NCVA eREPORTER
- August 9, 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:
EVENTS
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
TIPS/RESOURCES
NEWS
******************
EVENTS
ANGEL ISLAND
COMMUNITY PICNIC
Saturday,
August 13, 2005
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pack a feast for family and friends and treat yourselves to a
last chance to see the Immigration Station barracks before a
year-long closure for restoration work. Learn about the future
plans for the site from Daphne Kwok, AIISF's new Executive
Director, and how to excavate family records from the National
Archives. Films and books about Angel Island for kids of all
ages will be presented throughout this special day. Rides will
be provided for those who need special assistance.
11:00 am Tours of Immigration Station
Film Screenings about Angel Island
12:00 pm Welcome and Overview of Immigration Station
Restoration Work–Daphne Kwok, Executive Director, AIISF
12:30 pm Tours of Immigration Station
Researching Family History–Bill Greene, Archivist, National
Archives Records Administration (NARA)
Children’s Book Readings–Li Keng Wong, former detainee and
author, Milly Lee, author
1:30 pm Tours of Immigration Station
Film Screenings about Angel Island
Children’s Activities
Ferry Schedules and Prices
Depart Pier 41 Arrive Angel Island Depart Angel
Island Arrive Pier 41
9:45 am
10:10 am
3:00 pm
3:25 pm
11:30 am
12:40 pm
4:40 pm
5:30 pm
Adult: $ 13.50 rt Children: $ 8.00 rt Under 5: Free
Depart Tiburon Arrive Angel Island
Depart Angel Island Arrive Tiburon
10:00 am
10:20 am
2:20 pm
2:40 pm
11:00 am
11:20 am
3:20 pm
3:40 pm
12:00 am
12:20 pm
4:20 pm 4:40 pm
Adult: $10.00 rt Children: $7.50 rt Under 4: Free
About Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF)
The mission of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
is to promote a greater understanding of how Pacific Coast
immigration and its role in shaping America's past, present, and
future. Through an array of interpretive programs and
educational partnerships, the Foundation preserves the
Immigration Station site, a National Historic Landmark, as a
place that honors the complex story and rich cultural heritage
of Pacific Coast immigrants and their descendants. For
information visit: www.aiisf.org
Please call (415) 561-2160 or email
info@aiisf.org for more information and to RSVP. This
program is made possible through the support of AIISF
Descendant’s Club and the Look Lowe Family Trust.
((http://www.aiisf.org)
******************
COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP 2005 ANNUAL CONVENTION FOCUSES ON
POVERTY ISSUES
The Community Action Partnership, a national forum for policy on
poverty, is America’s largest poverty fighting network. The
annual convention will celebrate the Partnership’s achievements
and look toward its future with the theme of “Community Action:
Unity, Creativity, Vision.” The convention, which will include
workshops, training classes, and networking opportunities, will
be held from August 30-September 2 in New Orleans, LA..
(http://www.communityactionpartnership.com/pdfs/conference/2005/2005_Convention_Promo.pdf)
******************
AMERICAN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is
having its annual meeting in Washington, DC, Sept. 1-4, 2005.
As before, we cordially invite your attendance and participation
in the panels and free events organized by the Asian Pacific
American Caucus (APAC), a related group of the Race, Ethnicity,
and Politics (REP) section of the APSA. To learn more about the
APAC, please visit our website
http://www.apa-politics.orgg.
A Quick Glance at the organized activities by or related to the
APA Caucus:*
Thursday, Sep 1, 2:00 PM
Politics in Southeast Asian Communities
http://www.apsanet.org/mtgs/program/program.cfm?event=1444971
Friday, Sep 2, 6:00-7:00 PM
APAC Business Meeting
Virginia A, Marriot Hotel, Wardman Park
Friday, Sep 2, 7:00-8:30 PM
APAC Reception, co-sponsored by APAICS and
APA
Status Committee Johnson Room, Marriot Hotel, Wardman Park
Saturday, Sep 3, 8:00 AMM
The Politics of New Americans: Studying Asian American Political
Engagement
http://www.apsanet.org/mtgs/program/program.cfm?event=1442671
Saturday, Sep 3, 2:00 PM
Immigrant Incorporation in a Changing America
http://www.apsanet.org/mtgs/program/program.cfm?event=1442661
Related Panels on Studying and Teaching APA and Other Minority
Politics
Thursday, Sep 1, 10:15 AMM
Theme Panel: Roundtable on Race, Ethnicity and Political
Science: The REP Section - A Ten-Year Retrospective
http://www.apsanet.org/mtgs/program/program.cfm?event=1444511
Friday, Sep 2,
2:00 PM
Roundtable on Teaching Minority Politics and Minority Student
Learning
http://www.apsanet.org/mtgs/program/program.cfm?event=1445701
*Please note that numerous other individual papers and
presentations may contain an Asian American component and may be
identified by searching the on-line program:
http://www.apsanet.org/mtgs/program/
For registration, hotel, and other information and great
opportunities related to the 2005 APSA Meeting, please visit the
conference website:
http://www.apsanet.org/section_222.cfmm.
We hope to see you in DC soon.
Sincerely,
Daphne Kwok, co-chair,
APAC,
2003-5
Baodong (Paul) Liu, co-chair,
APAC,
2004-6
and
APSA Asian Pacific American Status Committee, 2004-5
Andrew Aoki, Jane Junn (Chair), James Lai, Taeku Lee, Pei-te
Lien, Bang-Soon Yoon
((http://www.apa-politics.org)
******************
NATIONAL LEADERS SUMMIT
Gathering for Nonprofit Agenciess
The 2005 National Leaders Summit is being sponsored by the
National Human Services Assembly, a coalition of leading
national nonprofit agencies committed to helping individuals,
families, and communities thrive. The summit, a gathering for
nonprofit health and human services, human development, and
community development organizations, will be an opportunity to
network and share ideas with peers from throughout the U.S. The
keynote address will be given by Lester Salamon, Founding
Director and Principal Research Scientist of the Institute for
Policy Studies, Director of the Center for Civil Society Studies
and Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University.
The summit will take place on September 8, 2005 in Washington,
DC.
((http://www.nassembly.org/nassembly/nls.htm)
******************
CITIES IN TRANSITION: ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICANS
The national forum, Cities in Transition: Asian Pacific Islander
Americans is less than 2 months away! Please sign up and
register for this momentous event where three organizations have
come together to build a unique experience.
Attached is the registration brochure where you can learn more
about the speakers, special events, plenaries, and blueprint
sessions. This brochure will be updated as more speakers are
confirmed and is always available for download at
http://www.citiesintransition.orgg. The full list of
confirmed speakers can be found at
http://www.citiesintransition.org/speakers.html. Also,
visit our updated website to learn about the conference
details.
Remember, the early-bird deadline is August 15 and book your
room by August 30 to guarantee the group room rate. Please
reference Partners for Livable Communities, conference code PLC,
or Cities in Transition when contacting the hotel at
1-800-236-2905 or online at
http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/private_groups/houcvhh_plc/index.jhtml.
Register for the forum today and save $50.00! Bring a group and
save on registration costs as well!
For forum information or registration materials, please
contact:
Laura Tan, Program Officer, Partners for Livable Communities,
1429 21 st St. NW, Washington , DC 20036,
ph: (202)
887-5990
x14
f: (202)
466-4845
ltan@livable.com
http://www.citiesintransition.org/
Partners for Livable Communities is a non-profit leadership
organization that works to improve the livability of communities
by promoting better quality of life, economic development, and
social equity.
The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
is dedicated to increasing participation of individuals of Asian
and Pacific Islander heritage at all levels of the political
process, from community service to elected office.
The City of Houston is extremely active in advancing
opportunities for all minorities and is eager to showcase its
city as a best practice model of innovation and success in
utilizing the resources offered by the APIA community and
increasing their participation in mainstream civic affairs.
