NCAPA Mourns the Passing of Representative Mark Takai

Representative Mark Takai, who represented Hawaii’s first district in the U.S. House of Representatives, has passed away. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and announced in May that he would not seek reelection. He was 49.

We mourn the loss of Rep. Mark Takai, who was a lifelong public servant, a courageous veteran, and a champion of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. He helped preserve the Affordable Care Act and advocated for the rights of Filipino World War II veterans. He spread the aloha spirit everywhere he went and truly dedicated himself to serving the people of Hawaii. He will be greatly missed, and we send our deepest condolences to his family at this difficult time.

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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 35 national Asian Pacific American organizations that serves to represent the interests of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and to provide a national voice for our communities’ concerns. Our communities are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, currently making up approximately six percent of the population.