NCVA eREPORTER
- August 22, 2005
The National
Congress of Vietnamese Americans' NCVA eReporter is a regular email
newsletter containing information on
grant/funding
opportunities, events/forums/conferences, available
internships
and news items pertinent to the Vietnamese American and Asian
Pacific American communities.
In this NCVA eReporter:
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
TIPS/RESOURCES
NEWS
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
BEN & JERRY’S FOUNDATION SUPPORTS SOCIAL CHANGE EFFORTS
The Ben & Jerry's Foundation provides support to nonprofit,
grassroots organizations throughout the United States that
facilitate progressive social change by addressing the
underlying conditions of societal and environmental problems.
Grant applicants need to demonstrate that their projects will:
lead to societal, institutional, and/or environmental change;
address the root causes of social or environmental problems; and
lead to new ways of thinking and acting. Specifically, the
Foundation seeks groups that are working to help themselves,
help their own communities, and help others like themselves
through self-empowering, community organizing efforts. The
Foundation does not make grants to support basic or direct
social service programs. Applications are accepted throughout
the year.
(http://www.benjerry.com/foundation/)
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THE R.O.S.E. FUND SUPPORTS DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVORS
The R.O.S.E. (Regaining One’s Self-Esteem) Fund is a national
nonprofit organization committed to recognizing, assisting and
empowering women who have broken the cycle of domestic violence.
The Fund distributes grants to nonprofit organizations whose
programs work to achieve the Fund’s mission - to encourage
personal growth beyond the initial recovery from domestic
violence. The bulk of grants are distributed to small
organizations (annual budget no greater than $500,000); however,
larger organizations that substantially address the Fund’s
mission are also supported. Priority is given to organizations
in the Northeast. The application deadline is October 1, 2005.
(http://www.rosefund.org/programs/grants.asp)
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PRUDENTIAL
SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards recognize middle and
high school students involved in volunteer community service.
The program is sponsored by Prudential Financial and
administered by the National Association of Secondary School
Principals (NASSP). Application packets are mailed each fall to
all public and private middle-level and high schools, and to
supporting organizations like Red Cross, YMCA, 4-H, Girl Scouts
and Volunteer Centers of the Points of Light Foundation &
Volunteer Center National Network. Two state honorees will be
chosen in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and each
will receive an award of $1,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to
Washington, DC for national recognition events in May. Out of
the state honorees, ten national honorees will receive an
additional award of $5,000. The application deadline is October
31, 2005.
(http://www.prudential.com/community/spirit/)
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HERB BLOCK FOUNDATION: DEFENDING FREEDOMS PROGRAM
The Herb Block Foundation provides grants to nonprofit
organizations that work to preserve basic freedoms, that help
clear the pathways out of poverty, and that encourage citizen
involvement in government at all levels. The Foundation’s
Defending Freedoms program seeks proposals to safeguard the
basic freedoms guaranteed in our Bill of Rights, and to help
eliminate all forms of prejudice and discrimination.
Anti-discrimination projects that involve joint efforts of two
or more organizations are encouraged. The Foundation will also
consider contemporary societal issues that may arise. Letters of
inquiry for this program are accepted from organizations
throughout the U.S., with a deadline of October 12, 2005. The
Foundation also offers two other grant programs that accept
applications from Washington, DC area nonprofits only.
(http://www.herbblockfoundation.org)
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STRENGTHENING EXISTING NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SERVING RACIAL AND
ETHNIC POPULATIONS CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: Strategies to
Advance Program Implementation, Coordination, Management, and
Evaluation Efforts
This program provides funding to support and strengthen existing
National and Regional Minority Organizations (NMOs/RMOs) that
engage in health advocacy, promotion, education and preventive
health care with the intent of improving the health and
well-being of racial and ethnic minority populations.
(http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/05055%20Amendment.htm)
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SAMHSA CONFERENCE GRANTS
The purpose of the Conference Grant program is to disseminate
knowledge about practices within the mental health services and
substance abuse prevention and treatment fields and to integrate
that knowledge into real-world practice as effectively and
efficiently as possible.
(http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/2006/RFA/PA_06_001_Conference.aspx)
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY LOAN FUND SEEKS LETTERS OF INQUIRY
Deadline: September 12, 2005 (Letters of Inquiry)
The San Francisco-based Northern California Community Loan Fund
(http://www.ncclf.org/),
a nonprofit lender and technical assistance provider that works
to revitalize low-income communities in the surrounding region,
provides loans nd financial training to organizations that
develop affordable housing, community facilities, job-training
programs, and vital human services.
The Performing Arts Program of NCCLF's Nonprofit Space Capital
Fund (NSCF) is accepting Letters of Inquiry (LOIs). The
Performing Arts Program provides technical assistance and grants
to performing arts organizations to acquire and/or renovate
mid-size live performing arts facilities. Preference is given
to: (1) projects that serve as catalysts for economic activity
in the surrounding neighborhoods; and (2) projects that offer
co-location opportunities to increase access to space for
fledgling and smaller arts organizations. The program operates
in the nine-county Bay Area and in Monterey and Santa Cruz
counties. The current round of funding is made possible by a
grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (http://www.hewlett.org/).
