More than 200 leaders of Asian-American communities in Maryland will gather today in Annapolis for the governor?s first Asian Pacific American summit.
“Our biggest objective is to listen to the needs of the community, so that we can make our government work for the community,” said David Lee, executive director of the governor?s Office and Commission on Asian Pacific Affairs.
The summit also looks toward leveraging the unity among the nearly 1,000 civic and cultural organizations that represent the 250,000 Asian-Americans in Maryland to give them greater political say, he said.
The communities here are ethnically insular, dealing mostly with residents from their own heritage group, Lee said.
Unlike the Hispanics, who share a common language and often a common religion, Lee said Asians come from more than 30 countries, speak hundreds of different languages and include Muslims, Buddhists, Hindu and Christians.
At the summit, Gov. Martin O?Malley will sign an agreement renewing Maryland?s sister state relationship with theGyeongsangnam province in South Korea with provincial Gov. Kim Taeho, leading a delegation to Maryland. The province is on the southeast coast and includes the large port city of Busan.
BY THE NUMBERS
Anne Arundel
» Asian population: 13,826
» Entire population: 510,878
Baltimore City
» Asian population: 11,850
» Entire population: 628,670
Baltimore County
» Asian population: 26,912
» Entire population: 786,113
Carroll
» Asian population: 1,445
» Entire population: 168,541
Harford
» Asian population: 4,198
» Entire population: 239,259
Howard
» Asian population: 20,891
» Entire population: 269,457
Source: U.S. Census for 2005
