AsAm Files

ICIRR AmeriCorps Position

2009-06-07T14:09:00.001-05:00

f you know of any people who'd be interested in an AmeriCorps spot with ICIRR, please pass this along.

As early as June 1 we will have an opening here at ICIRR for an AmeriCorp Member. I’d really like to reach out to young adults who are familiar with immigrant communities, outgoing, and bi-lingual in any language representing a sizeable immigrant community here in Chicago (Arabic, Hindi. Urdu, Russian, Polish, etc). I’m attaching the job description. The person has to be a Legal Permanent Resident or US Citizen. Let me know if you have youth who might be interested. I’d love to get someone who is already familiar with the work of ICIRR’s members.

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Title: Immigrant Family Resource Program AmeriCorps Member: Outreach Specialist
Make a difference by providing stepping stones to self-sufficiency for diverse immigrant
communities. Work with organizations across the state providing community outreach.
Organization and Program Description: ICIRR is a 23-year-old membership
organization composed of over 100 dues paying organizations whose mission is to
promote the full and equal participation of immigrants and refugees in the political, civic
and economic life of our diverse society.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) Immigrant Family
Resource Program is a unique-in-the nation partnership between the Illinois Department
of Human Services (IDHS), ICIRR, and ethnic community-based organizations across
Illinois. Over the past nine years the Immigrant Family Resource Program (IFRP) has
excelled in educating and providing access to immigrant families needing safety-net
services like Food Stamps and Medicaid through case management, professional
interpretation and translation, and referral services.
IFRP partners with 40 ethnic organizations across Illinois; operates in 52 languages,
mainly Spanish, Korean, Arabic, Polish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi, Vietnamese, and
Urdu; and reaches people from 80 countries of origin. IFRP reaches Metro Chicago’s
diverse immigrant communities including Latino, Polish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean,
Arab, South Asian, Eastern European, African, and Refugee groups; Suburban Cook and
Collar County growing immigrant communities; and rural Latinos in Central and
Downstate Illinois. This access has proved vital in integrating immigrant families into
the fabric of our state.
Position Description:
The primary goal of the IFRP AmeriCorps Partner is to increase access to and
participation in specific safety-net programs through improved community outreach. The
specific programs and outreach topics include Health Programs, Food Stamps,
Employment Assistance, and Work Rehabilitation depending on eligibility of individual
community members. The Outreach Specialist will be supervised by the IFRP Program
Associate and Program Director.
The full time Outreach Specialist will be primarily responsible for ensuring Partner
outreach is successful and will do so by:
• providing ICIRR created materials for outreach and education;
• monitoring and evaluating current outreach events conducted by IFRP Partners;
• maintaining bi-weekly record keeping and reporting of partner outreach and
effectiveness (based on new cases, information and referrals);
• assisting with day-to-day project operations including data collection and reporting;
• inter-program planning and coordination, information dissemination to grantees and
between agency partners (including limited work on IFRP page of website);
assisting with in-service training opportunities for project grantees;
participating in bi-weekly ICIRR staff meetings.
The Outreach Specialist will be based out of the ICIRR offices in downtown Chicago but
will travel to outreach events in the Metro Chicago area and sometimes in other parts of
Qualifications:
• Demonstrated experience working effectively with diverse constituencies with
differing interests and needs;
• Access to car (mileage will be reimbursed);
• Outgoing personality with excellent interpersonal and organizational skills;
• Ability to balance time between field work (outreach) and administrative work;
• Experience with Excel and Microsoft word;
• Detail oriented with the ability to juggle many different tasks simultaneously and
complete them in a timely manner;
• Some knowledge and awareness of immigration law and policies, and experience
working with immigrants and/or refugees preferred;
• Desire to work in social service or community organizing;
• High school degree or equivalent required; some college preferred;
• Ability to write clearly in English;
• Preferably bi-lingual in English and language of one of the target communities:
Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Polish, Korean, French, Hindi, or Urdu.
Additional Details:
As an AmeriCorps Partner, the Outreach Specialist will receive a modest living
allowance, health insurance, and an education award of $4,725. The one-year position
begins June 1, 2009 with 5 days of training and will be completed on May 31, 2010. This
AmeriCorps position at ICIRR is arranged with the Logan Square Neighborhood
Association (LSNA). The AmeriCorps Partner will receive some training with the other
LSNA AmeriCorps Partners.
Send Questions and Resumes with Cover Letter to:
Jennifer M Kons
55 E Jackson Blvd, #2075
For Information on AmeriCorps visit
Chicago IL 60604
www.AmeriCorps.gov
jkons@icirr.org
ICIRR is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

SAVE THE DATE: Asians with Disabilities Community Forum June 12th

2009-06-07T13:15:00.000-05:00

*** SAVE THE DATE *** SAVE THE DATE *** SAVE THE DATE ***

Asian Americans with Disabilities
Community Forum and Dialogue
Friday, June 12, 2009
1pm - 3pm

Access Living
115 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60654

*** SAVE THE DATE *** SAVE THE DATE *** SAVE THE DATE ***

Last year, DHS launched an effort to understand the gaps in services
and needs of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with disabilities who
require state services. As part of this effort to identify these needs,
DHS is working with Professor Rooshey Hasnain of the University of
Illinois at Chicago to co-host a community forum and dialogue around
issues of disability, access, and cultural awareness in Asian American
and Pacific Islander communities.

Short presentations will be given by UIC Honor's Program students.
Please see the attached flyer and agenda. Some topics that will be
covered include:

* Mental Health in the Asian American community
* Deafness and cultural understanding in the Asian American community
* Family support in the development of adolescents with disabilities

Please mark your calendars!

We look forward to seeing you at this exciting event!

Kriti Festival of S. Asian Arts and Literature -- registration / schedule now available

2009-06-07T13:14:00.000-05:00

The third Kriti Festival of S. Asian Arts and Literature will take
place this June 11 - 14, at UIC and Roosevelt University. The
festival features Guests of Honor Amitava Kumar, Bapsi Sidhwa, and
Romesh Gunesekera, along with more than fifty other authors, dancers,
actors, and musicians. There'll be two theatre performances
(including a performance of _Yoni Ki Baat_, the S. Asian version of
the vagina monologues), two nights of dance and music performances,
and more! A full schedule is available here:
http://www.desilit.org/kriti.php#schedule

Registration is free for UIC students, faculty, and staff, but we do
strongly recommend that you register in advance, in order to ensure
your space is reserved. Details are available here:

http://www.desilit.org/kriti.php

And please do help us spread the word, to your family, friends, and colleagues!

- Mary Anne Mohanraj

--
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
Executive Director, DesiLit, www.desilit.org
Executive Director, SLF, www.speclit.org
www.maryannemohanraj.com

6/14/09: A Special Qawwali Concert with Faiz Ali Faiz at Old Town School of Folk Music

2009-06-07T13:13:00.000-05:00

What:
Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN) Presents: A Special Qawwali Concert with Faiz Ali Faiz

When:
Sunday, June 14, 2009 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Where:
Old Town School of Folk Music
4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL

Contact Info:
arts@imancentral.org | 7734344626

On Sunday, June 14th, 2009, IMAN will embark on an exciting endeavor with the Old Town School of Folk Music to host a special concert with the renowned Qawwal, Faiz Ali Faiz and Party from Pakistan!!

Qawwali is a Sufi devotional vocal music with a dynamic musical tradition that stretches back over seven centuries, and Faiz Ali Faiz is one of its current leading voices. Faiz Ali Faiz comes from a family of qawwals from seven generations. Born in 1962 in Sharaqpur, Pakistan, Faiz Ali started his professional singing career in 1978. Faiz Ali learned classical music with Ustad Ghulam Shabbir Khan and Ustad Jafar Khan and received qawwali training with Masters Muhammad Ali Faridi and Abdur Rahim Faridi Qawwal. He practices the doaba style from eastern Pakistan.

Faiz's voice is characterised by its large range and a specially rich tone which reminds us of the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who has been his revered inspiration and whose compositions he enjoys singing. Faiz Ali Faiz is considered by many to be the great new voice of Qawwali, winning the BBC's World Music Award in 2006. He has also been highlighted in the media for his collaborations with flamenco musicians and more recently, gospel singers.

Produced in partnership with the Old Town School of Folk Music, a Chicago landmark in outstanding world music, we hope this event will further promote our belief that the arts are a critical tool for cross cultural communication and mutual understanding.

Do not miss this!! Tickets are only $20!! You can either purchase tickets online: http://www.tinyurl.com/faizalifaiztix or by calling Old Town's box office at: 773.728.6000

Thank you to our sponsors:
East-West University

Find Us On Facebook:
IMAN Presents: A Special Qawwali Concert with Faiz Ali Faiz - http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=201356090203

UCLA: Professor Valerie Matsumoto Promoted to Full Professor

2009-06-07T13:11:00.000-05:00

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center and Department are very pleased to announce that our invaluable colleague, Professor Valerie Jean Matsumoto, has been promoted to Full Professor, effective July 2009. Professor Matsumoto holds a split appointment in UCLA's History Department and the Asian American Studies Department, and is actively involved as a member of the Faculty Advisory Committee of the Asian American Studies Center.

A graduate of Arizona State University (B.A.) and Stanford University (Ph.D. History). Professor Matsumoto has had a distinguished career that has already spanned over 20 years at UCLA and hundreds of undergraduate and graduate mentees. Her book, Farming the Home Place, is widely regarded as a classic in Japanese and Asian American community studies. She also co-edited (with Blake Allmendinger) Over the Edge: Remapping The American West. Her newest book manuscript, which focuses on (second-generation Japanese American) Nisei women's social networks before, during, and after World War II, is a timely, innovative study which promises to be as influential as its predecessor. Dr. Matsumoto also continues her on-going research projects on Asian American History; U.S. 20th Century, Women's History, and Oral History..

Professor Matsumoto is also one of UCLA's stellar instructors. She was the inaugural recipient of the C. Doris and Toshio Hoshide Distinguished Teaching Prize in 2006, as well as the recipient of the university-wide Distinguished Teaching Award in 2007. She has chaired or been a member of hundreds of senior theses, MA theses and doctoral dissertations, and the students she has mentored are faculty members across the nation, award-winning writers, and leaders in the community and society.

During her UCLA career, Professor Matsumoto has also contributed to the Asian American Studies Center by serving as guest editor of several special issues of Amerasia Journal, Associate Director of the Center, organizing conferences and events, and chairing selection committees. She also has been an active leader in the Asian American Studies Department, and was Vice Chair of the department and a member of a number of committees. She is also an active volunteer with many local and national museums, historical societies, and other organizations and institutions.

Take the Kids to the Philippines for a Day - at Navy Pier's Chicago Children's Museum

2009-06-07T13:10:00.000-05:00

Take the Kids to the Philippines for a Day - at Navy Pier's Chicago Children's Museum

Thursday, June 11
Saturday, June 13
Sunday, June 14

Chicago Children's Museum
Navy Pier
Chicago, IL

Bring the family and experience the wonders of the Philippines, as the Chicago Children's Museum (CCM) features the Philippines during its "Passport to the World" series.

The Museum will host displays of Philippine crafts and exhibits, as well as interactive productions by native performers and artists, during the weekend of June 11-14, 2009.

Thursday, June 11, 2009 5:30pm - 8:00pm
Saturday, June 13, 2009 12:00pm - 4:30pm
Sunday, June 14, 2009 12:00pm - 4:30pm

The CCM's "Passport to the World" series showcases the arts and traditions of Chicago's many ethnic groups to provide opportunities for museum visitors to better understand Chicago's unique multicultural community. Previous "Passport to the World" exhibits showcased Chicago's Korean, Persian and American Indian communities.

This will be the second time that the series celebrates the Philippines. The weekend celebration begins on Thursday evening, June 11, 2009. The exhibits and performances will then continue Saturday and Sunday (June 13-14).

On Thursday evening, both the Children's Museum and the opening reception are free to the public. Although there is no extra charge for the Passport to the World: Philippines event on Saturday and Sunday, attendees must pay the regular CCM entrance fee.
The event will include a variety of fun "hand's on" programs for kids.

"We're very proud and excited to have this opportunity to share our culture with our greater Chicago community," said Ruben Salazar, chairman of the planning committee for the program. "Our local Filipino-American community is the second largest Asian American group in the metropolitan area. It's a great opportunity for uniting the many Filipino-American organizations and individual Pinoys throughout the Chicago area."

Volunteers and sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact the steering committee for more information on how you can help make this celebration a success.

This event is a collaborative program by FAN, Samahang Kapatid and other Filipino American organizations.

For more information, go to http://www.fan-chicago.org.

LGBTQ Immigration

2009-06-07T13:08:00.000-05:00

Hello CAPACD members,

Congratulation on the 10th year anniversary and growing stronger!

Since immigration is one of the issues that NCAPACD is supporting/taking, I'm writing in hopes to gain NCAPACD support in one of presssing issue the Filipino Community is being faced with: Immigration rights of LGBTIQ

On Friday, April 3, 2009, Shirley Tan was threatened with deportation and separation from family which included her life partner, Jaylynn “Jay” Mercado, her 12 year old twin sons, and Jay’s 76 year old mother, of whom she was the primary care giver. Tan was unable to be petitioned for U.S. citizenship by her life partner of 23 years, Mercado, because the U.S. federal law does not recognize their union as a family based on their identification as women and their partnership as lesbians. Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-D) was able to postpone her deportation until April 22, 2009.

Senator Feinstein introduced a very rare private bill on behalf of Shirley Tan; Shirley will not have to leave the USA for now and hopefully never. The essence of its introduction is that Tan does not have to leave the USA on May 10th, in terms of the voluntary order issued by DHS. This enables her to stay in the USA, legally, until the private bill passes ( a rare occurrence)- and if it does not come up for a vote then she can stay for the duration of this Congress’s session, which has approximately a year and nine months left. However Shirleys ultimate saviour will be UAFA and nothing else!

This is unbelievably miraculous and indeed an extraordinary measure on behalf of the family. This also gives all our wonderful activists, LGBTIQ organizations, and community supporters an opportunity to hit the streets, the phones, the faxes, the e-mails, the blogs etc. and to fight like crazy for the Uniting American families ACT (UAFA) – in truth the only real long term option for Shirley and the 40,000 other couples/families in this dire situation.

A few articles are link below to give you Shirley Tan background/story and what's happening at the White House:

http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/breaking-shirley-tan-invited-to-uafa-hearing/

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/160082/Pinay-Lesbian-couple-now-at-the-forefront-of-LGBT-movement-in-US

http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/senator-arlen-specter-d-pacomes-on-board/

http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/senator-dianne-feinstein-et-al-save-shirley-tan/

So, when we talk about Immigration, please don't forget the LGBTIQ community and include them in the advocacy efforts. All the help and support NCAPACD can provide is greatly appreciated.

In solidarity,

Angelica Cabande

SoMa Community Action Network (SOMCAN)

Director of Organizing

415.202.5689 direct office

www.somcan.org

NAPAWF Applauds Introduction of the Reuniting Families Act; Act Now to Show Your Support

2009-06-06T20:30:00.000-05:00

NAPAWF Applauds Introduction of the Reuniting Families Act

Today, Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), along with Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) and Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), reintroduced the Reuniting Families Act. This important piece of legislation contains practical solutions for allocating visas more efficiently, alleviating lengthy wait times that keep families separated for years, and decreasing measures that prevent close family members from obtaining visas. The bill also has provisions for eliminating discrimination in immigration law against same-sex permanent partners and their families who are seeking to reunite.

There are currently 5.8 million people in the family immigration backlog, and nearly half originate from Asian countries. Family members in China, India, and the Philippines face some of the longest waiting periods-sometimes waiting up to 22 years before reuniting with their loved ones. API women and girls apply for family-based visas more than any type of visa. In 2004, 69% of all female immigrants received their permanent residency through the family-based immigration system. Women were 38% more likely to obtain legal permanent resident status through a family-based visa than men.

The Reuniting Families Act contains provisions that will alleviate wait times and decrease obstacles to immigrant family members seeking to obtain a visa by:

· Recapturing family and work visas that have gone unused and unclaimed due to bureaucratic delay;

· Classifying lawful permanent resident spouses and children as "immediate relatives" and exempting them from numerical caps on family immigration;

· Increasing per country limits from 7% to 10% of total admissions to remedy long backlogs;

· Allowing orphans, widows, and widowers to immigrate despite the death of a sponsoring relative;

· Recognizing the sacrifices of Filipino service members by exempting children of World War II Filipino veterans from numerical caps;

· Treating stepchildren and biological children equally under immigration law; and

· Allowing same-sex permanent partners to sponsor their foreign partner for a permanent visa.

NAPAWF praises Congressman Honda for recognizing the importance of family unity. Families that rely on the legal immigration application process should not be punished by excessive wait times or administrative inefficiencies before being reunited. In addition, NAPAWF believes that all families deserve equal treatment, and we commend Congressman Honda for addressing the injustice same-sex transnational families face under current immigration laws. Discrimination against one type of family hurts our entire community.

ACT NOW to Urge Your Member of Congress to Support the Reuniting Families Act!

A system that keeps family members apart hurts everyone. We need your help to remind our elected officials that it is time to reunite family members in a timely and humane manner. Legislation that supports family unity is a critical building block to comprehensive immigration reform that will help repair our badly broken system.

We must ACT NOW to make sure that the Reuniting Families Act gets as much support as possible from Members of Congress! They need to understand family immigration is a key part of immigration reform!

There are three QUICK ACTIONS you can DO TODAY to support family unity:

· Call NOW to urge your Representative to cosponsor the Reuniting Families Act! Contact the Capital Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be directly connected to your Representative. (If you don't know who your representative is you can find out here)

Call your representative:

"Please co-sponsor the Reuniting Families Act and help reform our outdated family immigration system that is keeping 5.8 million family members separated from their loved ones. Currently, the wait for a family immigration visa can span decades, which is a lifetime for the spouse, child, or parent of a hardworking immigrant. As an Asian American/Pacific Islander, I am especially concerned that family members from Asia and immigrant women are disproportionally hurt by inefficiencies in the system. It's time to update the family immigration system to reflect the needs of our society today."

· To endorse this legislation as an organization, contact Parag Mehta at parag@alumni.utexas.net

· Forward this message to 10 friends immediately and urge them to participate.

Together we can repair the broken immigration system and help families be together! Thank you for your support.

Click here for more information about the Reuniting Families Act or contact Priscilla at phuang@napawf.org.

AAI Community Organizer job posting: application deadline June 19

2009-06-06T20:08:00.000-05:00

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER

Job Posting: June 3, 2009

The Asian American Institute was established in 1992 as a pan-Asian, not-for-profit organization. Our mission is to empower the Asian American community through advocacy, by utilizing research, education and coalition building. AAI is seeking a full-time organizer to develop leaders to address issues impacting Illinois’ low-income and marginalized Asian American populations.

REPORTS TO: Director of Programs

RESPONSIBILITIES:

* Lead and manage AAI’s community organizing program:

· Build and maintain relationships with Asian American community organizations and leaders,

· Work with Asian American community organizations to identify leaders and issues,

· Develop leaders by providing training workshops and conferences, including AAI’s annual Asian American Leadership Forum,

· Work with leaders to develop and implement organizing campaigns, including AAI’s current immigration reform campaign and its August 2009 Asian American Town Hall Meeting,

· Conduct outreach to elected officials and governmental agencies about AAI's campaigns and efforts to create policy change,

· Collaborate with AAI’s affiliate organizations (Asian American Justice Center, Asian Law Caucus, Asian Pacific American Legal Center),

· Prepare program-related written reports, meeting summaries, press releases and other materials,

· Manage and supervise any organizing-related interns and volunteers, and

* Assist with program-related development; work with AAI’s development staff to maintain relationships with current funders and to help identify and build relationships with prospective program funders;
* Assist the Director of Programs with other tasks, as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

* Experience working with Asian American communities,
* Experience in community organizing strongly preferred; experience in developing campaigns and strategic planning is an asset,
* Commitment to social justice and civil rights,
* Excellent written and oral communication skills,
* Ability to work independently, think creatively and prioritize multiple tasks,
* Openness and ability to adapt and respond to changes in the environment,
* Ability to work collaboratively with multi-ethnic, multi-generational or multi-sector communities,
* Bilingual skills in English and an Asian language are an asset,
* Flexible working hours including some evenings and weekends, and
* Reliable transportation required.

START DATE: July 2009 / as soon as possible

SALARY/ BENEFITS: Salary commensurate with experience; benefits include health insurance coverage.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, as soon as they are received. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume by June 19, 2009, to Joanna Su, Director of Programs at the address below, via snail mail, fax, or email (joanna@aaichicago.org).

AAI is an equal opportunity employer.

Register ASAP for the 2009 Congressional Democratic Leadership AAPI Summit - REGISTRATION IS LIMITED

2009-05-23T20:41:00.002-05:00

***Please note that we are very close to reaching the full capacity for this event, at which point,
registration will close. ***

Congressional Democratic Leadership and
the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus host the

2009 Asian American and Pacific Islander Summit

Restoring Our Economy:

Recovery and Reinvestment in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Senate Russell Caucus Room

The Democratic Leadership AAPI Summit will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will include: an opening session, policy panel, discussions with senior House and Senate staff and a networking reception.

To register, please log on to: http://democrats.senate.gov/steering/2009apiasummit_reg.cfm

If you have questions, please call:

Eloy Martinez, eloy_martinez@dpc.senate.gov, Associate Director of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee at (202) 224-7864, or

Gloria Chan, gloria.chan@mail.house.gov, Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus at (202) 225-2631.

We look forward to seeing you on June 3rd at this important event.

*Limited Space Available. Registration May Close Early.*

Brought to you by: The Office of Senator Majority Leader Reid, Speaker Pelosi, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee.

Sierra Club Job Opening - Associate Washington Representative, Responsible Trade

2009-05-23T20:41:00.001-05:00

Thought I'd share info on a job opening in my program. Though resumes should be sent to the address below, feel free to send along suggestions/good candidates directly to me, or contact me if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Karin

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Karin Lee
Sierra Club's Responsible Trade Program

Phone: +202-548-6587
karin.lee@sierraclub.org
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

**********************************************************************************************************************************
Associate Washington Representative

Sierra Club, a leading national grassroots environmental organization, seeks an Associate Washington Representative for our Responsible Trade Program. The Associate Washington Representative collaborates with the Associate Director of National Campaigns, the Responsible Trade Senior Representative and volunteer leaders to design and implement campaign strategies for the advancement of clean, green and fair trade policy. Responsibilities include representing the Sierra Club to government officials, the media, and other organizations as well as coordinating and training volunteer leaders, generating outreach materials for use in public policy and education campaigns, and creating demand for action on the part of federal, state and local officials.

Requirements:

- B.A./B.S. degree in Environmental Studies/Science, Political Science, or a closely related field

- 1-2 years experience in the environmental field that includes research, campaign organizing, and media relations

- Knowledge of international trade agreements and global justice issues

- Prior experience and knowledge of the national legislative process

- Familiarity with national environmental and labor coalition partners
.
- Excellent verbal communication skills including interest and experience in public speaking

- Excellent writing and editing skills including demonstrated aptitude for the production of popular education materials including newsletters, web-content, fact-sheets and reports

- Demonstrated ability and effectiveness in cultivating and working with volunteers

- Ability to travel as needed

- Valid driver's license, satisfactory driving record, and proof of auto insurance required

- Proficiency in Spanish or other foreign language desired.

Please send resume, cover letter and writing sample indicating interest in the position to: resumes@sierraclub.org. To ensure proper routing of your application, please specify job code "Associate Washington Representative, Trade–IDDC" in the subject line.

To view your job description and our other job opportunities, please visit www.sierraclub.org/careers

Sierra Club offers competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical / dental / vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan

Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce.

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.

Taiwanese American Summer Camp Season

2009-05-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

Hello friends of TaiwaneseAmerican.org

Yay! We recently surpassed 3000+ members on our Facebook group! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2212588851

We've basically doubled our reach in 6 months! So, thanks to all of you for joining our Taiwanese American community network and for continuing to invite your friends and family! My guess is that we can reach 5000 by year's end with your help!

