Yuhi Aizawa Combatti, senior di- versity, equity, and inclusion manager for AGC of California, who identifies as Japanese, spoke with California Con- structor about AAPI Heritage month, what is important to understand about the AAPI communities, and what action AGC, its members and the construction industry as a whole can take to show up for our current and future colleagues in the AAPI communities.


California Constructor: It’s clear when you look at the research that the AAPI communities are extremely diverse, with a range of incomes and educa- tional attainment among the many different ethnicities in this group. What is important to understand about this?


Yuhi Aizawa Combatti: In addition to learning about the unique history of the AAPI communities in and outside of the United States, understanding how inequity manifests within the AAPI communities is key. Pew research found that Asian Americans in the top 10% of the income distribution earn 10.7 times more than those in the bottom 10%, which is the widest income disparity of any racial group in the United States. There is a similar gap between the highest and the low- est education attainment among the AAPI ethnic groups — disaggregating key demographic data reveals a lot more about the different experiences of these groups.


California Constructor: What role does our larger society play in the treatment and experiences of the various sub- groups within the AAPI communities?


Yuhi Aizawa Combatti: LAAUNCH’s 2021 survey data illustrates a few ways in which our society’s misperceptions


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CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR MAY-JUNE 2022


“In addition to learning about the unique history of the AAPI communities in and outside of the United States, understanding how inequity manifests within the AAPI communities is key. Pew research found that Asian Americans in the top 10% of the income distribution earn 10.7 times more than those in the bottom 10%, which is the widest income disparity of any racial group in the United States.”– Yuhi Aizawa Combatti


LAAUNCH 2021 STAATUS Index 80% 37%


of Asian Americans in the survey said they do not feel respected and are discriminated against in the U.S.


of white American respondents said they are not aware of an increase in hate crimes and racism against Asian


American individuals over the past year, with 24% saying anti-Asian American racism isn’t a problem that should be addressed.


American people are significantly under-represented in senior positions in companies, politics, and media.


50% 42%


of respondents struggled to name a prominent Asian American person, despite several being in the news


including the Vice President of the U.S.


of non-Asian American respondents believe Asian Americans are fairly or over-represented though Asian


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