***
The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)
is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational organization based in
Washington, D.C., that seeks to build a politically empowered
APA
community, to fill the political pipeline for Asian Pacific
Americans to enter and advance into elected office, and to be a
resource to Congress about the APA community.
((http://www.citiesintransition.org)
******************
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
BLAKEMORE FOUNDATION INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR ASIAN
ART
AND LANGUAGE GRANTS
The Blakemore Foundation was established to encourage the
advanced study of Asian languages and to improve the
understanding of Asian fine arts in the United States.
The foundation's Frances Blakemore Asian Art Grants promote the
understanding of Asian fine art in America. Grants are made only
to tax-exempt organizations in the U.S. such as museums,
universities, and other educational or art-related institutions
for programs, exhibits, or publications that improve the
understanding of Asian fine arts in the U.S. The next deadlines
for receipt of applications are
November 1, 2005, and
May 15, 2006.
The foundation has also announced new deadlines for applications
for Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for Advanced Asian Language
Study and Blakemore Refresher Grants: Short-Term Grants for
Advanced Asian Language Study. Applications for these programs
must be postmarked no later than December 30,
2005.
Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for Advanced Asian Language Study
fund a year of advanced language study at the Inter-University
Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama, Japan; the
International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan
University in Taipei; the Inter-University Program for Chinese
Language Studies at Tsing-hua University in Beijing; and other
approved programs in Southeast Asia. Fellowships are available
to American citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. who
have a college degree and who plan to use an Asian language in
their career.
Blakemore Refresher Grants: Short-Term Grants for Advanced Asian
Language Study provide funding for short-term study less than a
full academic year in length. Grants are restricted to
professors who are teaching in an Asian field at a university or
college in the U.S. and post-doctoral professionals whose degree
is in an Asian field; and graduates of the regular academic-year
programs at the Inter-University Center in Yokohama, Japan; the
Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at
Tsing-hua University in Beijing, China; and the International
Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University in
Taipei, Taiwan.
((http://www.blakemorefoundation.org/)
******************
STATE
FARM
GOOD NEIGHBOR SERVICE-LEARNING GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH
SERVICE
DAY
Deadline:
October 17, 2005
With support from the State Farm Companies Foundation (http://www.statefarm.com/foundati/citizenship.htm),
one hundred $1,000 grants are available from Youth Service
America (http://www.ysa.org/)
for teachers, youth, and school-based service-learning
coordinators to implement service-learning projects for National
Youth Service Day, April 21-23, 2006 (http://www.ysa.org/nysd/).
State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants enable youth
and educators to bring the positive benefits of service-learning
to more young people across America. Service-learning is a
teaching method that combines meaningful service with curriculum
or program-based learning. Schools and organizations use
service-learning as a tool to help youth build stronger academic
skills, foster civic responsibility, and develop leadership
skills.
Applicants must be a certified teacher or professor who
currently teaches in a public, private, faith-based, charter, or
higher education institution within the fifty states or the
District of Columbia; or be a school-based service-learning
coordinator whose primary role is to coordinate service-learning
projects in a school or university; or be a youth between the
ages of five and twenty-five. Applicants must be U.S. residents.
(http://www.ysa.org/awards/award_grant.cfm)
******************
VERIZON WIRELESS OFFERS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GRANTS TO NONPROFITS
IN MID-ATLANTIC REGION
Deadline: September 9, 20055
Verizon Wireless (http://www.verizonwireless.com/)
is seeking grant proposals for domestic violence prevention and
education projects in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of
Columbia.
Qualifying nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for
competitive grants totaling $30,000 and made possible through
Verizon Wireless' national HopeLine phone-recycling program.
Grants are being offered to enable agencies, shelters, and other
domestic violence advocacy groups to introduce or expand
programs, add equipment, or enhance facilities to better serve
clients. A total of six grants of $5,000 each will be awarded.
The grants will be announced in the fall of 2005, and are timed
to coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.
To qualify for funding, an applicant must be designated a public
or private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and be based in
Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia.
(http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050706/dcw031.html?.v=17)
******************
NEW
VOICES PROJECT TO FUND COMMUNITY NEWS VENTURE
Deadline: February 8, 20066
New Voices is a program to seed innovative community news
ventures in the United States. Administered by J-Lab: The
Institute for Interactive Journalism (http://j-lab.org/)
at the University of Maryland and supported by a grant from the
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (http://www.knightfdn.org),
the program is inviting U.S. nonprofit groups and education
organizations to apply for funding to launch new community news
ventures and to cooperate with J-Lab in spotlighting best
practices and lessons learned.
J-Lab will select ten micro-local news projects to receive
support. New Voices will help fund the start-up of each project
with a $12,000 grant; support them with an educational Web site;
and help foster their sustainability through a $5,000
second-year matching grant.
To be eligible, organizations must have tax-exempt status under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be an
educational institution (e.g., middle schools, high schools,
colleges, and universities).
Funding is available for start-up news initiatives only. Ongoing
efforts are not eligible to apply unless the organization is
proposing a new venture. Funding is available for print or
electronic news initiatives, including online, cable, broadcast,
narrowcast, satellite, and mobile efforts. Collaborative
ventures are eligible as long as the funded party is a nonprofit
or educational institution. Only projects based in the United
States may apply.
Successful applicants will benefit a defined geographic or
special-interest community and be able to foster an open
exchange of journalistically sound ideas, information, news, and
opinion in those communities.
(http://www.j-newvoices.org/index.php/site/story/2005rfp)
******************
STUDENTS INVITED TO APPLY FOR PRUDENTIAL SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY
AWARDS
Deadline: October 31, 20055
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in
middle level and high school grades for outstanding volunteer
service to their communities. Created in 1995 by Prudential
Financial (http://www.prudential.com)
in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School
Principals (http://www.nassp.org/),
the awards constitute the United States' largest
youth-recognition program based solely on volunteering.
Applications are solicited each fall through public and private
middle-level and high schools, and through officially designated
local organizations across the U.S. These include Girl Scout
councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters,
YMCAs, and member Volunteer Centers of the Points of Light
Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network. Local Honorees
are selected at participating schools and organizations in
November. From these winners, two State Honorees are chosen in
each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Ten
National Honorees will be selected and announced at a special
ceremony in Washington, D.C., in May.
Local Honorees receive a certificate of recognition from their
schools or organizations; State Honorees receive an award of
$1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expenses-paid
trip to Washington, D.C., for national recognition events; and
National Honorees receive an additional award of $5,000, an
engraved gold medallion, and a trophy for their school or
organization.
Applicants must be individuals enrolled in grades 5-12 (groups
and partners are not eligible) in any state, the District of
Columbia, or Puerto Rico. Applicants must have engaged in a
volunteer activity that occurred at least partly during the
twelve months prior to the date of application.
Student applications must be submitted to a school principal or
to the head of one of the officially designated local
organizations.
(http://www.prudential.com/overview2/0%2C2155%2CintPageID%25253D8983%252526blnPrinterFriendly%25253D0%2C00.html?furl=%2Fspirit)
******************
EVERETT PUBLIC SERVICE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM INVITES APPLICATIONS
FROM NONPROFITS
Deadline: September 1, 20055
The Everett Public Service Internship Program (http://www.everettinternships.org)
encourages undergraduate and graduate students to be involved in
public service and provides the public interest community with
dedicated, energetic interns. In the summer of 2005, more than
one hundred and fifty Everett Interns are working at fifty-five
organizations in New York City and Washington, D.C., that are
dedicated to making the world a better place for everyone.
Nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for inclusion in
the program during the 2006 season.