So, in this edition, I'm pleased to talk a little about what got me interested in building community in the first place! Taiwanese American youth summer camps!

Some of you know I grew up in the Midwest in the suburbs of Chicago where Asian Americans were relatively few in numbers (at least back in my day). When I was first introduced to the week-long Taiwanese American Foundation summer camp (originally in Michigan) where fellow 2nd generation youth could meet, have fun, build leadership skills, and develop a strong sense of identity and pride, that experience changed my life forever. During the 1990's, I spent a good part of that decade helping to run grade school and youth programs for TAF and TAC on the east coast. Nowadays, all the kids I worked with back then have grown up, and naturally, I've been drawn to the next level - speaking at collegiate conferences and building the young professional network.

Out of this extension of community, I created TaiwaneseAmerican.org to capture and highlight all the wonderful events and organizations that have evolved as community has grown too. The age range of the TaiwaneseAmerican.org audience is wide. Many of you are still in high school and college, and others of you have been working professionals for quite some time. I know we also have many parents, both 1st and 2nd generation, tuning in.

All of you, I know, have some connections to younger Taiwanese Americans out there - whether they're family members, relatives, or friends. I hope you might consider inviting them to join in on one of the summer camps taking place all across the country in the coming months. It's an experience they'll probably never forget, and in the end, it makes our community a lot stronger. I should know; I used to hop around from camp to camp, and you'll find me at many of them today still!

To highlight a few:

Taiwanese American Youth Leadership Camp in the SF Bay Area
June 18-21, 2009 @ Headland Institute, Marin County (north of SF)
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/westcoast

TAA South Summer Conference
June 26-28, 2009 @ Dallas Fort Worth Airport Marriott South
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/midwest

Taiwanese American Next Generation (TANG) Summer Camp
July 2-5, 2009 @ Villanova University, outside of Philadelphia, PA
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/eastcoast

Southeast Taiwanese American Association Summer Camp (SETAA) in Florida
July 3-5, 2009 @ Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort & Convention Center
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/eastcoast

Taiwanese American Foundation (TAF) Summer Conference
July 26 - August 2, 2009 @ Manchester College, North Manchester, IN
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/midwest

Leadership & Identity Development (TACL LID) Camp in Southern California
August 5-9, 2009 @ Pine Springs Ranch, Mountain Center, CA
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/westcoast

***

If you're a college student or young professional looking to contribute to these camps, either financially or as a staff member, feel free to contact the organizations directly. Or inquire with me, as I know most of the leaders and organizers.

Have a great summer! And I hope to see you around this summer!

Ho Chie Tsai
creator of TaiwaneseAmerican.org and Big Kid at heart.

P.S. Check out the latest Spotlight featuring Chris Lin, who also grew up with the Taiwanese American Foundation summer conference. Nowadays, he's building bridges for future generations to learn Mandarin skills through his children's books and preschool TV shows!
http://taiwaneseamerican.org/spotlight

Nationwide Conference Call w/ Konrad Ng and Obama Administration Reps on 5/31

2009-05-23T20:30:00.000-05:00

JOIN A NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE CALL WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA'S BROTHER-IN-LAW AND REPS FROM THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ON MAY 31, 4-6 PM EST

On May 31st, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress is hosting a nation-wide conference call with Konrad Ng, the Chinese American brother-in-law of President Obama. It will be a great chance to hear from someone so close to the President and to learn how the President might approach our community. The call will also feature a list of high-profile Asian Americans in the Obama Administration, including Asst. Secretary for Veteran Affairs Tammy Duckworth, Executive Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Tina Tchen and Director of Social Innovation and Civic Participation Sonal Shah.

All the details are on our website (apaforprogress.org), but basically it would be gathering a few friends, family members and/or co-workers together and then calling in and listening to the speakers. (You can serve light snacks or make it a potluck.) After the call, you can have a group discussion on the issues you think matter, not just on a national level, but also locally. We'll then record these thoughts and share them with the Obama administration. It will be a chance to have our collective voice heard.

Please let us know if you'd be interested in hosting or attending a party. For more information, please email Curtis Chin at curtis@apaforprogress.org

AAPCHO Seeking Program Assistant (Oakland, CA)

2009-05-10T13:47:00.000-05:00

Please see below for information on AAPCHO Program Assistant job qualifications and how to apply:

Position: Program Assistant
Salary: $32-35k (1.0 FTE)
Start Date: Immediate
Deadline to File: Until filled

Application Procedures:
Send resume to: AAPCHO
Hiring Committee
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Suite 620
Oakland, CA 94612
Fax: (510) 272-0817

Or

Email resume to: pa-hiring@aapcho. org

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the AAPCHO Director of Programs, the Program Assistant is responsible for providing administrative support to program staff and to the Director. Areas of responsibility include the following:
1. Assisting with event planning (e.g. national conferences, meetings, trainings, teleconferences) ; coordinating logistics for travel, lodging, meals, equipment, and speakers
2. Providing administrative support to the Director and program staff, including drafting correspondence, scheduling meetings, copying, faxing, filing, and phone calls
3. Managing systems for organizing project records, organization files, educational materials, research literature, and contacts
4. Assisting in the compiling of reports, presentations, proposals, and other major documents
5. Assisting in developing fact sheets, policy briefs and other products relevant to AAPCHO programs
6. Assisting with communication with AAPCHO Program Advisory Committee, funders, and partners;
7. Assisting in responding to requests for technical assistance and training, e.g. the dissemination of educational materials or referrals
8. Assist in advocacy activities promoting the mission and vision of the organization.
9. Assist in maintaining and updating website
10. Represent AAPCHO at conferences, coalition meetings and other events.
11. Contributing to the development of a team effort encouraging growth, professionalism, and active participation of all staff
12. Performing other duties as requested by the Director of Programs or Executive Director

Required Qualifications:
1. Bachelor's degree in health related field or commensurate experience
2. Detail oriented with strong organizational skills
3. Knowledge and understanding of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander community health issues
4. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills
5. Strong MS Office skills
6. Ability to work comfortably with non-profit, government and corporate representatives
7. Ability to thrive within a fast-paced, team-based office

Preferred Qualifications:
1. Demonstrated experience in event planning and coordination
2. Demonstrated experience with website management
3. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander community health issues
4. Knowledge of public health and the U.S. community/migrant health center system

Interviews will be granted according to the qualifications of the applicant. AAPCHO is
an equal opportunity employer. Women and people of color are encouraged to apply.

Salary ranges from $32-35k and includes generous benefits package.

Organizational Description:

The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health organizations (AAPCHO) is a national association of community health organizations serving Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations across the United States and its territories. AAPCHO’s mission is to promote advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improve the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders within the US, its territories and freely Associated states, primarily through our member community health clinics. Our vision is to establish a standard of excellence for community-based health care that is equitable, affordable, accessible and culturally and linguistically appropriate to the people we serve.

Tien Teng :: Communications Specialist
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 620, Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-272-9536 x112 Fax: 510- 272-0817 Email: tteng@aapcho. org

Our Health is Our Strength
www.aapcho.org

Introducing...Radiostan!

2009-05-10T13:01:00.000-05:00

We're the hosts of a new desi radio show based in Chicago called Radiostan. Each month, we feature stories, interviews and music about the South Asian American community. The show broadcasts on the second Sunday of each month at 8pm on 88.7 WLUW Chicago and can also be podcast from our website: http://www.radiostan.com

In past months we have covered:

Episode #4: This Ghostbuster Stuff ... black magic and the supernatural.
Episode #3: Brother/Hood ... masculinity and friendship.
Episode #2: Dreams ... on the heels of Obama's inauguration, personal and political dreaming and scheming.
Episode #1: Names & Naming ... the meaning and politics of naming.

Featuring interviews with Leela Gandhi, Vinayak Chaturvedi, C.M. Naim, Priya Jha, Prakash Desai, Manan Ahmed and many more.

We'd like to invite you to listen and subscribe to our podcast online at http://www.radiostan.com

Questions, comments and story ideas can be directed to info@radiostan.com

Radiostan out...

CACF Job Opportunity: Youth and Parent Program Coordinator

2009-05-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

COALITION FOR ASIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (CACF)
JOB OPPORTUNITY: YOUTH & PARENT PROGRAM COORDINATOR

The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), the nation’s only pan-Asian children’s advocacy organization, aims to improve the health and well-being of Asian Pacific American children in New York City. Founded in 1986, CACF advocates for improved policies, funding, and services for children and families of East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander backgrounds. CACF is seeking a full-time Youth and Parent Program Coordinator to oversee our high school youth advocacy program (ASAP) and our parent education and mobilizing program (POWER).

Job Responsibilities

1. ASAP (Asian American Student Advocacy Project): Coordinate leadership and advocacy training program for a diverse group of Asian Pacific American public high school students. Refine curriculum and facilitate sessions during summer institute and school-year program. Recruit and retain students. Train high school students to research community needs, develop policy recommendations, mobilize classmates for school campaigns, and deliver briefings to decision-makers. Mobilize students to attend meetings, hearings, and press conferences with elected and appointed officials. Recruit, support, and communicate with Advisory Board.

2. Project POWER (Parents Organized to Work for Equal Rights): Coordinate parent education and parent mobilizing program for a diverse group of Asian Pacific American parents. Develop easy-to-understand, linguistically appropriate brochures and fact sheets on the school, child welfare, and health care systems. Educate immigrant parents on their rights in these by scheduling and conducting workshops at partner agencies, sites of worship, after school programs, community centers, and ESL sites. Train a diverse group of parents on community organizing, advocacy, public speaking, policymaking, and politics. Prepare and coordinate parents to speak at hearings, events, press conferences, media interviews, legislative visits, and lobby days.

3. Policy Advocacy: Support policy advocacy efforts of CACF, including membership meetings, legislative visits, and budget vigils. Coordinate ASAP youth and POWER parents to participate in policy advocacy efforts implemented by other CACF staff. Develop partnerships with Asian Pacific American community organizations and leaders, immigrant advocates, and children’s agencies. Testify at hearings, speak at press conferences, implement advocacy campaigns, and participate in advisory boards, as needed.

Qualifications

1. Commitment to Asian Pacific American communities, children’s rights, and CACF’s mission.

2. Master’s degree with 2 years experience preferred or Bachelor’s degree with 5 years experience required.

3. Expertise in community organizing, youth development, and/or parent education.

4. Knowledge of education, health, child welfare, youth development, immigration, and racial issues.

5. Excellent speaking, writing, presentation, and critical analysis skills.

6. Capacity to break new ground, to lead, to innovate, to take risks, and to take public stances on issues.

7. Ability to work with a diverse staff and flexibility to work on multiple tasks under pressure.

8. Background in program development, intern supervision, and fundraising preferred.

9. Strong PC, Microsoft Office, and Internet skills.

10. Ability to write and speak an Asian dialect preferred but not required.

Salary and Benefits

Salary is commensurate with experience. Excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits. Four weeks vacation plus 20 holidays, 12 sick days, and 5 personal days per year. Pre-tax deduction for 403(b) plan and Metrocard.

Interested candidates should send a résumé, 4-5 page writing sample, and cover letter with salary history and requirements via fax 212-785-4601 or email jobs@cacf.org. No phone calls, please. You will be contacted only if you are invited for an interview. For further information about CACF, please visit our website at www.cacf.org. CACF is an equal opportunity employer.

UIAAAN Dim Sum Lunch Social

2009-05-10T12:59:00.000-05:00

UIAAAN Dim Sum Lunch Social
The University of Illinois Asian American Alumni Network invites the Class of 2009 along with Asian American alumni and friends to a Dim Sum lunch in Chicago's Chinatown. Come learn about UIAAAN, meet the new board, learn how to stay involved and connected and network with current members.

The event is at Mountain View Chef in Chinatown Square at 2168 S. Archer Ave at 11:00am on Saturday, June 20. $10 per person, free for kids 12 and under. Open to all University of Illinois Asian American Alumni and Friends. Please RSVP through Facebook or our online reservation.

4/30-5/23: Unveiled, a one woman show at 16th Street Theater

2009-05-10T12:51:00.001-05:00

UNVEILED
by Rohina
Directed by Ann Filmer
April 30 - May 23, 2009

Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM
Saturdays at 5:00 PM & 8:30 PM

Preview: Thursday April 30 at 7:30 PM
Press Opening: Friday, May 1 at 7:30 PM
VIP Opening: Saturday, May 2 at 8:00 PM

Tickets: $16 Buy Online Now
Group discount for 8(+) For info on group tickets call (708) 795-6704

Racism. Hate crimes. Love. Islam. Culture. Language. Life.
Five Muslim women in a post-9/11 world serve tea and uncover what lies beneath the veil in this compelling one-woman show.

Rohina is a writer and actress who specializes in solo performance. She was born and raised in London, England, and draws upon her Indo-Pakistani heritage for inspiration for her art. She performed at Live Bait Theater's Fillet of Solo, and workshopped Unveiled with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble.

For more info go to:

http://www.16thstreettheater.org/seasonTwo/unveiled.html

http://www.16thstreettheater.org/people/ROHINA.html

UCLA: Amerasia Journal: Call for Abstracts --"Transoceanic Flows: Pacific Islander Interventions across the American Empire" Publication Date: Spring

2009-05-10T12:49:00.000-05:00

Amerasia Journal: Call for Abstracts
"Transoceanic Flows:
Pacific Islander Interventions across the American Empire"
Publication Date: Spring 2011

Consulting Guest Editor: Keith L. Camacho, Assistant Professor of Pacific Islander Studies, UCLA Asian American Studies Department. He is the author of Cultures of Commemoration: The Politics of War, Memory and History in the Mariana Islands (Forthcoming, University of Hawai'i Press) and, with Setsu Shigematsu, co-editor of Militarized Currents: Toward a Decolonized Future in Asia and the Pacific (Forthcoming, University of Minnesota Press). Camacho is also a new member of Amerasia Journal's editorial board.

Amerasia Journal Editor: Adjunct Professor Russell C. Leong, English and Asian American Studies, Project Director of U.S./China Media Brief (www.uschinamediabrief.com). Amerasia Journal, published by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, has been the core scholarly journal in the field for 40 years (www.aasc.ucla.edu/aascpress).

Review and Publication Deadlines:

Due date for 2-page abstracts: September 1, 2009
Due date for final papers: June 1, 2010
Publication date of issue: Spring 2011

Send copies of abstracts to: Keith L. Camacho kcamacho@ucla.edu and Russell C. Leong rleong@ucla.edu. Inquiries and abstracts will be reviewed by the editors, and the authors will be notified.

Amerasia Journal invites contributions for a special issue on "Transoceanic Flows: Pacific Islander Interventions across the American Empire." As the majority scholarship reveals, studies about Pacific Islanders and the American Empire often invoke anthropological and area studies notions of culture and identity, theory and history. Hawai'i receives the most attention among these studies, advancing Kanaka Maoli articulations of sovereignty on the one hand and normalizing Hawai'i as the locus of overseas American Empire on the other. For reasons having to do with the perceived boundaries of the "American Pacific," interdisciplinary debates about the "native," and imperial erasures of indigenous memory and history, few scholars have ventured beyond Hawai'i and taken stock of Pacific Islanders engagements with American Empire in Micronesia and in the continental United States. This issue calls attention to these Pacific Islander interventions and to the ways in which they inform and are informed by the politics of ethnic studies, gender studies, indigenous studies, race studies and sexuality studies.

What is at stake, then, in Pacific Islander interventions across the interdisciplinary paradigms of "Asian American Studies," "Native American Studies" and "Pacific Islander American Studies?" How do Pacific Islander epistemologies and methodologies reckon with the qualifiers "American," "Asian," "Native" and "Pacific" in contemporary academic, community and policy discourses? What kinds of intellectual projects and political coalitions might be realized, furthered or diminished by these interdisciplinary trajectories, and why?
The editors seek to feature indigenous and international scholars who examine Pacific Islander classes, cultures, genders, identities, races and sexualities across American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, Hawai'i, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau. Essays on Pacific Islander settler and mixed-race communities in California, Oregon, Utah and Washington are also welcome, as are commentaries, interviews, original artwork, photography, and poetry.

"Transoceanic Flows: Pacific Islander Interventions across the American Empire" thus solicits 2-page abstracts which address the following questions:

(1) How do Chamorros, Chuukese, Fijians, Kanaka Maoli, Kosraeans, Maori, Marshallese, Palauans, Pohnpeians, Samoans, Tongans and Yapese, among other Pacific Islanders, construe "class," "gender," "indigeneity," "race," and "sexuality" across the United States, and why? In what ways do these "keywords" advance or restrict indigenous vernaculars of self and other, collectivity and nationality, or spirituality and religion?

(2) What kinds of migrant, indigenous, nationalist and sovereignty, redress, and
land-and-water-rights movements are taking place in America's Pacific territories and in
the broader diaspora? How do the transoceanic flows of capital, ideas, labor, law,
militarism, religion and sports sustain, link, challenge or transform these social
movements? Similarly, how do these movements imbricate with civil-rights and
indigenous-rights discourses? And how do Asian Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders--adopt or reject--the transoceanic configuration of these movements?

(3) How has 9/11 reshaped the ways in which Pacific Islanders engage in American federal, immigration and militarist policies across the Pacific Islands and across settler communities in the United States? How have these American policies redefined American "borders" and American "belonging" across Oceania? Further, how do Pacific Islanders racialize otherness in the wake of 9/11 and in the onslaught of America's War in Iraq, especially in light of increasing Pacific Islander military participation in the War?

The editors also welcome other questions and topics which are not addressed in this call for abstracts. Please direct all inquiries to the editors.

White House Appoints Sonal Shah Head of Social Innovation Office

2009-05-10T12:46:00.001-05:00

April 16, 2009
White House Appoints Head of Social Innovation Office

It’s now official: Sonal Shah, former head of global development at Google.org, the search-engine company’s philanthropic arm, is head of the new White House Office of Social Innovation.

Shin Inouye, a White House spokesman, today confirmed Ms. Shah’s appointment—which has not been formally announced, although it is an open secret in nonprofit circles. (See The Chronicle’s background article about the new office.)

Mr. Inouye said the new office will fall under the Domestic Policy Council, a body that coordinates domestic policymaking in the White House and is headed by Melody Barnes. He said he could not give further details as the office “has not been rolled out yet.”

Members of President Obama’s transition team proposed creating an Office of Social Innovation to promote government efforts to help innovative nonprofit groups and social entrepreneurs expand successful approaches to tackling pressing social problems.

The office will no doubt be involved in the Social Innovation Funds pilot program that was just created by the Serve America Act, a national-service bill that will be signed by the president next week. The funds, which will be administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, will provide money for groups that are “developing innovative and effective solutions to national and local challenges.”

Ms. Shah was a member of the Obama transition project’s advisory board and co-chair of a transition group that made recommendations about technology and innovation, including “innovation and civil society.” She is co-founder of Indicorps, a nonprofit group that offers fellowships to Indian-Americans working on development projects in India.

She has also held positions at Goldman, Sachs & Company, the Treasury Department, the Center for Global Development, and the Center for American Progress.

Jane Wales, director of the Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation at the Aspen Institute, praised the new White House office today in a Chronicle online discussion.

“First and foremost it has the opportunity to encourage public-private partnerships aimed at addressing some of the toughest problems we face at home and abroad,” she said. In addition, “the office can take a careful look at U.S. government policies, including tax and regulatory policies, and determine which policies spur innovation, and whether others might needlessly impede innovation.

“This is not an easy task,” she said. “But the office is led by a remarkably talented person, Sonal Shah. If anyone can do it, she can.”

Special event - Asian American Action Fund Reception May 13th

2009-05-10T12:43:00.001-05:00

Special event - Asian American Action Fund Reception May 13th

REMINDER... TUESDAY, MAY 5TH --- LAST DAY FOR SPECIAL RATE FOR SPECIAL EVENT... SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS!! Please forward to anyone we may have missed...

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual AAA Fund Reception, held on Wednesday, May 13th.

This special event will be held in the Wasserman Room at the Democratic National Committee. Several new Asian restaurants in the DC area will be showcasing their top dishes. A wonderful array of items will be auctioned to raise funds for this year's local and state races, and Clyde Williams, the new DNC Political Director, will be giving a few words to the APA community for the very first time! Additionally, the event will highlight Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon who is running for Mayor. Last year's event brought out DNC Vice Chair Mike Honda, DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen, X-Men star Kelly Hu, as well as a bevy of Congressmembers. This year promises a higher level of star power and we anticipate that many high level Obama Administration officials will be in attendance.

The AAA Fund has a special rate of $45 for friends and family by May 5th. I hope you can attend the wonderful event.

Our discount tickets ($45 for friends and partner organizations, $100 afterwards) expires on May 5. Must donate online at https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1472/t/236/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=2011

Please send us an email of your RSVP to carolinekfan@yahoo.com. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Caroline Fan at 202.255.9906

We hope you can attend!! It's going to be a great event.

2009-05-10T12:42:00.000-05:00

Celebrate the first public arts sculpture
by an Indian-American artist in the United States
"Conversations: Here and Now" by Indira Freitas Johnson

Bring your friends and family to enjoy a free program
organized by the Indo-American Heritage Museum
featuring music, dance and introduction to the sculpture.

(Visitors are invited to a post-event reception for the artist

with a $25 tax-deductible donation to IAHM)

Conversations: Here and Now consists of a central space that's empty, yet full of possibility. This space is created by a circular arrangement of seven chairs intricately carved with words and symbols that are the result of community conversations representative of Evanston's rich history, its diverse customs and ethnicities, its creative energy and its collective hopes and dreams as recognized by its residents.

Sunday, May 17, 2009 - 3 PM
Raymond Park
Corner of Chicago Avenue and Grove Street
Evanston, IL 60201
(In case of rain bring an umbrella)

Please consider a $25 or greater donation to the
Indo-American Heritage Museum and
join us at an intimate gathering with the artist from 4 PM - 7 PM at the nearby home of Surendra and Dorothie Shah
921 Isabella Street Evanston 60201.

Donate online or mail a check to:

Indo-American Heritage Museum
c/o Indo-American Center
6328 N. California
Chicago, IL 60659
For more information call 773.209.8797.

Originally from India, Indira Freitas Johnson has lived in the Chicago area for over twenty years. The influences of her mother, a social activist, and her father, an artist and a follower of Gandhi, have helped shape her life and art, where she continues to explore growth towards a spiritual existence as an individual and as part of the human continuum. Inspired by transitory, ritualistic Indian folk art practices, Johnson addresses issues of labor, domestic violence, nonviolence and health education, adapting them to operate within contemporary experiences. Johnson also serves as founder and executive director of the Shanti Foundation for Peace: Teaching Nonviolence through the Arts and founding board member of MarketPlace: Handwork of India.

The Indo-American Heritage Museum (IAHM), a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization incorporated in the State of Illinois, promotes understanding of the diversity, history and culture of Indian Americans. For more information: www.iahmuseum.org

AALDEF: New Report on Asian American Voter Discrimination in 2008 Elections

2009-05-01T01:29:00.000-05:00

AALDEF MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 19, 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Glenn Magpantay, Staff Att’y, 917.439.3158
Margaret Fung, Exec. Dir., 212.966.5932 x201

***
Asian American Voters Face Discrimination in the 2008 Election
New Report Presented to Congress
Report is available online at www.aaldef.org .

***

Washington, D.C. … The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), a 35-year old civil rights organization, today presented Congress with a new report detailing obstacles faced by Asian American voters in eleven states and the District of Columbia in the November 2008 Presidential Elections. The report was delivered at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties on “Lessons Learned from the 2008 Election.”

AALDEF’s report, Asian American Access to Democracy in the 2008 Elections, documents violations of the Voting Rights Act and Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and other incidents of anti-Asian voter disenfranchisement from 52 cities across the country. The report is available online at www.aaldef.org .

On Nov. 4, 2008, AALDEF monitored 229 poll sites in 11 states - New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Texas, Nevada, Louisiana, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia - and conducted a multilingual exit poll of 16,665 Asian American voters. AALDEF received more than 800 complaints of voting barriers, which are described in the report.