(http://www.ncclf.org)
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GOGIRLGO! GRANT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OFFERS SUPPORT FOR GIRLS
SPORTS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Deadline: November 30, 2005
Administered by the Women's Sports Foundation (http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/),
the GoGirlGo! Grant and Educational Program seeks to maximize
the use of sport/physical activity as an educational
intervention and social asset in order to enhance the wellness
of girls as they navigate between childhood and early womanhood.
GoGirlGo! is dedicated to the development and funding of girls'
sports/physical activity programs that combine athletic
instruction and programming with the delivery of educational
information by qualified adults aimed at reducing risk behaviors
that threaten the health and social advancement of girls in
third to eighth grade.
The program provides financial assistance to sports and physical
activity programs seeking to add new or expanded program
participation opportunities for an under-served population of
girls, particularly economically disadvantaged girls and/or
girls from populations with high incidences of health-risk
behaviors.
The be eligible for this program, applicants must meet the
following requirements: demonstrated ability to deliver girls'
sport/physical activity programming to girls in third to eighth
grade; delivery of a minimum eight-week sports/physical activity
program, with preference given to organizations working
consistently with girls throughout the year; program leadership
administered by experienced and committed adults; 501(c)(3)
program status or non-profit status (if the program does not
have nonprofit status, it may be possible to receive a grant
with support from a local fiscal agent); and commitment to
implement the GoGirlGo! educational curriculum, including
completion of a post-project attitudinal survey. The GoGirlGo!
curriculum may be implemented following receipt of a grant.
A total of $200,000 will be awarded.
(http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/)
******************
U.S. SOCCER FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2006 GRANT PROGRAM
Deadline: September 30, 2005 (Letters of Inquiry)
The U.S. Soccer Foundation (http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/)
seeks to support soccer in the United States through its annual
grantmaking program.
For the 2006 grant cycle, the following focus has been
established to guide the foundation's funding decisions:
Proposals that develop players, referees, and coaches through
programs, field enhancements, or the foundation's All Conditions
Fields Program, with special emphasis on the economically
disadvantaged in urban areas.
The foundation's grants program is open to anyone with a
soccer-specific program or project that benefits a
non-for-profit purpose and meets the established focus for the
2006 cycle.
The foundation's grantmaking program includes the following
grant types:
Program -- A project that develops players, referees, and
coaches, with special emphasis on the economically disadvantaged
in urban areas. This grant type does not contain a construction
element.
Program With Field Enhancements -- A project that develops
players, referees, and coaches, with special emphasis on the
economically disadvantaged in urban areas, that contains a
construction element such as field renovation, addition, or
improvement of field equipment, or lighting.
All Conditions Fields (ACF) Program -- A project consisting
wholly of field development construction utilizing the ACF
Program package consisting of four components (i.e., Field-Turf
synthetic surface pitch, Kwik Goal field equipment, Musco
lights, and TGI signage). Applications for ACF projects that do
not propose to use lights will be given a lower priority.
There is no limitation on the amount of funding an applicant may
request; however, the awards process is highly competitive and
it is extremely unlikely that an applicant will be awarded the
full request amount. Grant awards frequently include the
services and/or products of the foundation's Partners Resource
Center, which is made up of industry leaders who support the
foundation.
(http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/)
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INTERNATIONAL POLICY FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM SEEKS APPLICATIONS FOR
2006-2007 FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: September 20, 2005
The International Policy Fellowships (http://www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf)
program is calling for applications for 2006-07 fellowships.
Launched in 1998 and affiliated with the Open Society Institute
(http://www.soros.org/)
and the Center for Policy Studies (http://www.ceu.hu/cps/)
of the Central European University in Budapest, these
fellowships support analytical policy research in pursuance of
open society goals such as the rule of law, democratic
elections, diverse and vigorous civil societies, and respect for
minorities. Each year the IPF program invites research proposals
that address critical issues in the development of open
societies. Successful applicants will demonstrate originality,
sound project design, and the strong likelihood that their
project may lead to significant impact on policy.
The IPF program seeks to enhance the quality of policy research
in the countries where the Soros Network operates -- Central and
Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Mongolia, as well
as countries in South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and
North Africa. It places strong emphasis on independent research
that is both rigorous and appreciative of practical
implications. Analysis and evaluation of existing policy
contexts should be based on explicit criteria, and fellows
should be able to communicate their ideas and findings in a
variety of professional and public settings.
Applicants are encouraged to submit individual, practical, and
policy-oriented research proposals in the following subject
areas. The product of each fellowship will be a detailed
analysis of a major issue to be published in English and
translated into other languages.
The 2006-07 Fellowship Issue Areas are: General Framework: New
Frontiers of Open Society; the Challenge of Wider Europe; Open
Society Promotion in Predominantly Muslim Societies; Combating
Open Society Threats; Combating the Resource Curse; Roma
Exclusion; and Open Information Policy.