To apply to the Everett Program, nonprofit organizations must
meet the following requirements: have a mission dedicated to
improving the world; a minimum annual budget of $600,000; a
full-time executive staff of six (minimum); a location in either
New York City or Washington, D.C; and desk space, substantive
work, and successful supervision for two interns.
((http://www.everettinternships.org/apply/orgs.html)
******************
DO
SOMETHING SUPPORT FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP
Do Something is a national nonprofit organization that inspires
young people to believe that change is possible, and trains,
funds, and mobilizes them to be leaders who measurably
strengthen their communities. The Do Something BRICK Awards
program supports the efforts of dynamic leaders age 25 and under
who have implemented innovative solutions to problems in their
local communities in the areas of community building, health,
and the environment. BRICK winners receive higher education
scholarships and grants for continued community work. Do
Something Grants provide $500 grants to potential community
leaders age 18 and under who identify problems in their
communities, and then create game plans to do something to
change their world. The deadline for the BRICK Awards is
November 1, annually. The fall deadline for the Do Something
Grants is September 2, 2005..
(http://www.dosomething.org)
******************
NATIONAL CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE: CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTERS GRANT
PROGRAM
The National Children's Alliance (NCA) administers federal funds
for the start-up and/or expansion of Children's Advocacy
Centers. Children's Advocacy Centers are programs designed by
professionals and volunteers responding to the needs of their
own communities. The Centers offer a new way of serving abused
children through a comprehensive approach to services for
victims and their families. The Centers stress coordination of
investigation and intervention services by bringing together
professionals and agencies as a multidisciplinary team to create
a child-focused approach to child abuse cases. NCA offers
several different categories of grant funding for NCA-member and
non-member agencies, including staff training grants, program
development grants, and tribal program grants. The deadline for
competitive grants is
September 13, 20055, and the deadline for non-competitive grants is
October 11, 2005.
(http://www.nca-online.org/grants.html)
******************
MEDTRONIC FOUNDATION FOCUS ON COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
The Medtronic Foundation's mission is to improve the health of
people and communities by focusing resources in areas where the
Foundation can make unique and positive contributions. The
Foundation primarily makes grants in communities where the
company has facilities, including international locations. U.S.
company communities are located in Arizona, California,
Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Puerto
Rico, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Selected national
programs are also supported. The Foundation’s grantmaking
categories include health; education; and community, including
arts and human services organizations. Application deadlines
vary by grantmaking category and applicant location.
((http://www.medtronic.com/foundation/)
******************
STARBUCK INVITES
LETTERS OF INTENT
The Starbucks Foundation invites letters of inquiry from
organizations that work with underserved youth in the fields of
literacy (reading, writing and creative/media arts) and
environmental literacy. The Foundation funds programs for youth
that integrate literacy with personal and civic action to bring
the voices of youth into the communities in which they live. The
deadline for letters of inquiry is September 1, 2005..
(http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/grantinfo.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1)
******************
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR STEP BY STEP: LOCAL COVERAGE EXPANSION
INITIATIVE
The California HealthCare Foundation’s Step by Step supports
county-based efforts and local coalitions seeking to expand
coverage to uninsured populations ineligible for public
coverage. The upcoming solicitation will fund two types of
technical assistance grants: planning grants and implementation
grants. The RFP is scheduled for release in late August and
proposals are due Friday, October 14, 2005..
(http://www.chcf.org/grantinfo/rfps/index.cfm?itemID=21263)
******************
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
DEPUTY DIRECTOR – ASIAN SERVICES IN ACTION, INC.
www.asiainc-ohio.orgg
BACKGROUND:
The mission of
ASIA
is “to be a community resource center to provide information and
services for and about Asian Americans.” Founded in 1995, ASIA
is a 501(c)(3) which has six full-time and 15 part-time staff.
With an FY’04 budget of $784,000, ASIA provides 10 programs,
which are listed below:
* Prevention Programs - Asian American Youth Against Tobacco,
Community Adult Mentoring Program, Healthy Asian Youth,
International Community Empowerment Project, and Youth In
Transition
Public Policy/Advocacy Program – Cleveland Clean Indoor Air
Campaign
* Cessation Programs – Asian American Youth and Adult Smoking
Cessation
* Cultural Competency Training
* Senior Wellness – Lucky Seniors and Golden Bridges
* Interpretation/Translation Services – Language Quill
The Executive Director and Board are looking for a strong
manager who will build the infrastructure to ably support ASIA,
Inc. in its further development. This new Deputy Director must
be committed to the agency, its mission, and staff.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Deputy Director is a
newly created position focused on expanding the reach of the
organization. The Deputy Director will be responsible for
program development, program management and administrative
services.
Program Development
The Deputy Director will be responsible for developing new
program initiatives for the organization. The first task will be
to conduct a review of
ASIA’s existing programs, and evaluate their effectiveness in
meeting the organization’s goals. Based on this review, the
Deputy Director will provide strategic recommendations to the
Executive Director and the Board of Trustees regarding potential
changes to existing programs and new initiatives to expand the
reach of the organization.
The Deputy Director will be expected to develop and implement a
fundraising plan to implement the new programs and initiatives.
This fundraising plan will build upon the existing framework of
corporate and individual support, but will focus on expanding
relationships with foundations and corporate donors for specific
program initiatives and identifying new funding sources. While
the Executive Director will retain overall management of
fundraising efforts, the Deputy Director will be expected to
shoulder a considerable portion of the effort. In particular,
the Deputy Director should focus on expanding the range of
foundation support for the organization through grant
applications and to solicit corporate and foundation support for
new education and outreach initiatives identified above. In
addition, the Deputy Director will begin to expand the
geographic reach of the organization through solicitation of
expanded individual and corporate memberships in communities and
neighborhoods through Northeast Ohio.
Program Management
The Deputy Director will work with the Board and the Executive
Director to develop a work plan to implement program changes
identified above. The Deputy Director will be responsible for
finalizing the work plan and managing the ongoing success of the
programs, including supervising and staffing these programs as
required. The Deputy Director will be responsible for the
production and management of
ASIA’s
publications, newsletter and web sites (including the use of
outside consultants); networking with other non-profits,
academic institutions and government agencies; and managing
programming activities, and special projects.
Administrative Servicess
The Deputy Director will be responsible for administering the
organization’s office. This effort will include hiring, training
and supervision of support staff, working with accountant to
ensure proper fiscal procedures, developing and tracking annual
operating budget, and overseeing vendors and procurement. The
Deputy Director will be expected to work closely with ASIA’s
CFO, Controller, and Bookkeeper to track income and expenses by
accounts on a monthly basis, and to prepare monthly financial
reports of actual income/expense vs. projected figures. In
addition, the Deputy Director will be responsible for working
with outside consultants to maintain and upgrade as needed the
organizations PC technologies and applications.
QUALIFICATIONSS
The following qualifications are desired:
• A minimum of 5+ years of professional experience with
non-profit or governmental organizations and a bachelor’s
degree. Advanced degrees may be count toward professional
experience.
• Prior successful experience in program development and program
management is required. Understanding of immigrant and other
disparate population’s issues are strongly preferred.
•Strong oral and written communications skills are absolutely
essential.
• Self starter and ability to work independently with minimal
supervision.
• Familiarity and comfort with PC technology applications
BENEFITS
Salary: DOQ, with medical and retirement benefits, generous time
off package, plus opportunities for skills/job training and
promotions.
DEADLINEE
Noon on August 19th, 2005. Please submit via e-mail a cover
letter and resume to
may.chen@asiainc-ohio.org. No telephone or e-mail inquiries
please.
((http://www.asiainc-ohio.org)
******************
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2005
CONTACT: Jenny Yang 202-296-9200
APAICS ANNOUNCES THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT HEALTH POLICY
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Washington, DC - Applications are now available for the
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)
2005-2006 California Endowment Health Policy Fellowship
Program. The Fellowship Program is designed to provide an
opportunity to an individual committed to the Asian Pacific
Islander American community and health policy, and who plans
to pursue a career in health policy. The Fellowship has been
generously funded by the California Endowment.
