Strange Fruit #157: Why Aren't There More Latino and Asian-American Elected Officials?

What percentage of your state's population is Latino, or Asian-American? Do Latinos and Asian-Americans make up that same percentage of your state's government? We can tell you, without knowing your state, the percentages are not the same. A new report from the New American Leaders Project (NALP) explains why. That organization is focused on training first- and second-generation immigrants to run for office. The report, "States of Inclusion: New American Journeys to Elected Office," shows there's much work left to be done. This week we talk with Christian Phillips, a research fellow with the NALP, about some of the barriers that keep Latinos and Asian-Americans from running for office - everything from a lack of funding to not seeing themselves as leaders. In our Juicy Fruit segment, we tackle the hashtag on everyone's timeline: #OscarsSoWhite.