All applications must be submitted online at the program's Web
site. Those who have no possibility to access the Web should
send an e-mail to
fellows@osi.hu to discuss alternate application solutions.
Applications sent by mail, fax, or email will not be considered
unless given prior approval from IPF staff.
(http://www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf)
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NORTH STAR FUND INVITES PROPOSAL FROM NEW YORK CITY GRASSROOTS
ORGANIZATIONS
Deadline: September 2, 2005
The North Star Fund (http://www.northstarfund.org),
a 25-year-old progressive public foundation dedicated to
building the progressive social movement in New York City, is
soliciting proposals from New York City-based grassroots
organizations for its fall 2005 grant cycle.
The fund supports grassroots organizations that are working to
address the different manifestations of poverty, racism and
homophobia, and gender discrimination through a clear community
organizing strategy. Particular interest will be given to
efforts in the fund's four strategic priorities areas: securing
peace and justice/ resisting militarism; ending race and gender
bias; ensuring economic justice; and protecting civil liberties
and constitutional rights.
In this funding cycle, the fund has a modest pool of money for
groups working to increase access to quality public pre K-12
education and foster greater parental and intergenerational
participation in efforts to improve New York City's public
schools. Community organizing groups that are working on
education equity in under-served communities are encouraged to
apply.
North Star will consider proposals from groups in New York City
that meet the following criteria: have an annual budget of
$250,000 or less; work within the five boroughs of New York
City; have 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor; make the links
between different but related forms of oppression; are led by
and for the communities they seek to serve; are democratically
structured and accountable to their communities; represent
traditionally marginalized or disenfranchised communities; and
actively work to create progressive social change.
Applicants must utilize one or more of the following strategies:
community organizing; grassroots advocacy; cultural work (i.e.,
film, video, and performance) that serves as a catalyst for
social change and is connected to grassroots organizing efforts
in New York City and/or resources for organizing groups (i.e.,
training or print media).
(http://www.northstarfund.org)
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CALIFORNIA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES CONTINUATION OF STEP
BY STEP: LOCAL COVERAGE EXPANSION INITIATIVE
Deadline: October 14, 2005
The California HealthCare Foundation's (http://www.chcf.org)
Step by Step: Local Coverage Expansion Initiative supports
county-based efforts and local coalitions seeking to expand
coverage to uninsured populations ineligible for public
coverage. The initiative has supported the development of
diverse models of health coverage at the local level. The
California HealthCare Foundation is funding Step by Step for a
third year and is soliciting a new round of proposals this
fall.
The upcoming solicitation will fund two types of technical
assistance grants: 1) planning grants will assist coverage
expansion efforts with activities such as coalition
strengthening, better defining the target population's needs,
and/or developing an implementation plan ($25,000 - $50,000
each); 2) implementation grants will provide funding for
specific unmet needs associated with launching a local coverage
program in 2006 ($100,000 - $200,000 each).
Grants will be awarded through a competitive Request for
Proposals process. Funding will be provided early in 2006 for
periods of up to one year. The RFP is scheduled for release in
late August.
To automatically receive the RFP announcement when it is
published, potential applicants can sign up at the CHCF Web
site, where they can also choose one of two dates for an
optional briefing to learn more about the initiative and the
proposal process. More information about the briefings will be
announced in the RFP.
(http://www.chcf.org)
******************
APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR LEXISNEXIS MARTINDALE-HUBBELL LEGAL
FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: December 31, 2005
Applications are invited for the LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell
Legal Fellowship, a new program to promote education, the
practice of public interest law, and diversity in the legal
profession. The award is sponsored by LexisNexis
Martindale-Hubbell (http://martindale.com/),
a client development company for the legal profession.
The program awards two $15,000 grants each year -- one in the
summer and one in the winter -- to individuals or associations
whose applications are selected by the company's Legal
Fellowship committee. The deadline for the second fellowship of
the year is December 31, 2005, with the winner to be announced
in January 2006.
To be eligible for a fellowship grant, an organization must hold
nonprofit 501(c)(3) status.
(http://martindale.com/)
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OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE’S U.S. JUSTICE FUND ANNOUNCES NEW
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS
Deadline: October 14, 2005
In 2006, the Open Society Institute's U.S. Justice Fund (http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/)
will support individuals through two programs: the Soros Justice
Advocacy Fellowships and the Soros Justice Media Fellowships.
Similar in many respects to the previous initiative, the newly
launched program will fund outstanding lawyers, advocates,
grassroots organizers, activist academics, journalists, and
filmmakers interested in implementing innovative projects that
address one or more of the fund's criminal justice priorities.
Projects should seek to accomplish one or more of the following:
advance death penalty reform and abolition efforts; improve
public defense services; combat racial profiling; promote
leadership in progressive justice reform efforts among people
who are or have been imprisoned; encourage systemic reforms that
create incentives for community-based solutions over parole and
probation revocation; challenge unreasonable civil and legal
barriers to the reintegration of people returning from prison;
redirect criminal justice monies to strengthen community
resources and responsibility for public safety and justice;
advance sentencing reform efforts; curtail prison expansion; and
empower communities most affected by mass incarceration to
develop and advocate for alternative policies that address
underlying social, racial, and economic inequality.
