NCVA eREPORTER - May 16, 2006
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
ASIAN PEACE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION – ANNUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS BANQUET
Dear Friends,
The Asian Peace Officers Association, Inc., is proud to announce that we will honor Sheriff Lou Blanas at our Annual Community Service Awards Banquet. Sheriff Blanas will retire this year after eight years of dedicated service to the people of Sacramento. We will recognize him for his outstanding contributions to this community.
The dinner will be held on Friday, June 2, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. at the King Palace Restaurant, 5829 Stockton Blvd. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 for individuals and $500 for a reserved table. Individual seating will be based on a first come, first serve basis. Seating is limited. Please RSVP to me at 874-1053 or715-2245.
We would be honored to have you join us at this banquet. I look forward to see all of you there.
On behalf of the Sacramento APOA, I would like to thank you in advance for your continued support.
Trang To, President
Sacramento APOA
LIEUTENANT TRANG TO
Sacramento Sheriff's Department
Assistant Commander of Training, Planning and Research Division
916-874-1053 (work)
916-715-2245 (cell)
******************
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF VIETNAMESE AMERICANS
Now you can raise money for the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans (NCVA) just by searching the Internet at GoodSearch.com.
You use GoodSearch.com like any other search engine — the site is powered by Yahoo! — but each time you do, money is generated for us. Here's how it works:
1. Go to www.goodsearch.com
2. Type National Congress of Vietnamese Americans (NCVA) into the "I support" box and click on "verify"
3. Search the Internet just like you would with any search engine
4. Since GoodSearch shares its advertising revenue with charities and schools, every time you search the Internet at GoodSearch, you’ll be earning money for us.
GoodSearch also has a toolbar you can download from the homepage so that you can search right from the top of your browser.
(http://www.goodsearch.com)
******************
RED, WHITE & GREEN CLIMATE CHANGE GRANTS (US Only)
Youth Service America and Civil Society Institute are excited to announce the Red, White & Green Climate Change Grants. This opportunity offers up to $500 to implement a service-learning project about climate change. The program is open to all young people in the United States between the ages of 15-25 and to organizations that engage youth ages 15-25. Successful applicants will develop and implement a service-learning project about climate change that engages their community AND candidates running for election in November 2006. Projects should be youth-led, and the service must take place between October 1 and November 30.
Visit http://ga1.org/ct/012P-J61GqQz/http-www-YSA-org-awards to download guidelines, specific resources, and application forms.
Deadline: September 1, 2006.
(http://ga1.org/ct/012P-J61GqQz/http-www-YSA-org-awards)
******************
RGK FOUNDATION SUPPORTS INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS
The RGK Foundation strives to advance knowledge, improve society and help realize human potential by providing support to innovative programs and organizations in the U.S. The Foundation's primary interests in the education category include programs that focus on K-12 education, integrating technology into curriculum, teacher development, and higher education. The Foundation's current interests in the area of health include programs that promote the health of children and promote access to health services. In the area of community, the Foundation supports a broad range of human services programs. Letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time.
(http://www.rgkfoundation.org)
******************
RALPH AND EILEEN SWETT FOUNDATION GRANTS FOCUS ON YOUTH PROGRAMS
The Ralph and Eileen Swett Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that strive to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals and whose programs do not conflict with Christian morals and beliefs. The Foundation has identified the assistance of orphaned children, including the promotion of their adoption, and intervention in the lives of troubled youths, as two primary areas of interest. Funding, however, is by not limited to these areas.
(http://www.swettfoundation.org)
******************
GRANTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION
Stonyfield Farm Profits for the Planet Program
The Stonyfield Farm's Profits for the Planet Program donates 10% of the company's profits annually to nonprofit organizations in order to enhance efforts that help protect or restore the environment. Projects that generate measurable results, for example, natural resources saved, people educated, etc., are given priority. Applications for support are accepted from organizations throughout the U.S., with some emphasis on organizations located in the Northeast with projects often reflecting Stonyfield's support of organic farming methods and efforts to combat global warming. Requests for funding may be submitted at any time.
(http://www.stonyfield.com/AboutUs/ProfitsForThePlanetProgram.cfm)
******************
MDU RESOURCES FOUNDATION FUNDS VARIETY OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
The MDU Resources Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the MDU Resources Group, primarily supports nonprofit organizations in the geographic areas throughout the U.S. where member companies conduct business. The Foundation's primary areas of interest include: health and human services; education, including private secondary and higher education institutions; civic and community activities; culture and the arts; and the environment, including projects that promote the wise use of resources. Applications are accepted throughout the year.