AALDEF executive director Margaret Fung said, “In the 2008 elections, Asian Americans faced an array of barriers that prevented them from exercising their right to vote.” Some of the problems encountered by Asian American voters include the following:

** Language assistance, such as interpreters or translated voting materials, if any, was far from adequate. Some poll workers were completely unaware of their legal responsibilities or outright refused to make language assistance available to voters.

For example, at a poll site near Chinatown, NY, only one interpreter was available to assist hundreds of Chinese American voters. A poll site in Dorchester, MA was missing legally required Vietnamese provisional ballots. Boston only had partially translated ballots where candidates’ names were not transliterated into Chinese. Chinese voters had difficulty identifying their candidates of choice. Philadelphia voluntarily provided a language line for poll workers to get on-the-spot assistance for voters. However, during the Presidential Primary Election, poll workers did not know it existed, did not know how to access the line, or the line was overwhelmed and constantly busy.

** Some poll workers were rude, hostile, and made racist remarks. For example, poll workers in New York said they didn’t trust Asian American voters and denied them the right to vote and described them as “terrorists.” A Sikh voter was made to vote by provisional ballot because a poll worker said there were too many Sikh voters and she couldn’t figure out which one the voter was.

** Voters’ names were missing from or had other errors in voter roll books, often due to faulty processing or mishandling of voter registration forms. Many were simply turned away.

** Although HAVA requires that these voters be offered provisional ballots, poll workers denied voters this right. In Lowell, MA, voters were told to go to City Hall. In Chinatown, Philadelphia, PA poll workers would not distribute provisional ballots because there were too few. Voters were turned away and unable to vote.

** Poll workers made improper and excessive demands for identification, misapplying HAVA’s ID requirements. These demands often were made only of Asian American voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act. Some states that required all voters to provide identification only applied identification checks to Asian American voters; white voters were exempted.

AALDEF sent complaint letters to local election officials that detailed these voting obstacles and offered recommendations for improvements. AALDEF staff attorney Glenn D. Magpantay said, “Vigorous enforcement of the Voting Rights Act is still very much needed.” Copies of the complaint letters were sent to the Voting Section of the U.S. Department of Justice for further investigation.

AALDEF also made other recommendations to the House Subcommittee during the hearing, calling for legislation to allow for universal voter registration and amendments to HAVA to clarify that voting by provisional ballot should also be used to correct errors and omissions in voters’ registrations, as was recommended by the Carter/Ford National Commission on Federal Election Reform.

In addition, AALDEF will call on the United States Supreme Court to uphold Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. On April 29, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a challenge to the constitutionality of the enforcement provisions in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District One v. Holder. AALDEF will be submitting an amicus brief to the Court later this month, detailing results from its poll monitoring efforts over the years. AALDEF’s brief will show how Asian Americans continue to face voting discrimination and how Section 5 is necessary and proper to protect the fundamental right to vote.

In the 2004 Presidential Election, AALDEF polled 10,789 Asian American voters in eight states. Detailed results from AALDEF’s 2008 multilingual exit poll will be announced soon. The co-sponsors listed below worked with AALDEF to mobilize 1,500 attorneys, law students, and community volunteers to participate in the 2008 election monitoring effort.

* * *

AALDEF ASIAN AMERICAN ELECTION PROTECTION 2008 CO-SPONSORS

National Co-Sponsors:
Asian Pacific Islander American Vote
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
National Korean American Service and Education Consortium
North American South Asian Bar Association
Organization of Chinese Americans
South Asian Americans Leading Together

Local Chapters:
APIA Vote - Michigan
APIA Vote - Pennsylvania
APIA Vote - Nevada
OCA: Greater Washington DC
OCA: Northern Virginia
OCA: New Jersey
OCA: Greater Houston
OCA: Greater Philadelphia
OCA: Greater Chicago
OCA: Detroit/ACA
OCA: Eastern Virginia

Local Co-Sponsors:
ACCESS – MI
Asian American LEAD – DC
Asian American Society of Central Virginia
Asian Community Development Corporation of Boston
Asian Pacific American Agenda Coalition – MA
Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia – PA
Conference for Asian Pacific American Leadership – DC
Chinatown Voter Education Alliance – NY
Chinese Amer. Planning Council Youth Services – NY
Chinese American Voters Association – NY
Chinese Progressive Association – MA
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia
Committee of 70 – PA
Filipino American Human Services Inc. – NY
Hunter College/CUNY, Asian American Studies Prog.
Korean American Coalition – DC
Korean American Voters’ Council of NY/NJ
Korean American Resource & Cultural Center – IL
Korean Community Service Ctr. of Greater Wash. DC
Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association – MD
Mass VOTE – MA
One Lowell – MA
Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation – PA
Providence Youth and Student Movement – RI
Sikh Coalition – NY
South Asian Youth Action! – NY
U. Maryland Asian American Studies Program
Viet-Vote – MA
Vietnamese American Initiative for Development – MA
Vietnamese Amer. Young Leaders Assoc. of New Orleans
YKASEC: Empowering Korean Amer. Communities - NY

Legal Co-Sponsors:
AU Wash. College of Law, Human Rights Clinic - DC
Asian American Bar Assoc. of Greater Chicago – IL
Asian American Bar Association of Houston – TX
Asian American Bar Association of NY
Asian American Lawyers Association of MA
Asian Pacific Amer. Bar Assoc. of Greater Wash.DC
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of PA
Asian Pacific American Lawyers Assoc. of NJ
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center – DC
Greater Boston Legal Services: Asian Outreach Unit
Indian American Bar Association of IL
Korean American Lawyers Assoc. of Greater NY
Michigan Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Muslim Bar Association of New York
South Asian Bar Association of DC
South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey
South Asian Bar Association of New York
South Asian Bar Association of Michigan
U. Penn. School of Law, Public Interest Office
Temple U. School of Law, Public Interest Office – PA
and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association
chapters across the country.

Law Firms:
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Chadbourne & Parke LLP
Clifford Chance US LLP
Constantine & Cannon LLP
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
Dickenson Wright PLLC
DLA Piper
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Fried Frank LLP
Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
Goodwin Procter LLP
K&L Gates LLP
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Pepper Hamilton LLP
Proskauer Rose LLP
Reed Smith LLP
Ropes & Gray LLP
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
White & Case LLP

* * *
The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

Kriti Festival 2009 Invitation

2009-05-01T01:26:00.000-05:00

DesiLit presents its third biennial literary festival celebrating the
work of South Asian and South Asian Diaspora writers and artists,
Kriti Festival 2009!

Kriti Festival 2009
Jun 11-14, 2009
Roosevelt University & the University of Illinois at Chicago

The weekend-long festival will feature readings, book signings,
panels, writing workshops and entertainment including theater, dance
and open mic performances.

This year's Guests of Honor are authors Romesh Gunesekera, Amitava
Kumar and Bapsi Sidhwa. Other confirmed panelists include Ru Freeman,
Minal Hajratwala, Mary Anne Mohanraj and actress Sonal Shah from
Scrubs. We hope to have 25-30 writers, artists and dancers
participating as panelists in this year's festival.

Kriti Festival 2009 is co-sponsored by and located at the campuses of
Roosevelt University and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Pre-registration Rates:
Kriti 2009 All-Weekend Festival Pass, Thurs-Sun (Adult): $40
Kriti 2009 All-Weekend Festival Pass, Thurs-Sun (Student/Senior): $20
Please note: rates will increase on May 1st

To purchase tickets, merchandise or for more info visit us at:
www.desilit.org/kriti.html
You can also reach us at info@desilit.org

Feel free to pass this e-mail on to friends and family!

MENTAL HEALTH RALLY

2009-05-01T00:03:00.000-05:00

MENTAL HEALTH RALLY

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Rescue Community Care

Where? Thompson Center, plaza in front of building

100 W. Randolph, Chicago, IL 60601

When? NOON

Why? Urge Legislators to Invest in Mental Health Services

because – Recovery Rocks!

Who? Everyone who supports adequate funding for

mental health services

Co-sponsored by:

The Mental Health Summit

NAMI of Greater Chicago – (312) 563-0445

The Mental Health America of Illinois – (312) 368-9070

Recovery Rocks!

Imagine Devon - Envisioning a multicultural street

2009-05-01T00:02:00.000-05:00

Dr. Arijit Sen and his students from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, will present Imagine Devon - Envisioning a multicultural street on May 7th. They will be exhibiting their projects at the local public library (just north of Devon on California).

When: Thursday, May 7th, 2:30 - 4:30 PM.
Where: Chicago Public Library - Northtown, 6435 N. California Avenue, 60645, (312) 744-2292

"The project, Imagine Devon, is an initiative launched by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to gather input from local residents on their dreams for the future of Devon Avenue and the larger West Ridge neighborhood." For more information on the project: http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=49&SubSectionID=142&ArticleID=7245&TM=83322.77.

OCA-OC co-presents Film - "Who Killed Vincent Chin?" - 5/2

2009-05-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Please Join OCA-OC for a special screening of…

“Who Killed Vincent Chin?”

OCA-OC is partnering with the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival to present

“Who Killed Vincent Chin.”

The 25th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival will take place during Asian Pacific

Heritage Month from April 30th- May 7th at the Directors Guild of America,

Laemmle’s Sunset 5, Aratani/Japan America Theatre, National Center for the

Preservation of Democracy and Downtown Independent.

For more information about the film, please visit:

http://www.vconline.org/festival/program.cfm?program_id=17

WHEN: Saturday May 2, 2009

TIME: 4-6pm

WHERE: Directors Guild of America Theater 2

(7920 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles)

GENERAL Admission: $12

STUDENT Admission: $10

SENIOR Admission: $10

*To purchase tickets please contact Lisa Akiyama at lakiyama27@yahoo.com

Founded in 1973 as Organization of Chinese Americans, OCA is a national organization dedicated to advancing

the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. OCA aims to

embrace the hopes and aspirations of nearly 12 million Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.

For more information about OCA-OC please visit our website at:
www.oca-oc.org

New Report Shows Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Have Unique Health Concerns

2009-04-30T23:49:00.001-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Annie Lam

Office (916) 319-2049 Cell (916) 955-6766

April 8, 2009 PR#: COPA09-05

NEW REPORT SHOWS ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

HAVE UNIQUE HEALTH CONCERNS

SACRAMENTO, Calif – Assemblymember Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park) will unveil the “The State of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Health in California” report on Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 10AM. The report was commissioned by Assemblymember Eng and the California Asian Pacific Islander Joint Legislative Caucus to provide a more accurate snapshot of the social context and health status of AANHPI with relation to other racial groups in California.

This report will provide information needed by primary and secondary care providers, for profit and non-profit organizations, school districts, the faith-based community, law enforcement, and state and local governments in order to provide effective health and mental health services to this emerging and diverse population.

Some of key findings detailed in the report are:

* AANHPIs are the only racial group for whom the leading cause of death is cancer.

* Asian American women have nearly double the rate of non-compliance with cervical

cancer screening guidelines as the overall state average.

* AANHPIs account for the largest proportion of all tuberculosis and chronic hepatitis B

cases in California, with the majority of cases among the foreign-born population.

* Samoan children have the largest percentage (54%) of all children in California whose body mass index (BMI) is not within the Healthy Fitness Zone.

* Koreans have the highest uninsured rate (33%) of any racial/ethnic group in the state –

far outpacing the state average of uninsured adults (15%).

WHAT: Release of “The State of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander

Health in California” report.

WHO: Participants include: Asm. Mike Eng, University of California Asian

American and Pacific Islander Multi-Campus Research Program,

California Program on Access to Care, Kaiser Permanente, California

Program on Opportunity and Equality, & health care industry representatives

WHEN: Thursday, April 9, 2009 – 10AM

Online version of report will be available online at 1030AM

http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a49/

WHERE: Chinatown Service Center
767 N. Hill Street, Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90012
CONTACT: Annie Lam: Office (916) 319-2049, Cell (916) 955-6766

###

APALRC Job Posting: Maryland DV Attorney

2009-04-30T22:52:00.000-05:00

Job Announcement

Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center

Domestic Violence and Family Law Attorney – Maryland

The Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) advances the legal and civil rights of Asian Americans in the DC metropolitan area through direct services, education, and advocacy. Within its direct legal services program, APALRC concentrates primarily in the areas of employment, housing, immigration, community development, domestic violence and family law.

APALRC seeks to hire a full-time attorney to provide legal representation to immigrant victims of domestic violence in Maryland. The attorney will focus on supporting and strengthening families through direct legal services and advocacy for broad-based systemic change.

Position Description:

· Provide Asian American victims of domestic violence with linguistically and culturally appropriate legal representation on family law matters and immigration issues;

· Ensure holistic services by working closely with local ethnic-based social service agencies;

· Conduct broader outreach to educate the Asian American community on their rights and resources available to them;

· Collaborate with community based organizations, non-profit organizations and government agencies to address the unique challenges faced by Asian American victims of domestic violence;

· Participate in meetings of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence; and

· Expand the availability of pro bono attorneys through collaborations with the South Asian Bar Association and the Asian Pacific American Bar Associations of D.C. and Maryland.

Preferred Qualifications:

· 2-3 years of experience in the practice of law, with a demonstrated commitment to domestic violence issues and/or public interest law. Consideration may be given to recent law school graduates who demonstrate exceptional initiative and leadership abilities.

· License to practice in Maryland, or eligibility for special authorization to practice under Rule 15 and willingness to seek admission to practice in the State of Maryland.

· Fluency in an Asian language, preferably Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi or Urdu.

Salary and Benefits:

The annual salary will range from the mid-$30’s to low-$40’s, depending on experience. Health, dental, life insurance and SMART benefits are provided.

How to Apply: Submit a cover letter detailing your interest in the position, along with a resume, law school transcript, brief writing sample (5-10 pages), and three professional references. Materials can be sent to Marita Etcubañez, Director of Legal Services, by mail or by email to marita@apalrc.org.

Applications will be reviewed and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis. No telephone inquiries, please.

APALRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Join us to march on Friday, May 1 for immigrant rights (AAI)

2009-04-29T21:50:00.000-05:00

JOIN US!

May Day March and Rally for Immigrant Rights - May 1st

Asian American Institute will march in solidarity with our immigrant
friends, loved ones and community members, as we call for a moratorium on
immigrant raids and deportations and for the passing of just and humane
immigration policy.

Join us for this historic day as we urge our elected officials to make just
immigration policies a priority.

Schedule:
10:30am: Gather at Union Park (SE corner of Ashland and Lake St., across the
street from the Green line Ashland stop). AAI will be there with our friends
from KRCC and AFIRE.

11:00am: Participate in an Interfaith Prayer Gathering coordinated by the
New Sanctuary Coalition Interfaith and the Jewish Council of Urban Affairs
(JCUA)

12:00pm: March Step off from Union Park

1:30pm: Rally at Federal Plaza (Dearborn and Jackson)

To RSVP, contact April Lewton at april@aaichicago.org or call (773)
710-5479 (If you cannot find us, call the number, which is April's cell)

Save A Mother, 2nd Annual Chicago Fundraiser

2009-04-29T21:41:00.000-05:00

Save A Mother, 2nd Annual Chicago Fundraiser
May 2nd, 2009

India Development Service (IDS) Save-A-Mother project aims to minimize suffering and death associated with pregnancy and child birth. We have been working -in partnership with local NGOs - in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Uttar Pradesh is not an isolated location. Many other regions in India and rest of the world are in a similar situation where this program can be replicated.

- Radhika Desai guest appearance, featured on the tv show "Top Chef"
- Anita Oak: performing selections from her album "AniO"
- Effusion: performing Indian flavored jazz fusion
- Comedy Showcase featuring some of Chicago's hottest up and coming comics
- Premium Open Bar
- Hors d'oeuvres to fill your fancy

Date: May 2nd, 2009
Time: 5:30pm to 9:00pm
Location: Mars Gallery, 1139 W Fulton Market (3 blocks west of Fulton Market Lounge)

Purchase your tickets online: http://www.save-a-mother.org/chicago-2nd/

ASIAN AMERICAN INSTITUTE - MILESTONE BENEFIT DINNER

2009-04-29T21:37:00.003-05:00

As you know, this year's Milestone theme is "100 Stories in 100 Days," stories from Asian American immigrants, which highlight the need for comprehensive immigration reform. In addition, we will be recognizing the following outstanding Milestone Makers from our community:

* Nancy Chen, Regional Administrator, Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor
* Tammy Duckworth, Iraq War Veteran and former Director, Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs
* Tran Ha, Editor, RedEye

"100 Stories in 100 Days"
Reflecting on the unique stories from
our diverse communities

Thurs., April 30th
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Mid America Club
200 E Randolph, 80th Floor
Tickets: $100 each
Raffle tickets: $20 each

Pride & Heritage - Save the Date for May 2nd!

2009-04-29T21:33:00.000-05:00

Please Join Us for Pride & Heritage Celebration on May 2nd, 2009!

Come celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with LGBTQ Asian/South Asian/Pacific Islander folks and allies from the metro DC area. The program will include dinner, performances, presentation of community awards, and a special recognition for founders of our coalition's organizations!

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!!

Location: Christ Church, Washington Parish; 620 G St. SE, Washington, DC
Date and Time: Saturday, May 2; 6:30-10:00pm
To purchase tickets, please visit www.dcprideandheritage.org
For more info, please contact dcprideandheritage@gmail.com

******************************************************
BUY YOUR TICKETS EARLY!! - On sale at www.dcprideandheritage.org :
April 11 through midnight April 22 - $15 Early Bird Online Special
April 23 through midnight May 1 - $20 Regular Online
May 2, 6:30pm - $25 At the Door
Tables of 8 can be purchased at 15% off applicable ticket prices through April 24. For more information, please contact Hyacinth Alvaran at 650.353.0978 or dcprideandheritage@gmail.com.

Please note, a cash bar will cater beverages at the event at the following prices:

Mixed Drinks $5
Wine $4
Beer $3
Water $2
Soda $1

We welcome ticketed guests to volunteer May 2nd to arrive early and help setup for the event or stay after to help breakdown and cleanup. Please contact dcprideandheritage@gmail.com if interested.

We look forward to meeting you at Pride and Heritage Celebration 2009!!!

Sincerely,
2009 Pride and Heritage Celebration Committee

Pride & Heritage (P&H) is a coalition of local community-based organizations serving the Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area.

Q & (s)A: queer & south asian: a sound documentary

2009-04-29T21:32:00.000-05:00

q & (s)a : queer & south asian: a documentary in sound

q& (s)a|‘kwir uhnd south ey-shuhn| n, v, adj.

is an oral history and community building project that documents the stories of queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (QLGBT) South Asians. q &(s)a shines light on the growing QLGBT South Asian voices around the world by preserving into a sound mosaic the significant contributions, experiences, and insights of queer South Asians that historically have been ignored. By documenting shared identities, individual and collective experiences, struggles, and stories of community & movement building, q &(s)a seeks to create space across and within borders to share, heal, feel rooted in our togetherness, and so, a place to be different too.

[the process: n, v. though the process is guided by what you’d like to share, it is also an exchange of words, with participation on both sides of the conversation. refer to: shreyashah05@gmail.com for more info or to participate.]

AAPCHO Seeks Senior Policy Analyst (Washington DC)

2009-04-29T21:27:00.000-05:00

Please see below for more information on AAPCHO’s open Senior Policy Analyst position and forward through your networks as appropriate:

Quick Overview
POSITION: Senior Policy Analyst,
SALARY: DOE (37.5 hours/week)
LOCATION: Washington, DC
Reports to: Executive Director
START DATE: ASAP
DEADLINE: Until filled

Details
JOB DESCRIPTION:
AAPCHO seeks a Senior Policy Analyst for its Washington, DC office. The Health Policy Analyst will take a leadership role in implementing AAPCHO’s administrative, legislative and political strategies to further AAPCHO’s mission and goals. The Analyst will work with other AAPCHO staff and Board Members to formulate policy priorities, and develop strategies to advance those priorities, including through Federal legislative and administrative advocacy, coalition building, and media advocacy. The Analyst will also work to increase AAPCHO’s visibility on Capitol Hill.

Working with a diverse group of experts, researchers, and key policymakers at the federal state, and local levels, the ultimate goal of this position will be the implementation of administrative and legislative activities that results in positive outcomes for AAPCHO members and the communities they serve. During the coming year, this position will concentrate on integrating AAPCHO’s agenda into the federal health care reform debate. Core objectives of the Analyst’s work will be to build and nurture relationships with policymakers and expand the base of support for AAPCHO health policy priorities. The Analyst will also be expected to cultivate alliances with a variety of national and state health partners, and participate in forums and coalitions such as National Association of Community Health Centers, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, Out of Many One; National HIT Collaborative for the Underserved, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

AAPCHO provides a team-based environment that fosters a culture of ideas and debate. We approach our work from multiple perspectives and methods, understanding both the specific issues and the larger interrelated systems across the field of health and beyond. The Analyst will work closely with other AAPCHO staff with experience in communications, program management, advocacy, media, fundraising, special events, and marketing.

The Analyst will report to the Executive Director and receive secondary supervision from the Director of Programs. The Analyst will also be expected to work collaboratively across all issue areas with staff carrying out other advocacy activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

* Maintain relationships and communication with federal administrative policymakers and members of Congress, and AAPCHO and membership staff on AAPCHO policy issues and priorities
* Develop legislative and administrative strategies and conduct advocacy on behalf of AAPCHO membership and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander communities they serve
* Monitor and assess the impact of federal and state legislative and regulatory developments and proposals on AAPCHO membership and the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders
* Develop and implement strategies to engage AAPCHO members and relevant partner organizations, community leaders, researchers, health professionals and others in health policy advocacy
* Develop and write policy briefs, alerts, reports and publications
* Maintain relationships and communication with national, state, and local health policy partners who advocate for AAPCHO members and the communities they serve
* Act as a resource for and provide technical assistance to government officials, legislative staff, advocacy groups, health care and social service providers, advocates, community organizations and the media
* Conduct media advocacy and monitor media coverage of health policy issues affecting Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders
* Provide support, assistance, and guidance on key policy issues to AAPCHO leadership as well as appropriate membership staff

Required Qualifications:

* Bachelors degree required, Masters degree or equivalent in health, public policy, law or related field preferred
* Five years experience in public policy and advocacy, especially health policy, immigrant rights, or civil rights
* Demonstrated knowledge of health policies affecting the Asian American and Native Hawaiian & other Pacific Islander communities, especially related to health coverage systems
* Demonstrated experience and leadership in the development and implementation of policy advocacy campaigns on either a state or national level
* Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills to synthesize and process information for multiple audiences
* Strong self-motivation, independence, and adaptability, including ability to work under pressure and multiple deadlines
* Ability to travel as part of work responsibilities
* Demonstrated proficiency with personal computers, Microsoft programs, experience with databases preferred and experience with texting, chats, e-mails, and other electronic forms of communications
* Demonstrated commitment to Asian American and Native Hawaiian & other Pacific Islander health and community issues

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Send resume by email or post to:

SPA-hiring@aapcho. org (subject line: Policy Analyst)

AAPCHO
Attn: SPA Hiring Committee
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 620
Oakland, CA 94612

Interviews will be granted according to the qualifications of the applicant. AAPCHO is an equal opportunity employer. Women and people of color are encouraged to apply.

ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION:
The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health organizations (AAPCHO) is a national association of community health organizations serving Asian and Pacific Islander populations across the United States and its territories. AAPCHO’s mission is to promote advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improve the health status and access of Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians & other Pacific Islanders (AA & NHOPIs) within the US, its territories and freely Associated states, primarily through our member community health clinics. Our vision is to establish a standard of excellence for community-based health care that is equitable, affordable, accessible and culturally and linguistically appropriate to the people we serve.