Advocacy Fellowships have two distinct tracks. Track I supports
new and emerging advocates with two to five years of advocacy
experience. Track II supports seasoned leaders with a minimum of
ten years' experience in their fields and five years of advocacy
experience. Both tracks are eighteen months in duration and may
be implemented in conjunction with large or small not-for-profit
organizations.
The Media Fellowships support mid-career and veteran print
journalists, filmmakers, and individuals with unique voices who
are proposing writing projects, and are twelve months in
duration.
(http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/)
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TIPS/RESOURCES
MODELING – HOW TO PREPARE YOUR DATABASE FOR STATISTICAL MODELING
If you are interested in using statistical modeling to grow
donations at your organization. According to Lawrence Henze,
managing director, Blackbaud Analytics, Blackbaud, Inc., here
are some tips to help you get started.
* Pick the right model.
Custom modeling is a powerful tool to help you identify and rank
the best prospects in your organization's database. Whenever
possible, you should choose to develop a custom model. If you do
not have enough giving history to build a custom model, then you
can develop a prescriptive model to segment your database and
better understand who's likely to give to an organization like
yours. You should never waste time and money on a generic model;
it will not tell you anything useful about whether the people in
your database are inclined to give to your organization.
* Prepare your data.
Getting started is easy. Because most nonprofits have their data
stored in some form of electronic database, it is just a matter
of pulling together three-to-six years of historical data. A
good vendor should be able to accept most electronic database
formats. The vendor will then go through the files and clean
them, perhaps appending other data if required, such as the
prospect's age or the value of his or her home. Then the vendor
will start to build your custom model.
Once the model is complete, the vendor should place the results
into a software format that you can use. A good vendor will also
check back with you to make sure your organization understands
how to use the results and is, in fact, applying them.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/database.html)
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ONLINE –
PLACEMENT ON SEARCH ENGINES
Many Internet surfers resort to search engines such as Google,
Yahoo! and MSN, even to find nonprofit organizations. In his
chapter on Online Community Building in the book Nonprofit
Internet Strategies, George Irish of HJC New Media in Toronto,
recommends a basic approach to search engine registration.
The first item is placement review, which means making a list of
five or six key words or phrases associated with your
organization. Then check them on one of the engines and see
where your organization appears.
Optimization is a crucial consideration, and it involves making
subtle changes to improve an organization's ranking. The
following may involve the assistance of your Webmaster, but they
are important:
* Look at the <TITLE> tag on your homepage and other significant
pages on your site. The tag should contain the full name of the
organization, along with a three-word phrase that contains one
or two keywords.
* There is a key set of words on your Web pages called <META>
tags, including one called "keywords" that should contain your
most important keywords. A second one will be called
"description." This should have a one- or two-sentence
description of your organization.
* On the visible page itself, make sure that every image has a
text description attached in the "ALT" part of the <IMAGE> tag.
Search engines cannot read images, but they can read the ALT
content.
* Have some regular text on your page that repeats the keywords
as often as possible.
Finally, submit your optimized Web page to be re-examined by the
major search engines.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/ontheweb.html)
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ANNUAL GIVING – MANY WAYS OF MAKING THE “ASK”
Although the concept of an annual giving program is familiar to
most nonprofit managers, it is possible to lose sight of just
what is involved.
At a recent conference on fundraising, the elements of an annual
giving program were aired, including a basic understanding of
what it is and what the component parts of an annual fund are.
An annual giving program is any planned activity that seeks to
generate revenue from donors or prospects on a recurring basis.
An annual giving program should be started first, followed by a
major gifts program and then by a planned gift program. The
annual fund is the building block for all fundraising. It serves
to establish a base of donors that can serve as an effective
device to involve, inform and bond a constituency to an
organization.
With these ideas in mind, look at the components of the annual
fund. They can be divided by the "Hard Asks" and the "Soft
Asks."
Under the Hard Ask:
* A year-end appeal
* Year-end follow-ups
* Special appeals, such as programmatic or hot issues and
seasonal giving
* Telemarketing
* Event invitation (annual)
* Acquisition appeals
* Under the Soft Ask:
* Newsletters
* The annual report
* Holiday cards
* Donor surveys
* Planned giving information
* Event invitations (other than annual)
* Major donor society invitations
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/donors.html)
******************
NEWS
August 5, 2005
VA
APAS FLEX MUSCLE WITH 2005 CANDIDATES’ FORUM
By Jackie Bong-Wright
A Historic Event
With the heat of summer rising, a growing alliance of Asian
Pacific American (APA) groups is trying to put the finishing
details on the first-ever all-APA sponsored Candidates’ Forum in
Northern Virginia. Twelve initial participant groups include
the Asian Pacific American Bar Association – DC Chapter (APABA),
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Coalition of
Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia (CAPAVA), Federal Asian
Pacific American Coalition (FAPAC), Indian Political Educational
Forum (IPEF), Korean American Coalition - DC (KAC-DC), Korean
American Association of Northern Virginia (KAA-NOVA), Korean
American Association of Washington Metropolitan Area (KAA-Washington),
National Congress of Vietnamese Americans (NCVA), National
Association of Korean Americans - Washington (NAKA-Washington),
Organization of Chinese Americans - Northern Virginia Chapter (OCA-NOVA),
and the Vietnamese American Voters Association (VAVA).
