As the fastest-growing major racial group in Massachusetts, Asian American and Pacific Islander share their experiences getting involved in local government.
When School Committee member Jung Yueh was 10 years old, his father served as a precinct captain in Taiwan. He called citizens, encouraging them to vote. Now, Yueh brings his own kids with him during elections.
Yueh, an actuary, moved to Belmont on Christmas Eve of 2010, drawn by the transportation and the school system. He was involved in myriad nonpolitical activities, such as the Butler Parent Teacher Association and other nonprofits in Belmont.
In 2023, encouraged by Select Board Chair Matt Taylor and others, he ran for the School Committee. The campaign echoed his childhood: Knocking on doors, debating, soliciting donations, and putting up signs. It was a two-and-a-half-month sprint.
Yueh is one of the many Asian American civic leaders carving out a role in Belmont politics.
"The involvement is increasing every year," said Deepak Garg, a Warrant Committee and Capital Budget Committee member. "Our views are being listened to, and when we are there, we can provide a different point of view. A different angle to things."
Belmont has an Asian population of 20.38%, consisting of 5,504 residents, according to the World Population Review.
According to No Longer Invisible: The 2025 Massachusetts Asian, Pacific Islander American (APIA) Community Survey Report found "APIA residents are the fastest-growing major racial group in Massachusetts, with the population rising by nearly 38% since 2012 to more than half a million."
This July survey, funded by the Boston Foundation, is a collaborative effort between multiple Boston advocacy organizations, examining civic engagement, sense of belonging, and political opinions of APIA communities.
"It took a while for me to realize that I could jump in and be sort of grassroots involvement in running the institution of Belmont," said fellow School Committee member Zehra Abid-Wood. "It was something that didn't come naturally to me."
Abid-Wood, who was elected to the committee last spring, has been a Belmont resident for 13 years.
According to Abid-Wood, in her country of origin, Pakistan, there's a cultural emphasis on respecting institutions rather than taking the reins, and women are often expected to avoid appearing assertive.
She considered her campaign a case of accidental civic leadership. Like Yueh, she began volunteering at the strategic advisory council, then decided she wanted to bring her strategic management skills to the public arena.
"I realized I couldn't sit around and wait for an invitation...and I felt like it was important for me to bring that to play within the context of Belmont," Abid-Wood said.
"The opportunities are there. We're trying to get people engaged," said Julie Wu, Belmont Pan Asian Coalition president and co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Implementation Committee.
Wu said the Select Board is supportive and often inquires to see if she's aware of a qualified person for committee positions. This sentiment was echoed by Yueh who was encouraged by a member of the Select Board to run.
"I wish that more of our members would attend these things and take an active interest," Wu said. "I don't know how much of it is a cultural thing, but it's a hurdle that we have to overcome."
Preoccupied with grueling schedules of work, childcare, chores, and other obligations, many people find it difficult to muster the time or energy to engage in local politics -- a roadblock for potential candidates.
"It's a difficult thing when Town Meeting doesn't fully reflect the ethnic diversity that we have at Belmont," moderator Mike Crowley said. "It is also a little bit lopsided in other areas as well."
Crowley, who said he has reached out to candidates, is uncertain how to involve more people. He floated the idea of an Asian American town hall event in the future, where residents could stop by and ask questions.
Political research identifies three main factors driving political participation, whether at the federal, state, local, or transnational levels: motivation, resources, and mobilization, wrote Harvard professor of government Taeku Lee in an email to The Belmont Voice.
According to Lee, motivation relies on the groups people belong to, the native belief that participation matters, and an ingrained sense of civic duty. Obstacles include time, money, and civic skills (such as political knowledge). Third, people are more likely to be politically engaged when someone asks them to take part.
Lee added that language access is a critical component of mobilizing AAPI communities.
For some Belmont AAPI residents, civic participation is influenced by their country of origin, he said. Individuals from politically unstable countries may be shaped by their lens of survival, influencing their framework of local politics.
For Lina Kang, a rising senior at Belmont High School, politics was part of her upbringing. She grew up watching the news during dinner time. Growing up, her family discussed Asian American representation and systems of power in America.
Kang, an activist, attended a protest against gun violence in Washington, D.C., as well as rallies hosted by the Boston Party of Socialism and Liberation.
"I think activism is essential to have change, and it does make me feel good to know that I'm doing as much as I can," Kang said. "At the same time, a lot of the issues that I am concerned about are such large-scale issues, and it would [involve] corporations and higher-ups."
"In our little town, you could actually implement things that make an impact, and so we have the opportunity to implement some of those solutions, " said Marlene Loyall, a rising senior on the Energy Committee. Loyall contributed to the campaign for electric buses and the native plant garden. For her, political involvement means being well-informed, talking to your neighbors, and door-to-door knocking.
Andrew Ge said that people often underestimate the value of being involved. Ge took part in student government throughout middle school, then decided to bring his public speaking skills to advocate for his peers through the school committee. A language or cultural barrier makes getting into town politics more intimidating, especially as many different nuances, according to Ge.
"The Asian American community has definitely found a foothold in Belmont," Ge said.
Among the Asian and Pacific Islander American group surveyed in No Longer Invisible: The 2025 Massachusetts (APIA) Community Survey Report, the majority of respondents identified as Democrats, with variation by ethnic group. Indian Americans showed 64% Democratic affiliation, followed by Chinese Americans with 55%, and Vietnamese Americans with 45% Democratic support.
Most Asian Americans answered that they opposed or strongly opposed ending birthright citizenship, ending diversity initiatives, and increasing deportation efforts.
These results provide insight into the APIA community, which holds various, sometimes contradictory, opinions. The diverse perspectives stem from multifaceted, historical, and complex backgrounds and political experiences.
"I think we're all such multi-dimensional beings that it's dangerous to think about this being . . . one dimension of representation," Abid-Wood said. "I see local politics as something that should be done as an individual rather than a group, because your diversity is only one facet of what you bring to the table."