Tien Teng :: Communications Specialist
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 620, Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-272-9536 x112 Fax: 510- 272-0817 Email: tteng@aapcho. org

Our Health is Our Strength
www.aapcho.org

KGA seeks Program Director (Long Beach, CA)

2009-04-29T21:26:00.000-05:00

Khmer Girls in Action
Seeks Program Director

Job Title: Program Director
Posting Date: April 2009 (until filled) Hire
Date: Immediately
Terms: Full Time: $33,000-$38,999 plus excellent benefits
Reports to: Executive Director Location: Long
Beach, California

Khmer Girls in Action (KGA) works with young Southeast Asian women in
Long Beach organizing for social change and community empowerment. KGA
staff works as a team, promoting mutual respect and equal
participation of youth and adults. Valuing process and consensus
building efforts, KGA staff are highly committed to social justice and
community building both within and outside the organization.

KGA is looking for a dynamic Program Director who has the commitment
and desire to build a grassroots organization working towards the
self-determination of youth, immigrants and refugees, and women. The
Program Director is expected to direct and sometimes coordinate
programs, supervise staff, lead in the Participatory Action Research
project to develop and direct the organization's community organizing
and electoral campaigns.

Responsibility:
-Direct KGA's Leadership Development Programs, Cultural Historical
Arts (CHA) Programs, and Learning to Impact for Empowerment (LIFE)
Program activities, including design, planning, implementation, and
evaluation
-Facilitate, coordinate, and create curriculums for Khmer Justice
Program, one of the Leadership Development Programs
-Supervise, train, and evaluate program staff individually, and
collectively as an effective team
-Lead Participatory Action Research project to develop a community
organizing campaign
-Lead and direct electoral campaigns
-Contribute to the planning and implementation of the strategic plan
-Develop and implement organizational policies and procedures with the
Executive Director
-Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual program reports to the
Executive Director and Board of Directors
-Assist in the development and administration of program budgets
-Establish relationships with youth organizing and social justice
groups and organizations

Qualifications:
-College degree or equal work experience
-At least 2 years of supervising experience with knowledge of program
development and management and/or campaign development and
implementation
-At least 3 years demonstrated volunteer or professional experience
working in diverse immigrant/refugee communities (preferably Southeast
Asian and/or youth groups)
-Must possess knowledge on curriculum development, training design and
facilitation - specifically around political education and campaign
development and implementation
-Highly organized and punctual with excellent inter-personal and team
building skills
-Strong commitment to social justice, gender justice, and youth
self-determination
-Willingness to work some weekends and nights
-Valid CA driver's license, access to an insured automobile, and
ability to transport youth to and from activities

Send cover letter, resume, and 3 references through email to:

Suely Ngouy, Executive Director
Khmer Girls in Action
1355 Redondo Avenue, Suite #9
Long Beach, CA 90804
www.kgalb.org
Email: suely@kgalb.org

This position is an employee of KGA's fiscal sponsor Little Tokyo
Service Center (LTSC). LTSC is an equal opportunity employer.

Opportunity - Youth Program Coordinator, Indo-American Center

2009-04-29T21:25:00.000-05:00

The Indo-American Center is accepting applications for the position of youth program coordinator. For more information, please click on the link below.

http://npo.net/jobs/jobdetail.asp?xJobID=33429

KAN-WIN Community Advocate - Chicago

2009-04-29T21:24:00.001-05:00

Organization: Korean American Women in Need (KAN-WIN)
Job Title: Community Advocate
Part or Full-Time

Korean American Women In Need (KAN-WIN) is a non-profit, community-based organization that supports Korean American women and children victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. KAN-WINâ€™s services include 24-hour domestic violence crisis line, counseling, legal/social benefits advocacy, and Transitional Housing and Childrenâ€™s program, and community education/outreach.

Responsibilities

Legal Advocacy
* Ensure that KAN-WIN clients receive accurate information of their rights and options under relevant local, state and federal laws
* Advocate for and assist women in exercising their legal rights and options at all levels of legal proceedings
* Provide legal case management, document all casework, prepare program reports
* Manage KAN-WINâ€™s legal clinic including managing pro bono attorneys, volunteers, and legal clinic clients and providing follow up and referrals
* Keep abreast of changes in all relevant legislation and provide up-to-date information to all other staff
* Network with other advocates working on behalf of survivors of domestic and sexual violence

Policy Advocacy
* Oversee and develop the policy advocacy program
* Organize activities for the program; outreach to the community to educate and mobilize around issues of domestic and sexual violence and other issues affecting battered immigrant women
* Work closely with executive Director to create a systematic process of responding to policy issues
* Be familiar with and research current legislation related to women and immigrants and inform it to the community

Grant Writing (Applicable for full time only)
* Work with the Executive Director in the proposal submission process; prepare grant applications, progress reports due to funders, and other related correspondence
* Research and identify potential funding prospects relating to the projected and existed programs.

Operations & Administration
* Supervise interns and volunteers for the legal advocacy program and document interns/volunteersâ€™ work, hours, etc.
* Work closely with co-workers to efficiently and effectively carry out the agencyâ€™s programs
* Actively participate in the overall management of the agencyâ€™s physical offices, general upkeep, maintenance, communications, and troubleshooting
* Actively participate in developing all of the agencyâ€™s programs and fundraising activities

Qualifications
* A commitment to ending violence against women and children, including a thorough understanding of and commitment to the mission and goals of KAN-WIN
* Preferred to have familiarity with criminal, family and immigration laws
* Excellent team member
* Excellent writing, communication, and public speaking skills
* Bilingual English and Korean
* 40-hour domestic violence training required
* Driving is needed for this position; you must have a valid driverâ€™s license and a vehicle

Salary and Benefits
The salary is commensurate with the candidateâ€™s experience. KAN-WIN offers a benefits package that includes fully paid medical insurance, a progressive paid time off plan and professional development opportunities for the employee.

Please e-mail or fax resumes to:

KAN-WIN, Korean American Women In Need
Attn: Hye Shin Park, Program Director
2434 E. Dempster St. Suite 111
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Fax: 847-299-4717
hpark@kanwin.org

APIAHF Summer Policy Internships (San Francisco & Washington, DC)

2009-04-29T21:23:00.000-05:00

APIAHF is currently accepting applications for 2 policy interns this summer. One will be in San Francisco, and one will be in Washington, DC. These are both paid, part-time internships.

We are looking for currently enrolled undergrads (at least junior level) or graduate level students in health, public policy, law, sociology or related field.

Please see attached announcements for details. The announcements will also be posted to our website later today.

http://www.apiahf. org/about/ index.htm# jobs

Thanks,
TehShan

TehShan Lee, PHR
Human Resources Manager
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
450 Sutter St., Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94108
Direct: (415) 568-3323
Fax: (415) 954-9999
Email: tlee@apiahf. org

Free Tax Seminar for nonprofit and faith based organizations-Fri. May 15 in Irvine, CA

2009-04-29T21:18:00.000-05:00

JOHN CHIANG

California State Controller

In Collaboration with

The Honorable Sukhee Kang, Mayor City of Irvine

Christ Our Redeemer AME Church

University of Southern California, Center for Religion and Civic Culture

Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA)

Public Law Center

Volunteer Center of Orange County

KOCE

Cordially invite you to attend a

FREE TAX SEMINAR FOR NON PROFIT, EXEMPT

AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

Friday, May 15, 2009

9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Christ Our Redeemer AME Church,

46 Maxwell Street, Irvine, CA 92618

Registration and Continental Breakfast at 8:30 a.m.

Topics Include:

Compliance for Existing Non Profit, Religious and

Exempt Organizations

Employment Taxes

Recent Developments in Charity Law

Fundraising in Recessionary Times

How Social Media Can Help Non Profits in Marketing

Free Tax Seminar for Non Profit, Tax Exempt and Religious Organizations-Registration Form

RSVP by May 13, 2009

(Please complete one form for each person attending-please print)

Name ______________________________________________ Title_______________________________

Organization_________________________________________ Phone_____________________________

Fax________________________________________________ E-Mail_____________________________

Address_______________________________________________________________________________

City________________________________________________ Zip Code____________________________

Please complete the form and mail, fax, call or e-mail to: the Office of State Controller John Chiang, Attn: Diana Rubio, 777 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 4800, Los Angeles, CA 90017;

Fax 213-833-6011; Call 866-305-9991 or e-mail drubio@sco.ca.gov. For more information contact: Diana Rubio at (213) 833-6010

Diana Rubio

Director of External Affairs

Office of State Controller, John Chiang

777 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 4800

Los Angeles, CA 90017

213.833.6010 General

213.833.6033 Direct

213.833.6011 Fax

drubio@sco.ca.gov

UCLA: Amerasia Journal -- Call for Abstracts for "Global Community Formations and Asian American Futures"

2009-04-29T21:12:00.000-05:00

Amerasia Journal: Call for Abstracts
"Global Community Formations and Asian American Futures"

Amerasia Journal, UCLA Asian American Studies Center, and the U.C. Berkeley Center for Globalization and Information Technology

Consulting Guest Editors: Michel Laguerre, Professor and Director, Berkeley Center for Globalization and Information Technology, and author of Global Neighborhoods: Jewish Quarters in Paris, London, and Berlin, 2008; and Dr. Joe Fong, Ph.D. from University of California at Berkeley, Research Associate at BCGIT, and author of Complementary Education and Culture: in the Global/Local Chinese Community, 2003.

Amerasia Journal Editor: Adjunct Prof. Russell C. Leong, English and Asian American Studies, project director www.uschinamediabrief.com

Review & Publication Deadlines:

Due date July 15, 2009: 2-page abstracts.
Due date of final papers: Feb. 1, 2010
Publication date of issue: Fall/Winter 2010

Send copies of abstracts to: Dr. Joe C. Fong Kuankung@hotmail.com; Dr. Michel Laguerre bcgit@berkeley.edu; Russell Leong rleong@ucla.edu Inquiries and abstracts will be reviewed by the editors, and the authors notified.

Amerasia Journal now invites contributions for an innovative forum on "Global Community Formations and Asian American Futures." (For past issues or reference, see 50,000 pages of 40 years of Amerasia Journal, the core journal in Asian American Studies, are also now online through your institutional or individual subscription: through MetaPress.)

In the U.S., researchers and the public at large may still perceive Asian American communities as "glittering ghettos" within localized urban or suburban areas. That perception is outdated and inaccurate: they are neither ghettos, nor are they merely affluent enclaves. Rather, scholars in this field are seeing the multiple and complex effects of globalization in many contemporary urban Asian American communities across the United States, which are no longer localized in the traditional sense. Scholars are re-discovering global elements with Asian communities that integrate with existing structures, or create new ones, whose characteristics may not be so easily defined in past terms.

Already, localized Asian American culture and ethnic entrepreneurship link and intersect with globalized community and transnational culture. Global businesses, music, film and literature from Asia, for example, have transformed traditional urban areas into "globalized/localized" cultural zones. Likewise, Asian American communities have also experienced other dimensions of globalization from food to religious practices, from interethnic workplace cooperation to open conflict around sweatshops, unionization, or workplace standards. Asian American communities, particularly in the suburbs, appear far more "global" than the average local community, though not "global" in the same sense that major cities around the world, such as Tokyo and New York, are considered global. This transformation has led to the need for updated theoretical and methodological approaches to understanding 21st century Asian American community formation.

"Global Community Formations and Asian American Futures" thus extends and complements recent 2000-2009 issues of Amerasia Journal on the creation of "Asian American Places," on 'North American Asians (Canada); and on "Asians within a Transcultural Context"(Latin America), and "Asian American Literature in China, Poland, Sweden, Italy, etc." : these special editions also involved scholars from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Thus, "Global Community Formations" also welcomes international scholars and U.S. scholars who do work on the dual transnational consequences of Asian Americans and globalization on their countries, e.g. remittances and labor transfer; trafficking and human rights issues, Asian American involvement in homeland politics in India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, and elsewhere.

This Amerasia issue solicits papers that address the global as well as local dimensions of Asian American community in the 21st century in in relation to community formation, social institutions and networks, media, politics, etc.. Factors which will continue to shape Asian American communities include the following: 1. the impact of Asia's economic and cultural influence through institutions and medium such as banks and media; 2. transnational science, technological, and professional migration both ways; 3. transnational legal and human rights issues; and, 4. the reciprocal social/cultural and economic infrastructure of Asian communities as reflected in settlement, educational, and work patterns, as well as political participation in the U.S. and abroad.

We hope to address the following questions and will review abstracts in the following areas (but not restricted to these topics):

(1) Due to the influence of Asia's globalization on Asian American communities, what changes have occurred? How have they affected the community's social structure, cultural institutions, and politics in America?
(2) Has such transformation (i.e. Asia's globalization) taken place in and impacted non-Asian neighborhoods and suburbs in the United States? Here, we include not only the usual metropole
centers such as L.A., New York, or Chicago, but medium-sized and smaller cities and towns.
(3) Have these changes enhanced or hindered Asians' accomplishments in the area of education, businesses, and others within the larger society? How have these changes led to the formation of working, middle, and upper class Asian American communities?
4.) What is the relationship of Asian Americans with other minority groups at the workplace, in school, and in other venues, e.g. Asians and Latinos, African Americans, and with other ethnic groups? Are these relationships contested--and what are the significant issues?
5. How do "hot button" issues around religion, homeland politics, same-sex marriage
and sexual diversity, and local and global Asian media play out in Asian American communities nationally? Are there regional and demographic differences?

We hope that the papers will enable us not only to contribute to the field of Urban Studies and Asian American Studies, but also to unrestrict the conversation of community forces, social capital, and ethnic enclave.

If you have other topics not included above, please direct your inquiries to the editors.

--

Don T. Nakanishi, Ph.D.
Director and Professor
UCLA Asian American Studies Center
3230 Campbell Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1546
phone:310.825.2974
fax:310.206.9844
e-mail:dtn@ucla.edu
web site for Center: http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/default.asp

Joe Wong - Amusing Awkward AsAm Comedian

2009-04-29T21:02:00.002-05:00

All I can say is wow, awkward AsAm man doing comedy on David Letterman. And he is quite amusing. I mean, it's awkward, but it works. Props to Angryasianman for blogging this.

BOA - I did it for love MV

2009-04-29T09:58:00.000-05:00

Yay, BOA's second single in the U.S. "I did it for love" is out on MV via youtube. :)

Belatedly~

2009-04-29T09:55:00.003-05:00

Hi folks! Sorry I disappeared unexpectedly and didn't let ya'll know. I was out vacationing in Hawaii! If folks are interested, I can post some foodie pictures for your enjoyment. In the meantime, it was nice to see the state where Sen. Inouye and Sen. Akaka represents! NICE!

YOU might be Canadian after all!

2009-04-17T19:43:00.003-05:00

Canada passed an amendment called the April 17th Amendment.

The April 17 amendment to Canada's Citizenship Act automatically restores Canadian nationality to many people forced to renounce it when they became citizens of another country. It also grants citizenship to their children.

Eh eh eh? That's awesome! Now let's go watch some Russel Peters to celebrate. :)

Source

Help Save the D.C. Office of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Affairs!

2009-04-16T02:46:00.000-05:00

Help save DC's Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs by signing the petition here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dcfairaccesscoalition/

FYI - ipetitions will ask you for a donation to their website. This does not go toward the cause and you do NOT have to donate. It's free to sign the petition.

You can also join the facebook group here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=70439929063

Thank you for your help!

*****
Help Save the D.C. Office of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Affairs!

In Mayor Fenty’s 2010 budget proposal, the Office of Asian Pacific Islander Affairs (OAPIA) will be completely eliminated and the budget zeroed out. The Office's services will be absorbed within the Office of Community Affairs and 60% of the current OAPIA staff will be cut. The proposed elimination of the OAPIA is not just a problem for the vulnerable members in the community who benefit from the Office’s services. It undermines the District government’s responsibility to provide adequate support and services to all residents of the District.

The office has been in existence for over 20 years, and now currently serves over 22,000 API residents in the District. This office was implemented due to the diverse needs of the DC API community over the past two decades. The Office was established by the DC government in 1987 to provide critical services for the growing API community in the District, such as providing language access and translation/interpretation services for District residents to reforming government procedures and policies that hinder access to District programs and services.

The Office also provides support for over 2000 small business owned by API's, which is estimated to be 1/3 of all small businesses in the District. These businesses continue to bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue, and are employing hundreds of people in the District. The Office provides services that assist these businesses with technical and data support that facilitate their work.

For the District to continue to effectively respond to API needs and provide the community with equal access to District services, OAPIA must continue to:

- Have an independent budget to meet the needs and issues affecting of the API community.
- Be a Cabinet-level position to inform and advise the Mayor on the needs and issues affecting the API community.

Please help prevent the unraveling of the gains the District government has been able to make in the nation's Capitol on behalf of API’s. Contact your DC City Councilmember and let them know we must keep the Office in tact and maintain the services and programs they provide!

For more information, please contact dcaapidems@gmail.com.

Asian Counseling and Referral Service - various positions (Seattle, WA)

2009-04-16T02:45:00.000-05:00

Asian Counseling and Referral Service, a non-profit organization, promotes social justice and the well being and empowerment of Asian Pacific American individuals, families and communities; including immigrants, refugees, and native born; by developing, providing and advocating for innovative community-based multilingual and multicultural services. JOB DESCRIPTION TITLE: Supervisor - Aging and Adult Services DEPARTMENT: Aging and Adult Services SUPERVISOR: Director of Aging and Adult Services PURPOSE: Supervises and directs the work program services and staff. Monitors and evaluates staff and program performance. Facilitates working relations with other social service providers. Assists Director of Aging and Adult Services in program planning and development. Plans and directs work assignments for bilingual, culturally competent direct-service staff: monitors! performance of assigned staff and conducts timely performance reviews; approves salary
increases per agency budget and policies. Takes formal corrective action to ensure high quality consumer services, including input to dismiss employee; resolves complaints and grievances lodged by assigned staff Responsible for screening, interviewing and hiring new employees. Trains and orients new employees on program work assignments as well as agency policies and procedures. Plans, develops, and conducts training both in-house and in the community: provides and arranges for formal staff training; provides on-going consultation to staff; arranges for appropriate case consultation by other professionals, as needed. Reviews case CARE assessments and records to ensure requirements are met and to determine effectiveness of actions taken. Provides supervision of bilingual and bicultural program staff. Plans, organizes and assigns work of the program staff. Participates in performing accura! te and culturally competent direct services (e.g. assessments and
homes visits, etc.) in Asian language(s), when needed. Makes recommendations and monitor quality of care with attention to cultural sensitivity. Performs crisis intervention for Aging & Adult Clients with limited English proficiency. Plans, monitors and implementation of program projects; communicates program polices and procedures to staff; prepares reports and evaluates program performance to ensure contract requirements are met. Reviews, analyzes, and monitors monthly/quarterly client service statistical reports. Utilizes reports to evaluate productivity, program trends and program development needs. Represents the Aging & Adult Services Program in community meetings and conferences. Coordinates services with other social service agencies in the development of program resources and services. Assists Program Manager in program planning, development, proposal writing and program audits. ! Prepares instructional and informational material regarding
program services. WORKING CONDITIONS: Multi-level staff, home visits. Work with elderly, non-English speaking clients with a variety of problems. High degree of stress. CONTACTS: Aging and Adult Services Program staff, Asian Pacific American clients with limited English proficiency, social service organizations, funding source administrators and QUALIFICATIONS: Master's degree in social work plus two years providing direct human services and one year of direct supervisory experience; or Bachelor's degree in relevant field plus four years of providing direct human services and one year of direct supervisory experience. Preferred ability to understand, speak, write, and read Asian/Pacific Islander language and English. Strong knowledge of A/PI cultures is required Experience working with in culturally and linguistically di! verse environment and API elderly with desirability, highly desirable. Knowledge of: principles, practice methods of social
casework, principles of human behavior, various aspects of the aging process, social service resources, social and economic forces, supervisory skills, grant writing skills. Ability to work under pressure; plan, supervise and train multi-lingual and multi-cultural staff and effectively organize work. Strong communication skills, both written and oral.
________________________________________________________
Asian Counseling and Referral Service, a non-profit organization, promotes social justice and the well being and empowerment of Asian Pacific American individuals, families and communities; including immigrants, refugees, and native born; by developing, providing and advocating for innovative community-based multilingual and multicultural services. JOB DESCRIPTION TITLE: Case Manager II - Aging and Adult (Filipino Language) DEPARTMENT: Aging and Adult Services SUPERVISOR: Supervisor - Aging and Adult PURPOSE: To provide culturally competent case management services to elderly persons and adults living with disabilities within the Asian Pacific American community that are holistic, person-centered, and strengths-based with the goal of helping individuals to live a meaningful and independent life in the community. Performs services in compliance with agency ! policies and with contract and regulatory standards and requirement. PRIORITY ESSENTIAL JOB
FUNCTIONS RESPONSIBILITY Work with clients to develop and implement person-centered, holistic, and community-based care plan. Specific tasks include: Conducts comprehensive face to face assessment addressing broad range of life domains. Conduct reassessments and reauthorizations on an established schedule and implement appropriate service revisions. Develops, implements, monitors and modifies a written, personalized care plan in collaboration with client/family, physician and others as appropriate based on agreed outcomes and goals. Delivers client services based on the care plan, including visiting clients at their home and at other community locations accessible to clients. Provides client advocacy in attaining services and assistance in areas such as housing, medical resources, financial assistance, legal advocacy, personal c! are service, translation/interpretation. Assists clients in filing administrative hearings. Verify, authorize, and
monitors independent provider services accurately and on time so payments are made and to ensure uninterrupted quality services to clients. Expected to meet program performance and/or productivity standards. PRIORITY ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Prepares concise, complete, and accurate program documentation according to agency policy and system standards and in a timely manner. Maintains complete and accurate case files and records. Expected to meet program paperwork / documentation standards. Performs program outreach functions in the community. Explains program policy and services to clients and others. Participates in training, meetings, consultations, and conferences. Coordinates and cooperates with other agencies and organizations on client evaluation, treatment plans, and follow-up to facilitate implementation of service plans, to meet state and a! gency requirements, and to ensure quality care to clients. Provides team back up when case coverage is
needed and assists in the orientation and training of new staff, as requested. WORKING CONDITIONS: Often assists non-English speaking community members facing a variety of cultural, economic, health, and age-related obstacles. High degree of stress. CONTACTS: Social and health services agencies, community/senior social agencies/organizations, clients, and relations. QUALIFICATIONS: Master's degree in social work or social/behavioral science; or Bachelor's degree in social science with three (3) years experience in social services. Or Bachelor's degree in other major with five (5) years experience in social services ; or AA in social science with seven (7) years experience in direct treatment; or HS diploma with nine (9) years experience in socia! l services Completion of Case Manager training program including State sponsored CORE Training, beneficial. Must have ability to understand, speak, write, and read Filipino language and English. Knowledge
of APA cultures is required. Knowledge of: the aging process; the aging network service delivery system; other service delivering systems in the community; the purpose of the I&A/CM program and the services it provides; and the responsibilities of I&A/CM staff. Ability to: work as a team member with professional and support staff; analyze and draw conclusions from case records; apply casework principles to individual situations; and exercise judgment and organize multiple tasks. Employee must have a vehicle or reliable transportation to fulfill all job duties. If using personal or agency vehicle, this includes valid current Driver's license and must be insurable under agency's auto policy. If using personal vehicle, must have current auto insurance.
_________________________________________________
Asian Counseling and Referral Service, a non-profit organization, promotes social justice and the well being and empowerment of Asian Pacific American individuals, families and communities; including immigrants, refugees, and native born; by developing, providing and advocating for innovative community-based multilingual and multicultural services. JOB DESCRIPTION TITLE: Case Manager I - Aging and Adult Services (Vietnamese Language) DEPARTMENT: Aging and Adult Services SUPERVISOR: Supervisor - Aging and Adult PURPOSE: To provide entry level culturally competent case management services to elderly persons and adults living with disabilities within the Asian Pacific American community that are holistic, person-centered, and strengths-based with the goal of helping individuals to live a meaningful and independent life in the community. Performs services in compliance with agency policies and with cont! ract and regulatory standards and requirement.
PRIORITY ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Work with clients to develop and implement person-centered, holistic, and community-based care plan. Specific tasks include: Conducts comprehensive face to face assessment addressing broad range of life domains. Conduct reassessments and reauthorizations on an established schedule and implement appropriate service revisions. Develops, implements, monitors and modifies a written, personalized care plan in collaboration with client/family, physician and others as appropriate based on agreed outcomes and goals. Delivers client services based on the care plan, including visiting clients at their home and at other community locations accessible to clients; Provides client advocacy in attaining services and assistance in areas such as housing, medical resources, financial assistance, legal advocacy, personal care service, translation/interpretati! on. Assists clients in filing administrative hearings. Verify, authorize, and
monitors independent provider services accurately and on time so payments are made and to ensure uninterrupted quality services to clients. Expected to meet program performance and/or productivity standards. PRIORITY ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Prepares concise, complete, and accurate program documentation according to agency policy and system standards and in a timely manner. Maintains complete and accurate case files and records. Expected to meet program paperwork / documentation standards. Performs program outreach functions in the community. Explains program policy and services to clients and others. Participates in training, meetings, consultations, and conferences. Coordinates and cooperates with other agencies and organizations on client evaluation, treatment plans, and follow-up to facilitate implementation of service plans, ! to meet state and agency requirements, and to ensure quality care to clients. Provide team back up when case coverage is
needed. WORKING CONDITIONS: Often assists non-English speaking community members facing a variety of cultural, economic, health, and age-related obstacles. High degree of stress. CONTACTS: Social and health services agencies, community/senior .social agencies/organizations, clients, and relations. QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree in social work or social/behavioral science; or Bachelor's degree plus two (2) years of social service experience; or Associate's degree or equivalent in social work or social/ behavioral science plus two (2) years social services experience; or HS diploma or equivalent, with four (4) years experience in social services. Completion of Case Manager training program including State sponsored CORE Training, beneficial. Must have ability to und! erstand, speak, write, and read Vietnamese language and English. Knowledge of APA cultures is required. Knowledge of: the aging process; the aging network service delivery system;
other service delivering systems in the community; the purpose of the I&A/CM program and the services it provides; and the responsibilities of I&A/CM staff. Ability to: work as a team member with professional and support staff; analyze and draw conclusions from case records; apply casework principles to individual situations; and exercise judgment and organize multiple tasks. Employee must have a vehicle or reliable transportation to fulfill all job duties. If using personal or agency vehicle, this includes valid current Driver's license and must be insurable under agency's auto policy. If using personal vehicle, must have current auto insurance.
____________________________________________________
Asian Counseling and Referral Service, a non-profit organization, promotes social justice and the well being and empowerment of Asian Pacific American individuals, families and communities; including immigrants, refugees, and native born; by developing, providing and advocating for innovative community-based multilingual and multicultural services. JOB DESCRIPTION TITLE: Supported Employment Specialist (50% Time Position) DEPARTMENT: Vocational and Naturalization Services PURPOSE: Implements and coordinates culturally and linguistically competent supported employment service to ensure attainment of project goals and objectives. To provide culturally competent and recovery oriented case management services to job seekers with a disability . Services are holistic, person-centered, and strengths-based with the goal of helping indiv! iduals to achieve recovery and self sufficiency in the community. Work with clients to develop and implement
strengths-based supported employment vocational/training service plan. Specific tasks include: Conduct comprehensive assessment addressing broad range of life domains and to develop individualized service plan. Meet with clients to provide individual benefit counseling, job readiness assessment, vocational counseling, job coaching, assess progress in clients' service plans, and assist in job search activities, such as resume development, completing job applications, role playing job interviews, and providing job preparation skills training workshops. Assist clients and provide advocacy and coordination in accessing support services, training programs, and resources to ensure clients' training participation, employment! , and/or job retention. Deliver client services based on the vocational plan, including visiting clients at their home and at other community locations accessible to clients; Provides long term follow-up case management service to
ensure successful job retention, including maintaining regular contact with both client and employer to ensure satisfaction with job placement, and to troubleshoot and assist in problem-solving Expected to meet program performance and/or productivity standards. Prepares concise, complete, and accurate program documentation according to agency policy and system standards and in a timely manner. Maintains complete and accurate case files and records. Performs job development and program outreach functions in the community. Explains program policy and services to clients and others. Establishes and maintains employer relationships to develop job placement opportunities and in ! the coordination of employer services to address training and other needs. Provide training to and consultation for staff regarding supported employment service to individuals with disability; acts as a liaison between behavioral health and vocational program. Participates in
training, staff and team meetings, consultations, and conferences. Coordinates and cooperates with other agencies and organizations to facilitate implementation of service plans. Other job-related duties as assigned by management. WORKING CONDITIONS: Strict deadlines, performance requirements, and independent work with difficult clients/situations. High level of stress. CONTACTS: Staff, consumers, community agencies, and funders. QUALIFICATIONS: Master's degree in social work plus two years providing direct human services; or Bachelor's degree in relevant field plus four years of ! providing direct human services. Registered as a counselor with the Department of Health or have a letter of exemption from the Department of Health. Vocational service experience required. Knowledge of Asian/Pacific Island cultures and communities is required. Experience working within a culturally and linguistically diverse environment highly desirable. Ability to
speak an Asian language desirable. Ability to work with diverse ethnic groups and main stream population. Strong presentation and training skills required. Strong communication skills (oral/written).