This year, 13 incumbent Delegates and 5 new candidates from the
Democratic party as well as 7 incumbent and 8 new Republican
candidates are competing for the House of Delegates, in addition
to the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney
General positions.
“The importance of having an all-APA Candidates’ Forum is to
have the political candidates be aware of the growing size of
Virginia’s APA community,” said Eric Jensen, Chairman of the
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia, one of the
groups involved.
“This is the first time the entire non-partisan alliance of
APA groups are joining together to hear from candidates running
for these important state offices,” said Satish Korpe, President
of the Indian Political Education Forum.
APAs’ Strength in Virginia
The APA community in Virginia is gaining momentum in numbers and
in economic power. The 2000 Census showed that Virginia was one
of the ten states which had the fastest growing and the largest
Asian population. There are between 315,000 and 360,000 (4.2%)
APA residents in the state, 47% of whom hold a Bachelor degree
or higher. Around 22,500 APA-owned firms generate $4.4 billion
in gross revenues and provide 47,000 jobs to the economy of
Virginia. The 2004 Census affirmed that the median APA income
was approximately $55,700 versus $43,300 for all households, and
70% were homeowners.
Yet 14% of APA families still live in poverty and do not get
fair access to state services, language assistance or inclusion
in policy decisions. APA suffer higher rates of hepatitis B,
diabetes, cancer and tuberculosis than the general population.
APA gang violence is increasing in the Commonwealth in the
extortion of APA businesses.
Yet, there are no APA elected state officials, accounting for a
huge disparity of political under-representation. For this
reason, APA groups, led by CAPAVA, feel they have the
responsibility to ask elected officials to budget a state APA
outreach office to help APA communities gain access to state
services. At the same time, APAs help the state reach APA
communities and also extend and increase trade with APAs’ home
countries.
Intense Planning Effort
Because of the chaotic nature of political campaigns, organizers
have found it difficult to pin down a Saturday afternoon in the
coming months when most candidates will be available. The
alliance has set September 10 for the event, and a venue holding
300 to 500 is being sought.
There has been a steady stream of communications to Democrat,
Republican and Independent candidates and among organizing
committee members. A Steering Committee has been set up and
alliance members have been meeting on a bi-weekly basis since
early February.
“We can use all the help from community groups we can get,” said
Ting-Yi Oei, President of CAPAVA, “particularly as we try to get
as many APA constituents as possible to turn out and demonstrate
our community’s interest.”
APA Unity is Stressed
A more subtle but arguably more important by-product of the
planning effort for the Forum is the first-time cooperation
among APA groups of different political orientations in
Virginia.
In early November 2004, the Asian American Legal Defense and
Education Fund (AALDEF), with the help of several co-sponsoring
organizations, conducted the nation’s largest exit poll of
almost 11,000 Asian American voters, a third of whom were
first-time voters. The questionnaire was written in 8 languages
and Asian Americans were surveyed in 23 cities in 8 states
including Virginia.
The survey showed that 47% of Asian Americans were registered
Democrats in Northern Virginia, and 53% of Southeast Asians
registered Republicans. 35% were first-time voters, over a
third of whom were limited English-proficient and needed some
form of language assistance to vote. They depended on their
ethinic press to learn about politics and community issues to
make their voting decisions. Civil liberties and security,
followed by affirmative action and racial profiling, were among
the top issues on which these voters cast their ballots.
“By sponsoring an APA alliance event, the groups hope to educate
APA constituents about the state political and elections
process,” said Julie Park of the Korean American Coalition-DC.
“By hosting this important APA event, we hope also to inform the
candidates about our community’s issues in Virginia,” said Hung
Nguyen, President of the National Congress of Vietnamese
Americans.
Rose Chu, a member of the Organization of Chinese Americans,
said, “In this year’s state elections, our alliance groups think
it is important to increase the number of APA votes, especially
by students and younger voters.”
Jackie Bong-Wright of the Vietnamese American Voters’
Association is calling on all APAs to speed up their voter
registration drives and motivate APAs to go to the polls.
“This is another benchmark -- APA communities are working
together to bring APA issues to state elected officials, while
helping our communities understand the political process and the
importance of participating in it,” said Ben Bahn, a Forum
Steering Committee official.
For that reason, the Forum’s organizers are making an effort to
reach up to 20 APA groups to co-sponsor this historic occasion
and ask APA businesses to underwrite some of the costs.
Wide Support Expected
Invitations are being sent to political candidates and their
respective political parties. “Candidates who have learned of
the event have enthusiastically asked to participate,” said
Manshik Kim, President of the National Association of Korean
Americans. “Candidates and political parties are responding
positively.”
