doi:10.7916/9s7f-bg38Oral history interview with Christine Chen, 2022Chen, Christineoral historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesPresidential campaigns--United StatesAsian Americans--Social conditions--United StatesPacific Islander Americans--Social conditions--United StatesAsian Americans--Suffrage--United StatesPacific Islander Americans--Suffrage--United StatesChen, ChristineObama, BarackChristine Chen reflects on her activities during the years of the Obama presidency, and discusses her development as an advocate on behalf of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Chen recounts her upbringing in Ohio; her involvement with student groups and organizations, including the Midwest Asian American Students Union; and her move to Washington, D.C., where she worked with national non-governmental organizations focused on AAPI-related issues. Chen focuses on AAPI political and electoral participation, outlining key barriers to voting and participation, describing important outreach initiatives and resources that have expanded participation, and discussing her service as executive director of APIAVote (Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote) since 2011. Chen also considers the Obama administration's connection to AAPI communities, including by the activities of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI), appointment of Asian Americans to notable positions, mobilization of Obama's biography and identity, and use of Obama's relatives as campaign and administration surrogates. Also discussed are Chen's work on AAPI outreach in Ohio for the Obama 2008 presidential campaign, APIAVote's hosting of a presidential town hall during the 2008 campaign cycle, partisan differences in engagement with AAPI communities, the importance of data disaggregation to the work of the WHIAAPI, and the increased polarization of Washington politics over the course of Chen's career