Two events with Kristina Wong THIS WEEK

2009-04-16T02:14:00.002-05:00

The Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of Chicago presents two events with writer, actor, and solo-performer Kristina Wong, one of four artists in residence at the Center this Spring.

On Thursday, April 16, 2009, in conjunction with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Kristina Wong will speak with students about her work as part of OMSA's Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) series.
time: 12pm-2pm
location: 5710 S. Woodlawn Ave
Lunch is provided. rsvp: ryo@uchicago.edu

On Friday, April 17th, 2009, in conjunction with Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, Kristina will perform her one-woman solo play, "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
time: 7pm
location: chancel area of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel (5850 S. Woodlawn Ave)
(Persons with disabilities please contact Lorraine Brochu at 773-702-7059)

Both events are free and open to the public.

Kristina Wong's short bio:
Kristina Wong is a nationally presented solo performer, writer, actor, educator, culture jammer, and filmmaker. Described by the East Bay Express as "brutal but hilarious... a woman who takes life's absurdities very seriously," her body of performance work includes short and full-length solo performance works, outrageous street theater stunts and pranks, subversive internet installations, and plays and sketch comedy. Her performances have been shown in spaces that include: the Public Theater, REDCAT, Mark Taper Forum, Jumpstart Performance Company (San Antonio, TX), La MaMa ETC, the Painted Bride (Philadelphia, PA), the Comedy Central Workspace among dozens of others. She was awarded the Creative Capital Award in Theater and a Creation Fund from the National Performance Network to create her third full-length solo show, "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" exploring the remarkably high incidence of suicide among Asian American women in a world that's more nuts than we are. Kristina wrote and performed in the CBS Multicultural Comedy Showcase. Her show "Free?" was also featured earlier this year at the South Beach Comedy Festival in Miami. Kristina was invited as the alumna commencement speaker for the 2008 UCLA Department of English graduation. She is completing a novel started with the PEN USA Rosenthal Emerging Voices Fellowship. She is a freelance contributor to anthologies and magazines that include Playgirl Magazine. Her mail order bride website is www.bigbadchinesemama.com. You can access additional information at her website: http://www.kristinawong.com

Here and Now: With a Look to the Future -- A Workshop and Conference for API Nonprofit Organizations - 5/27

2009-04-16T02:12:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

On Wednesday, May 27, 2009, we will be co-presenting a workshop for nonprofit organizations serving the Asian and Pacific Islander American community. Our partners for this workshop are The California Wellness Foundation, Microsoft Corporation and more than a dozen corporate, foundation, nonprofit and individual leaders who are donating their time and energy to ensure that this workshop and conference are a success.

The workshop and conference will be held at:

Microsoft Corporation
333 S. Grand Avenue
33rd Floor
Los Angeles

Registration begins at 8 a.m., with the program beginning promptly at 8:45 a.m.

The workshop is being offered free of charge and includes a continental breakfast, box lunch and refreshments. Registration is being offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The maximum number of participants for this special workshop is 150 persons. It is strongly recommended that you register and arrive early. Each participant must register separately. (Speakers and panelists should also register using this online registration process. Speakers and panelists do not need to responds to the short questionnaire that accompanies the registration form.)

Please use the link below for online registration. In order to assist the speakers and presenters with details about your organization, we request that you complete the questions that are listed on the online registration form. Please register before the May 20, 2009 deadline.

ONLINE NONPROFIT (AND SPEAKER) REGISTRATION - http://www.iwgroupinc.com/event/Here-And-Now/

A copy of the program agendum is attached along with details regarding parking options. Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.

Parking is available at Joe’s Auto Parks, about 1.5 blocks from Microsoft, located at 220 S. Hope Street and 240 S. Hope Street, for $12 per vehicle. Parking at the Wells Fargo Center is $40 per vehicle. Please be sure to park in the lots designated for this workshop and conference.

If you should have any questions regarding this workshop and conference, please do not hesitate to contact Bill Imada, IW Group Chairman and CEO, at (310) 289-5588 or via e-mail at bimada@iwgroupinc.com.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, May 27, 2009!

Sincerely,

Your Co-Presenters

KAFSC of New York seeking a full time Development Coordinator

2009-04-16T02:10:00.000-05:00

Korean American Family Service Center of New York is a community-based nonprofit organization established to prevent and end violence in the home and in partner relationships and promote safe and healthy families and communities in the New York metropolitan area through a wide range of bilingual programs and services. We provide counseling, advocacy, education, and support services to strengthen communication and parenting skills, increase economic self-sufficiency, and promote the positive development of children and youth. www.kafsc.org.

Development Coordinator

Job Category: Administration, Editing & Writing , Fundraising & Development, Human Relations, Marketing, Public relations
Language(s): English, Korean
Area of Focus: Foundations, Fundraising, and Philanthropy, Health, Mental, Network of Nonprofit Organizations, Women's Issues
Type: Full time
Last day to apply: Until the position is filled

Description:
-Identifying new funding opportunities and cultivate new funding sources
-Maintaining and develop relationships with existing funders
-Conducting research/Writing grant proposals for government, foundation, and corporate funding sources
-Developing fundraising strategies to create new avenues for contributions
-Planning and coordinating special fundraising events
-Conducting direct mail campaigns
-Working to ensure full board and volunteer participation in all fundraising activities
-Attending staff meetings, training, and workshops
-Assisting Executive Director with various administrative tasks

Additional Qualifications:
Bilingual preferred (English & Korean) but not required

Salary: commensurate with qualification and experience

How to Apply:
Please send your resume and cover letter to Grace Yoon at gyoon@kafsc.org

Thank you.

Grace Jungsook Yoon
Executive Director
Korean American Family Services Center of New York
P.O.Box 541429
Flushing, NY 11354
T.718.460.3801 ext.10
F.718.460.3965

CACF's Asian American Idol II (Tues, 4/28/09, 6:30pm @ BLVD)

2009-04-16T02:08:00.000-05:00

GET IDOLIZED…AGAIN!

One Stage. One Night. One chance to be an Idol.

Asian American Idol II:

A karaoke competition & fundraiser for the Coalition for Asian American Children & Families (CACF)

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

6:30 PM

BLVD – 199 Bowery @ Spring Street

Donation: $20 pre-sale/$25 at the door/$30 pre-registered contestants

Pre-sale and contestant registration at www.cacf.org. Contestants must be pre-registered

In order to perform and will be selected by random drawing.

Contestant Registration ends 5pm, Thursday, April 9!

Join us for a thrilling night of sensational performances to benefit CACF!

Compete for unbelievable prizes valued at over $5,000, including the

opportunity to record a track with an award-winning engineer

producer, karaoke club packages, and a complete Rock Band 2 set!

Or just join the party and vote for your favorite singers as they take

the stage at the premier entertainment venue on the Bowery.

This event is open to people of all backgrounds and musical talents.

No prior karaoke experience is required.

You must be 21 years or older to attend.

CACF, the nation’s only pan-Asian children’s advocacy organization, aims to improve

the health and well-being of Asian Pacific American children and families in New York City.

The Action Council is a group of young Asian Pacific American professionals who support

CACF through fundraising, outreach, and education to raise awareness of CACF’s mission and goals.

Visit our website at www.cacf.org.

Dance of the Enchantress, May 1, 8pm, Wang Center, Stony Brook University

2009-04-16T02:06:00.000-05:00

DANCE OF THE ENCHANTRESS
South India's Graceful Dance, Mohiniyattam
Comes to the Charles B. Wang Center. Reserve NOW as we are sure to sell out!

Join Vijayalakshmi and her mother Bharati Shivaji, with their group of
accomplished Indian classical dancers trained in the southern Indian dance
form of Mohiniyattam on their very first tour of the United States in the Dance
of the Enchantress. Considered the most graceful of classical Indian dances,
Mohiniyattam is deeply rooted in femininity, grace (Lasya), and beauty
(Sringara) forming the quintessence of this dance form.

Trained at the Center for Mohiniyattam under her mother Guru Bharati Shivaji,
Vijayalakshmi has been described as a dancer "breathing fresh perspective into
tradition and creating choreographies on new contemporary themes."
Combining the traditional repertoire alongside contemporary influences in her
innovative choreographic works, both Vijayalakshmi and Bharati Shivaji and her
ensemble represent the best there is in Mohiniyattam today in India.

Mohiniyattam is based on the Hindu story of the Supreme God Vishnu
transforming into the female Mohini, a celestial being of unsurpassed beauty
and charm, in order to entice and deceive demons. The fluid movements of
this dance's traditional repertoire are also inspired by the nature and beauty of
the South Indian state of Kerala known for its lush green landscape, trees
swaying gently with the breeze and the calm and soothing backwaters.

There is a Dance workshop slated for Thursday, April 30, 7pm, Wang Theater.

Mohiniyattam gives us a glimpse of culture, tradition, life and aesthetics of
Kerala and lifts the audience to a blissful and mystical state.

Reservations highly recommended! Pre-Order Now while it is still early.
We are sure to sell out!

Performance time: Friday, May 1, 8:00 PM
Tickets for this event are:

$25 for VIP - Reserved, Prime and Priority Seating, free workshop on April 30
$10 for students and seniors, $15 for general admission

To Purchase Tickets by Credit Card: go to www.stonybrook.edu/wang
To Reserve Tickets and get more information:
email wangcenter@stonybrook.edu or call (631) 632-4400

Dance Workshop on April 30, 7pm is $10.00 for all, free with purchase of VIP
Tickets. Reservations by phone and email.

_____________________
TWO DAYS LEFT!

GANDHI, KING, IKEDA : A LEGACY OF PEACE

Exhibtion closes Friday, April 3, Skylight Lobby, 8 am to 8pm weekdays

These three men, from different cultures, continents, and ages, dedicated
their lives for the common good of humanity. From the non-violent Indian
struggle for Independence led by Gandhi, to the courageous struggle for
African-American civil liberties led by King, to the quest for world-wide social
harmony, tolerance, and awareness led by Ikeda, the Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A
Legacy of Building Peace exhibiton provides a glimpse of the common path of
profound dedication and achievement in improving the lives of all people ,
linking friends from diverse communities together for a common cause

Sponsored by Soka Gakkai International—USA, Stony Brook University

Co-sponsored with:
Office of Diversity & Affirmative Action
Charles B. Wang Center's Asian & American Programs
Martin Luther King Jr International Chapel Morehouse College

To see the flier: http://www.stonybrook.edu/sb/wang/gandhi%20flyer%
20final.pdf
_________________
The Charles B. Wang Center at Stony Brook University, located at Exit 62 off
the Long Island Expressway, initiates and collaborates with academic
departments, student groups, community organizations, and individuals in
presenting the public with a multifaceted, intellectually sound, and humane
understanding of Asia and Asian American cultures, and their relationship to
other cultures.

API-PFLAG "Think, Write, Win: Choose Love" Essay Contest in support of Marriage Equality

2009-04-16T02:03:00.001-05:00

Essay contest/scholarship for current graduating high school seniors and/or undergraduates, who are permanently residing in either Orange County or Los Angeles counties.

Can either be written in English and/or Chinese or Korean.

DEADLINE APRIL 24, 2009

Asian Pacific Islander Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (API-PFLAG) presents:

“Think, Write, Win: Choose Love”

A College Scholarship Essay Contest

What: Over $5,000 in college scholarships will be awarded to the best student essays on why should same-sex marriage be a fundamental civil right. Essays are to be limited to no more than 1000 words (1500 characters for
Chinese and Korean essays).

Why: To discover, give voice to, and recognize the voices of talented youths on the important civil rights issue, the freedom to marry. Essays accepted in English, Chinese, or Korean. Winning essay writers will receive cash.

Who: High school and college students who will enroll part-time or full-time at an accredited two-year or four-year college of university in the Fall of 2009. Must be residents of Los Angeles or Orange counties.

How: Essays should be submitted to apipflag@yahoo.com

When: Deadline for essay submission is April 24, 2009.

Winners to be announced May 15, 2009.

For additional contest rules and more information visit http://apipflag.blogspot.com/

A portion of the prize winnings was donated by the PFLAG National Diversity
Outreach Chapter Assistance Program.

AAJC ACTION ALERT: Thank the President NOW for His Commitment to Immigration Reform!

2009-04-16T02:02:00.001-05:00

ACTION ALERT

April 9, 2009

Thank the President NOW for His Commitment to Immigration Reform!
The front page of today’s New York Times featured a clear and promising message: the Obama administration intends to address the country’s broken immigration system this year. The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) and its affiliates – the Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco, Calif.), Asian American Institute (Chicago, Ill.), and Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Los Angeles, Calif.) – thank President Obama for his commitment to ensuring that reform of our nation’s broken immigration system will be a priority in 2009.

Immigration reform is critical for not just the Asian American community, but for all Americans. Countless families in our communities are waiting in desperation for a quick resolution to long and painful family immigration backlogs that have kept some immigrants from their closest relatives abroad for years, even decades. And at this time of economic uncertainty, comprehensive immigration reform is needed more urgently than ever to regularize status for those who are already working hard and paying taxes.

The White House is facing strong opposition from anti-immigrant groups who decry any attempt at comprehensive immigration reform during the current economic climate. We need your help to counter this opposition.

There are three actions you can do TODAY to show that the Asian American community stands strong on comprehensive immigration reform this year:

• CALL: President Obama and thank him for moving immigration reform in 2009. Call 866-584-3962.
• FAX: Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi to urge them to support President Obama and pass immigration reform in 2009. To send your fax, go to http://www.AmericasVoiceOnline.org/Leadership.
• TEXT: Join the FIRM (Fair Immigration Reform Movement) Mobile Action Network by texting “Justice” to 69866 to get updates on May 1 actions and future action alerts to help us win immigration reform this year.

Once you have made your own voice heard, please widely forward this message and encourage others to do the same.

Thank you for your effort and support!

UCLA: An Invitation to the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center

2009-04-16T02:00:00.000-05:00

SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday, May 16th, 2009 | 4-7pm
UCLA Dickson Court North
UCLA Asian American Studies Center
Celebrating 40 Years
knowledge | legacy | leadership

Special Tribute to Don T. Nakanishi

Title Sponsors: David Nishida and Tina Yamano Nishida

Please see web page: http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/archives/40thcelebration.htm

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center invites you to join us on Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 4-7pm for an outdoor reception and program to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. We will also honor Director and Professor Don T. Nakanishi, who will retire after 19 years of distinguished leadership and a 35 year career at UCLA.

Admission is complimentary, but please RSVP by Tuesday, May 5, 2009.
Email aascrsvp@aasc.ucla.edu or call (310) 825-2974.

Parking is available in Lot 2 and 3. Rates are $9 per day.

For more information, contact Jolie Chea at jchea@aasc.ucla.edu
or (310) 825-2974, or visit www.aasc.ucla.edu

--

Don T. Nakanishi, Ph.D.
Director and Professor
UCLA Asian American Studies Center
3230 Campbell Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1546
phone:310.825.2974
fax:310.206.9844
e-mail:dtn@ucla.edu
web site for Center: http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/default.asp

FASO Gala Night - May 16, 2009

2009-04-16T01:59:00.000-05:00

THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (FASO)

7:30 PM, Saturday, May 16, 2009

The Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills (www.wtbh.org)

On behalf of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. and Asian Journal Foundation, we cordially invite your participation at the debut Gala Night for the Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) on May 16, 2009 at the Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills.

The Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) is the first Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines. FASO was established in Los Angeles County, which has the biggest concentration of Filipinos outside the Philippines. With FASO's existence in Los Angeles, mainstream America – and the world – will recognize, appreciate and enjoy symphony music played by excellent Filipino musicians based in Southern California. This is just part of our story.

For decades, Filipino musicians in America have dreamed of having a Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra. With Filipinos being naturally gifted in music, they have expressed their longing and connection back to the homeland through notes and composition. Stories are integrated into the melodies that describe past, present and future experiences of what it is to be Filipino. FASO is committed to increase the appreciation and engagement of richly orchestrated symphony by allowing others to find their Filipino identity through music and the arts. Today, more than ever, FASO raises the harmonious blend for love of country and music to a whole different octave.

The Gala Night will feature a symphony of musicians – from enthusiastic students to veteran orchestra musicians – all bound together by their passion for music. Robert "Bob" Shroder brings with him his talent, expertise and experience as the Conductor and Musical Director of FASO. The featured musical selections to be played by the orchestra include: an overture and excerpts from opera, ballets and Broadway, and well-loved Filipino songs, and pieces by instrumental soloists. Guest singers, Joey Albert and Stephanie Reese, will sing popular Filipino songs from classical to pop music.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Amirah Limayo at (213) 820-5248 or email
amirah.limayo@asianjournalinc.com Celebrate the unveiling of the Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) in this enchanting evening of unforgettable performances.

2009 Press Release / Chicago 4/25 CD Release - KEVIN SO

2009-04-16T01:57:00.000-05:00

NEWS RELEASE Contact: Kevin So (617) 283-0812 / kevin@kevinso.com

SINGER/SONGWRITER KEVIN SO

PUTTING HIS “BEST FOOT FORWARD”

Join Kevin So as he performs songs from his latest release “Best Foot Forward”

APRIL 25 at MARTYR’S *7PM (early show)

3855 Lincoln Avenue www.martyrslive.com

“He’s the Amy Tan of the singer/songwriter world.”

-Recording Magazine

If Bruce Lee were alive today, quit acting and started singing, he would be Kevin So. Put James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, John Mayer, and Billy Joel all together… and you get Kevin So.

With nearly 20,000 CDs sold worldwide, Kevin So brings forth his latest effort, the intimately acoustic “Best Foot Forward.” So has released an album almost every year for the past 13 years.

“With ‘Best Foot Forward,’ I wanted to do a 180°, like many of my musical heroes. I’d released 2 full length studio albums with drums, bass, electric guitars, keyboards, background vocals, and horns. I’d toured all around the U.S., and Hong Kong, with various rhythm sections comprised of some of the best working musicians in town (New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, Philadelphia). This time around, I want to give back something to the fans who have stuck by me since my ‘folkie’ days (1995-2002). It is something they’ve always said they love best - me solo acoustic. So that’s what this is.”

Recorded in September 2008 in only three days, “Best Foot Forward” captures the essence of Kevin So in his most intimate and perhaps most vulnerable setting – solo acoustic. Never one to repeat himself, So puts forth a collection of 15 never-before-recorded original songs (17 for digital release). Included are the politically charged “Letter From Guantanamo,” the anthemic and socially relevant “Stronger Side By Side,” a post break-up “Forever Friend,” and the soul-searching “Hollywood, Cherokee & Vine” – the latter two recorded and mixed in Nashville by longtime friend Russell Wolff. “Best Foot Forward” marks the reunion of So and Steve Rapson, producer of So’s debut CD, “Pendulum,” in 1996.

“For the past 5 years, it’s been me pretty much on the keyboards backed by my band (Midnight Snack), and often with a horn section. But this time I wanted to get back to the ol’ acoustic. Touring solo and opening for Keb’ Mo’ gave me a lot of affirmation – that this is what I do best right now. More importantly, it’s something I’m learning to love again. It really does feel like this is, overall, my best foot forward.”