Media attention is also being sought. A press conference to
reach APA and mainstream media will be held in the afternoon of
August 23 at China Garden restaurant in Rosslyn. A press
release focusing on key issues and talking points will be sent
out, and flyers of the event will be disseminated to APA stores,
malls, restaurants, and churches. An APA media celebrity will
be invited to be the Moderator of the Candidates’ Forum.
Alex Chan, a Steering Committee member and former President of
the Federal Asian Pacific American Coalition, and Jun Koo of the
Korean American Coalition of Washington, DC, will spearhead
efforts to contact Asian-language newspapers and other media
about the Forum. Jackie Bong-Wright, President of the
Vietnamese American Voters Association, and Julie Park of the
Korean American Coalition will work on advertising and
publicity.
For more information about the APA Candidates’ Forum, contact
Ting-Yi Obi,
ting.oei@verizon.net; Julie Park,
Julie.park@gmsp.org; or Eric Jensen,
eljensen@comcast.net.
(http://www.asianfortune.com/aug05/Articles/va-apa%20candidates%20forum%20-%20body.htm)
******************
August 5, 2005
HOME OWNERSHIP STILL DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN FOR MANY AAPIS
Teresa Lewi
Lack of information on the home-buying process constitutes a
major obstacle to home ownership in the Asian American and
Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, according to a recent
Congressional briefing on Asian American housing and home
ownership trends.
The U.S. Census data provided by the Asian & Pacific Islander
American Health Forum (APIAHF) shows that the median household
income for AAPIs is $51,045, which is significantly higher than
the national average of $41,994.
Yet, the home ownership percentage among AAPI households is just
53%, compared to the national average of 66%.
The low home ownership rate can be attributed partly to AAPIs
being unable to afford to purchase their own homes, some being
forced to live in substandard housing conditions instead.
Other Asian Americans, who have the means to owning a home,
choose not to because of their unfamiliarity with the
home-buying process.
Preliminary findings by Freddie Mac on Asian American
home-buying trends note “a confluence of forces that contribute
to the Asian American home ownership gap. These forces delay the
timeline for home purchase by years or discourage eligible low
to moderate-income buyers from entering the market.”
Such “forces” cited by the findings include Asian Americans’
general aversion to acquiring debt, their belief that securing a
decent job and raising a family has priority over owning a home
and their lack of understanding of home ownership issues.
Congressman Mike Honda, Chairman of CAPAC, spoke in support of
the sponsor organizations’ efforts, saying that “home ownership
is critical” and that AAPIs need assistance in home ownership
attainment.
One of the panelists for the briefing was Sandy Dang, Executive
Director of Asian American Leadership Empowerment and
Development (AALEAD), which promotes the well-being of Asian
American youth through education and community services.
Based on her experiences in AALEAD, Dang noted the importance of
providing children with adequate housing, which leads to better
performances in their daily life activities.
“It’s really important to look at the community we live in,” she
said, citing D.C. as the home to some Asian immigrants who
reside in poor housing conditions.
Asian American households also endure overcrowding in their
homes at greater rates than the total white population.
According to statistics drawn from the Asian Pacific American
Community Development Data Center, the rate of overcrowded homes
for Asians is 14%, four times the rate of 3% for housing units
throughout the nation.
Demographic trends revealed by the census, such as overcrowded
homes, high household incomes combined with low per capita
income and the large average household size within AAPI
populations, can be attributed to Asian Americans generally
having larger families and multiple family members working to
contribute to housing costs.
The briefing on July 25 in Washington D.C., was sponsored by the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), National
Coalition for Asian American Community Development (National
CAPACD) and Freddie Mac.
Other community meetings on Asian American housing are scheduled
on the first week of August in various locations around the U.S.
More information can be found at
www.nationalcapacd.org.
(http://www.asianfortune.com/aug05/Articles/apa%20housing.htm)
******************
August 16, 2005
UH CLASSES FOCUS ON
VIETNAMESE
In response to Houston's growing Vietnamese-American population,
the University of Houston is offering four new classes this
fall: two Vietnamese language classes, a class on Vietnamese
culture, and a course on the history of Vietnamese-Americans.
For additional information, call Angie Joe at 713-743-8153 or
e-mail
ajoe@uh.edu,
namcocomo@hotmail.com or
longle_us@yahoo.com.
(http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/education/3313837)
******************
PROJECT SEEKS TO
PRESERVE HISTORY
Public asked to help raise $80,000 for Vietnamese heritage
exhibit.
By NGUYEN HUY VU
The Orange County Register
FOUNTAIN VALLEY – It's been more than three decades since the
fall of Saigon, and UC Irvine researcher Vu Pham worries that
younger Vietnamese-Americans are forgetting how their parents
and grandparents arrived in the United States.
"They are not talking to their children about the war and their
experiences," said Pham, who also works as the director of the
Smithsonian Institution's Vietnamese American Heritage Project.
"Our stories are not being told."
Pham and Smithsonian officials at a press conference Tuesday
asked for the community's help in raising about $80,000 by Oct.
