John Cho will be at CDBF Saturday

You may have seen the local social web buzzing with the news. It's official: Actor John CHo, "Harold" in the Harold and Kumar comedies, and "Sulu" in the Star Trek franchise reboot, is going to be at the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. He'll be registering voters in the Organizing for America booth in the Marketplace from 2-3 pm 1-2 pm. (Update: Check the link to the Facebook page for the latest schedule; it's changed several times since Cho's appearance was announced.)

The details are listed on the Facebook page for OFA-Colorado's "Weekend for Action" event.

Cho's appearance is a reminder that Asian Americans can make a difference in elections. A Pew Research Center Study last month found that Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the U.S. According to a May article in The Atlantic, this enthusiasm for voting can translate to decisive blocs in critical swing states. APIAVote, a non-partisan organization working to increase participation in the political process by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, reports that Asian Americans are expected to vote in record numbers.

Yet, the Asian American vote has mostly been untapped and major parties and local candidates have not engaged with the Asian American demographic.
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival supports voter registration efforts, especially aimed at the Asian American community, and includes a Candidates' tent where candidates running for office can reserve time to speak and meet with constituents.
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The festival urges all eligible voters to register and cast their choice, no matter what their political affiliation!

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