“Keep your eyes on the future

The sun is rising up ahead

They say the grass is always greener

You can’t go living with regret

Leave the rest behind

Leave the rest behind

Put your best foot forward

Leave the rest behind

-from “Best Foot Forward”

About Kevin So…

In over a decade of performing his music around the country, Kevin So has earned the respect of fellow musicians (Keb' Mo', Amos Lee), won over members of press and radio, and has built a loyal fan base across the US. Born and raised in Boston, So channeled his early passion for singing into the start of a career in music with his appearance on the nationally broadcasted TV show "Big Break" hosted by Natalie Cole. In 1994, So toured the country in a cover band that would later see some of its members moving on to Britney Spears' band. It was during that period when Kevin spent a considerable amount of time listening to the early recordings of Bob Dylan. By 1995, So quit the band and became a regular on the open-mic scene in Cambridge. His strong musicianship caught the attention of a Boston Globe critic who wrote that Kevin was "unusually talented." At the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, an Austin Chronicle columnist took notice, writing that So was "the big discovery." The release of So's Individual in 1997 was accompanied by sold-out shows at the legendary Club Passim. So moved to Chicago in 1999, booked his own gigs, performing shows in the Midwest and elsewhere. Busking in Austin the following year, Kevin was then discovered by The Agency Group. Subsequently, he opened for Joe Cocker, Billy Bragg, and Robben Ford. In 2001, So moved back to Boston. Musically, he was shifting from folk to a more pop/r&b sound. The day after September 11, 2001, Kevin connected with popular bluesman Keb' Mo' and co-wrote "Talk," which Keb' would eventually record. So continued touring in 2002, becoming a favorite performer among colleges and Asian American organizations across the US. The double-disc Leaving The Lights On appeared to an avalanche of praise in 2003 and throughout most of 2004. With two more CDs under his belt (The So Must Go On in 2005 and A Brighter Day in 2007), So toured at a vigorous clip. In the summer of 2007, Kevin was recipient of the Overall Excellence Award (Outstanding Music & Lyrics) for his work in "Victor Woo: The Average Asian American” a musical loosely based on his life. It debuted at the New York International Fringe Festival to packed houses. Kevin stayed on the road in 2007 and 2008, both as bandleader and as a solo act, opening for Keb’ Mo’ on several occasions. His highly anticipated solo acoustic release Best Foot Forward is supported by concert dates this year.

For more information, please visit the official website www.KevinSo.com

Take Action for DREAM Act! NAKASEC statement & action alert

2009-04-16T01:53:00.001-05:00

Dear all – the DREAM Act, tailored legislation that provides a pathway to legalization for eligible undocumented immigrant students, was introduced today (March 26, 2009) in the House and Senate. Below is an action alert and NAKASEC’s statement. Take 10 minutes to also call the lead sponsors and THANK THEM for their leadership. Sincerely, Sookyung Oh, NAKASEC

For immediate release
March 26, 2009

Contacts:
EunSook Lee, NAKASEC, 323-937-3703
Becky Belcore, KRCC, 773-588-9158

Dae Joong Yoon, KRC, 323-937-3718

DREAM Act Introduction Brings Hope to America’s Youth

(Los Angeles, CA) On March 26, 2009, the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act was introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Russell Feingold (D-WI), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Joe Lieberman (I- CT), Mel Martinez (R-FL), and Harry Reid (D-NV) in the Senate and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), Joseph Cao (R-LA), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Devin Nunez (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) in the House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation would provide undocumented students a chance to pursue higher education and obtain legal status.

Eun Sook Lee, executive director of National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), applauded the bill’s re-introduction, “With leadership and commitment, Senators Durbin and Rep. Berman has led the introduction of an important bill that gives hope to the 1.7 million undocumented children of this country. We call upon Congress to recognize the urgent responsibility we have to our young people and make DREAM Act a reality, once and for all.”

“Every year, 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools. 1 in 5 is Korean Americans are undocumented, including a significant percentage under 18 years of age,” Becky Belcore, executive director of KRCC said, “These young people face many barriers including lack of access to financial aid, in-state tuition in most states, and live in constant fear of deportation and separation from their loved ones. We are accountable to the futures of these young people and are ready to work with our communities and elected officials to ensure that each and every one of them has the chance to build a bright and full future.”

“Our parents brought us here for the American dream and we have grown up in the U.S., studying and working hard so that we can give back and contribute to our communities. I hope that we can finally pass the DREAM Act and send a strong message to youth across the country that our dreams, talents, and skills matter,” said Han Joon Kim, a student leader from FYSH (Fighting Youth Shouting out for Humanity), a youth group organized by KRCC in Chicago, Illinois.

“Korean American youths in Chicago and Los Angeles have been working hard to urge Congress and President Obama to support DREAM Act. We ask our elected officials to co-sponsor the bill and give us the chance to make our dreams come true,” said Ashley Park, a student leader from RYSE (Rise of Youth to Serve and Empower), a youth group organized by KRC in Los Angeles, California.

“NAKASEC and its affiliates are committed to the passage of this critical bill and will continue to engage our youth to take leadership in the student legalization movement,” Dae Joong Yoon, executive director of KRC added, “For more than eight years, young people have been in the forefront organizing their peers, community leaders, and other allies for passage of the bill. Until these students are afforded the same treatment as their native born peers, they will continue to work to create the change they deserve.”

Media Interviews

Upon request, interviews are available with the Korean American community members in Chicago and Los Angeles who will directly benefit from this legislation or who work with impacted students. To schedule a media interview, please contact HyunJoo Lee at 323-937-3703/ hlee@nakasec.org.

###

A Conversation with Broadway Director/Choreographer Baayork Lee

2009-04-16T01:50:00.000-05:00

The Center for Asian Arts and Media at Columbia College Chicago

invites you to

A Conversation with Broadway Director/Choreographer Baayork Lee

April 20, 2009, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Hokin Lecture Hall, Columbia College Chicago , 623 S. Wabash Ave.

Veteran Broadway director, choreographer and dancer Baayork Lee will share stories about her life and career on Broadway and discuss the industry realities and challenges facing theater professionals today.

Best known for her long association with A Chorus Line, Baayork Lee is an actress, dancer, choreographer, theater director and author. Lee's career took a big leap when she created the role of Connie Wong—based on her own life story—in A Chorus Line, which was conceived, directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett. Along with the cast, she won the 1976 Theatre World Award for Ensemble Performance for the show.

Over the years she has directed or choreographed more than thirty-five international productions, including the most recent Broadway revival of A Chorus Line in 2006, The King & I, Bombay Dreams, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Barnum, Porgy and Bess, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Carmen Jones. She was Associate Choreographer for Tommy Tune and has also choreographed several productions for the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center .

Please share the attached flyer with your students, colleagues, and friends!

Ramona Gupta
Program Coordinator
Center for Asian Arts and Media
Columbia College Chicago
218 S. Wabash Ave., 7th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 369-8214 ph
(312) 369-8010 fax
rgupta@colum.edu
http://www.colum.edu/asianartsandmedia

Movement Re-Imagining Change May 2nd conference in Chicago

2009-04-16T01:48:00.000-05:00

Re-Imagining Change: A Movement Summit

Saturday, May 2

10am - 5:30pm Program
9:30am Doors open for on-site registration.
Little Village Lawndale High School for Social Justice
3120 S. Kostner, Chicago, IL
$10-50 Donation requested, sliding scale, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Register Now by visiting Click here to register

Gather with Activists to Analyze the Political Moment and Shape a Progressive Agenda!

Save the date! Please attend and participate in a large gathering of activists in Chicago on the day after the historic May Day march for worker rights. On Saturday May 2, ARC â€™09 is convening a "Movement Summitâ€ in Chicago at the Little Village Lawndale High School for Social Justice. ARC â€™09 (A Movement Re-Imagining Change) was launched last fall by a group of activists and educators committed to making a stronger and more connected social justice movement. We wrote a ten point â€œpeopleâ€™s platformâ€ to promote a progressive analysis during the presidential campaign (see People's Platform ) and have been convening a series of dialogues and workshops bringing together activists across a range of issues and constituencies.

Our goal is build relationships, sharpen our analysis, and promote collaborations and connections across the broad swath of social justice issues and organizations.

Why May 2? Marking the close of the first one hundred days of the Obama administration, the Movement Summit is intended to provide an opportunity for progressive activists to come together and take stock of the state of the world and the state of our movement. And with every passing day, the need for this kind of gathering and assessment is all the more urgent. We know we cannot rely on Washington to find the answers. As Obama often said during the campaign, change begins with us, and it is up to us to demand and push for changes that meet human needs, not corporate agendas

Whether the issue is building a just economy, providing health care for all, ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or ending the death penalty, the insights and experiences of grassroots organizers are vital to moving the nation in a progressive direction

Please join activists from Chicago and across the country as we grapple with ways to address the many crises we face, and most importantly, to promote solutions.

To view more details about this Summit, the pre-dinners, afterset, or May 2nd weekend happenings, please visit:

register online

If you have questions or would like to get involved with the summit, please contact info@arc109.org.

Application for Mr. and Mrs. Sei Won Kim Scholarship Endowment Fund

2009-04-16T01:46:00.000-05:00

Dear All,
Please feel free to disseminate the attached information to any of your
students who meet the following categories:

1. Korean descent of 1.5 or 2nd generations
2. Major in human service, public health or related fields
3. Community service spirit

If you have any further questions, please ask Dr. Soo-Lyon Yon at (773)
583-5501 ext. 120.

----

Greetings from Korean American Community Services!

On behalf of Korean American Community Services (KACS), I am pleased to
announce that this year we are planning to award Mr. and Mrs. Kim
scholarship. The Scholarship Fund is inviting qualified candidates to apply
for the 2009 scholarship award of $1,000. The due date for scholarship
application is May 15, 2009. Please pass the information along to anyone
you think would benefit.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Soo-Lyon Yon

____________________________________________

Soo-Lyon Yon, PhD

Director
Community Education and Support
Korean American Community Services
4300 N. California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618

Phone) 773-583-5501 (ext. 120)
Fax) 773-583-7009

syon@kacschgo.org
www.kacschgo.org

Chicago Asian American Showcase starts April 3rd

2009-04-16T01:44:00.000-05:00

Chicago Asian American Showcase @ The Gene Siskel Film Center
Presented by the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media (FAAIM)

Chicago The Foundation for Asian American Independent Media together
with The Gene Siskel Film Center present the 14th annual Asian American
Showcase, April 3 16. The 2009 Asian American Showcase spotlights film
and videos, along with music and visual art, produced by Asian American
artists from across the United States and Canada, in a varied range of
format and genre.

Festival at a glance

· 44 films and videos
· 20 screenings
· 6 feature length films
· 11 documentaries
· 1 mixed short film and video program
· 1 animation short film program
· 1 visual art show
· 1 music showcase

Highlights include:

Dirty Hands : the art and crimes of David Choe, by Harry Kim, opening
night spotlight Friday April 3

Treeless Mountain, by So Yong Kim, closing night spotlight Thursday
April 16

The First Breath of Tengan Rei, by local directors Ed Koziarski and Junko
Kajino

Also featuring Dim Sum Funeral - a comical 7day traditional Chinese
funeral, the beautifully crafted coming of age drama - Half-Life, and
Fruit Fly a flashy, trashy, and brazenly fun musical.

Don¹t miss Sarba Das¹s charmingly chaotic comedy about a Hoboken Hindu
family in Karma Calling,
Or Hein Seok¹s documentary - The House of Sharing about an education
center where four surviving Korean ³comfort women² now live. Passing
Poston: an American story, Origns of Now: stories of the Chicago Nisei,
and The Dwelling is a documentary program about the struggles in which the
Japanese and Japanese Americans historically and currently face.

Declare INDIEpendence! 2009: A Showcase of Asian American Music
Celebrate the diversity of independent music in the Asian American
community with performances by: Spark*Shop, Lanialoha & Kupono, Cynthia
Lin and Wallet-Sized Photo. Hosted by Narciso ³Seeso² Lobo with DJ Huu T.
Ly and special guest Dawen. April 15th, 2009 at Subterranean, 2011 W.
North Ave. Show starts at 8:30pm. Doors open and DJ set at 8pm. 17 and
over. $10 cover.

Encounter with Distance - a visual art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film
Center Gallery/Café

For a complete list of all Showcase films and events, please refer to our
website at www.faaim.org

All film programs will be at The Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State
(between Lake and Randolph Streets), Chicago, IL, $9 general admission, $7
students, $4 for student, faculty of the School of the Art Institute, and
staff of the Art Institute. $5 Film Center members. (312) 846-2800.

FAAIM is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

APADRC's 20th Year Reception PRESS RELEASE

2009-04-16T01:42:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Grant Mao
April 3, 2009 (213) 250-8190 ext. 15
Grant.mao@apadrc.org

THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTER HOSTS "CONVERSITY"
AWARDS RECEPTION
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF SERVICE

On Wednesday, April 22, 2009, the Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center (APADRC) will host its Eighth Annual "Conversity" Awards Reception celebrating 20 years of bridging diverse communities and managing conflicts. At the event, we will honor community leaders and organizations that exemplify "conversity" through their work to support the community in achieving positive human relations.

The event will be held at Luminarias which is located at 3500 Ramona Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754 from 6:30pm-9:30pm. The program for the evening will include featured guest speakers and performers, a silent auction and raffle prizes.

This year's honorees include:

• Dr. A. Marco Turk, Professor and Director of the Cal State Dominguez Hills Negotiation Conflict Resolution and Peace building (NCRP) Program will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Mark Ridley-Thomas, Supervisor, Los Angeles County, 2nd District will be receiving the Community Leaderships Award.
• California Teachers Association will be receiving the Educational Excellence Award.

Founded in 1989, the Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center is a nonprofit organization that offers critical conflict resolution training and direct services to youth and adults The APADRC is a non-profit organization that has been offering mediation and conflict resolution services to the diverse communities of Los Angeles for the last 20 years. Its mission is to improve human and race relations by addressing complex, cross-cultural community conflicts and their root causes through transformative conflict resolution approaches that require sensitivity to clients who face language, cultural and income barriers. The APADRC brings awareness to the importance of conflict resolution and bridging cultural divides by engaging community members and organizations in dialogues and peace-building activities as well as collaborating with community partners through education, training and the development of new conflict resolution models and techniques.

The APADRC currently provides mediation, conciliation and facilitation services in six different languages including English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog and Spanish. The APADRC also works with local middle and high schools to provide peer mediation programs, teaching and empowering youth to work together to resolve their conflicts.

SAVE THE DATE: Men Against Sexual Violence Conference - April 25/26th

2009-04-16T01:41:00.000-05:00

Male Ally Conference at UIC: Engaging men to end violence against women

Keynote speaker: Byron Hurt, director of "Beyond Beats and Rhymes"

Men Against Sexual Violence is proud to announce the first annual Male Ally
Conference at UIC. The Male Ally Conference is a two day event that seeks
to engage men in ending transphobia, homophobia and violence against women.
The conference will take place April 25th & 26th 2009, at UIC's Student
Center East, The Illinois Rooms, 750 S. Halsted Chicago. Parking is
available for a fee across the street at the Hasted Street Parking
structure. The event is free and open to male-identified persons.

The conference features men from all communities leading workshops on race
and masculinity, disability and masculinity, trans-masculinity, and
unlearning homophobia. During these workshops men will have the opportunity
to talk about what it means to "be a man" and how race, transgender
identity, sexual orientation, and disability intersect to change this
meaning from community to community. Men will also learn about what they
can do in their everyday lives to stop a culture of violence. The second day
of the conference takes theory to action with exercise to encourage
coalition building and networking. During day two conference participants
will also have the opportunity to share ideas for further action and
education on our campus and in their home communities. "The conference is a
unique opportunity for men to talk about something that ordinarily is a
taboo subject," said Stephen Adler, member of Men Against Sexual Violence
(MASV) and primary coordinator of the conference. "The response of
departments and other student organizations thus far confirms to us that men
want to be part of the movement to end interpersonal violence."

Byron Hurt one of the nation's most widely-known male anti-sexism activists
will give the keynote. Hurt is a former Northeastern University football
quarterback and was also a founding member of the Mentors in Violence
Prevention (MVP) program. MVP is a leader in college-based rape and
domestic violence prevention initiatives for college and professional
athletics. Hurt is also the former Associate Director of the first gender
violence prevention program in the United States Marine Corps. A long time
activist, author and film maker Hurt challenges audiences to interrogate the
damaging effects of patriarchy, racism, and sexism in American culture.

The conference is free and open to all male-identified persons. If you
require an accommodation in order to participate, please contact the Office
of Women's Affairs at (312) 413-1025 two weeks prior to the event.

If you would like more information about how to get involved or how to
attend, contact Stephen Adler at masvuic@gmail.com

Conference co-sponsors include: SAFC Student Activities Funding Committee,
African-American Cultural Center, Chancellor's Committee on the Status of
Women, Gender & Sexuality Center, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Center for
Research on Women & Gender, Interdisciplinary Center for Research on
Violence, UIC Athletics, Special Assistant to the Provost for Diversity,
College of Applied Health Sciences, Young People For The American Way,
Honors College, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs, Chancellor's
Committee on the Status of Asian Americans, Office of Women's Affairs,
Campus Advocacy Network, Gender and Women's Studies, Gender and Sexuality
Center, Student Outreach Services, Feminist's United, African American
Academic Network, Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services,
Disability Studies.

Summer Program Assistant Coordinators (Seattle, WA)

2009-04-16T00:16:00.000-05:00

SUMMER INTERNSHIP:

SUMMER PROGRAM ASSISTANT COORDINATORS

VIETNAMESE FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION OF SEATTLE

Program Overview: The Summer Youth Program is an extension of the Educational Assistance for Student Empowerment (EASE) after-school program. After three successful years, VFA is now preparing for its fourth annual summer youth program. SYP is a program designed to build on students’ strengths to improve their academic and life potential. Youth will engage in academic enrichment, community service, field trips, and recreation. The 6-weeks program will be held three times per week Tuesday to Thursday from 1 to 5pm (with occasional fieldtrips outside those hours) at New Holly Learning Center, located at 7058 32nd Ave S., Seattle, WA, 98118. VFA aims to serve 20 students per level, for a total of 60 students enrolled in the program. These Vietnamese students will be primarily children from low-income families in the New Holly Neighborhood of Seattle, including many students who are residing in public housing.

We are looking for two Assistant Program Coordinators to work on the planning and implementation of this program.

Key Outcomes and Responsibilities

* Encourage students’ academic achievement and asset development through active learning

* Teaching/leading workshops on math, reading, writing, and science
* Design and implement asset-building components of the summer program including leadership workshops, encouraging students to explore and appreciate Vietnamese culture through hands-on educational activities.
* Plan and coordinate field trips
* Plan and coordinate community service projects
* Train and supervise high-school student volunteers
* Coordinate program logistics, such as snacks, attendance, etc.
* Ensure safety and well-being of all students
* Maintain a program environment that is conducive to learning

* Recommend appropriate educational protocols and procedures to increase program effectiveness

Essential Qualifications and Key Competencies:

* Has experience working with youth, especially low-income or newly arrivals.
* Is competent in middle school and high school math, reading, science, and other subjects
* Be open to Vietnamese traditions and values
* Excellent communication skills
* Is organized and highly flexible
* Can effectively work independently and as a team member
* Has reliable transportation or is proficient in using public transportation
* Able to safely lift up to 20 pounds (textbooks and supplies) on occasion

Terms of Employment: This is a 40-hour/week, 10-week summer internship position from 6/15/09 to 8/21/09, with training provided at the NAVASA conference May 13-16, 2009 in Washington DC.

Benefits:
· Upon completion of 400 hours of service ad 50 hours of training, interns will receive $1250 in education bonus that can be used for education purposes such as tuition or paying student loans.

* Gain skills in program planning, development, evaluation. Develop teaching and public presentation skills.
* Tap into the national network of Dan Than Americorps alumni

To Apply: Please fill out application http://navasa.org/danthan/index.shtml

Deadline: April 24th, 2009

Catch a Sporty Cultural Connections Event!

2009-04-16T00:14:00.000-05:00

Cultural Connections
A partnership of ethnic museums and cultural centers

Transplanted Sports
Co-presented by
Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago
Indo-American Heritage Museum
Sponsored by Environment, Culture and Conservation (ECCo),
a Division of Science at The Field Museum

Colonists and immigrants have planted seeds of athletic activity that flourish far from their original settings. Japanese settlers in Brazil popularized the ancient Samurai martial art of jiu-jitsu while Indians excelled at the elaborate English colonial team sport of cricket. Today, in the U.S., Brazilian immigrants promote jiu-jitsu while Indian Americans create cricket pitches in city parks. Come learn how people of all ages strive for mental and physical fitness through Brazilian jiu-jitsu and how popular competition between national teams prompts unofficial cricket matches. A Brazil jiu-jitsu demonstration and an explanation of cricket's rules will illustrate how each activity keeps "bodies in motion."

Saturday, May 16th, 11:30am-2:00pm
at the Indo-American Center
6328 N. California Avenue

Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Reserve your seats by calling (773) 830-1481 or e-mail culturalconnectionsevents@gmail.com. For more information, go to www.fieldmuseum.org/ccuc.

Teachers can receive 2.5 Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs) for each Cultural Connections program attended.

General admission is $15; teachers, students, and seniors are $10; children under 12 are free. A sampling of traditional foods is always served. Admission fees will be collected at the door. Cash or check only please.

NAKASEC eCommunications & eAdvocacy Coordinator (Los Angeles, CA)

2009-04-15T23:35:00.000-05:00

Employment Opportunity

Position: eCommunications / eAdvocacy Coordinator

The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
seeks a hard-working, talented, and committed individual to serve as
eCommunications / eAdvocacy Coordinator. This is a temporary position
for an individual who has experience in setting up the necessary
infrastructure to bolster online social community engagement and
designing & implementing e-advocacy campaigns. This position will
contribute to an overall effort to foster greater outreach, education,
and conversation with NAKASEC supporters and to build organizational
recognition and visibility.

NAKASEC is a dynamic national organization working to empower the
Korean American community through education, advocacy and organizing.
The national office is located in Los Angeles, California, with a D.C.
office and affiliates in Los Angeles and Chicago. Major program areas
include immigrant rights, civic engagement & voter empowerment, health
reform, and civil rights. NAKASEC offers a competitive salary
commensurate with experience.

Major Responsibilities include:

· Work with stakeholders to craft an overall
eCommunications/eAdvocacy strategy.

· Coordinate research, selection and implementation of new web
technologies and services to enhance e-advocacy and communications hub
initiatives (including selection of vendors through a selective
process).

· Plan and implement all activities related to the
transformation of the current NAKASEC website to an interactive &
viral communications hub, including expansion and integration with
other online mediums.

· Work closely with the Executive Director and other staff to
create and disseminate bilingual written and visual content (including
action alerts, e-newsletters, etc.) related to NAKASEC programs
utilizing multiple communications tools and public relations
techniques.

· Provide education, training and technical assistance to
NAKASEC staff and affiliates about effective use of web 2.0 and social
media in campaign development.

· Assist in the day-to-day operations and maintenance of
website and other online mediums.

· Collect, compile, analyze and report Web site, Internet and
technology-related data for use in reports and summaries as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree and/or 3 or more years of demonstrated
experience working with new web technologies and other vital marketing
strategies (including blogs, Twitter, FaceBook, YouTube, Buzz, etc.).

· Understanding of how communities of color and immigrant
communities engage online.

· Excellent written and oral communication skills.

· Graphic design skills and knowledge of layout and design.

· Familiarity with coding HTML & CSS.

· Ability to work independently and with a team, think
creatively, and prioritize multiple tasks under pressure of deadlines.

· Commitment to progressive politics and building an inclusive
social justice movement.

· Sensitive to multicultural issues.

Desired Qualifications:

· Experience in video editing a plus.

