NCVA eREPORTER - January 25, 2005

In this NCVA eReporter:

Events

• UC Berkeley Lecture: The Politics of Tet 1968 – January 27, 2005
• Mix & Mingle to Benefit World Health Ambassador Program – January 27, 2005
• 8^th Annual Vietnamese Spring Festival and Parade – February 13, 2005
• Grant Writer’s Briefing for Faith-Based Organizations – February 22, 2005
• Meeting Addresses Effective Philanthropy for Health of Women & Communities – April 9, 2005

Funding Opportunities

• American Express Economic Independence Fund to Support Financial Education Programs
• Blue Cross of Michigan Foundation Matching Grants
• Tony Hawk Foundation Offers Support for Skateparks in Low-Income Communities
• Colorado Trust Announces Bullying Prevention Initiative Request for Proposals
• Community Technology Foundation of California Accepting Applications for General Grants Program
• Washington Area Women's Foundation Invites Proposals for Financial Literacy & Wealth Creation Fund
• Florida Hurricane Relief Fund Announces New Funding Initiatives
• Creative Capital Announces 2005-2006 Application Procedures
• Funds for HIV/AIDS Organization
• Foundation Provides Support for Tangible Items
• Liberty Mutual Supports Company Communities
• Support to Bring Religious Leaders and Academics Together
• New Program Provides Seed Grants for Innovative Community News Venture
• Northwest Health Foundation Expands Community Grant Making Through New Fund

Jobs/Internships

• California Capitol Fellows Program
• Caraway Group Public Affairs Positions

Tips/Resources

• Project Improves Knowledge of the Nonprofit Sector Internationally
• Key Characteristics of Donors Who Give Less Than $1,000
• New Dietary Guidelines

News

• Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (Press Release)
• Belle of the Hill (Nguoi Viet Online)
• Smithsonian Institution’s Vietnamese American Exhibit to Open in 2006 (Press Release)
• A Language-Challenged U.S. (Los Angeles Times)
• Stores Close to Protest CalOptima (Los Angeles Times)
• Adoptees and identity: Answering "Who Am I?" can be a long, complicated journey (Seattle Times)
• Man Shot by Cop Identified as Vietnamese-American (Mercury News)
• Building a New Life (Mercury News)
• Silver Spring Woman Found Slain (Washington Post)

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EVENTS

UC BERKELEY LECTURE: THE POLITICS OF TET 1968

CSEAS, UC Berkeley presents a lecture:

"The Politics of Tet 1968"

Lien-Hang Thi Nguyen

Visiting Fellow, Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Stanford University;
Ph.D. candidate, Yale University

Although the 1968 Tet Offensive constituted a major turning point in the Second Indochina War, the evolution of Hanoi Politburo decision-making in 1967 in preparation for the offensive remains unclear. This paper analyzes how Hanoi's assessment of its own domestic and foreign policies constituted important factors in the strategy deliberation leading up to the Tet Offensive.

Thursday, January 27, 2005
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
IEAS Conference Room, 6th Floor
2223 Fulton St. (at Kittredge)
Berkeley CA

This event is free and open to the public.

For further information, contact the Center for Southeast Asia Studies
Tel. (510) 642-3609
E-mail: cseas@berkeley.edu

(http://ias.berkeley.edu/cseas)

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SPECIAL FUNDRAISING GET TOGETHER – MIX & MINGLE

50% of All Proceeds From Foods and Drinks to Benefit

World Health Ambassador Program
Relief Mission to Cambodia
to Help the Less Fortunate Vietnamese

When: Thursday, January 27, 2005
6:30 – 9:30pm
* Complimentary Appetizers
* Live Auction - Painting by Vu Tuan
* Raffle Drawings

Sponsored by:
Miss Saigon Restaurant
11 North Washington Street, Ste. 104
Rockville, MD 20850
301.838.9070

Contact: Info@whausa.com
www.whausa.com

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8^TH ANNUAL VIETNAMESE SPRING FESTIVAL AND PARADE

San José, California

FREE ADMISSION EVENT!!
COST: FREE admission (with free parking)
Sunday, February, 13th, 2005

PARADE: on Market St, from St. John St to San Carlos St
(Reviewing Stage @ Park Ave.)
Sunday February, 13th, 2005 from 11am-1pm

FESTIVAL: Parkside Hall,
180 Park Avenue, Downtown San Jose
Sunday February, 13th, 2005 from 10am-6pm

There will be free food and free Starbuck Coffee serve in the morning.
10:00am Festival begins
11:00am - 1:00pm Market Street Parade
1:00pm - 6:00pm Indoor/Outdoor entertainment

VIETNAMESE SPRING FESTIVAL & PARADE, INC.
621 TULLY ROAD - SAN JOSE, CA 95111
TEL: 408.292.8283 - FAX: 408.292.0623 - EMAIL: INFO@VSFSANJOSE.COM

(www.vsfsanjose.com)

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GRANT WRITER'S BRIEFING FOR FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

We Care America National Grant Center: National Grant Writer's Briefing

The We Care America National Grant Center is offering the National Grant Writer's Briefing on February 22, 2005, in Lansdowne, VA (Washington, DC area). The program includes personal briefings by recent grantees and the individuals who manage federal programs that are appropriate for faith-based organizations and ministries. The briefing helps organizations to become more competitive in their grant efforts by providing insights into program priorities, effective models, and technical approaches that will expand skills and increase competence.

