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New Radio & Print PSAs Launched to Combat Housing Discrimination
Against Asian Americans
One in Five Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Face Housing
Discrimination
Joint Release by LCCREF, NFHA, National CAPACD, HUD
October 12, 2005 - New fair housing public service advertisements (PSAs)
in more than ten Asian languages will begin appearing on radio stations
and in newspapers across the country this week. Developed by the
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund (LCCREF), the
National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), and the National Coalition for
Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) through a
grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
the ads are designed to increase recognition and reporting of housing
discrimination among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).
"Unfortunately, housing discrimination is still a pervasive problem in
America," said Karen McGill Lawson, LCCREF executive director. "HUD
estimates that one in five Asian Americans face housing discrimination.
We hope this campaign sends a clear signal to those who discriminate,
but more importantly, we want victims of discrimination to know that
there is something they can do about it."
These new Asian language ads are the latest in an award-winning series
of fair housing PSAs. Two radio spots, "Phone Conversation" and "Do You
Know Me," were produced in Vietnamese, Cantonese, Hmong and Korean. The
print ad, "Will the Apartment Still Be Available When They Hear My
Accent?" was designed in Arabic, Bengali, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong,
Korean, Punjabi, Thai, Urdu and Vietnamese. Both print and radio PSAs
feature the tagline, "Fair Housing. It's not an option. It's the law."
and direct audiences to call HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or visit
www.fairhousinglaw.org if they think that the have been victims of
or witness to housing discrimination.
"Access to fair housing continues to be a major struggle for many Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders," said Lisa Hasegawa, executive director
of the National CAPACD. "Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders often
encounter housing discrimination as well as cultural and language
barriers to accessing to housing counseling services. National CAPACD is
proud to partner with LCCREF and NFHA on this groundbreaking
initiative."
The Federal Fair Housing Act grants everyone the legal right to live
where they choose and prohibits discrimination based on race, color,
national origin, religion, sex, disability and family status. HUD
estimates that at least 2 million Americans are discriminated against
each year while looking to rent or purchase a property, apply for a
loan, appraisal or insurance.
"Data show that while Asian Americans are as likely as African Americans
to be victims of housing discrimination and even more likely than
Hispanic Americans to face discrimination, they are among the least
likely to report it. These ads will be an invaluable resource to promote
fair housing and equal opportunity," said Shanna Smith, President and
CEO of NFHA. "NFHA is thrilled to be part of a campaign that is sure to
reach the AAPI community nationwide and provide important information to
combat illegal discrimination."
To view or listen to the new PSAs, visit
www.fairhousinglaw.org/the_campaign. To obtain a copy of the PSAs
for print or radio reproduction, please contact Lisa Haywood at (202)
466-3434.
On the Web
Leadership
Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund website
National
Fair Housing Alliance website
National
Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development website
U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development website
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