Applications can be downloaded from the APAICS website,
www.apaics.org . Candidates can also request an application
by e-mail by sending a message to
apaics@apaics.org
* Applications must be postmarked by August 19th, 2005.
The fellowship is for ten months, from September 2005 to
June 2006 . APAICS will provide a stipend of $34,000 to
cover travel arrangements, housing and personal expenses. A
separate stipend will be provided for basic health insurance
coverage.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
* Hold a graduate degree from an accredited educational
institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average of
3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). A minimum of 3.5 in major coursework
is preferred.
* U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency by
September 1, 2005.
* 2-3 years of relevant work experience.
Candidates will be evaluated by the following criteria:
* Demonstrated interest in the political process.
* Demonstrated commitment to public policy health issues
and Asian Pacific Islander American community affairs.
* Demonstrated leadership abilities.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills.
For further information, please contact the APAICS office by
e-mail at
apaics@apaics.org, or call our office at 202/296-9200.
(http://www.apaics.org)
******************
WOMEN’S LAW
AND
PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program is
inviting applications from law school graduates and law
students graduating in 2006 who have a strong interest in
women's rights. Women's Law Fellows work for one year in
Washington, D.C. with a non-profit, public interest
organization or governmental agency on legal and policy
issues affecting the status of women. Applications must be
postmarked by
October 15, 2005, and early applications are encouraged. The
Fellowships will begin in September 2006.
Attached please find a Women's Law and Public Policy
Fellowship Program application form. Additional
information, including the application form, can be found on
our website at
http://www.wlppfp.org/. We would greatly appreciate it
if you would post this application in an appropriate
location and forward this information to law school
graduates and law students who are graduating in 2006.
Please feel free to forward this message to law professors,
lawyers, judges, advocates and others who may know of
potential candidates who might like to apply for a Women's
Law Fellowship.
Thank you very much for your kind assistance.
Warmest regards,
Julia L. Ernst
Executive Director
Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program
600 New Jersey Ave. NW, Suite 334
Washington, DC 20001
Phone:
202-662-9650
Fax: 202-662-9539
(http://www.wlppfp.org)
******************
ORANGE COUNTY BRANCH MANAGER – BOAT PEOPLE S.O.S.
Boat People S.O.S., Inc. (BPSOS), a national
Vietnamese-American community-based organization with 24
years of service. We are seeking a motivated and
enthusiastic individual with creative and innovative program
planning and management to lead the development of our
Orange County branch office.
Essential Responsibilities:
Oversee all program implementation and evaluation;
Develop and implement program, staff and budget development
strategy to meet emerging needs in the community;
Provide staff coordination, training and support;
Enforce organization's policy and procedures;
Build local and regional partnerships through various
community outreach approaches;
Develop new sources of funding and revenue streams;
Form and support a local Advisory Board;
Prepare monthly reports to headquarters.
Requirements:
Outstanding management and program development skills;
Excellent organizational skills;
Experience with funding development;
Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, high-pressure
environment;
Superior oral and written communication skills; bi-lingual
Vietnamese
Highly-developed interpersonal abilities;
PC computer literacy, proficient in Word, Excel and Internet
usage;
Bachelor's degree.
Location: Orange County, CA.
To apply: Email or fax your cover letter, resume, and
list of 3 references to:
Pharia Le
Human Resource Department
Boat People S.O.S., Inc.
pharia.le@bpsos.org
Fax: 703-647-6499
(http://www.bpsos.org)
******************
SAMUEL
HUNTINGTON PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
The Samuel Huntington Public Service Award provides an
annual stipend of $10,000 for a graduating college senior to
pursue public service anywhere in the world. The program is
designed to allow recipients to engage in a meaningful
public service activity for one year before proceeding on to
graduate school or a career.
The award is named in honor of the late president and chief
executive officer of the former New England Electric System,
now National Grid USA. Funded by colleagues, family, and
friends at National Grid, the award offers grants to two
graduating college seniors on the basis of their academic
record, personal accomplishments, and a proposal for a
public service project.
Applicants are encouraged to develop their own proposals for
public service in the United States or abroad. The proposal
may encompass any activity that furthers the public good. It
can be undertaken by the applicant alone or by working
through established charitable, religious, educational,
governmental, or other public service organizations.
(https://www.nationalgridus.com/commitment/d4-1_award.asp)
******************
TIPS/RESOURCES
FUNDRAISING – DONORS OF THE FAITHFUL
The issue of faith-based nonprofits and their roles in the
sector can be a contentious one, especially when the matter
is politicized. In the matter of fundraising, however,
faith-based organizations, which includes houses of worship,
can provide a model of success.
In his book Big Gifts for Small Groups, Andy Robinson argues
that faith communities collect more than one-third of all
charitable dollars, the biggest recipients by far of
American generosity. How do they do it? Robinson offers
seven keys to this success:
* They ask. And ask, and ask. Remember, many churches pass
the plate every week.
* They ask everybody. Faith-based organizations make little
distinction between the rich and the poor. Nobody is
screened out because of a perceived ability or inability to
give.
* It's expected. There is little shame or guilt regarding
the ask. It is accepted that everyone who attends is a
potential donor.
* They provide lots of options. In addition to weekly gifts,
most congregations request an annual gift or something like
the building fund, overseas relief fund, etc.
* Thy create opportunities for donor interaction. They see
their constituents several times a month.
* Volunteers ask for the gifts. Most church fundraising is
built on the backs of volunteers who not only pass the plate
but also organize fundraising events.
* They do a great job building relationships. They know
their people really, really well.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/fundraise.html)
******************
BOARDS – DECIDING ABOUT YOUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE
In the overall operation of a nonprofit organization, one
area that can be overlooked is that of assessment of the
chief executive. An evaluation gives the board a chance to
clarify expectations for the chief executive, as well as a
chance to say "Well done" for a good performance.
In Assessment of the Chief Executive Joshua Mintz and Jane
Pierson present several checklists of performance assessment
criteria that they say should be utilized by the board.
These lists cover a wide range of concerns, including basic
abilities and skill in interacting with the board and the
general public.
Following are some of the criteria that Mintz and Pireson
stress:
Under core competencies:
* In collaboration with the board, articulated a clear
vision for the future of the organization.
* Used the mission of the organization as a guide in making
decisions.
* Engaged the board in meaningful strategic thinking about
the organization.
* Developed appropriate goals and objectives to advance the
mission.
* Effectively led the staff in implementing strategic
objectives and annual goals.
Under administration:
* Displayed a thorough knowledge of the organization's
mission area and programs.
* Managed the organization efficiently on a day-to-day
basis.
* Managed the successful delivery of programs.
* Recruited, developed and retained the staff needed to
implement the annual work plan.
* Minimized risk by ensuring that appropriate policies and
procedures are in place.
* Ensured compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/boards.html)
******************
FINANCE-
KNOW YOUR ACCOUNTING LINGO
Many nonprofit managers have a basic understanding of
accounting practices and principles. As generalists,
however, managers may not have a strong understanding of the
terminology and procedures used by accountants today.
In their book Bookkeeping for Nonprofits, Murray Dropkin and
James Halpin offer detailed information on the language you
need to understand. These descriptions are in accordance
with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and its
Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6.
* Assets. An asset is something we have or control or that
can provide some future economic benefit. Asset accounts
provide vital information for a part of the snapshot view
that we need. They can include things that we own (cash,
automobiles) and things that can provide a future benefit (a
prepaid insurance premium, for instance).
* Liabilities. A liability is the probable future sacrifice
of an economic benefit arising from a present obligation.