(http://www.nationalgrantcenter.org/ngwb.asp)

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MEETING ADDRESSES EFFECTIVE PHILANTHROPY FOR HEALTH OF WOMEN AND COMMUNITIES

Women & Philanthropy's 28th Annual Meeting: Effective Philanthropy

Women's Health and Healthy Communities

The Women & Philanthropy's 28th Annual Meeting will take place April 9, 2005, in San Diego, CA. The meeting, "Effective Philanthropy: Women's Health and Healthy Communities," will explore best practices and innovative approaches funders are taking that recognize and leverage the power of women as change agents and their integral role in developing and maintaining healthy communities.

(http://www.womenphil.org/calendar_contact3908/calendar_contact_show.htm?doc_id=237761)

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

AMERICAN EXPRESS ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE FUND TO SUPPORT FINANCIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Deadline: March 4, 2005

The American Express Foundation will grant $1 million in 2005 to fund financial literacy and education projects as part of the American Express Economic Independence Fund.

The program is designed to support the delivery of financial literacy education to underserved adult segments of society, including the newly employed, young workers, individuals moving from welfare to work, and immigrants.  The fund is being administered jointly with the National Endowment for Financial Education.

Any U.S. nonprofit organization that is tax exempt under  section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and whose  clients are representative of underserved adult audiences  targeted by the fund and who would benefit from financial  literacy education is eligible to apply. The focus is on organizations operating at the community level that may  or may not have affiliations with state, regional, and  national groups. Multi-organizational partnerships or statewide programs are acceptable.

Grant amounts will range between $15,000 and $30,000, and proposals will be considered for projects ranging from twelve to twenty-four months in duration.

All applicants are required to consult the Financial Education Clearinghouse to select pre-approved curricula and educational materials.

(http://www.nefe.org/amexeconfundrfp/)

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BLUE CROSS OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATION MATCHING GRANTS

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation is offering matching grant awards of up to $25,000 per year under its Community Health Improvement Matching Grants Program.

Any program that focuses on improving key community health issues, such as heightening consumer awareness and preventing unhealthy behavior, will be considered. Favor will be given to those that work in the area of health care for the uninsured, patient safety, domestic abuse, and clinical depression.

The foundation has set aside $750,000 for the program, which will match grants for up to two years. More information on application and eligibility requirements can be found at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation's website.

(http://www.bcbsm.com/foundation/gp_mip.shtml)

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TONY HAWK FOUNDATION OFFERS SUPPORT FOR SKATEPARKS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES

Deadline: March 1, 2005 and September 1, 2005

The primary mission of the Tony Hawk Foundation is to promote high-quality, public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States.

Foundation grants are awarded to encourage and facilitate the design, development, construction, and operation of new skateboard parks and facilities in low-income communities. Grants may be requested in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $25,000.

The foundation's grantmaking program is extremely competitive. Proposed skateparks that are not located in low- income areas and that do not have strong community and grassroots support are unlikely to receive a significant grant from the foundation.

To be eligible, applicant organizations must be a public charity, organized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and qualified under section 170(b)(1)(a), or a state or local agency, including public school systems or public projects. The foundation will consider assisting start-up organizations.

(http://www.tonyhawkfoundation.org/grant_application.asp)

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COLORADO TRUST ANNOUNCES BULLYING PREVENTION INITIATIVE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Deadline: March 1, 2005

The Colorado Trust has issued a Request for Proposals under its new Bullying Prevention Initiative.

Targeting school-aged children from kindergarten through 12th grade (as well as adults), the initiative is a three-year, $8.6 million effort to build the skills necessary to effectively intervene in incidents of bullying or to prevent bullying altogether.

Through a competitive process, up to thirty-five grantees will be selected from across the state. The initiative will provide funding opportunities for schools, school districts, and nonprofit organizations to build the prevention and intervention skills of youth and adults. Funding will support new, existing, or expansion of evidence- based bullying prevention programs.

Grant awards will average $50,000 a year over the three-year period of the initiative, with grantees also receiving technical assistance, training, and networking opportunities.

Applicant organizations must be located in and provide  services in Colorado, and must be tax-exempt under section  501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or a public or governmental entity, such as a school or school district.

(http://coloradotrust.org/index.cfm?fuseAction=InitiativesGrantees.details&initiativeId=304)

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COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR GENERAL GRANTS PROGRAM

Deadline: February 14, 2005

The Community Technology Foundation of California works to foster social justice, equity, and access for underserved communities in California through the use of information and communications technologies (ICT).

With an overall focus on content and technology literacy, CTFC's General Grants program concentrates on the key areas of communications, media, and outreach. CTFC's current grantmaking focuses on the development and maintenance of -- as well as the removal of barriers to -- digital media, communications, and outreach for under-served Californians. Successful grantees will be those who effectively utilize ICT in a manner that enables their target communities to become more active and engaged participants in civic action.

CTFC is soliciting proposals in the range of $10,000 to $50,000.

To be eligible, applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations or organizations that have a commitment in writing from a 501(c)(3) sponsoring fiscal agent.

CTFC accepts proposal applications on a rolling basis for its General Grants program. The first 2005 grant application deadline is February 14, 2005.

(http://zerodivide.org/grants/)

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WASHINGTON AREA WOMEN’S FOUNDATION INVITES PROPOSALS FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY & WEALTH CREATION FUND

Deadline: Various

The Washington Area Women's Foundation supports nonprofit organizations working to increase resources and opportunities for women and girls in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

The foundation's philanthropy over the next three years will be focused on building the financial and economic independence of low-income, women-headed families. To accelerate the process of equipping more women with the tools they need to move from poverty to economic stability to long-term prosperity, grantmaking will be made through three new funds -- Financial Literacy & Wealth Creation; Jobs, Education and Training; and Child Care & Early Education -- as well as the Open Door Capacity Fund (existing grantee partners only).

