issue for all communities and disproportionately harms communities of color. Language about Medical billing and accessing insurance can be particularly confusing for immigrant communities – and is more challenging for those that are limited English proficient. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 10 percent of Asian American households carry medical debt. “The Biden-Harris administration has continued to deliver critical relief to Americans, especially in communities that face disparate health outcomes. We are cautiously optimistic that future policies will uplift hard-working immigrant families and marginalized communities facing unnecessary challenges in accessing care and rising health care costs.” # # # The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Next Item Previous Item BACK TO PRESS RELEASES

PRESS RELEASE APIAHF APPLAUDS HHS ACTIONS TO EXPAND HEALTH CARE FOR DACA RECIPIENTS MAY 3, 2024 WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), finalized a Rule under the Administrative Procedure Act that will expand health coverage for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients by opening up Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace plans. This Rule will benefit an estimated 100,000 Dreamers. Juliet K. Choi, President & CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) and former Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, gave the following statement: “After a historic Marketplace enrollment period, with over 21 million individuals selecting Affordable Care Act health insurance, we are thrilled by HHS’s bold action to expand access to the Marketplace to more Americans. In addition to access to affordable health coverage, Dreamers will also be able to utilize federal subsidies for these plans. “For far too long, DACA recipients, approximately 10 percent of whom are Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, have been denied access to many health care options provided by the Affordable Care Act despite living and residing in the United States. Today’s announcement continues the Biden Administration’s commitment that health care is a right, not a privilege.” The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Next Item Previous Item BACK TO PRESS RELEASES

DONOVAN RAMOS LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MANAGER OUR BOARD OUR LEADERSHIP OUR STAFF ABOUT OUR STAFF — Donovan is the Learning Management System Manager for APIAHF’s Capacity for Health project. In his role, he manages and develops the courses for online learning. A skilled visual teacher, Donovan designs trainings to strengthen the skills of leaders across the US to End the HIV Epidemic. ​ Before APIAHF, Donovan worked at SF State where he helped students navigate online courses and taught faculty and staff how to design/redesign their online courses. At 6am, you can find Donovan jogging around Lake Merritt or in the afternoons leading HIIT workouts or indoor cycling classes. ​ “I joined the Health Forum because I saw an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than a safe university job. An opportunity to contribute my skills and passion of teaching to see the End of the HIV Epidemic in the US.” -Donovan Next Item Previous Item BACK TO ALL STAFF

SOFIA KARIMI PROGRAM MANAGER OUR BOARD OUR LEADERSHIP OUR STAFF ABOUT OUR STAFF — Sofia Karimi is a Program Manager at the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF). Karimi has a robust background in program management, and a keen focus on diverse public health topics, including COVID-19, HIV, vaccinations, mental health, TB, nutrition, and rare diseases. Karimi will lead health education programmatic initiatives to represent the health needs of minority communities. Karimi excels in drafting key reports, and presentations focused on health equity and health promotion. Beyond the day-to-day program management, Karimi takes on the responsibility of ensuring compliance with individual grant requirements, designing integrated work plans, and evaluating program progress and efficacy to expand the program’s reach. She will also lead program engagement efforts and represent APIAHF at national and state conferences, seminars, and panel discussions. Karimi has a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in Public Administration with a specialization in Health Policy from Northeastern University. In her previous role as Program Manager at CWS, she led the development of foundational programs for a refugee resettlement agency. Karimi’s holistic approach included specialized mental health assessments, social health determinants-community surveys, health education presentations, health promotion workshops, and collaboration with medical providers. Her most notable accomplishment was designing a support group curriculum with health education workshops designed to meet the specific health needs of the refugee community. Karimi is committed to expanding healthcare accessibility and improving health outcomes for diverse communities. In her free time, she enjoys attending Broadway shows, going hiking or traveling to new places. Next Item Previous Item BACK TO ALL STAFF

BIO LIANE ARAKI CONFIDENTIAL ASSISTANT & BOARD LIAISON BIO EPHRAIM COLBERT DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION MANAGER BIO SHARONDA ELIZABETH EVERETT PROGRAM MANAGER BIO SOFIA KARIMI PROGRAM MANAGER BIO LENAYA KIMBALL PROGRAM COORDINATOR BIO NHIEN LE MANAGER, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BIO KENT LI SENIOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATE BIO DONOVAN RAMOS LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MANAGER BIO PHOEBE SAWYER PROJECT ASSOCIATE BIO JAMILA SHIPP C4H MANAGING DIRECTOR BIO HAYLEY SMART EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CEO AND OFFICE MANAGER BIO CALI TRAN COVID-19 RESPONSE FELLOW BIO EMILY WASEK DEVELOPMENT MANAGER BIO PRINCESS MAE VISCONDE SENIOR MANAGER, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BIO RUOYU (AMY) WANG SENIOR ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE OUR BOARD OUR LEADERSHIP OUR STAFF ABOUT OUR STAFF —

EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE WHAT WE DO APIAHF works to ensure that all Americans have access to health coverage and quality care that they can afford and rely on, no matter where they come from or what language they speak. ​ LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR POLICY WORK Data Disaggregation Medicare and Medicaid Human Equity and Human Rights Expanding Access to Healthcare Health coverage is a strong predictor of access to health care in the U.S. Health coverage rates vary widely among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. As a group, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are more likely to be uninsured than non-Hispanic whites. Specific ethnic groups face extremely high rates of uninsurance: In 2016, 14% of Nepalese Americans, 12% of Micronesians and 9% of Laotians were uninsured. REMAINING UNINSURED Despite improvements through the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and CHIP, disparities within AA and NHPI communities remain due to varying degrees of poverty, immigration-based barriers, lack of cultural competency in the health care system, and language access barriers. ​ Immigration status is a major social determinant of health, impacting the type of coverage a person is eligible for and whether that person can access routine and preventive care. As a result, many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are locked out of public programs due to federal and state immigration restrictions. Nationally, 35% of noncitizens are uninsured, compared to 8% of naturalized citizens and 7% of native-born citizens. ​ In addition, many Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders that qualify for public programs remain uninsured because of language and cultural barriers in the enrollment process, misinformation about eligibility, and other family hardships such as food and housing insecurity. POLICY — EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE DATA DISAGGREGATION MEDICARE & MEDICAID HUMAN EQUITY & HUMAN RIGHTS LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR POLICY WORK Expanding Access to Healthcare Data Disaggregation Medicare and Medicaid Human Equity and Human Rights POLICY EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE — WHAT WE DO APIAHF works to ensure that all Americans have access to health coverage and quality care that they can afford and rely on, no matter where they come from or what language they speak. ​