Liability accounts help by telling how much of our assets
are not fully paid for.
* Revenue. Revenues are amounts generated from activities
that constitute the organization's ongoing major or central
operation. Revenues increase net assets, and revenue
accounts provide a part of the historical view that we need.
* Expenses. Expenses are amounts consumed by activities that
constitute the organization's ongoing or major central
operation. Expenses decrease net assets, and expense
accounts provide a part of the historical view that we need.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/finance.html)
******************
USING THE INTERNET FOR EFFECTIVE GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY
Convio, Inc. is offering a new, updated guide, "Using the
Internet for Effective Grassroots Advocacy: Strategies,
Tools and Approaches for Inspiring Constituents to Take
Action," to help nonprofits strategically leverage the
Internet for waging high impact grassroots advocacy
programs. The free, downloadable guide provides best
practices and practical advice for nonprofits, associations
and other organizations on utilizing the Internet to drive
more effective advocacy, fundraising, marketing, event
participation and more.
(http://www.convio.com/site/PageServer?pagename=land_OnlineAdvocacyGuide&s_sfid=701000000000DYu&s_source=Press_Release)
******************
NATIONAL SERVICE AGENCY RELEASES
NEW
GUIDEBOOK TO AID PUBLICITY EFFORTS
Getting positive press coverage for a volunteer program can
be an uphill struggle but the payback is worth the effort, a
panel of media experts told attendees of a forum at the
National Conference on Volunteering and Service last week.
At the forum, the Corporation for National and Community
Service released a new publication designed to assist its
grantees in their media outreach efforts. Titled Sharing
Your Service Story: A Guide to Working with the Media, the
36-page booklet has pointers on conducting media outreach
specifically geared to national service and volunteer
programs.
The Corporation’s new media guidebook has a wealth of
general information on dealing with the media, such as
developing a media plan and putting together a good press
list. It also focuses specifically on issues that nonprofit
organizations and volunteer coordinators often experience,
such as publicizing grant announcements, service events,
volunteer recruitment drives, and the benefits of
volunteering. Recognizing that nonprofit groups often don’t
have the budgets or time to seek out publicity for their
efforts, the guidebook includes practical tips on writing
news releases; sample media advisories, public service
announcements, and a list of media resources available from
the Corporation. It also features vignettes detailing how
national service programs have achieved their public
relations goals. To download a copy of the guidebook or for
more information, visit:
www.cns.gov/about/media_kit/index.asp.
(http://www.cns.gov/about/media_kit/index.asp)
******************
NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
CONTACT: Alison Fritz
Phone: 202-606-6694
Email:
afritz@cns.gov
NEW GUIDE DIRECTS FAITH-BASED
AND
COMMUNITY GROUPS TO NATIONAL SERVICE RESOURCES
(Washington, D.C.) – The Corporation for National and
Community Service, the federal agency that administers
Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America,
released a new publication today to help faith-based and
secular community organizations better understand how to
access national and community service resources.
Titled National Service: A Resource for Faith-Based and
Community Groups, the new publication provides descriptions
of the various Corporation grant programs and resources, as
well as information on how to access them. It also
highlights examples of how the Corporation and its programs
have helped a variety of faith-based and community
organizations meet critical community needs and work
together effectively.
“Today, more Americans volunteer through religious
organizations than through any other type,” said David
Eisner, the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer. “Through
our Faith-Based and Community Initiative and this new
publication, we are committed to reaching out to new groups
– both faith-based and secular – to educate them on the
valuable asset of human capital that our programs offer.”
The resource guide was released at the second annual Faith
and Community Institute Day, a national forum featuring
leaders of faith-based organizations involved in volunteer
service that was held in conjunction with the National
Conference on Volunteering and Service. The conference is
bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders of America’s
volunteer and national service sector to gain skills and
develop strategies to engage more Americans more effectively
in volunteer service to meet pressing social needs.
The Corporation for National and Community Service has a
long history of working with faith-based and community
organizations, and has increased its outreach efforts as
part of the Bush Administration’s faith-based and community
initiative. In 2004, nearly 14 percent of available
Corporation grant funding went to faith-based organizations.
Over the next few years, the Corporation will devote special
attention to faith- and community-based efforts to mentor
children of prisoners, help youth and adult ex-offenders
re-enter society, and strengthen families.
The new publication features stories of several current
Corporation grantees, including Notre Dame Mission
Volunteers, who with the help of AmeriCorps members turned a
fledgling literacy program into a national model; an Idaho
RSVP program that has helped meet the various needs of
vulnerable children in the state; and the Jewish Youth
Philanthropy Institute, a service-learning program engaging
hundreds of Maryland teens in service to their community.
Corporation grantees and project sponsors are encouraged to
utilize the new publication in their outreach to faith-based
and community partners. To order copies, e-mail fbci@cns.gov
or call
(202)
606-6733. To view a copy online, visit
http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/faith_based_booklet.pdf.
The Corporation for National and Community Service provides
opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to
serve their communities and country. Together with the USA
Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture
of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For
more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.
###
(http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=161)
New Booklet
(http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/faith_based_booklet.pdf)
******************
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2005
APAICS LISTS ELECTION CANDIDATES FOR 2005 & 2006
We are compiling candidate information and will be updating
the candidate listing that can be found on the APAICS
website. Please send information on any additional
candidates to
apaics@apaics.org.
(http://www.apaics.org)
******************
August 5, 2005
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS PROBLEMS ASIAN AMERICANS FACE IN VOTING
Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2005 - A new report released
today, the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights
Act, underscores the importance of providing access to the
ballot for Asian Americans with limited English proficiency.
The report, "Sound Barriers: Asian Americans and Language
Access in Election 2004," details the barriers faced by
Asian Americans who voted during last year's elections.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost three million
Asian Americans turned out to vote on Nov. 2, 2004.
The report, released by NAPALC and its affiliates, the Asian
Pacific American Legal Center in Los Angeles, the Asian Law
Caucus in San Francisco, and the Asian American Institute in
Chicago, details their observations of 466 polling stations
in Illinois, Texas, Washington, and California during the
2004 election.
Eight of the counties in these states are covered by Section
203, the language assistance provision of the Voting Rights
Act. Section 203 is intended to provide limited
English-speaking Asian, Latino, Native American, and Alaskan
native speakers with the same information and opportunities
as the English-speaking public so that they can vote. This
provision will expire in 2007 and NAPALC and its affiliates
are working to have it re-authorized by Congress.
"Sound Barriers" draws attention to the continuing problems
experienced by Asian American voters at the polls and
recommends solutions to eliminate them. Although officials
in the counties monitored expressed their interest in
complying with Section 203, compliance was uneven.
Among the common problems encountered by Asian American
voters with limited English proficiency (LEP) in these
polling sites were:
* Poll workers were frequently reluctant to help, were
unaware of how to help, or were suspicious of bilingual poll
workers and LEP voters. In Los Angeles County, CA, a poll
worker sent an Asian American voter to the back of the line
for "causing too much trouble" due to the voter's limited
English proficiency. * About 46 percent of the polling sites
monitored had multilingual materials but these were
inaccessible to those who needed them. In 96 polling
stations, there were no instructions in other languages on
how to use the voting machines, the sample ballots or even
directional signs. * Many poll workers did not understand
why multilingual materials were necessary. In Cook County,
IL, one election judge who could not understand a voter said
that the voter should learn to speak English. * In many of
the polling sites, there were no signs indicating the
availability of interpreters and bilingual poll workers were
not identified as such. About 50 percent of the poll workers
in Chicago, Cook County, IL, and 62 percent of the bilingual
poll workers in King County, WA, did not wear badges
indicating their language ability.