Each of the three funds will release a Request for Proposals for two types of grant opportunities: planning grants, targeting organizations that are developing or improving an idea, approach, and/or collaborative model; and impact grants, targeting organizations that can demonstrate a track record in delivering results.

The foundation has issued RFPs and is accepting proposals from community organizations for the Financial Literacy & Wealth Creation Fund. This fund is designed to help low-income, women-headed families in the Washington metropolitan area obtain a base level of financial knowledge (e.g., training in money management, saving/investment, credit, and income) and increase their collective wealth (e.g., through debt reduction, receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit, Individual Development Accounts, savings accounts, increased income, home ownership) by $40 million in the next three years.

(http://www.thewomensfoundation.org/getfunded/grant/)

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FLORIDA HURRICANE RELIEF FUND ANNOUNCES NEW FUNDING INITIATIVES

Deadline: February 15, 2005

With major donations from Bank of America and Home Depot, the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund has funding available to support nonprofit organizations working to rebuild Florida after the 2004 hurricanes.

The fund and Home Depot have announced the availability of grants to address rebuilding and construction needs for nonprofit organizations that were adversely affected by the 2004 hurricanes. The Request for Proposals is made possible by a cash contribution of $500,000 as well as $500,000 in materials, supplies, and services provided by Home Depot. Projects must include a coordinated effort with volunteers and local Home Depot stores. Applicants must be nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations that have been established for more than two years and are located within one hundred miles of a Home Depot store.

With a $1 million contribution from Bank of America, the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund has also announced the availability of grants to address affordable housing repair and rebuilding needs stemming from the 2004 hurricanes. Nonprofit organizations that provide services statewide or in multi-counties and which are actively engaged in disaster relief efforts are encouraged to apply. Organizations may use these funds for disaster relief efforts, with priority given to proposals that address affordable housing repair and rebuilding efforts for low- to moderate-income individuals. Funds should not be requested for food or debris removal.

Florida nonprofit that are registered 501(c)(3) organizations operating for least two years are eligible to apply. Intermediaries may serve as the legal applicant for the grant, on behalf of multiple organizations.

(http://www.flahurricanefund.org/procedures.php)

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CREATIVE CAPITAL ANNOUNCES 2005-2006 APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Deadline: March 14, 2005

The Creative Capital Foundation, a New York City-based nonprofit organization, supports U.S. artists who pursue innovation in form and content in the performing and visual arts, film and video, and in emerging fields. Creative Capital works in partnership with the artists it funds, providing advisory services and professional development assistance along with multi-faceted financial aid and promotional support throughout the life of each project.

For the 2005-06 program, Creative Capital will accept proposals for Performing Arts and Emerging Fields.

Performing Arts may include dance, music theater, experimental music performance, experimental opera, spoken word, theater/performance art, and inter-disciplinary projects.

Emerging Fields may include computer-based artwork, new media, audio work, interactive installations, experimental literature, and interdisciplinary projects. In 2005-06, Creative Capital is including innovative literature as part of the Emerging Fields category.

Creative Capital will support approximately twenty projects in each of the two categories at initial levels ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. With additional financial support provided by Creative Capital, a project may receive up to $50,000 throughout the life of the grant.

To be eligible to apply, an artist must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident; at least twenty-five years old; and a working artist with at least five years' professional experience.

For 2005, the foundation has announced a new selection process divided into three steps. First, interested artists submit proposals using an inquiry form. Those whose proposals are selected will then be invited to submit a full application, and selected applicants will be forwarded to a panel review.

Complete program information and application procedures are available at the Creative Capital Web site. Inquiry forms will be available on the site beginning February 14, 2005. (Applicants are urged to complete the inquiry form online; however, those who wish to receive a form via postal mail must request one by February 28, 2005.)

(http://creative-capital.org/application/)

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FUNDS FOR HIV/AIDS ORGANIZATIONS

M·A·C AIDS Fund

Since its creation by M·A·C Cosmetics in 1994, the M·A·C AIDS Fund provides funding to registered nonprofit organizations that support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Grants are typically made to assist with basic needs such as food, clothing and housing; prevention and awareness campaigns; services related to healthcare, social services, medical transportation and recreational activities; and event sponsorships to help raise funds that directly benefit HIV/AIDS organizations. The Fund accepts unsolicited grant proposals from organizations in North America year-round.

(http://www.macaidsfund.org/)

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FOUNDATION PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR TANGIBLE ITEMS

Ludwick Family Foundation

The Ludwick Family Foundation is committed to assisting a broad array of groups that are working to make a positive difference in the world. The Foundation accepts proposals from nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. and U.S.-based international organizations, with emphasis on organizations in California. Grants are provided for tangible items that assist a program or project rather than funding the program itself. Funded items include new vehicles or equipment, equipment replacement and modernization, improvements to facilities, and educational materials. The next deadline for submitting letters of inquiry or the online Initial Request Form is March 31, 2005.

