STATEMENT: AAPI Victory Alliance Commemorates Life and Legacy of the Honorable Norman Mineta, Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation

WASHINGTON — Today, we mourn the passing of the Honorable Norman Mineta, the first Asian American cabinet secretary. Sworn in as the 14th U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Mineta was the longest-serving secretary in the history of the department and oversaw the establishment of the Transportation Safety Administration.

AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore issued the following statement: 

“It is with great sadness that I lead AAPI Victory Alliance in commemorating the life and legacy of the Honorable Norman Y. Mineta. Incarcerated as a child with his family at Heart Mountain, he went on to build a distinguished career in public service that left an indelible mark on American history. 

“Beginning in 1967 when Secretary Mineta first entered politics, he committed himself to standing up for justice and advocating for civil and human rights. While in Congress, he co-founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and led efforts to provide compensation and an official apology to Japanese incarcerated during World War II. In an effort to allay Islamophobia after the attacks on 9/11, Secretary Mineta prohibited U.S. airlines from practicing racial profiling against Middle Eastern and Muslim passengers. 

“Secretary Mineta’s political leadership and ability to work across the aisle left for us a legacy that will benefit generations to come. He will be dearly missed, and we at AAPI Victory Alliance are forever honored to consider him a cherished role model and ally.” 

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AAPI Victory Alliance works to build Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) political power across the country by providing education on progressive issues; creating and advocating for policies that affect our communities; and building alliances with organizations to help AAPIs exert their power and be the margin of victory at the local, state, and national levels.