These polling sites were required to provide language
assistance in Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese, and
Korean. As of 2002, 16 counties in 7 states throughout the
nation are required to provide language assistance under
Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. Eleven of them were
required to provide language assistance in Asian languages
for the first time.
To overcome the barriers encountered by Asian American
voters, the researchers recommended the following solutions:
* Improve the training of poll workers. Poll workers need to
be trained more thoroughly about voting laws so that they
can be more helpful. Problematic poll workers and those who
discriminate should be removed from the polling site
immediately. * Increase voter education outreach with the
help of community organizations. In Asian American
communities, this will streamline the voting process and
decrease voting time. * Increase accessibility of
multilingual materials for LEP voters. Require the polling
supervisor to periodically check that multilingual materials
are sufficiently stocked and are easily accessible and
visible. * Increase the recruitment of bilingual poll
workers across the board. This can be done in consultation
with community organizations and the ethnic media.
The Department of Justice reports that enforcement of and
compliance with Section 203 and other provisions of the
Voting Rights Act (VRA) resulted in an increase in the
number of Asian Americans voting. In San Diego County, voter
registration among Filipino Americans increased by 20
percent and 40 percent for Vietnamese Americans. In Harris
County, TX, turnout among Vietnamese American voters doubled
following the DOJ's efforts to ensure compliance with the
VRA.
The 466 polling stations monitored in "Sound Barriers: Asian
Americans and Language Access in Elections 2004" were in
Cook County, IL; Harris County, TX; King County, WA; and in
California, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Mateo
County, San Diego, and Santa Clara.
Aside from NAPALC, APALC,
AAI,
and the ALC, research for the report was also conducted by
VN Team Works, Chinese Information Service Center, Asian
American Legal Center, the Council of Philippine American
Organizations, the Asian Law Alliance, and the Orange County
Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance.
((http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS.php?id=080505022903)
Press Release
(http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=51381)
Copy of report available at
http://www.napalc.org/files/sound_barriers.pdf
http://www.napalc.org/files/appendix.pdf
******************
August 5, 2005
ASIAN
AMERICANS
FUEL
LUXURY
CAR
INDUSTRY
LOS ANGELES – Southern California Asian Americans are
steadily heading towards first place among automobile
consumers. Currently, one in five Lexus RX, Lexus ES,
Mercedes S-Class, and Mercedes M-Class is purchased or
leased by an Asian, according to LA-18's recent analysis of
automotive ownership and lease statistics provided by R. L.
Polk & Co.
Nationwide, the data indicates that Asian Americans
purchased or leased approximately 362,000 new vehicles in
2004. Arguably, Southern California is the breeding ground
for automotive purchases. More proof for this is that one
out of every four cars sold to an Asian American was sold in
Southern California.
Although Asian Americans nationwide show a higher propensity
in purchasing luxury cars than the general population, the
partiality for luxury imports is uniquely "Southern
California Asian." One-third of all luxury cars sold to
Asian Americans are sold in Southern California. LA-18's
analysis shows that Asian Americans represent over 18
percent of Lexus patrons and 15 percent of the Mercedes Benz
clientele in Southern California.
Though Toyota and Honda are still the most popular makes
within the Asian community, the next most desired automobile
manufacturers among Southern California Asians are: Lexus,
Mercedes Benz, BMW, Nissan, Acura, Ford, Chevrolet and
Infiniti, respectively. In 2004, Lexus replaced Mercedes
amid the top three most popular automobile manufacturers
among Asians.
"Given the upscale demographics of Asian Americans, the
results shouldn't be surprising to anyone. If you just
examine parking lots of any significant Koreatown or
Chinatown retail establishments, for example, you'd think
you're in a Mercedes or BMW dealership. Asians' penchant
for luxury automotives also translates to purchasing
behavior of other luxury goods and services," said Alice
Lee, Director of Marketing & Research of LA-18.
Even though luxury vehicle purchases are on the rise, Toyota
still remains at the top of the market for automobile
purchases in the Asian community. Asians buy or lease 14
percent of all Toyota automobiles put on the market in
Southern California. As efforts to court Asian consumers
have intensified over the past year, domestic brands like
Cadillac, Chevrolet and Lincoln are also showing higher
selling rates among Asians.
Another manufacturer to keep an eye on this year is Volvo.
Their commitment to the Asian market is beginning to pay
off. Between 2003 and 2004, Volvo sales to Southern
California Asians grew 27 percent indexing 151 against its
own growth in the total Southern California.
LA-18 reports that the statistical information received from
R. L Polk yields many other trends in the Asian automotive
market. Combined with other data, such as the station's
proprietary consumer survey, R.L. Polk data can serve as a
useful tool for automotive marketers.
LA 18 KSCI-TV was founded in 1976, and today is Southern
California's preeminent Asian-language TV station, bringing
news and entertainment in 12 languages to 5.9 million TV
households in the Los Angeles and San Diego television
markets. LA 18 produces daily local newscasts in Vietnamese
and Mandarin as well as talk shows in Mandarin and Korean.
LA 18 was also the first Asian-language station in L.A. to
win an Emmy for its series, "U.S. Citizenship: A Dream Come
True" and was one of only two local stations to receive an
Emmy nomination for its live coverage of the September 11th
tragedies.
(http://www.aapress.com/archive/2005/webaug5/n-cars.htm)
******************
August 6, 2005
VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Warnings issued on law's anniversary
Today's barriers to voting are more subtle than in the
1960s, civil rights leaders say
By SALATHEIA BRYANT
Copyright 2005 Houston Chroniclee
Texas Southern University political scientist Sanders
Anderson Jr. remembers when the simple, civic act of
registering to vote could be difficult and even dangerous
for blacks living in the South.
It was 1968 and the 21-year-old Southern University
political science major sometimes skipped classes to ferry
blacks to the courthouse of his small Louisiana parish to
help them register with a federal examiner — one of the
provisions of the Voting Rights Act, passed 40 years ago
this week.
Back then, Anderson recalls, county officials changed voting
times and closed offices to keep blacks from the ballot box.
"People had experienced meanness from these county
administrators," he said. "A lot of times it was just fear
of people doing something to them. They had seen people lose
their jobs. Across the South they had seen people get beat
up."
Anderson said he wanted to register with county officials,
"to show them I wasn't afraid," but on one trip, he also
registered with the federal examiner.
Often called the single most effective piece of civil rights
legislation passed by Congress, the Voting Rights Act of
1965 — signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on
Aug. 6 — did much to eliminate blatant roadblocks to voting
found across the South. It outlawed literacy tests, called
for federal observers to monitor elections and for federal
examiners to register qualified citizens.
"People had been intimidated. There had been problems all
over the South," said Anderson who gives his students at TSU
extra points if they have a voter registration card. "The
Voting Rights Act changed all that."
The act initially applied to several states in the Deep
South, but not Texas. Congress applied it to Texas in 1975,
to address voting violations involving Hispanics.
Even today, Anderson and others warn, more subtle barriers
to voting exist.
"It has become more of a people of color issue," said Rogene
Gee Calvert, president of the Houston 80-20, a political
action committee for Asian Americans. "There's a whole
gauntlet of things that have to be done to make it an open
process."
Contemporary barriers to voting include disparity in the
selection of early voting locations, inadequate voting
machinery, which some people blame for long lines at polling
places, and the lack of a uniform law regulating voting
privileges for felons.
"If people show up at a polling place and it has moved and
no one can tell them where, they have been denied the right
to vote," said Barbara Arnwine, executive director of
Washington-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under
Law. "Every election is about who really gets to vote."
Example from 2003
Voter rights advocates, both locally and nationally, point
to recent elections to prove the need for continued
vigilance in voting.