(http://www.ludwick.org/)

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LIBERTY MUTUAL SUPPORTS COMPANY COMMUNITIES

Liberty Mutual Group Corporate Philanthropy Program

The Liberty Mutual Group Corporate Philanthropy Program supports nonprofit organizations that help people live safer, more secure lives. The company primarily supports nonprofit organizations in communities throughout the U.S. where company employees and customers live. Funding is focused on education and health and safety. Other areas of interest include arts and cultural programs, community and economic development initiatives, youth, and the disabled. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

(http://www.libertymutual.com/omapps/ContentServer?cid=1003349317246&pagename=CorporateInternet%2FPage%2FStandardTeal&c=Page)

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SUPPORT TO BRING RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND ACADEMICS TOGETHER

Louisville Institute's General Grant Program

The mission of the Louisville Institute is to enrich the religious life of American Christians and to encourage the revitalization of their institutions by bringing together those who lead religious institutions with those who study them, so that the work of each might stimulate and inform the other. The Institute's General Grant Program supports a limited number of individual and collaborative projects undertaken by pastors, academics, and religious institutions. Supported projects include research and writing, convening of discussion groups and peer groups, collaborative projects, and consultations. The purpose of these grants is to encourage both pastors and academics to renew their vocational commitments and to pursue projects that promise to be helpful to the church. Pastors, academics, and religious institutions throughout the U.S. are eligible to apply. Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year.

(http://www.louisville-institute.org/)

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NEW PROGRAM PROVIDES SEED GRANTS FOR INN0VATIVE COMMUNITY NEWS VENTURES

New Voices

New Voices, administered by J-Lab at the University of Maryland and supported by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is a pioneering program to seed innovative community news ventures in the United States. Over the next two years, New Voices will help fund the start-up of 20 micro-local news projects with $12,000 grants. Funding is available for print or electronic news initiatives, including online, cable, broadcast, narrowcast, satellite and mobile efforts. Successful applicants will benefit a defined geographic or special-interest community and foster an open exchange of journalistically sound ideas, information, news and opinion in those communities. Nonprofit organizations and education institutions, including civic groups, community organizations, middle schools, high schools, and colleges and universities throughout the U.S. are eligible to apply. The application deadline is March 17, 2005.

(http://www.j-newvoices.org/)

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NORTHWEST HEALTH FOUNDATION EXPANDS COMMUNITY GRANT MAKING THROUGH NEW FUND

Northwest Health Foundation has announced the establishment of the Kaiser Permanente Community Fund. It is anticipated that the Foundation will begin grant distribution from the new Fund's assets later in 2005. The Fund is expected to allow for grants of substantial size for several years. This Fund will help us advance community health by leveraging our resources and collaborating on shared health goals."

(http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20050113005579&newsLang=en)

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JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

CALIFORNIA CAPITOL FELLOWS PROGRAM

The CSUS Center for California Studies administers the Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship, Executive Fellowship, Judicial Administration Fellowship, and California Senate Fellows programs. These programs, known collectively as the Capital Fellows Programs, are nationally recognized. The 18 Assembly Fellows, 18 Senate Fellows, 18 Executive Fellows and 10 Judicial Administration Fellows receive an outstanding opportunity to engage in public service and prepare for future careers, while actively contributing to the development and implementation of public policy in California. The ranks of former fellows and associates include a Justice of the California Supreme Court, members of the United States Congress and the State Legislature, a deputy director of the Peace Corps, corporate executives, and local government and community leaders.

The application deadline is February 23, 2005 for the 2005-2006 Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship Program, Executive Fellowship Program, Judicial Administration Fellowship Program, and California Senate Fellows.

To request an application or program brochure, visit http://www.csus.edu/calst/Programs/programs.html.

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CARAWAY GROUP PUBLIC AFFAIRS POSITIONS

The Caraway Group, a small firm based in Washington, DC, holding a mix of nonprofit/foundation, and fortune 500 clients, with a practice focusing on diversity PR and public affairs seeks two professionals:

1) A mid-level PR/Public affairs professional with experience in public relations strategy and client service. Strong writing and other communication skills a necessity.  Hill/policy experience a plus.  Must be creative, flexible, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment.

2) A lower or mid-level professional with excellent writing skills.  This person will support the firm with technical writing and research, proposal writing, press releases, and other projects.

For both positions, bi-lingual skills (written and spoken) is a plus.

Please send resumes to jason@thecarawaygroup.com .

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TIPS/RESOURCES

PROJECT IMPROVES KNOWLEDGE OF THE NONPROFIT SECTOR INTERNATIONALLY

Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project

The Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project, a program of the Center for Civil Society Studies of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, is designed to fill gaps in knowledge about the nonprofit sector by developing the first body of information about nonprofit institutions at the international level. The project is a systematic effort to analyze the scope, structure, financing, and role of the private nonprofit sector in a cross-section of countries around the world in order to improve knowledge and theoretical understanding of the sector, and to provide a sounder basis for both public and private action towards it. The project's work began in 1990 in 13 countries and now extends to more than 40 countries spanning all the regions of the world.

(http://www.jhu.edu/cnp/)

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KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF DONORS WHO GIVE LESS THAN $1,000

By: Diane Carlson

Most of the research on donor behavior focuses on the behavior of major gift donors. Because most not-for-profit organizations want to solicit their entire donor pyramid (low-end to high-end), it is important to understand the key donor trends of both sets of donors.

Key characteristics of major donors are:
* Committed to the mission of the organization
* Long-term donor loyalty
* More interested in restricted giving than unrestricted (Case Sensitive)
* Need regular personal cultivation
* Motivated by tax considerations when making large gifts
* Want to know who else is giving
* Motivated by donor recognition

Key characteristics of donors of less than $1,000 are:
* Committed to the mission of the organization
* Comfortable with unrestricted giving
* Influenced by other giving properties
* Low interest in charitable deduction
* Motivated by donor recognition

While there are some important differences in these donor levels, there is one thing that all donors have in common: they want to receive a “Thank you” that is sincere, timely, and tells how their money will be used. Research indicates that many organizations fail when it comes to thanking their donors. Saying thank you should be the easy part for NPOs!

