ORLANDO, Fla. — For Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, attorney Meisheng “Echo” King discussed her efforts in promoting justice and equality in Florida’s Asian American community.
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King practiced immigration law for over a decade, and her passion for helping immigrants stemmed from being an immigrant and understanding the different perspectives that contribute to society.
“I have many clients I know just on a personal level,” King said. “I know them, I understand them.”
Her experience as an immigration attorney shaped her perspective on the need for a good system to support immigrants.
Now, she advocates for justice in a new way through the Florida Asian American Justice Alliance, which she co-founded and is the current president.
It started with SB 264, a complex law restricting foreign immigrants from owning land, including those from China. King said that she received a text when the bill was signed into law in March 2023, and based on her background in fighting for immigrants’ rights, she was eager to take action.
“So I read it, and then I think it’s not fair, it’s unconstitutional,” she said. “It’s discriminatory against Chinese immigrants, and also some immigrants, some people from other countries as well.”
In Feb. 2024, an appeals court decision temporarily blocked the law from being enforced on two individual plaintiffs. King said the organization has fought to amend the law for a year, and the law is still in effect for Chinese citizens and other restricted groups.
But the work of FAAJ doesn’t stop there.
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“And that’s how we decided to form an organization for the Asian American Justice Alliance, because we feel like our voices were not being heard,” King said. “And we would feel like our presence, we were not being seen, we are invisible.”
The nonprofit also focuses on civic engagement, endorsing candidates, and developing youth leadership skills. King said it’s important to give children the avenue to understand what they can achieve.
“So we are trying to provide a wider platform and also tools for the kids to develop, if they are interested in pursuing later, like, for example, (a) political career or government positions,” she said.
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King emphasized the need for more Asian American voices, given the underrepresentation in elected offices. Some issues may get overlooked, but getting involved is the first step.
She said it is not traditional for Asian families to teach practices of speaking up, and they’re typically modeled to keep their heads down, work hard and focus on education.
“That’s why we’re hoping that through our organization, through our efforts, we can encourage more Asian American people to stand up to voice our concerns,” King said. “And also let the public and the elected officials and the general public know that we have issues, we have concerns, and also this type of law, when it passed, it really caused, you know, concerns and also the Asian hate, those crimes will increase as well.”
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