In 2003, for example, a voting rights controversy ignited on
the campus of Prairie View A&M University when the Waller
County district attorney questioned the rights of students
to vote in county elections. District Attorney Oliver
Kitzman, who is white, sent a letter to county officials
saying students at the predominantly black university were
not eligible to vote in local elections. He was overruled by
Attorney General Greg Abbott. Kitzman later resigned.
The 2000 presidential election in Florida also is cited
frequently as an example of voter disenfranchisement. A
number of Florida ballots were rejected in the 2000 recount
because of undervotes, overvotes or indecipherable punch
cards. But black voters' ballots were discarded at a rate
substantially higher than those of white voters.
Arnwine's group, along with other civil rights
organizations, has formed the National Commission on the
Voting Rights Act, which is set to file a detailed report of
discrimination in voting since 1982 to support congressional
reauthorization of some sections of the Voters Right Act,
set to expire in 2007.
Since March, members of the organization have taken
testimony from blacks, Latinos, Asians and American Indians
about their experience with discrimination in voting.
Arnwine said several National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People branches in Texas have asked
the group to come to the state for a hearing.
Software faulted
Houston has a long and complicated relationship with the
Voting Rights Act, which requires that certain
jurisdictions, including Harris County, provide bilingual
assistance to voters.
Calvert testified before the voting rights commission about
issues involving Vietnamese voters in Harris County. In July
2002, the Justice Department notified Harris County election
officials that voting materials must be translated into
Vietnamese. In its "precleared" voting procedures, Harris
County included plans to do so by the 2003 election.
However, because software couldn't be upgraded in time,
Vietnamese was not included on the eSlate electronic voting
machine. Instead, Vietnamese-speaking voters were given a
paper template in Vietnamese to use with the eSlate.
In a memorandum of understanding with the Justice
Department, the Harris County Clerk's office pledged to
create a more effective Vietnamese language program that
allows for instructions and ballots on the same basis
provided for English and Spanish. The plan called for hiring
a full-time coordinator to the Vietnamese election programs
and having interpreters at polling places where more than 50
Vietnamese surnames are registered. The clerk's office also
hired a full-time Hispanic coordinator. In addition, an
early voting location was opened in a Vietnamese social
service agency.
"It's a matter of what are they willing to do or what they
have to do. The
VRA gives those municipalities who may be reluctant
a push. Without it we would still be quibbling over
translations," said Calvert, who said that in visiting
polling places in 2003 she found that some had not posted
the Vietnamese translation of sample ballots or other voting
material.
County Clerk Beverly Kaufman, who administers most elections
in the county, disagreed, saying the clerk's office has
always complied with the intent of the law. She said she has
stressed to election judges the importance of parity.
"We've never been reluctant and never will be. It was the
goal (to have Vietnamese on eSlate) but it wasn't possible.
There wasn't time between July and November to make it
happen. We did what we were able to do in the meantime,"
Kaufman said. "We do have a good record."
Kaufman said she thinks the
VRA
will be reauthorized and possibly expanded to include other
jurisdictions not covered by the historic document. She said
she would not be surprised if other languages in Harris
County were eligible for ballot inclusion after the next
census.
"It's been around for decades now," she said of the act. "I
think it does help some people. I don't think it's hurting
anybody. It gives a heightened sense of confidence to all
voters."
Texas is one of the nine states and seven jurisdictions
covered by provisions requiring the Justice Department to
approve in advance any plans for annexation or redrawing of
City Council and other political district boundaries.
Changes in the location of polling places or procedures also
must be cleared by federal officials. The special scrutiny
is part of the bill's broader intent to prevent any repeat
of historic discrimination patterns or events that made the
1965 act necessary.
Law's usefulness debated
But not everyone thinks there is still a need for the law.
Edward Blum, a senior fellow at the conservative Center for
Equal Opportunity who is writing a book on the Voting Rights
Act, said the law was well intentioned but has outlived its
usefulness.
"It has been so deconstructed, by the courts and then
Congress, that it went from being a temporary mechanism to
ensure that southern jurisdictions wouldn't play rough and
loose with the rules, to now being a mechanism designed to
create racially gerrymandered districts for blacks, whites
and Hispanics," Blum said.
To ensure full participation, voting remains a cornerstone
of the local civil rights agenda.
The Houston branch of the NAACP places emphasis on
registration, mobilization, education and elections
monitoring.
"It's not just walking down the street singing 'We Shall
Overcome' and hoping to get someone registered," said TSU
political science professor Franklin Jones. "There is still
an issue of trying to make certain everyone of the voting
age population is extended the opportunity to vote."
Yolanda Smith, executive director of the Houston NAACP
branch, said voting remains a top priority.
"This is not a 1965 issue. It's an issue of current day,"
Smith said. "It might not be obvious methods but you
certainly have issues that are questionable. If it can
happen in Florida it can happen in Texas."
Julie Mason also contributed to this report.
salatheia.bryant@chron.com
(http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3298801)
******************
For Immediate Release
August 8, 2005
Contact:Anh Phan
202-223-5500
OCA UNVEILS VISION FOR A NATIONAL CENTER FOR ASIAN PACIFIC
AMERICAN LEADERSHIP
LAS VEGAS – During its 27th Annual National Convention, held
July 28-31 in Las Vegas, the leadership of
OCA
announced plans to establish a National Center for Asian
Pacific American (APA) Leadership in Washington, DC.
Before nearly 500 attendees at the kickoff reception on July
28, OCA National President Ginny Gong,
OCA Building Campaign Committee Chair and Past
National President Claudine Cheng, and Past Building
Campaign Committee Chair and Past National President Michael
C. Lin unveiled an artist’s rendering of the Center which
will house
OCA’s
headquarters, a community gallery, library, technology
center, conference rooms and offices.
“We are talking about a significant symbol of our
community's presence, a center in our country's capital
where the Asian and Pacific Islander American community
would be proud to call home,” said Cheng.
“For more than three decades,
OCA
has demonstrated its leadership at the local and national
levels. We have been a passionate voice for Asian Americans
throughout the nation, and we have been visionary in our
efforts to facilitate the gathering of hearts and minds. It
is now time for us to once again set our sights on a new
horizon and lead the effort to establish a permanent
presence in the nation's capital," added Gong.
The concept and plans to establish the Center is the second
phase of the OCA Building Campaign, which was formed in late
2003. Former Washington State Governor Gary Locke and the
late Dr. John Tsu, former Chair of the White House
Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islander Affairs,
were tapped as the campaign’s Honorary Co-Chairs.
“I want my children, and every young person in our
community, to grow up knowing their elders worked hard to
achieve the American dream,” said Locke. The establishment
of a Center in Washington, DC will enable us to provide the
next generation with a sense of permanence and roots in
America. It is a legacy we are obligated to leave for them
and the generations that follow." Locke was at the
convention to receive the Outstanding Citizen Achievement
Award, OCA’s highest honor bestowed upon an individual who
has made a difference for and on behalf of the APA
community.
One of the key attractions of the Center will be the
community gallery where APA artists, musicians, authors and
entertainers will have a venue to showcase their talents.
“The Asian Pacific American Program at the Smithsonian
Institution has hosted half-a-dozen exhibits from across the
nation in various museums on the National Mall, but we
desperately need additional space to represent our diversity
and rich experiences, said Franklin Odo, Director of APA
Programs at the Smithsonian Institution. “OCAA
would provide a fantastic service by building in flexible
space for our communities to share in the Nation's capital.”
The Center recently received its first major donation from
Dr. Chi Wang, for the establishment of the library to hold a
comprehensive archive of materials and resources on
APA
history, culture and life.