We all understand that the “Thank you” can serve as the cultivation for the next gift; therefore, important.

With over one million NPOs in the USA, the competition for the philanthropic dollar is keener than ever. Most donors of less than $1,000 understand that their giving will only have impact if combined with many other small gifts.

Most low-end donors distribute their giving annually among 7-10 NPOs, largely based on their passion for the case for support as well as receiving actual solicitation (direct mail or phoning) from NPOs. Most low-end donors do not send in unsolicited gifts.

Most gifts are still solicited and given via direct mail or telephone as compared to on-line donations. Both direct mail and telephone solicitation continue to work for most NPOs.

Key reasons why donors say “No” when solicited:
* Financial Reasons
* Problems with service or organization
* Other giving priorities
* Not interested in the Mission/Case for support

It is important to remember that donors don’t have the opportunity to say, “Yes” or “No” unless they are solicited. Keep asking. The “4 Right Rule” still works: the right person, asking for the right case, for the right amount, at the right time.

(http://www.onphilanthropy.com/bestpract/bp2005-01-21a.html)


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NEW DIETARY GUIDELINES

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. This is the federal government's science-based advice to promote health and reduce risk of chronic diseases through nutrition and physical activity. The report identifies 41 key recommendations, of which 23 are for the general public and 18 for special populations. They are grouped into nine general topics:

*     Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs
*     Weight Management
*     Physical Activity
*     Food Groups to Encourage
*     Fats
*     Carbohydrates
*     Sodium and Potassium
*     Alcoholic Beverages
*     Food Safety

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines and consumer brochure are available at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

For a list of key recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines, please go to:
(http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2005pres/20050112.html)


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NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 12, 2005

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT
Timothy Leong, APIASF, (415) 808-0805
Bill Imada, IW Group, (213) 622-6513

ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Applications Now Available Online

Completed Applications Due on Feb. 15, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO-Scholarship applications for college-bound students of Asian and Pacific Islander American descent are now available online at www.apiasf.org.  Students who plan to enter into the freshman class of an accredited college, university or vocational institution in the fall are encouraged to apply.  Eligibility requirements are available online.

APIASF plans to award more than 100 scholarships in May.  Each scholarship will be $2,000.

For further information regarding APIASF, visit www.apiasf.org or call (415) 808-0805.

###

APIASF is the only national organization devoted to providing scholarships to Asian and Pacific Islander American students and is currently based in San Francisco.  The organization's vision is to see all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans who wish to pursue higher education have that opportunity, regardless of their ethnicity, national origin or financial means.  APIASF is a non-profit, charitable organization.

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January 13, 2005

BELLE OF THE HILL

By Pauline Vu

WASHINGTON—When George Bush walks to the viewing stand next week to take the presidential oath of office, it will be a culmination of the thousands of hours of work spent by dedicated volunteers and staffers on his re-election.

California native Mina Nguyễn can take pride in knowing she had a hand in the victory.

In just more than three years in Washington D.C., she has gone from a cabinet secretary’s assistant to a wheeler-dealer hobnobbing with some of the major power players in town. Post-inauguration, Nguyễn — having proved herself on the campaign trail — will be one of the youngest people and highest-ranking Vietnamese Americans in government.

Her rise, and the speed with which it happened, is still something that surprises her.

In 1995, “I visited the Hill when I was an intern… and I thought, ‘Wow, it’s just great watching these people make decisions that influence legislation,’ ” Nguyễn recalled, sitting in a makeshift office in the Government Services Administration building, where she works for the inaugural committee.

“I had no idea I’d ever have a chance to work with some of these people.”

Nguyễn’s political career began in 2001, when she left the Golden State and the global consulting firm Accenture to become special assistant to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. After she rose through the ranks and became one of the youngest appointees in the Senior Executive Service of government at 27, she left Chao in 2003, signing on to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

There she served as regional coalitions director in the Northeast, acting as the point-woman for the business community and organizing a medley of pro-Bush organizations to get the message out.

Jordan Sekulow, the campaign’s national youth director, said Nguyễn was a natural leader. “She was usually the example for what to do,” he noted. “A lot of us went to her with our stuff and had her review it before we went to the next step. A lot of directors over us would come to her for her opinion on things that had nothing to do with the area that she covered.”

Sekulow calls Nguyễn a perfectionist. While most staff members read an e-mail 10 times without finding a mistake, “send it to her and in one second, boom-boom-boom,” he said. “She’s good at that.”

At one point in Pennsylvania, Nguyễn devised a better spreadsheet to track data for the campaign. Not wanting to take the credit, she sent Sekulow to another office and told him he could tell staffers it was his idea.

But the minute he walked into that office, spreadsheets and notes in hand, the staffers took one look at him and said, “Oh, look, it’s mini-Mina.”

As he told the story, Sekulow, whose bulky frame stands over six feet tall, looked a bit sheepish at the idea of any resemblance to the petite Nguyễn.

“I know no one can see a picture of this...” he said, trailing off. “They immediately knew, and she’d only been there for a few weeks… They knew that I probably wasn’t coming up with this gigantic mega-tracking sheet.”

On the inaugural committee, Nguyễn is leveraging her connection with the numerous organizations that played a key role in Bush’s victory. She keeps them informed of event news and handles their ticket requests, while overseeing a staff of about 30 people.

“Everybody knows that she’s the person that gets things done,” said Wade Lairsen, Nguyễn’s assistant. “She tends to play down her leadership role.”