(http://www.mdu.com/the_vision/vision_foundation.htm)
******************
SOUTHERN PARTNERS SUPPORT RURAL ORGANIZING IN THE SOUTHEAST
The Southern Partners Fund serves southeastern communities and organizations seeking social, economic, and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and power. The Fund's grantmaking focuses on rural community organizing in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Funded groups must be self-governed by members of the targeted rural population, and must be organizing on issues of social, economic and environmental justice that enable community members to become decision-makers. The application deadline is August 1, 2006.
(http://www.spfund.org/programs.htm)
******************
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FELLOWSHIPS
The Fannie Mae Foundation is currently accepting nominations for the James A. Johnson Community Fellowship. The year-long fellowship awards up to $90,000 each to six urban and rural community development professionals to pursue opportunities to increase their skills and knowledge through research, travel, study, and internships or a combination of these. In addition, the fellows’ organizations may apply for up to $25,000 in grant support during the temporary absence of the fellow. Nominations are due May 31, 2006.
(http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/grants/johnson.shtml)
******************
NEW ENGLAND GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENT FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR BOSTON GRANTS INITIATIVE
Deadline: June 15, 2006; and October 15, 2006
The purpose of the New England Grassroots Environment Fund ( http://www.grassrootsfund.org/ ) Boston Grants Initiative is to increase engagement and citizen participation on environmental health, environmental justice, and greenspace issues in the greater Boston area. The initiative's priority objectives are solving environmental problems and fostering stewardship, increasing community involvement, and building networks among Boston citizens. To meet these objectives, the initiative interprets the word "environment" broadly and will support a wide range of activities.
Organizations interested in applying should contact NEGEF staff before submitting a grant proposal. The program is designed for groups or projects not likely to initially receive funding from larger foundations. Applicants must be working at a grassroots level on environmental health, environmental justice, and greenspace initiatives in Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, or Somerville, and must be able to demonstrate a significant element of volunteer involvement in their programs.
Incorporated organizations, with or without established 501(c)(3) status, and unincorporated ad hoc groups may apply. Individuals are not eligible.
Grant awards will range from $500 to $10,000 each.
(http://www.grassrootsfund.org/boston/guide.html)
******************
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
SEEKING EXPERIENCED LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT
Silicon Valley Democrat (Rep. Mike Honda) seeks a seasoned legislative assistant to handle a variety of issues, including Foreign Affairs, Judiciary, Budget/Tax, Immigration, Defense, and possibly Appropriations. Minimum of 2 years Hill legislative experience required. An ideal candidate will be flexible, politically savvy, possess knowledge of Northern California, and a desire to work in a fast-paced environment. Some constituent mail included. Applicants must have excellent writing, research and communications skills, and a solid understanding of the legislative process. Multilingual candidates preferred.
Please fax resume and writing samples to 202-225-2699, Attn: Chief of Staff, or email toCA15LegAsst@mail.house.gov.
******************
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN LORETTA SANCHEZ
District Office, Garden Grove, California
Congresswoman Sanchez has an immediate opening for a Field Representative in her Garden Grove Office. Primary responsibilities include representing Congresswoman Sanchez at community events and advising staff and the Congresswoman about local concerns and priorities. Field Representatives meet frequently with constituents and local government representatives, monitor issues and community projects, and design and organize large forums and other pro-active community events for the Congresswoman.
The ideal candidate is an individual of high integrity who is self-motivated and has a strong desire to help people. Community relations outreach or organizing experience is preferred. Strong writing and interpersonal communication skills are a requirement. The individual must be able to exercise discretion and independent judgment in the representation of the Congresswoman’s positions on issues. Ability to work in a team environment, under pressure, and varied hours including nights and weekends is essential.
This is a full-time position with federal benefits and pay is commensurate with experience and education.
Interested applicants should send a resume to:
Raul Luna, District Director
U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez
12397 Lewis Street #101
Garden Grove, CA 92840
FAX: (714) 621-0401
Email: raul.luna@mail.house.gov
Resumes will be accepted until the vacancy is filled.
