Candidate Bio

(she/her) began her union career in 1981 with an Actors Equity Association production of “Flower Drum Song.” She then joined SAG and AFTRA in 1982 when she got her first film and television roles. After decades as a performer, Hanámi’s union service calling began with the creation of the AFTRA Asian Pacific American Media Task Force in 2002. She fostered younger members of the Asian American acting community who also desired more representation. They expressed their intense frustration with the limitations that she also experienced throughout her career due to race, ethnicity, and cultural bias. In 2012 with the SAG-AFTRA merger, the Task Force became a National Committee and Hanámi continued as National Chair. The APAM Committee established a strong mission, and has supported members across the country to further the inclusion, authentic representation and employment of those who identify themselves as being of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage. Although we have seen improvement in recent years, it has been a struggle with racial labeling, blame, and disparagement due to world events like the Covid-19 pandemic. So our work continues to demystify and shine a light on members of East Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander, and Indigenous Hawaiian heritages as viable assets in the entertainment industry and beyond.