While most people working on the inauguration await permanent government jobs, Nguyễn already has one set for after the gala: director of external affairs and Congressional business affairs at the Republican National Committee. She’ll work with the Senate and House leadership to push for legislation on Bush’s agenda, like Social Security and tax reform, as well as with Ken Mehlman, Bush’s campaign manager.

“When I came out here in 2001, I thought he was brilliant, one of the most brilliant people ever,” Nguyễn said. “I never thought I’d have a chance to work this closely with him, and now that I have a chance to, I think it’s amazing.”

Nguyễn has become a point of pride for the Vietnamese American community, speaking to Vietnamese American student groups at colleges all over the country. She tries to accept as many invitations as possible because that’s her way of giving back to those who supported her.

“I feel really humbled by the support of the community,” she said. “I want to share my story so people can come into this area of work. I want to help them get there because it’s a very hard system to navigate… I don’t think we have enough young people, especially Asian Americans, coming into the public sector.”

The surprising thing about Nguyễn’s success is that when she first got to D.C., she was racked with insecurities. It was the week of the Sept. 11 attacks, and the District was in a state of alert after one plane crashed into the Pentagon.

“I didn’t know anybody here, the city was dangerous, there was this new job, this political structure I didn’t understand,” Nguyễn remembered. “I felt a lot of uncertainty. I wasn’t sure if I could succeed. I was like, ‘I am going to fail miserably at this job.’ ”

She was tempted to return to Westminster, Calif., but instead told herself, “If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right.” Then she proceeded to do just that.

The moment this was obvious was after Election Day, when Bush announced victory.

Nguyễn and about 100 other campaign staffers crowded into the White House and watched as Vice President Dick Cheney introduced the victorious candidate.

Nguyễn had seen the two men live before, but this was different from all the campaign rallies she’d attended. “It just defined for me what we accomplished,” she said. “They thanked us for our work, what all this meant for America, for our international partners, and I just thought, ‘wow, this is amazing.’

“That was the moment I just pinched myself.”

(http://www.nguoi-viet.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=16891&z=19)

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PRESS ADVISORY

January 14, 2005
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Asian Pacific American Program Smithsonian Institution
Marci Xiong
202.786.2409

The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program announces

VIETNAMESE AMERICAN EXHIBIT TO OPEN IN 2006

On Tuesday, January 25, 2005, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program will announce details of the first-ever Vietnamese American history and culture exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution, which will open to the public in 2006. The announcement marks the beginning of an ambitious project that hopes to include the first national traveling exhibition on the Vietnamese American community and its history, related public programming at the Smithsonian, as well as a middle school curriculum guide.

DATE: Tuesday, January 25, 2005

TIME: 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

LOCATION: The Library, Smithsonian Castle, 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW

METRO STATION: Smithsonian (Mall exit)

PARKING: Limited street parking is available on Independence Avenue; the nearest garage is L’Enfant Plaza, directly across Independence Avenue from the Smithsonian Castle.

Please RSVP to Marci Xiong of the APA Program office at 202.786.2409 or at xiongm@si.edu by January 21, 2005.  Please provide your name and affiliation.

Press packets will be available at the event. Those who cannot attend may request a packet after January 25 by contacting the APA Program office.

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January 22, 2005

EDITORIAL

A LANGUAGE-CHALLENGED U.S.

Last year, leaders from business and government agencies met in Maryland to address the extraordinary demand for employees who speak foreign languages. You can bet they weren't looking for French or German speakers. They need Mandarin, Korean and Arabic.

So while educators seriously debate whether sign-language classes should count as a foreign language, as The Times reported last week, they bypass the real issue: Tant pis, American public schools are desperately behind the times when it comes to teaching languages. With few exceptions, they offer the same European triumvirate as 50 years ago — Spanish, French and German — and start teaching languages far too late.

The big three account for 94% of all students learning a foreign language, according to a 2002 report by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Add Latin and Italian and it becomes 98%. Practically no one is learning languages from Asia, Eastern Europe or the Middle East. Salaam, or in its cousin language, shalom, anyone?

Linguist Benjamin Whorf wrote nearly a century ago that culture shapes language. Thus, through studying language, students gain insight into another way of thinking. Language skills lead to better-paying jobs and, in poly-cultural L.A., help us all communicate better, ja?

Yet public schools stick to the languages of Western European cultures, the ones most familiar to Westerners. With the obvious exception of Spanish, these are not the languages likely to be spoken by our neighbors and sought by employers.

Language instruction is mired in inertia. It's hard for schools to find textbooks and teachers for rarely taught languages, so they don't bother looking. In a kind of vicious circle, textbook publishers assume there's no market, and speakers of those languages don't seek teaching credentials. And although younger children pick up languages far more readily than teenagers, only 8% of California students take a foreign language before high school.

A few energetic schools show it's possible to do better. A school district in south Orange County teaches Chinese starting in kindergarten. Two Garden Grove high schools have offered Vietnamese, in response to Vietnamese American parents who don't want their children to lose the language of their heritage. Instead of bemoaning the narrowness of language fluency, corporations and the U.S. Department of Education should be targeting grants at schools to modernize their language departments. Comprende?

(http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-language24jan22,1,3989979.story)

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January 22, 2005

STORES CLOSE TO PROTEST CALOPTIMA

About 50 Little Saigon pharmacies oppose a fraud program that requires disclosure of patient information.

By Mai Tran, Times Staff Writer

The owners of about 50 drugstores in Little Saigon have filed a lawsuit and closed their shops to protest a county-run pilot program that they say would force them to divulge private information about their mostly Vietnamese customers.

Vietnamese American Independent Pharmacies Group, which claims to represent virtually all independent drugstores in the ethnic enclave, filed suit last month, saying CalOptima has threatened to withhold Medi-Cal payments unless the stores provide patient information. A court date has not been set.

