Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Senior Liaison Delivers Keynote Address at Asian Expo and Marketplace

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the Deputy Assistant to the President & Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Senior Liaison, Ms. Erika Moritsugu will be addressing the New Mexico Asian Pacific Islander (API) community and business leaders at the 2022 Asian Expo + Marketplace on Friday, August 19, 2022.

Ms. Moritsugu’s historic senior-level position in the White House consists of ensuring the richness and diversity of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities are represented and the impacts of the Biden-Harris Administration policies are inclusive of, and communicated to all AA and NHPI individuals and families.

“I’ve been focused intentionally on inclusivity, to make sure that we’re reaching deeper into our community and broader into the very, very diverse and growing AA and NHPI communities that may have not been traditionally top of mind or in the line of sight of Washington D.C. policymakers,” said Ms. Moritsugu in an article for NextShark, a news outlet focused on Asian American stories.

The Asian Business Collaborate (ABC) invited Ms. Moritsugu to address the API business community, after speaking to her about the homicides that affected Asian-owned businesses in Albuquerque. ABC provides programming, advocacy and case management to Asian-owned businesses in the area. The API business-focused non-profit advocated for safety and security for businesses serving New Mexicans.

“It provided comfort when speaking to Ms. Moritsugu after the second homicide of an Asian member of the community – she genuinely listened to our concerns, as well as the concerns of other API leaders in New Mexico,” said Kristelle Siarza, Volunteer Executive Director of the Asian Business Collaborative.  “With her leadership experiences including various roles in different national-level nonprofit organizations, I am excited to hear her advice and lessons on leadership. They will only make our API business community stronger.”

For more information and to attend the event, please visit the Asian Expo + Marketplace website.

About Asian Business Collaborative
The Asian Business Collaborative is a 501-c3 organization focused on supporting Asian and Pacific Islander-owned businesses. ABC helps API small business owners in a culturally competent way through three core programs, support, advocacy, and representation. ABC supports API business owners in an inclusive environment to support their businesses without language or cultural barriers. For more information about ABC, visit asianpibc.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kristelle Siarza, Volunteer Executive Director, of the Asian Business Collaborative, kristelle@asianpibc.org.