Urmil Shah, Chairman, Asian Chamber of Texas

In an interview with Invest:, Urmil Shah, chairman of the Asian Chamber of Texas, talked about the organization’s advocacy work, navigating the labor market and the representation of Asian Americans in the region. According to Shah, there are challenges associated with some government policies that negatively impact the Asian community, including SB147. 

What have been some of the biggest priorities for the Chamber over the past year? 

Our main priority has been addressing new and unfolding government policies. There are a few proposals being discussed that tend to skew negatively against businesses of Asian descent, particularly Chinese. One of these is SB147, which prevents Chinese nationals from purchasing property in Texas, preventing them from owning their own building if they want to start a business. We have been working with legislators to modify the language so that legal residents are allowed to make the purchase. 

The majority of 2023 has been focused on house bills that are still under review. We are taking advantage of our right to prevent them from moving forward so they do not negatively impact the Asian community. I think the region is still conducive to new business but we do not agree with passing legislation that promotes hate against Asians under the guise of security. We are trying to ensure these kinds of ideals do not persist. 

How is the Chamber navigating macroeconomic volatility? 

We have faced the same issues that many other businesses have in terms of recruitment and retention of staff. Because of the tight labor market, it is hard to find people. But I also think the hybrid work model is gaining a lot of traction. Most of our businesses are moving towards a hybrid format and I see that continuing. However, this can have a wider economic impact, and some small businesses require their employees to attend the office more often. When just one employee comes into the office, they are buying lunch and spending money on gas, which aids the local economy. 

What does Asian-American representation look like today in North Texas? 

There are 1.9 million Asians in Texas, making it the state with the third largest Asian population. Dallas, Houston and Austin have the highest concentration of Asians. With more than 51,000 Asian businesses, they paid out over 15 billion in payroll. The representation can be found in mostly small but strong businesses. These businesses are growing though, and Texas has seen an influx of Asian-Americans that are bringing their businesses with them. These businesses tend to be in hospitality, retail and some in software services. Right now, Asian representation in the political arena is very low so there is still room to grow. There are a lot of opportunities due to Texas’ overall growth. There is a lot of potential within any vertical. There is demand for anything our community can think of because of the growth happening in Texas. If they connect with us, we can help guide them in the right direction or answer any questions they may have. 

What else are you doing in terms of advocacy? 

We are advocating for diversity and inclusion across a range of sectors. There are a few bills on the table that could undermine this value for minority communities, especially in regard to property rights. We are working with the Senate and all the regional chambers of commerce to create an advocacy group that works for all parties to share resources and maintain a sense of community. We are proposing a town hall that deals with any issue or proposal that targets a particular community or constitutional right.  

Growth of AAPI residents 2010-2020: 66% 

Growth of eligible AAPI voters 2010-2020: 74% 

Share of Asian American adults who are Limited English Proficient: 34%

What is your role within the community? 

There are many immigrants of Asian descent, even Asian-Americans, who come to Dallas and don’t know where to go. We have a long history in the Dallas region and we are connected to most of the public sectors. This community needs a voice to access resources and it is our job to work as a bridge to connect businesses to major corporate partners as a middleman. The Asian chamber is just one organization that considers the concerns of the various Asian communities and tries to resolve them. 

Socioeconomic Challenges* 

About 157,832 Asian Americans in Texas (11%) lack health insurance 

About 139,779 Asian Americans in Texas (10%) live in poverty 

About 37,918 Asian Americans in Texas (3%) lack broadband access 

About 4,492 NHPIs in Texas (18%) lack health insurance 

About 4,278 NHPIs in Texas (17%) live in poverty 

About 2,532 NHPIs in Texas (11%) lack broadband access

How has the role of chambers of commerce evolved in general? 

There are a lot of individual chambers that focus exclusively on their individual community or region and often miss the bigger picture of what is available to everyone. The presence of chambers allows us to create a broader perspective. We are also looking far into the future, at issues like sourcing water, transportation and education and the connection between all of those. Another initiative we are looking into is how we can help both small and big businesses achieve carbon neutrality.