CalOptima, which administers Medi-Cal payments in Orange County, says the requirement is part of a first-of-its-kind effort to curb fraud and cut costs. Most pharmacies in the county, including chain drugstores, have agreed to turn over patient information.

But in Little Saigon in Garden Grove and Westminster, where independent drugstores provide a cultural comfort that the chains do not and sometimes serve as gathering spots for Vietnamese, the request from the government is viewed with deep suspicion.

Some worry that their identification might be stolen or their medical maladies made public. CalOptima says such fears are groundless.

One group of customers in the community — the largest concentration of Vietnamese outside Vietnam — has formed the Committee for Medi-Cal Beneficiaries and taken out full-page ads in Vietnamese newspapers. The ads say CalOptima is "preying" on the sick and frail and cannot be trusted.

"They're taking advantage of elders before we die," said Vinh Pham, 77, who uses a cane and says he suffers from lumbar disease, prostate cancer and high blood pressure. "I can't drive. Where am I going to buy drugs now? CalOptima is making everything very inconvenient and harder for us."

Many pharmacies have closed in protest, hoping customer complaints will force Cal- Optima to rethink its requirements.

In Garden Grove on Friday, patients were greeted with locked doors at Tran Pharmacy in a Euclid Street strip mall with noodle shops and Vietnamese fast food. Pasted on the windows were English and Vietnamese fliers urging patients to call politicians and Medi-Cal to express their opposition.

"To protect the health and welfare of our patients and the community, please call the phone numbers below and request that you need to be able to obtain your CalOptima/ Medi-Cal medications at the pharmacy of your choice," the flier read.

"This is ridiculous," said Ngan Pham, 58, of Huntington Beach.

Pharmacist Thu Hang Tran, 42, owner of Tran Pharmacy, said it was difficult to turn away customers, especially seniors.

"But I'm not going to risk my patients' privacy," Tran said. "It's unethical. CalOptima is just giving us a hard time so they can shut us down."

Some said the shuttered pharmacies had cut off a vital connection.

"We are old and we don't understand English," said Nhan Van Bui, 70, of Santa Ana, who takes a bus to get his medications. "The labels are in Vietnamese and they explain the dosage to me in a way that I can understand."

The one-year program, which began in December, requires Orange County pharmacies to provide patient information to the Fraud Prevention Institute, a private nonprofit group. Pharmacies that fail to comply will not be reimbursed by Cal- Optima for prescription drugs. CalOptima has 290,000 participants in Orange County.

Little Saigon pharmacists contend CalOptima is trying to drive out small drugstores by forcing them to sign the agreement. They said they have refused because it violates the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which addresses patient privacy.

The suit, filed in federal court in Santa Ana, seeks an injunction that would allow the pharmacies to serve CalOptima patients without turning over patient information.

Lynn Carman, an attorney for the Little Saigon pharmacies, said he planned to file another lawsuit Monday against CalOptima for damages.

Dianna Daly, CalOptima's spokeswoman, said the agreement does not violate state or federal law. The 1996 law allows shared information for such purposes as consulting other doctors and fraud investigation.

"It's a misunderstanding," Daly said. "We want our pharmacies to be successful and we want everyone to be on the lookout for fraud-related issues."

She said Vietnamese American pharmacies are not being targeted. Rather, she said, the program is countywide and is an attempt — the first in the country of its sort — to explore cutting drug costs and fraud.

Daly said the number of prescriptions filled in Orange County is enormous compared to areas of similar population, and pharmacy accounts for 24% — or $185 million — of the program's $760 million annual budget, she said.

The patient information provided by pharmacies will remain confidential, she said.

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rx22jan22,1,4725404.story)

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January 23, 2005

ADOPTEES AND IDENTITY: ANSWERING “WHO AM I?” CAN BE A LONG, COMPLICATED JOURNEY

By Marc Ramirez

Seattle Times staff reporter

Growing up in Port Orchard, Christina Johnson was your typical all-American girl. Except that she wasn't. Adopted from Korea, she identified with her white adoptive parents and didn't think much about race, even when kids pulled their eyes back in mimicry or when store clerks asked where her mother was even though she was standing right there.

Then, at 16, Johnson left her Kitsap County home for a summer youth program in Seattle's International District. The program was a leadership training session that attracted a diverse group of teens. "It was the first time I'd been around so many Asians," the 20-year-old University of Washington sophomore says. She worried about not being cool enough, not being Asian enough. Normally outgoing, she shut down.

It was one step on a difficult journey toward finding identity as an Asian adoptee, one filled with questions that came from within as much as from others: Why don't you look like your family? Why do you look Asian but act "white"? Who are you, really?

The range of Asian adoptee experiences are the subject of "Asian & Pacific Islander Adoptees: A Journey Through Identity," an exhibit running through Sept. 4 at Seattle's Wing Luke Asian Museum.

The exhibit features mementos such as clothes worn by adoptees upon their U.S. arrival and snapshots of adoptees' return visits to their birth countries. There are journals, video footage and photos of adoptive parents such as Seattle's Diane Robbins and Vickie Wallen, who adopted 3-year-old Sam from Vietnam when he was 4 months old.

With children from countries such as China, Korea, India and Thailand, these families are among the vanguard of an emerging multicultural society.

Perceptions slow to change

The origins of Asian adoption, the exhibit notes, rest with U.S. military intervention in Asia, from the Philippines to Vietnam. "U.S. military and economic might," it states, "paradoxically orphaned thousands of children who were later adopted by American parents."