· Experience working in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual
setting an asset, but not required.

· Fluency in the Korean language an asset, but not required.

NAKASEC is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage women and
minorities to apply.

How to Apply:
To apply: Send cover letter, resume, portfolio, references, and salary
history to Jeong Yeon Hong, Community Education & Administrative
Director, NAKASEC, 900 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019 or via
email at jhong@nakasec.org. For more information, please visit our
website at www.nakasec.org or call at 323. 937.3703.

HyunJoo Lee
National Organizing Coordinator
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
900 S. Crenshaw Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(tel) 323.937.3703 x202 / (fax) 323.937.3753
(email) hlee@nakasec.org
(website) www.nakasec.org

"Together We Build America's Future"
SAVE THE DATE – NAKASEC 15th Anniversary Dinner
September 17, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

CACF Community Forum on Mayoral Control (Wed., 4/8/09, 10:30 AM)

2009-04-15T23:30:00.000-05:00

The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF)

Cordially invites you to a

Community Forum on Mayoral Control of NYC Public Schools

Wednesday, April 8, 2009
10:30 AM
The New York Immigration Coalition
137-139 West 25th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10001

Mayoral Control will sunset in June 2009 and has fueled public debate about the current state and future of the NYC public school system.

During the community forum, you will:

· Learn more about Mayoral Control and its impact on Asian Pacific American students and parents

· Share your own observations of the pros and cons of Mayoral Control on your community members

· Find out about various efforts to improve Mayoral Control of NYC Public Schools

Please RSVP by April 7th to Choua Vue, Education and Child Welfare Policy Coordinator, at cvue@cacf.org or 212-809-4675 x 107.

Feel free to forward this invitation.

RIP: R. Aoki

2009-04-15T23:14:00.002-05:00

Respects to Richard Aoki, one of the first Black Panther members and long standing Asian American activists. He succumbed to long standing medical problems.

Source

Reps. Honda & Gutierrez to Host National Immigration Tour Stop in San Jose, Highlighting Asian Persp

2009-04-15T23:13:00.000-05:00

Contact: Gloria Chan, 202.302.8606

Reps. Honda and Gutierrez to Host
National "Family Unity" Immigration Event in San Jose

Asian immigrant voices to be highlighted

Washington D.C. – On April 18th, San Jose's faith-based communities join a national effort—spanning 20 major U.S. cities—to document the harm caused to citizens across our nation in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform. This will be the first event of the tour to highlight voices of the Asian Pacific Islander community, and other diasporic communities.

“These testimonials will be critical as President Obama builds his case for comprehensive immigration reform in May, which happens to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” said Rep. Michael Honda (CA-15), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). “At a national level, the voices of the Asian Pacific Islander communities are often left out of the immigration debate. I am looking forward to amplifying these voices on Saturday.”

As part of an unprecedented nationwide outreach tour, Rep. Honda will be joined by Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (IL-04), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Immigration Task Force and California's religious community to spearhead the "Family Unity" outreach event in San Jose.

This national effort involves prayer vigils and town-hall meetings. At each event, U.S. citizens share testimony as to how their families have been or risk being torn apart by a broken immigration system.

WHO:
Rep. Michael Honda (CA-15)
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04)
Faith leaders and community members

WHEN:
Saturday, April 18th
6:30 p.m. PDT

WHERE:
St. Victor's Church
3108 Sierra Rd
San Jose, CA 95132

“Immigrant contributions have always driven America’s growth, and today’s economy presents no different a picture,” said Rep. Honda. “Reuniting immigrant families will strengthen the American economy by increasing our tax base, decreasing the costs of social safety nets, and keeping money in the U.S. that would otherwise be sent abroad to loved ones. Hate and xenophobia are keeping us from doing what’s right for our nation. It’s time to enact immigration reform that makes sense for families and for our country.”

"Through this listening tour, I have been honored and humbled to join people of all faiths from coast to coast who are bearing witness to stories of human crisis caused by our broken immigration system," said Rep. Gutierrez. "They are parents and children, husbands and wives who have been torn apart by a system that values fear over family values. Through the Family Unity effort, US citizens are raising their voices for a better vision of America, and they are showing Washington just how serious the situation has become and how serious we are about changing it. I am proud to join the people of Salinas and San Jose as they stand up to show our leaders in Washington that immigration is not an abstract policy debate — but a pressing moral crisis."

The Family Unity outreach tour has already visited Providence, RI, Atlanta, GA, Albuquerque, NM, Ontario, CA, San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix AZ, El Paso, TX, Dallas, TX, Mission, TX, Chicago, IL, Joliet IL, Milwaukee, WI, Detroit, MI, Orlando FL, Miami, FL and Philadelphia, PA, where thousands of individuals have filled their community churches to capacity. They came forward to demonstrate the vast numbers of American families—from all political backgrounds and faiths—who demand change from a legal system that undermines family values.

###

Oops: Disappeared

2009-04-08T22:52:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I got busy again with work. Sorry about neglecting the blog!

I'll do my best to keep updating. Lots of great news to post! :)

Hope you look forward to it.

Save the Date! NAPAWF-DC Membership Kick-Off April 22

2009-04-08T22:50:00.001-05:00

Please SAVE THE DATE for NAPAWF-DC's Membership Kick-Off on Wednesday, April 22!

* Come learn about NAPAWF-DC chapter's goals, mission and our upcoming events for the year.
* Meet current board members and reconnect with fellow NAPAWF sisters
* Join a committee!
* Learn how you can be a part of Creative Explosion, our healthy Nail Salon Workers campaign, and APA Quiz Bowl
* Sign up to host an Afternoon Tea
* Refreshments provided

When: Wednesday, April 22 at 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Where: 1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036. Rome Building, room 812 on the 8th floor.

Getting There: The event will be held at Johns Hopkins University-SAIS near Dupont Circle. From Dupont Circle Metro, walk SE on Massachusetts Ave. toward 16th St./Scott Circle. We're located on Massachusettts between 16th and 17th St., across from the Philippine Embassy.
Google map directions: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1619+Massachusetts+Ave.,+NW+DC&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.214763,78.75&ie=UTF8&ll=38.9085,-77.03903&spn=0.007965,0.019226&z=16

The Intersex Files (Gender Fusions workshop!)

2009-04-08T22:33:00.000-05:00

The LGBTQ Office of Culture & Community invites you...

to a mind-opening, eyebrow-raising, experience-stretching presentation by Gender Fusions Headliner, Del LaGrace Volcano, a transgressive gender variant visual artist hailing from London & Stockholm!

THE INTERseX FILES:
An Idiot’s Guide to Resisting Normalcy with a Smile
With visceral pleasure, Gender Fusions Headliner Del LaGrace Volcano presents herms, merms and other genderqueer terms which are sometimes confounding, but as Zippy the Pinhead said, "Confusion is a small price to pay for social progress". Join Del LaGrace Volcano in a slideshow presentation about the intersex community, followed by an interactive gender discussion & workshop.

Volcano’s photographic books include: Femmes of Power: Exploding Queer Femininities: Exploding Queer Femininities, The Drag King Book, Sublime Mutations, Sex Works: 1978-2005 & more. To learn more about his projects and artistic work, visit his website at http://www.dellagracevolcano.com

Friday, April 17, 2009
2:00 - 4:00PM
Hokin Lecture Hall
623 S. Wabash
Free & open to the public

Questions? Email lgbtq@colum.edu or call 312.369.8594

Co-sponsored by the Center for Teaching Excellence and Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women & Gender in the Arts and Media, Columbia College Chicago

In case you want to read on, a bit more about Del LaGrace Volcano...
As a gender variant visual artist I access 'technologies of gender' in order to amplify rather than erase the hermaphroditic traces of my body. I name myself. A gender abolitionist. A part time gender terrorist. An intentional mutation and intersex by design, (as opposed to diagnosis), in order to distinguish my journey from the thousands of intersex individuals who have had their 'ambiguous' bodies mutilated and disfigured in a misguided attempt at 'normalization'. I believe in crossing the line as many times as it takes to build a bridge we can all walk across.

Reigster now for the Midwest ITASA Conference!

2009-04-08T22:30:00.000-05:00

Reigster now for the Midwest Conference!

Get ready for the 2009 ITASA Midwest Conference! Be sure to register as it is only 2 weeks away; April 17-19!!!

The University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign is proud to host a range of speakers and performers who are prepared to enlighten your body, mind and spirit!

Don't miss out on:

+ A sneak peak of Formosa Betrayed: A Film based on true events

+ A Screening of Ping Pong Playa; Along with Jimmy Tsai (Producer/ Actor from this movie!)

+ Up and coming author Shawna Yang Ryan and her new book Water Ghosts

+ Founders of Taiwanese American.org and mymomisafob/my dadisafob.com: HoChie Tsai and Serena Wu!

..... and many more!!!

REGISTER NOW! Registration is FREE for UIUC students!

Please note:There will no longer be a charter bus available from the Chicago area to the UIUC campus. Please make other arrangements for travel. Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Visit http://uiuc.itasa.org/index.html for more information.ping

Support Judy Chu's May 19 special election

2009-04-08T22:28:00.000-05:00

As you may know, Congressional candidate (and AAA-Fund endorsee) Dr. Judy Chu’s only six weeks away from her May 19 special election, and she needs your help.

On Apr. 18 (Sat), 10 am sharp, we’ll all converge at Dr. Chu’s campaign headquarters (in Baldwin Park). If you like meeting voters, you’ll be deployed as a precinct walker. If you prefer chatting on the phone, you’ll be deployed as a phonebanker.

We can arrange rides if needed -- let me know!

As a small token of our thanks, lunch will be on the house.

Please RSVP to me via Facebook or email (helentran168@gmail.com). I can also be reached at 626.484.9702.

What: AAA-Fund Volunteers for Judy Chu
When: Apr. 18, 10 am
Where: Judy Chu for Congress HQ, 4153 N. Maine Ave., Baldwin Park CA 91706

Take Action: Save the DC Office of APIA Affairs

2009-04-07T23:57:00.000-05:00

Dear DC AAPI Caucus,

If you have not heard already, we have incredibly disappointing news regarding the DC Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (OAPIA). In Mayor Fenty’s 2010 budget proposal, the office will be eliminated completely with the budget zeroed out. The office’s services will be transferred within the Office of Community Affairs and at least 60% of the current OAPIA staff will be eliminated.

It is outrageous that the Mayor would decide to eliminate OAPIA, which has been in existence for over 20 years, currently serving over 20,000 API residents in the District. This office was implemented due to the needs of the DC API community over the past two decades and many API leaders fought hard to create and sustain this office. In addition, this is the only ethnic minority office that the Mayor has decided to cut.

This issue is now in the hands of the City Council. The budget hearing is set for April 24th. We are asking everyone to contact their City Council members and asking them to:

* Reinstate the Office of Asian Pacific Islander Affairs and maintain the office as an independent agency with its own budget chapter and cabinet-level position within the Mayor’s Office; and
* Maintain the office as the District’s point of contact for the API community.

Currently, other API leaders in DC have been working hard to meet with Councilmembers and reaching out to key people (other constituency organizations, national leaders, Commission on API Affairs, and the DC Democratic State Committee). We will circulate sample petition letters and postcards ASAP.

Here's exactly what you can do:
http://www.aaa-fund.com/?p=1589

We only have a few weeks to get the word out, so if you have any other ideas, please let us know. Mayor Fenty explained in the council hearing that he’s eliminating OAPIA, but not the Office of Latino Affairs or other offices such as African Affairs and LGBT because they have a “different” function. While we do not understand what he meant by this, we do not want to give the impression that the Asian community will not put up a fight to ensure equal footing with the other offices. Let’s make sure our voices are heard and our community is served, and we prevent this from happening!

We will keep you posted as things develop. Please contact Wylie at dcaapidems@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to help.

Youth Program Coordinator, AmeriCorp position (Flushing, New York)

2009-04-04T16:29:00.000-05:00

Youth Program Coordinator
(Americorp position)

Reports to: Youth Program Manager
A full-time position

The Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) of New York is seeking a qualified applicant for the Americorp position of Youth Program Coordinator.

KAFSC is a community-based not-for-profit organization in the New York metro area to prevent and end violence in the home and in partner relationships and to promote safe and healthy families and communities. We provide counseling, advocacy, education, and support services to serve women and families, strengthen communication and parenting skills, increase economic self-sufficiency, and promote the positive development of children and youth.

The Program Coordinator works with Program Director to develop and improve the program from recruitment and outreach strategies to family involvement, and provide support to day to day activities of the youth program including Youth Community Project Team (YCPT), Mentoring Program, and summer activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and provide support the Youth Community Project Team activities to promote positive self-esteem/motivation/leadership among program participants
• Coordinate and provide support the Mentoring Program activities: 1) develop and implement a comprehensive outreach plan for the program, 2) recruit, screen, and train volunteer mentors, and 3) plan and coordinate regular group activities
• Assist in development and implementation of required evaluation tools
• Work with Program Director to develop service plans with measurable outcomes and services as identified by the program and funding source in a timely manner.
• Work with Program Director to develop a program manual that compasses policies, procedures and program tools.
• Maintain files on all youth participants and records on all youth program activities
• Maintain ongoing positive relationships and contact with partnering agencies
• Participate in various administrative and programmatic meetings
• Conduct research on youth issues and resources and provide support to staff to conduct educational workshops and other outreach activities as needed by the program.

• Provide other administrative support to Youth Counselors and Program Director

Qualifications:

• 4 year degree in Social Work, Sociology, or related field
• Must demonstrate an ability to work independently and with a team, initiate projects, and develop and implement an array of social-educational activities. Experience working with individuals from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.
• • Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to think creatively, and prioritize multiple tasks
• Fluency in the Korean language is a plus, but not required.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, and Publisher)

KAFSC of New York is an equal opportunity employer. Employment is subject to a background check.

How to Apply: Please send your resume and coverletter to Grace Yoon at gyoon@kafsc.org

Grace Jungsook Yoon, Executive Director
Korean American Family Services Center of New York
P. O. Box 541429, Flushing, NY 11354
T.718.460.3801 ext. 10, F.718.460.3965

OCA Action Day: Action For Higher Education

2009-03-30T01:18:00.000-05:00

Take Action For Higher Education:

Dear OCA Chapters and Members,

Recently, Congress reauthorized the Higher Education Act and permanently established the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program, which, similar to other minority serving institutions programs, provides grants to colleges and universities that serve considerable numbers of low income students, particularly underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

We are asking OCA chapters and members to do the following in order to gain support for this important issue in the House of Representatives.

1) CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE via the email webform on each representative’s website and use OCA’s template (Word document entitled ‘newcongressmantemplate’).

1. To find your House representative, please refer to: http://www.house.gov/
2. Copy and Paste the template letter into the webform - http://www.ocanational.org/images/stories/docscenter/newcongressmantemplate
3. Or call your representative’s Washington DC office
4. Let dlee@ocanational.org know that you've done this!

2) CONTACT COLLEGES that are potentially eligible for the funding (.pdf file entitled 'Institutions’), and have them go through the process above and state their affiliation with the college.

Institutions - http://www.ocanational.org/images/stories/docscenter/institutions.pdf

We ask that you contact your Representative with the letters provided by Monday, March 30, 2009. The deadline for Representatives to sign-on is Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

Please submit to Douglas Lee at dlee@ocanational.org any action you or your chapter conducts.

Thanks,

OCA National Center

Colbert Rap w/ Steele

2009-03-25T02:38:00.000-05:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Conservative Rap Battle - Michael Steele's Response

comedycentral.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

NASA Name Contest

All I can say is LOL.

Declare INDIEpendence 2 : A showcase of Asian American musicians

2009-03-25T01:21:00.000-05:00

Celebrate the diversity of Asian American music. This year host, Dawen Wang, teamed up with FAAIM and the 14th annual Chicago Asian American Film Showcase at the Gene Siskel Center to bring you:

Spark*Shop
Lanialoha & Kupono
Cynthia Lin
Wallet-Sized Photo
with host: Seeso
DJ Huu T. Ly
and special guest: Dawen

17 and over
$10

Date:
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Time:
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Location:
Subterranean
Street:
2011 W. North Ave.
City/Town:
Chicago, IL

RSVP on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/s.php?k=100000004&id=61757196122&gr=4&act=2421953394&a=7&sid=f1b4158980e050037b1d07557dac45af#/event.php?eid=61757196122&ref=mf

Hope to see you there!

George Takei: Infinity Awesome

2009-03-25T01:16:00.003-05:00

Quick blurb; George did a phone interview and spoke on some awesome topics. My favorites are listed:

Q. What was it like writing your autobiography?

A. My primary motivation was I wanted to talk about my boyhood behind the barbed-wire fences of American internment camps. People east of the Rockies seem to know little about that dark period of American history (after Pearl Harbor) when American citizens were summarily rounded up and imprisoned with no charges, no trial and no due process. I was 4 years old when we were picked up. I still remember soldiers with bayonets stomping up to our front door in Los Angeles and ordering us out. My mother was crying. We were taken to horse stables to live because the camps weren’t built yet.

Q. In 2005, you came out as a gay man, which many consider a very bold step for an actor.

A. I was living a closeted gay life at the beginning of my career. When you’re going for roles there are so many factors for decision-making — too short, too tall, too fat, too skinny, too young, too old — and I didn’t want to add “too gay” to the list of reasons they could reject me. But you come to a point where you get into a serious relationship and you want to bring your significant other to the party where everyone else is bringing their girlfriend or their wife.

Then in 2005, something important happened in California. Both houses of our Legislature passed the same-sex marriage bill, which was a historic event. All that was required was the signature of our governor (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who had campaigned by saying “I’m from Hollywood, I’m comfortable with gays and lesbians.” When he reneged, there was outrage. I felt I needed to speak out with my voice. I needed to be authentic.

Read more here

Joe Jonas: Likes to do Miley imitations

2009-03-25T01:14:00.003-05:00

Uh, yeah, more slanty eye business. Maybe he's doing it to impress Miley Cyrus. I give up, this is ridiculous.

EPIC FAIL.

Asian American Awareness Month - April 2009 Calendar of Events

2009-03-25T01:09:00.000-05:00

The kickoff event this year is on Wednesday, April 1st with the editors of
the "Secret Identities - The Asian American Superhero Anthology". If you
want a copy early, they are for sale ($21.95) in the textbook section of the
UIC Bookstore (750 S. Halsted St, 312.413.5500, closed for inventory week of
3/23).

Also don't miss the pre-April events on March 30th and March 31st in the
calendar below or download a full color PDF poster/calendar at
http://aarcc.uic.edu.

-elvin-

----------

ASIAN AMERICAN AWARENESS MONTH - April 2009
- A Celebration of Culture and Consciousness -

For more information, including a downloadable version of our full color
calendar poster, visit the Asian American Resource and Cultural Center
online at http://aarcc.uic.edu, or call (312) 413-9569.

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in order to participate
in an event, please call (312) 413-9569 and every effort will be made to
provide an accommodation.

The statements, opinions, and ideas conveyed in this program do not
necessarily express the position of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

-----

Monday, March 30th
Slaying the Dragon a film by Deborah Gee
Slaying the Dragon is a comprehensive look at media stereotypes of Asian and
Asian American women since the silent era. This fascinating film shows how
stereotypes of exoticism and docility have affected the perception of Asian
American women. Sponsored by the Asian American Resource and Cultural
Center. Contact Karen Su, karensu@uic.edu.
3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Lecture Center B1

Tuesday, March 31st
Southeast Asian Refugees and the Struggle for a Just Resetttlement
Asian American Studies presents a talk by Eric Tang, Assistant Professor of
Asian American Studies and African American Studies at UIC. His talk will
examine the nearly 30 years since the first wave of Cambodian refugees were
resettled to the United States in the wake of Khmer Rouge atrocities. How
have Cambodian Americans continued to experience a low-intensity warfare
marked by urban poverty, environmental racism, and immigration detention and
deportation? Contact Surbhi Malik, smalik3@uic.edu.
2:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Stevenson Hall, Institute for the Humanities (Lower Level)

Wednesday, April 1st
Asian American Awareness Month Kickoff Featuring: Secret Identities
Asian Americans are comic book artists, writers, and fans, but rarely
represented as heroic characters on the page. Thus the creation of Secret
Identities, an anthology of original stories centered around Asian American
superheroes. Join the editors Jeff Yang, Parry Shen, and Keith Chow as they
share their own experiences as Asian Americans in media and film, and
preview these unique Asian American heroes. Books will be available for
purchase and signing. Organized by the Asian American Awareness Month
Planning Committee. Contact Corinne Kodama, ckodama@uic.edu or visit
http://aarcc.uic.edu.
4:00 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Illinois Room BC

Thursday, April 2nd
More Than Serving Tea
Asian American InterVarsity presents the authors of More Than Serving Tea,
Nikki Toyama-Szeto and Kathy Khang, who explore the intersection of gender,
race, and faith for Asian American Christian women. Contact Joshua Lau,
jlau4@uic.edu.
7:30 p.m.
Student Residence and Commons South, Rathskellar

Monday, April 6th
Seoul Train Documentary Screening
A devastating food crisis plagues North Korea and hundreds of thousands of
North Koreans have fled to China. If caught, the refugees will be sent back
to North Korea, where they face torture and execution. N.K. Peace presents
Seoul Train, a gripping documentary exposé into the life and death of North
Koreans as they try to escape. Contact Rachel Kim, yummypower@gmail.com.
4:00 p.m. 5:45 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Room 613

Wednesday, April 8th
Mr. Asian Sensation
alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority and Chi Sigma Tau Fraternity present Mr.
Asian Sensation which is a male talent show in beauty pageant format. The
purpose of this event is to recognize highly motivated, ambitious, and
talented Asian American men who wish to send a message about breaking
traditional stereotypes. Contact Jennifer Guiang, jguian2@uic.edu.
6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Illinois Room
Admission Fee TBD

Thursday, April 9th
Chinese Cultural Festival
2009 is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between the U.S. and China. This festival will review our mutually
beneficial cooperation in a wide range of areas such as culture, education,
science and technology. Presented by the Chinese Students and Scholars
Association. Contact Wenxuan Gao, wgao5@uic.edu.
1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Cardinal Room

Tuesday, April 14th
My Sassy Korea
Korean American Student Association will be hosting its first ever fair, My
Sassy Korea! This cultural fair will showcase the life and culture of South
Korea and its people. There will be a number of booths that range from
history to pop culture. Contact Elisa Lim, elim4@uic.edu.
5:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Room 302

Friday, April 17th
Imaginasian
The Asian American Students in
Alliance presents its annual fashion and variety show, and this year we will
be hosting an award show! Come see the scenes, from Bollywood to Asian Game
Shows and all of the acts in between. Contact Edmar Viloria, evilor2@uic.edu
or Jane Shin, jshin29@uic.edu.
7:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
UIC Forum
$5 for AASIA Members
$6 for Non-AASIA Members
$8 for Non-UIC Students

Friday, April 17th
Sayawan: FIA Formal
Filipinos in Alliance is having their annual end of the year
formal, where members can let loose and dance the night away! The evening
will be filled with FIA members showcasing their vocal and guitar skills,
and at the end of the night a king and queen will be crowned. Visit
http://fia.pages.uic.edu.
7:00 p.m.
Wyndham O¹Hare Hotel
$35 per person
$55 per couple

Tuesday, April 21st
Reclamation!
Like to read poetry or sing in front of a great audience? Come to the Asian
American Coalition Committee¹s open mic. ³Reclamation!² is a safe space to
spit your words, thoughts, and music in order to reclaim voices and break
barriers that have historically left our communities silenced. Free food
will be served. Contact Joyce Yin, jyin4@uic.edu.
6:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Montgomery Ward Lounge

Wednesday, April 22nd
ASAM Knowledge Bowl & Social
Asian American student organizations compete in an exciting quiz contest.
Cheer on the student teams and increase your knowledge of Asian Americans
with games and food. Contact Surbhi Malik, smalik3@uic.edu.
4:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Cardinal Room

Saturday, April 25th
Uproot: A Cultural Showcase of Our Generation
Filipinos in Alliance proudly presents the eighth annual UPROOT, an evening
of performances meant to convey the Filipino American experience. In
addition to traditional folk dances, FIA will present a wide variety of
contemporary acts from modern dance to spoken word. Visit
http://fia.pages.uic.edu.
6:00 p.m.
UIC Student Center East, Illinois Room
$5 per person

Wednesday, April 29th
What We Know and Don¹t Know About Culturally Competent Interventions
Dr. Stanley Sue is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Asian American
Studies at the University of California, Davis. He is a key figure in the
history and evolution of ethnic minority psychology and his pioneering work
on the mental health of Asian Americans is world-renowned. Sponsored by the
Graduate Educational Opportunities Committee of the Department of
Psychology. Contact Dina Birman, dbirman@uic.edu.
4:00 p.m.
Behavioral Sciences Building, Room 145

LOCATIONS
Behavioral Sciences Building
1007 West Harrison Street

Lecture Center B
803 South Morgan Street

Stevenson Hall
701 South Morgan Street

Student Residence and Commons South
700 South Halsted Street

UIC Forum
725 West Roosevelt Road

UIC Student Center East
750 South Halsted Street

Wyndham O¹Hare Hotel
6810 North Mannheim Road

PLANNING COMMITTEE ORGANIZATIONS:
alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority
Asian American Coalition Committee
Asian American InterVarsity
Asian American Resource and Cultural Center
Asian American Students in Alliance
Asian American Studies
Gender and Sexuality Center
Kappa Pi Beta Fraternity

SPONSORS:
Asian American Resource and Cultural Center
Asian American Studies
Campus Progress
Chancellor¹s Committee on the Status of Asian Americans
College of Education
College of Engineering
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of English
Graduate College
Honors College
Jane Addams College of Social Work
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Student Activities Funding Committee
University of Illinois Alumni Association

Fri Mar 27 at 10am: Disability in Immigrant and Refugee Communities

2009-03-25T01:07:00.001-05:00

Healthy Albany Park Coalition, World Relief, Access Living, and the Quetzal Center Present

From: Rene D. Luna [mailto:RLuna@accessliving.org]

Disability and Dialogue:

Disability in Immigrant & Refugee Communities

Friday, March 27th, 10:00-12:30 pm
Cost of Admission: Free
Swedish Covenant Hospital

Anderson Pavilion
2751 W. Winona Ave., Chicago, IL 60625

----------------------------------------------------------------
Come learn about issues affecting people with mental and physical disabilities in immigrant and refugee communities and effective resources and strategies to address these issues. Network with advocates and service providers.

