acting Solicitor General of the United States Neal Kaytal administered the oath of office at a formal ceremony in the Congressional Auditorium at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday. Dr. Cabrera was nominated to serve on the Commission by Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan.
“It was a very special moment to see a woman from the Northern Mariana Islands sworn in to serve on this distinguished panel that will be advising the President on national policies affecting Asian American and Pacific Islanders,” Sablan said.
“Dr. Cabrera has worked very hard all of her life to achieve the academic credentials she has. She will certainly be a fine representative for the Northern Marianas, and more broadly for all Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans.”
Present at the ceremony last night was Dr. Cabrera’s brother Dr. Felix Cabrera, who is currently completing a residency in internal medicine at Yale University.
President Obama created the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by Executive Order in October 2009. The mission is “to improve the quality of life of AAPIs through increased participation in Federal programs in which AAPIs may be underserved,” according to the Executive Order.
Nominees to the Advisory Commission went through a rigorous background check and selection process during the year since the President’s Order.
Dr. Debra Cabrera is one of two Commissioners who come from academia. She was Dean of Academic Programs and Services at the Northern Marianas College from 2008 to 2009, and served for many years on the NMC faculty, teaching social sciences. Dr. Cabrera holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Kentucky, an M.A. in Sociology from Ohio University, and a B.A. in Sociology from Washington State University. Currently, she teaches at Guam’s St. John’s School.
“In addition to her academic prowess Dr. Cabrera has made significant contributions to the Northern Marianas through community work,” said Sablan. “That’s how we first met: as fellow members of the Northern Mariana Islands Council for the Humanities.
“Dr. Cabrera impressed me then and, when the President announced the formation of the Advisory Commission, she was someone I thought met the necessary qualifications. So I sent her name to the President.”
The other Commissioner with a university background is Sefa Aina, also a Pacific Islander, who is the Director of the Asian American Resource Center at Pomona College in California.
The Commission’s “star” member is Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP. But other Commissioners, if less well known, are equally distinguished and include the CEO of Ethan Allen Interiors, Farooq Kathwari, Vice Chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Rozita Villanueva Lee, and Executive Director of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Unmi Song.
Dr. Cabrera is the only Commissioner from a U.S. territory. At the swearing in ceremony Congressman Mike Honda, D-Ca., who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, underscored the importance of keeping the territories in mind when shaping national policy. Cabrera’s presence on the Commission is expected to help keep the concerns of Pacific island territories in front of White House officials.
Also speaking at the event was Christopher Lu, Special Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary. Prior to administering the oath of office, Solicitor General Kaytal, who replaces now-Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, spoke of his experience as the son of Indian immigrants. He also gave examples of anti-immigrant policies against Chinese and other Asian newcomers that his own office had once espoused.
Numerous members of Congress were in attendance, including Sens. Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka. House members Maizie Hirono, Judy Chu, Eni Faleomavaega, as well as Sablan, were all present to celebrate the attention Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are now receiving from the White House.
A similar initiative begun by President Bill Clinton was dropped by President George Bush. But President Obama brought the Initiative to life again. Lu said Obama and his administration “are doing everything we can to support the efforts to increase AAPI access and participation in federal programs, especially during these tough economic times.”
Cabrera is the second person from the Northern Marianas that Congressman Sablan has been able to place on a national board. Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry Tenorio was appointed to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The board includes the CEO of Delta Airlines, one of the NMI’s most important travel partners, the COO of the Global Hyatt Corp., and 30 other leading members of the U.S. tourism industry.
