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OPA News Release: [10/12/2004]
Contact Name: Yvonne Ralsky or Peggy Abrahamson
Phone Number: 202-693-4676 or 639-5052

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Hosts Second Opportunity Conference for Asian Pacific American and Hispanic American Communities

2004 Conference to Build on Record of Service to Two of the Workforce’s Fastest Growing Communities

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao hosted the 2004 Opportunity Conference for Asian Pacific and Hispanic Americans in Washington today. The full-day conference was designed to serve these two fastest-growing segments of the 21st century workforce, and inform small business owners, non-profit and faith based organizations and community leaders about the many opportunities available to them.

Secretary Chao gave the keynote address at the conference that highlighted the Department of Labor's unprecedented enforcement results on behalf of these two communities and the many programs that have been implemented to better serve Hispanic Americans and Asian Pacific Americans.

“This nationwide conference—the second one in two years—will help Asian Pacific American and Hispanic entrepreneurs and community organizations develop new contacts, new opportunities, new information and tools to grow and prosper,” said U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. The President and I are deeply committed to helping all Americans including Asian Pacific Americans and Hispanic Americans to achieve success in mainstream America and be a part of the Ownership Society!”

Helping Asian Pacific Americans and Hispanic Americans reach their full potential continues to be among the Secretary's top priorities. In May, the department hosted the third annual Asian Pacific American Federal Career Advancement Summit to help Asian Pacific Americans acquire the skills necessary to advance within the federal government. A summer internship program was established at the department to provide future Asian Pacific American and Hispanic American leaders an opportunity to learn about our federal government.

The Department of Labor has launched a number of initiatives to assist the growing Asian Pacific American and Hispanic American community. Since small businesses are the growth engine of the U.S. economy and an important avenue of opportunity for Asian Pacific Americans and Hispanic Americans, the department launched a $9 million initiative to help diverse urban and rural populations create, support and expand small businesses. In addition, the department is working to establish federally regulated Association Health Plans to make quality health insurance more affordable and accessible for small business owners and employees.

Other ethnic communities are tracked by Bureau of Labor Statistics, to better serve the Asian Pacific American community, the Department's Bureau of Labor Statistic's monthly unemployment report now includes specific data on Asian Pacific Americans as well.

In July 2004, Secretary Chao brought together more than 500 representatives of government, community and faith based organizations, employers, and unions for the first ever Hispanic Safety and Health Summit, held in Orlando, Florida. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Hispanic Alliance hosted the event to help raise awareness of safety and health issues affecting Hispanic workers. Thanks to an extraordinary enforcement and outreach efforts like this, workplace fatalities among Hispanic workers fell for the first time in seven years in 2002.

In the same month, the Secretary signed a Joint Declaration with the Mexican government reaffirming a shared commitment to improve compliance with and awareness of workplace protections for Mexican workers in the United States.

On the job training front, Secretary Chao launched an initiative to help Hispanic Americans and Asian Pacific Americans develop greater English proficiency and workplace skills so they could take advantage of job opportunities in high growth industries such as hospitality, health care, and construction. The department has also awarded grants to organizations including the Latino Coalition and Nueva Esperanza to help at-risk Hispanic youth get on a pathway to rewarding careers.

For more information about Labor Department programs, activities in the Asian Pacific American or Hispanic American communities, or about the 2004 Opportunity Conference, please visit www.dol.gov.

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