1 for a traveling cultural and historical exhibit that documents
the mass migration of Vietnamese refugees to the United States.
The proposed project, which could debut in late 2006, would
become the Smithsonian's first national exhibit focusing on the
Vietnamese-American community. The Smithsonian's Asian Pacific
American Program, coordinating the effort, has raised $120,000
since last year and will need a total of $200,000 to pay for the
exhibit. Plans include a traveling 2,500-square-foot exhibit
showing photographs and artifacts of the community's presence
from 1975 to 2005, an educational Web site, a curriculum for
middle school students and sponsoring public programs around the
country. Smithsonian officials also hope to establish a $1
million endowment to make the exhibit a permanent fixture.
Pham said the project will give Vietnamese-Americans an
opportunity to let people know that they are not just refugees
of war but one of many immigrant communities ingrained in the
fabric of America.
"It's been 30 years and we are losing so many people as the
generations pass," said Pham, who took over the helm of the
project in the spring.
"We are losing their voices and if we don't do it now who knows
when it will happen."
CONTACT US: (714) 445-6685 or
vnguyen@ocregister.com
MORE INFORMATION
•The Vietnamese American Heritage Project can be reached at
(202) 786-2409 or
http://www.vietam.org.
•Donations can be sent by check to: Asian Pacific American
Program/ Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, Arts and
Industries Building Room 2467, MRC 440, 900 Jefferson Drive SW,
Washington, DC 20013-7012
(http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/08/17/sections/local/local/article_637334.php)
******************
August 17, 2005
ACT SCORES
HOLD STEADY FOR CLASS OF 2005
(AP) -- Average scores on the ACT college entrance exam held
steady across all subjects for the high school class of 2005
compared with last year's seniors, an indication that schools
are treading water in their efforts to prepare students for
college-level work.
Administrators noted that the average national composite score
of 20.9, unchanged from 2004, represents slight progress in the
sense that scores kept up even though more students --
particularly Hispanics -- are taking the ACT. Yet the test
scores also suggest that many students remain severely
under-prepared for college work, they said.
ACT scores range from 1 to 36.
Nearly three in four test-takers failed to reach a benchmark
indicating they are likely to succeed in a college biology
course, and only 41 percent hit a similar benchmark in math.
Barely one in five hit the benchmark in all four measured
subject areas: math, science, English and social science.
"Hundreds of thousands are going to have a hard time because of
the disconnect between their plans for college and the cold
reality of their readiness for college," said Richard Ferguson,
CEO of the independent, not-for-profit ACT, based in Iowa City,
Iowa.
Nearly 1.2 million members of the class of 2005 took the ACT, or
40 percent of all graduates. The number rose slightly from last
year to an all-time high. In Illinois and Colorado, the exam is
taken by almost all 11th-graders under a state-mandated program.
The ACT exam is the predominant college entrance exam in about
half the states, mostly in the middle part of the country, while
the SAT is more popular on the East and West Coasts. Most
colleges accept either exam.
The results come amid some renewed focus, including from the
National Governors Association, on getting more students to take
a core curriculum. In February, a coalition of 13 states agreed
on a plan to toughen high school courses and graduation
requirements. A survey out last week found nine in 10 students
said they would work harder if their high school expected more
of them.
But for now, only 56 percent of last year's seniors who took the
ACT said they were taking the recommended core curriculum for
college prep: four years of English, and three each of math,
science, and social studies. That figure has changed little over
the last decade despite research indicating students who take
the core do better in college, the ACT said.
"Somehow the message doesn't seem to be getting through to
students -- they will have to work in high school and take some
of these core courses," Ferguson said.
Other tests the ACT administers to 10th- and eighth-graders
indicate the high school classes of 2007 and 2009 are on track
to fare no better in college preparation. But Ferguson said
there is some hope down the line. The latest National Assessment
of Educational Progress, released last month, gave 9-year-olds
their highest ever scores in math and science since tests were
first given in the early 1970s.
Results will not be released until next year for the new
optional essay section the ACT began offering this year.
Among other ACT results for the class of 2005:
* The number of Hispanic test-takers is up 40 percent since
2001, to 83,447, and minorities comprise 27 percent of all ACT
test-takers, up from 24 percent in 2001.
* Average scores for Asian-Americans rose 0.2 points to 22.1,
while white students' scores rose 0.1 to 21.9. Hispanics' scores
rose 0.1 to 18.7, while blacks' fell 0.1 to 17.0.
* Girls accounted for 56 percent of test-takers, unchanged for
four years. Average boys' scores rose 0.1 from last year to
21.1; girls' scores were unchanged at 20.9.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or
redistributed.
(http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/08/17/act.scores.ap/)
******************
August 17, 2005
ASIAN AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT BELIES INVISIBILITY
Sing Tao Daily, Editorial, Joseph Leung, Translated by Yvonne
Lee
The California Department of Education released its high school
Exit Exam and STAR results this week. Chinese American parents
have always paid close attention to education news. Yet, the
news report only mentioned gains made by California students as
a group and the differences between white and African American
and Latino students. As if Asian Americans are invisible, the
release did not contain one word on results for Asian Americans.
