AARP Maryland Launches Asian American/Pacific Islander Outreach Initiative

AARP Maryland is accelerating its multi-cultural outreach with the launch of a new Asian American Pacific Islander steering committee. Under the leadership of AARP Maryland Executive Council Member Dr. Sudha Haley, the goal of the committee is to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion of Maryland’s Asian American population is reflected in AARP Maryland’s outreach, planning and communications. Suresh Gupta, M.D. will serve as the Advisor to AARP Maryland’s AAPI Outreach Steering Committee.

“AARP’s founder Dr. Ethel Percy  Andrus said, ‘what we do, we do for all,’” said AARP State President Jim Campbell, “And so it’s incumbent upon us to make sure that our work and our programs reflect the needs and preferences of Maryland’s many diverse communities.  The steering committee will help strengthen our ties with community leaders and inform our planning.”

In 2019, the American Community Survey estimated that 475,000 of Marylanders identified as Asian American and Pacific Islanders, or 7.9% of the population.

Dr. Haley is a resident of Southern Maryland and joined the AARP Maryland Executive Council after an extensive career in public service at the U.S. Department of Labor. She sees this effort as one that will merge the priorities of AARP’s mission with the needs of Asian Americans residing in Maryland. The steering committee intends to empower and positively influence Maryland AARP’s Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and their families, through advocacy, outreach programming, and education.

OBJECTIVES: 

• To celebrate and highlight Maryland AAPI community members’ unique contributions to Maryland.
• To increase AARP Maryland’s reputation in the AAPI community.
• To create an inclusive AARP Maryland culture that fosters productivity and creativity within a comfortable environment.
• To help Maryland AAPI members build networks through volunteerism and interface with the community through nonprofit partnerships.
• To educate key federal and statewide officials about the steering committee’s mission, engage in conversations around safety and security issues, as well as legislation to decrease disparities in the AAPI community.

The committee is planning a newsletter and will engage with elected officials at their meetings. Dr. Haley has pulled together an impressive leadership team to carry out this effort:

• Dr. Suresh Gupta, AARP Maryland AAPI Advisor
• Delphine S. Ally, Research Scientist, National Human Genome Research Institute (Ret.)
• Hassina Amrane, Manager, the World Bank Group, IT Infrastructure and Operations (Ret.)
• Dr. Gybrilla Ballard-Blakes, Chief, Executive Office, US Attorneys (Ret.) AARP Maryland Executive Council
• Dr. Bruce A. Fowler, Senior Fellow, ICF International (Ret.), Fulbright Board of Directors
• Dr. Kenneth C. Haley, Professor, Georgetown University (Ret.)
• Dr. Sudha K. Haley, U.S. Department of Labor (Ret.), President, National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Association Maryland Federation
• Frank Lee, President, NARFE Chapter 1747
• Dr. Raj Mahajan, Anesthesiologist (Ret.)
• Dr. Shakuntla Mahajan, Anesthesiologist (Ret.) Meditation Guru
• Dr. Mary Jo Sexton, Professor, University of Maryland School of Medical Epidemiology (Ret.)

About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.​