The Lunar New Year event was part of White House outreach efforts to the Asian American community and was “an important symbol of access and inclusion during a time of shock and sadness,” said Janelle Wong, professor of American studies and government and politics at the University of Maryland in College Park.

“The Biden administration has also recognized Diwali and the start of Ramadan, and all of these receptions are shared beyond those who attend, through print and social media,” she told VOA.

Twenty-two million people in the U.S., or 7% of the population, identify as Asian alone or in combination with another racial or ethnic category, and they trace their roots to more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, according to the Pew Research Center.

They are also a key demographic for Biden, who boasted that 13.7% of the people in his administration are members of the AAPI community. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing group of eligible voters. Over the past two decades they have become much more likely to vote for Democrats than for Republicans, supporting traditionally Democratic agendas, including stricter gun laws.

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