In the 1950s, they started coming from Korea; 20 years later it was Vietnam and Cambodia. In the 1990s, a rising U.S. economy fed growing numbers of adoptions from China, Thailand and India; these days, instead of war, the driving forces are poverty, social taboos regarding unwed mothers and family planning restrictions.

For example, advocates say the vast majority of Korean adoptees are children of young, unwed mothers who suffer a 1950s-America-like stigma.

Though perceptions are slowly changing, "Korean society is not set up for single mothers to raise their children," says Mary Ann Curran, social services director for Renton-based World Association for Children and Parents (WACAP). WACAP is one of many international adoption agencies placing Asian adoptees statewide.

In 2002 — the latest state numbers available — WACAP says Washington families took in 322 Asian adoptees, two-thirds of them from China. Another 40 came from Korea, 29 from Vietnam (which has since halted adoptions) and 20 from India.

Many agencies strive to place children with families of the same ethnicity or race. At the same time, says Lillian Thogerson, WACAP's chief operating officer, "we believe having a family is important, and we won't hold up a child just waiting for a family of the same heritage."

Last year, WACAP placed about 15 percent of its Asian adoptees nationwide with families of similar heritage.

Acknowledging heritage
There was a time when adoptive parents thought it best to fully Americanize their child, cutting all ties to the child's birth country. Jenny Kelly, adopted at 10 from Korea, says social workers told her parents establishing such links would only confuse her.

But, the 38-year-old full-time mom says, "it would be hard for anyone to look in the mirror, see an Asian face, and have their parents say, 'You're just like us ... ' You can't try to stay in the dark about this forever. You have to acknowledge it."

Many parents now go the extra mile, traveling overseas to see their child's origins and fostering appreciation of the child's birth country. One long-popular method of educating adoptees about their birth countries are dayslong "culture camps" where participants learn about native arts, food and traditions.

"Adoptive families are becoming more aware that the child needs to be in touch with his heritage," WACAP's Curran says.

Though their adopted son is only 3, Robbins and Wallen say they aim to give Sam every chance "to make sense of who we are as a family." They've already begun reaching out to determine how to teach him his Vietnamese culture and language.

"It's early, but we're beginning to water those seeds of how one defines oneself," Robbins says. "These days, everybody likes categories, and we kind of defy them."

Kelly says adoptive parents should offer opportunities without pushing too aggressively. It's a fine balance, but she's glad fewer parents now choose to ignore their child's origins.

"The confusing part is being told you're just like everybody else," she says. "That's where you have your identity crisis, because you believe that. You feel totally Caucasian on the inside, but when you go into the real world, you're treated different, as an Asian individual."

Journey to identity
In one installation of Wing Luke's adoptee exhibit, adoptee Mimi Sang Peterson recalls being asked by an Asian American why she hangs around so many white people. "I realized unconscious and insensitive assumptions and comments ... can come from both minority and majority groups," she says.

In another, Korean adoptee Sue Anne Guild confesses: "Ever since I was a young girl, I wanted to be the average 'White American.' "

Some adoptees seek answers in their pasts — in documents, or on "homeland tours" offering visits to their birth countries. Others — like UW's Christina Johnson, who's never felt the need to seek out her birth parents — only pursue the issue so far. "It doesn't map out the same for all of us," says Kelly.

But because adoptees' journeys toward identity can be gradual and complex, support groups such as the Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington (AAAW) have blossomed to provide resources, networking and camaraderie. Founded in 1996, AAAW serves both adoptees and adoptive families — for instance, offering guidance for those considering birth-country visits or just looking for similar companionship.

Other support groups include the Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN), the Vietnamese Adoptee Network and Mavin, an organization supporting transracial adoptees and the country's growing mixed-race population.

For adoptive parents, there's iChild, for families with children from India, and the self-explanatory local chapters of Families With Children From China (FCC)and Families with Children from Vietnam (FCV).

But there are also support groups opposing Asian adoption. The Wing Luke exhibit, for example, features a T-shirt with an illustration of a dangled newborn being stamped with the words, "Made in Korea." The shirt is produced by Adoptee Solidarity Korea, a group of adoptees which "recognizes the root causes of Korean adoption in imperialism."

While the Dec. 26 tsunami that ravaged Southeast Asia has raised interest in adoptions, authorities estimate it could be months, or even years, before affected countries determine orphan status and then, whether and when to make children available for adoption.

"In the meantime, what we hope the public remembers is that there are children who ... are already waiting for families, legally free for adoption," says WACAP's Kristine Leander.

A turning point
UW's Johnson doesn't know why she was put up for adoption in Korea, but she's happy with how things turned out.

As a youngster, her parents Douglas and Nancy Johnson sent her to several culture camps for adoptees. For a long time, all she remembered was getting to eat a lot of rice, but now, after years of answering the same questions, she recalls something else: "For that one week, you didn't have to explain why you had white parents," she says. "You didn't have to go through, why is your last name Johnson?"

The summer she spent as a 16-year-old in Seattle proved to be a turning point. It was the same summer a group of Asian youths were cited for jaywalking in an incident that promoted charges of racism and bullying against a Seattle police officer. Johnson embraced her Asian self to such an extent that afterward, friends back in Port Orchard teased her for being too Asian.

She'd grown up the only way her parents knew. "There's no guidebook saying how to raise an Asian baby in a white home. ... They did the best they could. I'm proud of who I am and who my parents are."

Marc Ramirez: 206-464-8102 or mramirez@seattletimes.com

ADOPTEE RESOURCES

For adoptees:

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January 24, 2005

Man shot by cop identified as Vietnamese-American