OCA’s colleagues and community partners are coming
forth to support the endeavor and expressing interest in
leasing office space within the Center. Interest is also
being generated on Capitol Hill. “The establishment of this
Center will have tremendous impact in the nation's capital
and across the country. It is a message to America, and to
policy makers such as myself, that not only is the Asian and
Pacific Islander American community united in speaking with
one voice, it will now be united as an entity in this
facility,” said Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
As this second phase of the campaign gathers momentum, Cheng
is optimistic that
OCA’s colleagues and corporate partners, as well as
the
APA community, will see the establishment of the
Center as an historic step towards creating and building a
legacy for the future generation. “OCA’s
founders, K.L. Wang and Alex Mark have watched the
organization grow and evolve over the past 32 years,” she
said. “It is now our turn to take their vision to the next
step and provide the next generation with a place where they
can develop their skills, talents and leadership potential.”
Fundraising efforts for this undertaking is in full swing
and it is anticipated that a building will be purchased and
the Center will be established and opened by no later than
2008. Anyone interested in receiving additional information
and/or contributing to this effort should contact David Chu,
Development Manager, at the
OCA
National Office at
202-223-5500
or at
dchu@ocanatl.org.
# # # #
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Organization of
Chinese Americans, Inc. (OCA) with over 80 chapters was founded in 1973 as a
national non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization of
concerned Chinese Americans and Asian Pacific Americans.
OCA is dedicated to securing the rights of Chinese American
and Asian American citizens and permanent residents through
legislative and policy initiatives at all levels of the
government.
OCA
aims to embrace the hopes and aspirations of the nearly 2
million citizens and residents of Chinese ancestry in the
United States as well as to better the lives of the 10
million Asian Pacific Americans across the country. The OCA-New
Jersey Chapter is devised of concerned citizens from all
over the state of New Jersey and meets in Bergen County.
((http://www.ocanatl.org)
******************
August 9, 2005
RECONCILING WITH THE
PAST
VUONGS TYPIFY DIVIDE OVER VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT
By K. Oanh Ha
Mercury News
Vuong Quoc Qua's 73-year-old heart soars as he and his aging
countrymen harmonize on the Vietnamese national anthem, eyes
transfixed on the yellow field and three red stripes of
their vanquished homeland.
Though he has no army, and his battalion of mostly wizened
men shrinks each year, Qua nurtures the quixotic dream that
somehow, someday, he and his comrades in exile will bring
democracy to their motherland.
``There is no way we can reconcile with the communists,''
said Qua, who organized a July conference in Orange County
to advance his cause. ``The only way is to get rid of the
communist regime and rebuild from the ground.''
Halfway around the world, meanwhile, two of Qua's daughters
consort with his enemy.
As he incites compatriots to fight communism, daughters Diep
and Quyen, who live in Santa Clara, engage the country's
officials through humanitarian projects, hoping to bring
about change by aiding everyday Vietnamese.
Communism in Vietnam is ``a fact of life,'' said Quyen, a
graduate of Stanford and Yale universities. ``More important
is how do you move forward? Is there a different way to
change it?''
Deep divisions
Thirty years after the fall of Saigon left a unified Vietnam
under Communist Party rule, America's Vietnamese community
remains divided over how to reconcile with its past. The
United States and its former enemy have long since made
peace -- July marked a decade of renewed diplomatic
relations. Within the immigrant community, however, the
rifts run deep, often along generational lines and within
families such as the Vuongs.
An official in the former Republic of Vietnam's Defense
Ministry, Qua represents a diminishing but vocal faction
that advocates strangling the Vietnamese government by
isolating it economically and politically. In 2002 he
founded the Tran Hung Dao Club, named for a 13th-century
patriot, as a brain trust of overseas Vietnamese
intellectuals prepared to help Vietnam make the transition
to democracy.
``The communist regime will inevitably collapse one day,''
said Qua, who lives in Garden Grove. ``The overseas
Vietnamese community has to plan for it.
Most of his family members, particularly Diep and Quyen,
hold a less radical vision of achieving progress through
diplomacy and cooperation with the government they once
fled.
When the war ended in 1975, Qua was prepared to make peace
with the new leadership; the communists, however, reneged on
their promises of reconciliation. The betrayals still fuel
his hatred.
When he recalls being imprisoned in ``re-education camp''
for 2 1/2 years, the normally calm and well-composed Qua
loses himself to the past. His thin fingers angrily jab at
the air.
``They said it would only last three days. They kept us for
months and years. Many people died in the camps. I can never
trust that government.''
Qua has lived in the United States since 1980. He refuses to
go back.
``I won't step foot in Vietnam until the Communists are no
longer in power. I know I may go to the grave waiting for
that day.''
Quyen Vuong, the fourth of Qua's six children, traces her
attitudes to other memories of injustice. At age 13, she
tearfully vowed to remember the faces of soldiers who took
her mother prisoner at gunpoint and seized the family's
jewelry. Three years later, the suffering she witnessed in a
gritty Malaysian refugee camp proved more powerful than her
own family's persecution.
``I promised myself that I would come back to the camps and
help the Vietnamese people,'' Quyen recalls. ``I had
forgotten the faces of those soldiers. The hatred alone
would have eaten me alive.''
She and sister Diep helped found Pacific Links in 2001,
which aims to coordinate the many non-profit groups in the
country. It also trains Vietnamese for teaching and
technology careers. Quyen helped found the International
Children Assistance Network, which pays to educate poor
Vietnamese and recently built a health clinic, and Diep also
works for East Meets West, an Oakland non-profit that brings
schools, health care and clean water to Vietnam.
Last month, the sisters met with officials in Vietnam to
assess the problem of women being trafficked for sex. For
their work, they've been called ``communist sympathizers''
back home.
``My dad and his generation wants Vietnam to apologize for
what was done to them,'' said Quyen. ``We don't care about
apologies. We want things to get done. We want change.''
``If you go back to Vietnam and see what's happening over
there, you realize it's communist in name only,'' Diep said
emphatically. ``So all those people who call themselves
anti-communists don't really understand what the real issues
are.''
Key to their reconciliation with Vietnam is their success in
the United States. ``We can forgive because of where we are
today,'' said Diep, a Harvard-trained economist.
Helping peoplee
Mirroring the larger community, the Vuong siblings espouse
differing views on Vietnam.
Qui, the eldest and first to arrive in America, embraced the
Vietnamese-American community, holding leadership positions
in several organizations whose members were mostly
anti-communist.
``I spent a lot of time helping people who were running away
from the persecution of the communists,'' said Qui, a
Houston investment manager. Early on, he distanced himself
from Vietnam, and hasn't returned.
Qui finds himself in the middle, between his father and his
sisters. He is proud of his sisters' work in Vietnam and its
impact.
But he also understands the pressures confronting his
father.
``People of my father's generation have no choice but to
take that position. If they want to take a counter, more
pragmatic position, then they're told, `You're following the
communists,' '' he said.
Duc, the youngest, was just 5 when the war ended. He is
unapologetically apolitical, more concerned with his
family's life in the United States than in Vietnam.
``What do you expect me to do if I saw communists on the
street?'' he asks. ``I wouldn't fight them. They're just
like you and me.'';
Like their youngest brother, Quyen and Diep are also
concerned about the lives of Vietnamese-Americans here.
Quyen fears that her 7-year-old son, Khoi, Diep's 5-year-old
son, Minh, and their generation will struggle with identity
issues the sisters never encountered.
Through International Children Assistance Network, Quyen
plans education and cultural programs for local youth.
``It's very hard to live with your feet in both worlds,''
she said. ``Sometimes the best of both worlds conflict. They
need us to guide them.'';
Qua, the patriarch, is also looking to attract young
Vietnamese patriots, including his grandchildren, to
continue his fight.
For the Vuongs and for the Vietnamese-American community,
true reconciliation may hinge on how they answer the
question posed last month by young Khoi after visiting
Vietnam.
``Mommy, what's a communist?'';
Contact K. Oanh Ha at
kha@mercurynews.comm or (408)
278-3457.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/12337801.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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