Speakers:
Ramon Canellada
Resource Coordinator, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital

Mayra Salazar
Public Affairs Specialist, Social Security Administration

Stella Kim President, Deaf Asian American Association of Chicago & Veramarie McIngvale ASL Staff Interpreter, Access Living

Kriti 2009 Call for Subs (please forward widely!)

2009-03-25T00:48:00.000-05:00

Kriti Festival Call for Submissions
June 11 - 14, 2009, Chicago
Guests of Honor: Amitava Kumar and Bapsi Sidhwa

DesiLit is pleased to welcome submissions to its upcoming festival of
arts and literature, to be held in Chicago, June 11 - 14. Submissions
are welcome in the following areas:

- literature (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, drama)
- film
- music
- dance

We are not currently planning on a visual arts component (although if
you live in Chicago and would be interested in curating such an
exhibition, please do get in touch with us.)

If your work is selected, you'll be invited to serve on panels and/or
give a reading/screen a film/give a performance/etc. At this time, we
do not know what our final budget will be, but panelists will receive
free festival registration, and if there are funds remaining after
expenses, a share of the proceeds towards reimbursing their travel
expenses. We'll also do our best to help you find crash space in
Chicago with local volunteers if needed.

To have your work considered please send an electronic sample to
info@desilit.org, with the subject line: KRITI SUB [title of work /
your name], following these guidelines:
- a brief bio, PLUS one of the following
- literature sample (up to 20 pages)
- film sample (up to 20 minutes; if you want to send a longer film,
be aware that we may only view the first 20 minutes)
- music sample (up to 20 minutes)
- dance sample (up to 20 minutes)

For large sound/graphic files, we STRONGLY prefer that you host the
work on your own site and send us a pointer to the URL. If you wish
to submit in multiple genres, please submit each sample separately.

For a sample of our 2005 panelists, please visit our website
(http://www.desilit.org/kriti2005.html#program). If you have any questions,
please send those as well to info@desilit.org.

DEADLINE: May 1, 2009 (but sooner is better)

More Festival Info

If you live in Chicago, we can definitely use your help in planning
and running the festival! We need both folks who can come to monthly
planning meetings in the next few months, and people who are available
to help out at the festival weekend itself. No experience needed!
Volunteers will receive complimentary registration -- our planning
meetings are also a lot of fun. :-) We usually meet at my home in
Bucktown (near North Ave. and Damen, convenient both to the Blue line
and 90/94), and figure things out over a yummy meal. And even if you
can't make every meeting, we welcome your input on our planning
mailing list!

If interested in helping us out, please join our planning list here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/desilit-kriti/.

And if you're just interested in attending and want to get occasional
festival updates as planning progresses, be sure you're on our general
DesiLit mailing list -- stop by our website and enter your e-mail
address in the box provided: http://www.desilit.org/.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to write to me. Thanks!

- Mary Anne Mohanraj

NOTE: Kriti is co-sponsored by Roosevelt University and the University
of Illinois at Chicago, and will be held at their two campuses, in the
Loop and West Loop, Chicago.

Save the Date - OCAPICA Ovarian Cancer Forum

2009-03-25T00:44:00.000-05:00

Please save the date for two upcoming OCAPICA community events:

Vietnamese Ovarian Cancer Forum presented by Lucy Huynh from 10am-1:00pm at Seafood World, 15351 Brookhurst Street, Suites 101-106, Westminster, CA 92683 on Saturday, May 16, 2009

Thai Ovarian Cancer Forum presented by Nid Tiaprasith from 11:00am-2pm at Meesap Restaurant, 11020 Van Owen Street, North Hollywood, CA, 91605 on Saturday, May 23, 2009.

Please come and support our health team as they share important information on ovarian cancer and provide newly translated materials for outreach and education. These events are sponsored generously by the California Dialogue on Cancer - California Ovarian Cancer Program.

Hope to see you there, if you are able to attend please RSVP to me!

Jackie

Jacqueline H. Tran, MPH
Director, Center of Excellence to Eliminate Disparities (CEED) in Breast and Cervical Cancer among Asian and Pacific Islander Women
Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA)
12900 Garden Grove Blvd., Suite 214A
Garden Grove, CA 92843
Telephone: 714-636-9095
Facsimile: 714-636-8828
Email: jtran@ocapica.org
Website: www.ocapica.org

April 8 2009 Breaking Barriers presented by CFW Asian American Leadership Council

2009-03-25T00:40:00.002-05:00

We are proud to present this year’s honorees and hope that you will join us in celebrating these amazing women!! It will be a fantastic evening. See information about the event and ticket sales below and online at www.cfw.org/breakingbarriers.

Please forward widely and post in your publications, websites, calendards, etc.! Thank you for your support.

Accessibility
Flatwater is wheelchair accessible. If you have other accessibilty questions or requests, please contact Chicago Foundation for Women by Friday, April 3 at (312) 577-2801, TTY (312) 577-2803.

ONE VOICE feat. Kelly Tsai & YAWP! // Thurs. 4/2

2009-03-25T00:37:00.002-05:00

Join Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai [www.yellowgurl.com] in a spoken word
performance that explores Asian American identity, activism,
womanhood, hip hop, and global urban realities.

ONE VOICE
featuring Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai
Loyola Breakers
KAPWA Modern
YAWP! (Young Asians With Power!)
Live Art by REVISE CMW

Thursday, April 2nd
7-10 pm
Crown Center Lobby
Loyola University, Lakeshore Campus
[Loyola Red Line stop]

Save $200 on the National CAPACD Convention

2009-03-25T00:27:00.000-05:00

National CAPACD has lowered the Annual Convention rates this year to ensure that everyone who is interested can participate in the 10th Annual Convention!

For as little as $10* membership, you can save up to $200 on Convention registration before April 17. If you are not yet a National CAPACD member, now is a great time to join and receive the member's discounted Convention registration rate.

Our Membership benefits include:

* Discounts to National CAPACD's annual convention
* Technical assistance, scholarships for trainings plus other opportunities and resources
* Access to the Asian Pacific American Community Development Data Center
* Fellowship and internship opportunities
* Free copies of National CAPACD's reports and publications
* Policy advocacy on issues affecting AAPIs in your community

What are you waiting for? Become a member!

*Membership rates vary

2009 Conversity Awards Reception @ Luminarias in Monterey Park

2009-03-25T00:12:00.000-05:00

Friends of the Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center:

Our 20th annual Conversity Reception is just around the corner in less than a month. We are very excited to celebrate our service to the various communities throughout Los Angeles County.

Mark your calendar for April 22nd, 2009 at Luminarias in Monterey Park @ 6:30 pm. This year, we have changed our format from dinner to reception style. Cocktail attire is preferred and business attired is accepted. About 300 people are expected to attend in the community from all sectors of the workforce.

Our 2009 Conversity Award Honorees are:
• Dr. A. Marco Turk, Professor and Director of the Cal State Dominguez Hills Negotiation Conflict Resolution and Peace building (NCRP) Program
• Mark Ridley-Thomas, Supervisor, Los Angeles County, 2nd District
• California Teachers Association.

Once again, these are our 2009 scholarship recipients who have demonstrated peace building in their communities. They will be acknowledged during our reception:

• Velvet Johnson, King /Drew Magnet High School
• Marissa McCoy, King /Drew Magnet High School
• Gabriel Sandoval, University High School
• Joakim Sahar, University High School

We are still recruiting volunteers for the day of the event. Please contact me at Lisa.chong@apadrc.org for more information as well as for sponsorship levels and for advertisement prospects.

We look forward to a highly successful event given the current economic situation we are facing. If it isn't for people like you who support community based organizations like APADRC, we would not be able to thrive and continue to do the work that we do for the community. It is during these times where all nonprofits expect a 30% cut across the board that we need your help the most whether in terms of your financial support or volunteerism.

Thank you for your support throughout the years, and we would like to advance for yet another 20 years of history making. Donations are welcome at our website www.apadrc.org.

Sincerely,
Lisa S. Chong
213-250-8190 ex. 23
Lisa.chong@apadrc.org
www.apadrc.org

FAA (Filipinos for Affirmative Action) Annual Event -- Pinay Jazz Concert, April 16th

2009-03-25T00:11:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I hope this message finds you well. I would like to invite you to join us on Thursday, April 16th at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center for a night of Pinay Jazz. This is FAA's annual event and we thought we would change it up this year. Pinay Jazz will spotlight the contributions of Filipina jazz vocalists to this uniquely American genre. A cross-generational cast of talented women will perform classic and Latin jazz standards in their uniquely Pinay styles.

We will also be honoring Tessie Guillermo, CEO of ZeroDivide for her inspirational leadership and accomplishments. She has been a tireless advocate for reducing the digital divide in her role as CEO of Zero Divide, an expert in the health policy field as former CEO of APIA Health Forum and as a co-founder of The President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and an inspiration and role model for aspiring leaders among Filipinas in particular.

These days whenever we turn on the TV or listen to the radio, we hear about the uncertain economic climate, the increasing job loss and the continuing wave of foreclosures. The Filipino community, especially low-income immigrants and low-wage workers have been directly affected. Many more people are seeking help from FAA regardless of the issue they face. This event will help us raise funds for FAA and it will allow the organization to serve the various needs of the Filipino community in the East Bay.

I hope you will join us. Spend the evening listening to the talented jazz musicians and support an organization who has been serving the Filipino community since 1973.

For more information on FAA or would like to donate online, please go to:
http://www.filipinos4action.org/

To order tickets online, please go to:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/55640

Sincerely,
Trina
Chair, FAA Board

Slaying the Dragon film: 3/30, 3pm, LC B-1

2009-03-25T00:09:00.000-05:00

Monday, March 30th

Slaying the Dragon a film by Deborah Gee

Slaying the Dragon is a comprehensive look at media stereotypes of Asian and
Asian American women since the silent era. This fascinating film shows how
stereotypes of exoticism and docility have affected the perception of Asian
American women.

3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Lecture Center B1

Sponsored by the Asian American Resource and Cultural Center for Women's
History Month and Asian American Awareness Month

For more information, contact Karen Su, karensu@uic.edu

AAI: Expanding the Circle: Asian Americans and Boards and Commissions

2009-03-25T00:08:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Just a quick reminder to RSVP for our Expanding the Circle panel discussion by March 25th -- we look forward to seeing you at the event!

The Asian American Institute cordially invites you to a panel discussion:

Expanding the Circle:
Asian Americans and Boards and Commissions
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Hosted by McDermott Will & Emery
227 W. Monroe Street, 44th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606

Asian Americans are underrepresented among the board members of
leading Chicago-area nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and the majority of leading governmental commissions have no Asian American members.

What can we do to close the gap?

Panelists:
Tariq Butt, M.D., Chicago Board of Education
Lisa Yun Lee, UIC Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
Unmi Song, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation

Moderator:
Jennifer Chen, Hewitt Associates and AAI Board Member

Panelists will discuss their experience in serving on civic boards and commissions, the benefits and importance of board service, the board recruitment process, and typical responsibilities of board members. Light refreshments will be served.

We thank the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery for generously hosting this event, which is co-sponsored by the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, NAAAP-Chicago, and the South Asian American Policy & Research Institute (SAAPRI). This panel discussion is part of AAI's Catalyst for a Responsive Civic Leadership (CRCL) program, which is supported by The Chicago Community Trust.

This event is free of charge, and RSVPs and photo IDs are required for building security purposes. Guests are welcome; please RSVP to Joanna Su at joanna@aaichicago.org or (773) 271-0899 or via facebook by Wednesday, March 25.

South Asian Community Empowerment Project - Focus Groups

2009-03-25T00:05:00.001-05:00

Are you a South Asian student or young professional living or working in DC?

Join SAALT and the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) for two focus groups in Washington DC. The focus groups are a component of the South Asian Community Empowerment Project which seeks to better understand the needs and concerns of South Asians living and/or working in DC. We hope you will participate!

Professionals Focus Group - Thursday, March 26, 7-8:30PM

Students Focus Group - Sunday, March 29, 7-8:30PM

If you are interested in participating, please email maha@saalt.org with your name, email address, and the focus group you are available to attend. Food and beverages will be provided.

###
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center

D.C. Office:
1600 K Street, NW, Mezzanine Level, Washington, D.C. 20006
Helpline: 202.393.3572
Fax: 202.393.0995
Main: Ext. 22
Chinese: Ext. 18
Hindi/Urdu: Ext. 19
Vietnamese: Ext. 20
Korean: Ext. 21

Maryland Office: 11141 Georgia Avenue, Suite 515 , Silver Spring, MD 20902
♦ Phone: 301.942.2223/2263 Fax: 301.942.9222

APALRC: Ensuring Access to Justice for Asian Pacific Americans Since 1998

www.apalrc.org

# # #

Chicago Filipino WWII Veterans to Give Thanks and Receive Thanks" 3/28, 11am @ Rizal Center

2009-03-24T23:31:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO FILIPINO WWII VETERANS TO GIVE THANKS AND RECEIVE THANKS
Community celebrates benefits authorized by President Obama for elderly veterans.

Contact: Sam del Rosario (773)727-8520
sdelrosario.chi@gmail.com

CHICAGO--In gratitude for President Obama's signing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which included the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund, Filipino WWII veterans and community supporters are holding a celebration of thanks and appreciation not only for the sacrifices of the veterans but also for the many citizen and civic leaders who have helped on behalf of the veterans. Many local, state, and federal politicians who have supported the veterans in their decades long fight are invited to attend. The event will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 11am to 4pm at the Rizal Center, 1332 W. Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL.

A local Filipino Veteran, Commander Arcadio "Itay" Calabas said of the compensation fund, "We are so very happy, especially that our marching and fighting and dying alongside American soldiers are being recognized, even though it is 63 years later".

"Correcting injustice is a long and arduous task. However, advocates must trust the wisdom of the people and the inherent value of the cause so they can keep their eyes on the prize of the struggle," said Jerry Clarito, Executive Director of the Illinois Veterans Equity Center.

The Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund (P.L. 111-5 Title X, Sec. 1002), authorizes the release of a one-time benefit of $15,000 to surviving eligible veterans who are American citizens, $9,000 for veterans who are Filipino citizens, in recognition for their US military active service. Families of veterans who have passed away are not eligible for the benefit. An estimated 250,000 Filipinos fought along side American forces to defend the Philippines during WWII. Today, fewer than 18,000 are still alive, according to US estimates. Approximately 30 veterans remain in the Chicago area.

While the Filipino veterans of American Legion FilAm Post 509 themselves are instrumental in organizing the event, they are receiving initial support from community organizations such as Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE), the Illinois Veterans Equity Center (IVEC), the Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago, FACC's Seniors and Veterans Program under Carmen Estacio, and the Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC).

APIAVote: Executive Director (Washington, DC)

2009-03-24T23:30:00.000-05:00

APIAVote is resuming the search for a permanent Executive Director. Please pass the announcement to your colleagues, networks and coalitions. If you have any questions, please email apiavotejobs@ gmail.com

For additional information about the organization, please visit: www.apiavote. org
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ____
POSITION: Executive Director
INSTITUTION: Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
LOCATION: Washington, DC
DEADLINE: April 15, 2009

ABOUT APIAVote: Founded in 1996, APIAVote is a national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes civic participation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the electoral and public policy processes at the national, state and local levels. APIAVote envisions a society in which all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans fully participate in and have access to the democratic process.
The Executive Director of APIAVote will report to the board of directors and manage a team of professionals and staff appropriate to the scope and scale of the organization’s work.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS: The Executive Director of APIAVote will have the primary responsibility of leading the organization through:
Fundraising and Financial Management
· Develop, manage and monitor organization’s fundraising plan, including building and maintaining relationships with funders. Develop, manage and monitor organization’s financial management system.
Programs
· Develop and oversee all programs of APIA Vote, including field and leadership programs.
· Assist local partners to implement their civic participation campaigns.
· Develop and oversee APIAVote’s communications program, to promote awareness of API civic engagement issues and highlight the work of local partners.
Coalition building and collaboration
· Promote strategic alliances and collaborations with organizational and institutional partners.
· Establish APIA Vote as a leader in convening diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to project a unified voice.
Personnel Management
· Hire, manage and evaluate staff and contractors, and provide supervision to senior and administrative staff, ensuring that staff have adequate resources, training and support.
Board Development
· Maintain strong and effective relations with the Board of Directors by providing thoughtful and timely information.
· Provide support to Board committees and assist with Board cultivation and development.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS: This position requires a motivated individual with experience in financial management and oversight, strategic planning, civic engagement, community/electoral organizing and fundraising at the national level. Excellent communication and presentation skills are required. Ability to manage staff and resources efficiently is critical.

COMPENSATION: Competitive salary commensurate with skills and experience. Full health and dental insurance provided.
SEND RESUMES TO: APIAVote Executive Director Search Committee - apiavotejobs@ gmail.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please visit www.apiavote .org or send an inquiry to apiavotejobs@ gmail.com

Project MotiVATe Benefit Gala: Mentoring Today to Empower our Tomorrow

2009-03-24T23:29:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Julie Vo
Program Director, External
Project MotiVATe
(310) 467-9008
projectmotivate@gmail.com
www.projectmotivate.org

PROJECT MOTIVATE’S 3rd BENEFIT GALA: MENTORING TODAY TO

EMPOWER OUR TOMORROR

(Garden Grove , CA, March 9th, 2009) - In the spirit of service, Project MotiVATe (Mentoring Vietnamese American Teens) will host its 3rd Benefit Gala: Mentoring Today to Empower Our Tomorrow on Friday, April 17th, 2009 at 7pm. The event will be held at Paracel Seafood Restaurant and is a night of community-building and connection. Bringing together community leaders, parents and educators, the event will feature live performances by popular Vietnamese American artists, a keynote speaker, an opportunity drawing and 5-course dinner. The event will also recognize the efforts of individuals and organizations that have served Vietnamese youth and advanced the mission of Project MotiVATe. All funds raised will go directly to the mentoring program.

“Project MotiVATe is a safe place where youth lean on their mentors and on one another for support and encouragement—just like family,” says Internal Program Director, Scott Iseri, “In these times, it is more important than ever to recognize the importance of youth development and provide support and leadership to this next generation.”

Located in the heart of Garden Grove, CA and with a Board comprised of community leaders, Project MotiVATe serves as a culturally relevant resource to underserved Vietnamese youth and their families while aiming to eradicate the sweeping presumption of Asian American youth as a “model minority”. Through its annual summer camp, one-on-one mentoring, weekly study halls, monthly events and an all-volunteer staff, Project MotiVATe ensures that all mentees graduate high school and pursue higher education while creating opportunities for personal growth, cultural connectedness and social responsibility. Paracel Seafood Restaurant is located at 15583 Brookhurst Street, Westminster, CA 92683.

###

In 1996, Project MotiVATe (formerly known as Camp for Youth) was developed to meet the needs of Vietnamese American youth in Orange County. The mission of Project MotiVATe is to mentor Vietnamese American teens by developing their academic, cultural, and social skills to achieve educational goals and personal success. Despite the large number of Vietnamese-Americans living in Orange County, there are currently no mentoring programs available free of charge to academically and socially at-risk Vietnamese youth. To fulfill this need, Project MotiVATe offers a culturally relevant mentorship program at no financial cost to families. For more information, tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please contact projectmotivate@gmail.com or www.projectmotivate.org

Better BoA "Eat You Up" MV

2009-03-23T23:47:00.001-05:00

A hella better version of BoA's 1st US American music video, "Eat You Up."

Kundra down in the Tundra

2009-03-21T00:56:00.006-05:00

Pres. Obama had asked Vivek Kundra to run government technology and now... he's being asked to go on leave.... for now. Why? Because Yusuf Acar, a technology manager in the D.C. government who previously worked for Kundra, was arrested on bribery charges. Dun Dun DUN!

It's been a rough week for politics, especially with everyone out-outraging each other on AIG bailout money. This is just another D'OH moment to add onto the others. And an Asian American [AsAm], no doubt.

Source

Filipino Community Health Volunteer Opportunity - Mtg Mar 23

2009-03-20T01:39:00.000-05:00

Maligayang Bagong Taon! We hope this email finds you well. The Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) is a collaborative of community, health professional, and academic leaders united to address Filipino health issues in the Chicago area. The mission of FACHIC is to increase awareness of Filipino health disparities, to engage the community in relevant research, and to implement health interventions and educational programming to improve the health status of the Filipino community.

FACHIC is currently recruiting dynamic, compassionate and dedicated individuals of all backgrounds who would like to contribute to efforts to improve the health of the Chicago area Filipino and Filipino American community. Individuals with expertise and experience in medicine, nursing, public health, social work, education and translation are a plus but anyone interested in contributing to the Filipino community is highly encouraged to attend.

FACHIC will be hosting its second 2009 Volunteer Interest Meeting on Monday, March 23, 2009 at Bucktown-Wicker Park Chicago Public Library, located at 1701 N. Milwaukee Ave, from 7 PM to 8 PM. The Bucktown-Wicker Park Chicago Public Library is accessible by the Damen stop of the blue line; the public library has a small free parking lot.

At the meeting, FACHIC Steering and Advisory Board Members will discuss the mission and vision of the organization and ways you can contribute your skills and talents to improve the health of the Filipino community.

RSVP to the meeting is recommended by email to filamcommunityhealth@gmail.com. Light refreshments will be served.

If you are interested in getting involved with FACHIC but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact us at filamcommunityhealth@gmail.com to be added to our volunteer listserv and to get more details. FACHIC is also on Facebook! Search under "FACHIC" and join "FACHIC: Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago" to join our group!

Please pass on the word and we hope to see you there! Be involved, be active, empower your community!