Asian Americans were only covered in a column in a small graph
accompanying the story.
News coverage that treats Asian Americans as the invisible group
is not confined to just this one. There are often news reports
on health that contain data for African American and Latinos
omitting mention of Asian Americans. There is a long history of
mainstream media rendering Asian American invisible in news
coverage. When Asian Americans are covered, it usually involves
crime.
This year, out of all ethnic groups including whites, Asian
Americans attained the best test scores in STAR and Exit Exam.
This was not included in this week’s news coverage. Instead
coverage centered on the gap between white and minority students
other than Asian American.
We do not intend to force the media to praise Asian Americans
but only ask them to report the entire outcome. Asian American
students collectively have performed well in the testing. Why
did this not arouse any interest from reporters and editors? If
one must compare results of students from different groups, then
why not analyze the causes of Asian American achievement?
Asian Americans may be a silent group, but it will not remain
invisible. Take the area of education in particular. There are
many Chinese Americans who are members of school boards. The
South Bay public school district where Chinese American students
concentrate is a model school district for the Bay Area. In the
Bay Area’s coverage of education news, why are there so few
mainstream media who want to interview educators from this
district? This intentional-un-intentional subtle and not so
subtle manner of displacing Asian Americans from the public view
ought to receive attention from the proper authorities.
(http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=1427078ce5088176c8695ee481003698)
******************
August 21, 2005
VIETNAMESE HOPE
FOR CULTURAL CENTER
New facility would be first of its kind in Metro Detroit and
help educate others, aid immigrants.
By Maureen Feighan
The Detroit News
MADISON HEIGHTS -- Sitting in a black vinyl booth of a Madison
Heights restaurant with a plaid shirt and a smile that makes his
eyes crinkle at the corner, Hao Pham passes around dishes of
Vietnamese-style catfish, cabbage salad and chicken stir-fry
with lemongrass.
A lot has changed for the 48-year-old father of two since he
fled Vietnam in 1979. One of the thousands of "boat people,"
Pham, of Ann Arbor, endured a cramped three-day journey across
the South China Sea with little food and a Thai pirate attack to
make it to Malaysia and later the United States.
Today, Pham hasn't forgotten his desperate past. He's working
with a group of friends to bring other Vietnamese immigrants
together, teach Americans about the Vietnam War and provide
resources to other new immigrants through a Vietnamese-American
cultural center.
"A cultural center would benefit everybody," said Pham, who
works at Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn. "It'll be a place for our
people, it'll enrich others and expand their knowledge base."
Conceived by older Vietnamese immigrants years ago but never
acted upon, the center will be the first of its kind in Metro
Detroit and is being spearheaded by Pham and three Vietnamese
friends and co-workers whom he met through the Ford Vietnamese
Association.
Fund raising kicked off last month with a special program in
Royal Oak featuring Vietnamese singing, dancing and food that
raised more than $7,000.
Milon Hoang, another member of Vietnamese-American Future
Generations spearheading the drive, said the goal is to raise
roughly $500,000 during the next five years to build the center
or renovate a building.
The center may be in Madison Heights, Sterling Heights or north
Warren, where many Vietnamese-Americans live.
"There's community centers for just about every ethnic group,"
said Hoang, 40, of West Bloomfield.
"Why not a Vietnamese center? It would add to the cultural
enrichment of Metro Detroit."
According to U.S. Census figures, Michigan's Vietnamese
represent one of the smallest Asian subgroups in the state, with
0.1 percent of the population in 2000. But their ranks are
growing, up 124 percent between 1990 and 2000.
Hoang said there is no place where the Vietnamese in Metro
Detroit can come together.
Hoang, who fled Vietnam with her family two days before the fall
of Saigon in 1976 because her father was a South Vietnamese Army
colonel, said many Vietnamese turn to their churches or temples
for traditional celebrations or classes to teach their children
Vietnamese.
But she hopes the center will be a place where Vietnamese can
come together regardless of faith and Westerners can learn about
the history and aftermath of a devastating war.
The center will include a historical exhibit with artifacts,
letters and testimony. Roughly 6 million Vietnamese lost their
lives during the 30-yearlong civil war, along with 58,000
American soldiers.
"Between 1954 and 1975, 2.5 million people died," Hoang said.
"You're talking about almost 10 percent of the (North Vietnam
and South Vietnam) population. ... People don't see that. For
the Vietnamese, it was a huge toll we paid."
You can reach Maureen Feighan at (248) 647-7416 or
mfeighan@detnews.com.
Organizers of the Vietnamese-American Heritage & Cultural Center
will hold another fund-raiser for the center in November.
Details are still being arranged. Send donations to Vietnamese
Heritage & Cultural Center, P.O. Box 52086, Livonia, MI 48152.
(http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0508/21/D01-287405.htm)
******************
About NCVA
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese
Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy
organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese
Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum –
by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens
engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil
liberties.
Copyright material is distributed without profit or payment for
research and educational purposes only, in accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. section 107
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