******************
AARP PAID INTERN, OFFICE OF SOCIAL IMPACT
Focus: Research and Analysis, Event Administration
I. Background
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to improving the lives of people aged 50 and over. We provide information and resources; engage in legislative, regulatory and legal advocacy; assist members in serving their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for our members. We have offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP’s Office of Social Impact is charged with creating an annual association-wide operating plan for the pursuit of each goal (issue areas include: Economic Security and Work, Health and Supportive Services, and Livable Communities), driving the execution of the plans in collaboration with other AARP departments, and defining AARP’s social impact success through measurable benchmarks.
II. Position Summary
The intern will conduct research and write analytical pieces on the three issues related to AARP’s social impact agenda (see attached), economic security, health care, and livable communities. Work will also include internet and media searches, preparing presentations and briefings. The intern will assist Social Impact staff in organizing meetings and events, including providing clerical and logistical support.
V. Duration and Remuneration
This is a paid position, with an hourly rate of $15/hour. The internship begins in June and continues through the end of the summer.
VI. Minimum Education and Work Requirements
Ideal candidates are graduate students or junior and senior undergraduates majoring in public policy, economics, international relations, political science, social sciences (particularly social work or gerontology), or business, and have the following skills and experience:
* Excellent analytical skills
* Solid professional writing ability and internet research skills;
* Familiar with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel;
* Detail-oriented, have strong initiative and demonstrated resourcefulness
* Willing to take on a variety of assignment types, work independently and as part of a team
* Have experience and interest in one or more of the Social Impact issue areas: Social Security, older workers, financial management, low income/special populations, health care, physical activity, and Livable Communities (includes mobility and housing options)
* Ability to devote a minimum of 15-20 hours per week
VII. Application Process
Please submit brief cover letter and resume to Joe Liu at jliu@aarp.org. No phone calls please.
(http://www.aarp.org)
******************
TIPS/RESOURCES
BOARDS: SETTING THE AGENDA FOR ADMINISTRATION
As a new manager, you wouldn’t ask your administrative assistant what categories of work have been successful in the clerical position. But that’s just what organization boards do when they take their cues from their administration, according to John Carver, author of Boards That Make a Difference: A New Design for Leadership in Nonprofit and Public Organizations.
Conventional governance is subtly managed by management, a far cry from management governed by governance, he says.
Carver said its necessary to create categories to guide a boards debate and pronouncements, groupings not derived from administration but from the nature of governance.
Board policies fall into four categories, as constructed by the Policy Governance model.
* Ends: The organizations swap with the world. What human needs are to be met, for whom, and at what cost or relative worth. Its important that no means be included in this category.
* Executive Limitations: Boundaries that limit the choice of staff means, normally for reasons of prudence and ethics. While means includes practices, activities, circumstances and methods, the most comprehensive definition for means is simply non-ends.
* Board-Management Delegation: The manner in which authority is passed to the executive or staff component of the organization and the way in which performance using that authority is reported and assessed.
* Governance Process: The manner in which the board represents the ownership, disciplines its own activities, and carries out its own work of leadership.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/boards.html)
******************
MANAGEMENT: 6 STRATEGIC PLANNING PITFALLS TO AVOID
Strategic plans can fail for a number of reasons including exceedingly high expectations, diminished commitment or a lack of resources to meet the stated goal. The Complete Guide to Nonprofit Management, Second Edition, by Smith Bucklin & Associates, Inc., details a number of pitfalls to avoid when considering your strategic plan.
* Are all of your ideas and the wish lists of the contributors included in the document? The real focus can become blurred when too many ideas are presented.
* Does your wish list fail to recognize what is occurring in the real world? Does it fail to perceive the changes in environment and/or organization since the organization was chartered?
* Your strategic plan has not been tested against the current and anticipated resources (human and fiscal) of the organization.
* Your executive director, elected leaders, and/or staff lack commitment to the plan.
* No operational plan has been developed for the strategic plan. There is no carry-through on the plan.
* There are no mechanisms in place to gain commitment and continue the strategic plan following a change in leadership. Once again, this leads to carry-through failure for the plan.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/management.html)
******************
FINANCE: SHOULD YOU RENT OR OWN YOUR OFFICES?
Among the many dazzling and baffling decisions nonprofits have to make, some are faced with the decision of whether to rent or buy the property in which their headquarters is located.
Many factors can come into play for an organization making a lease-or-own decision, and not all of these factors are fixed or unchangeable. In fact, many factors exist in such a state of flux that making forecasts can be frustrating as well as risky.
Nevertheless, there are several important factors that an organization pondering the choice will need to keep in mind:
* Cash on hand in excess of the purchase amount of a property is, of course, a good thing. It can influence the decision, but in some cases it may make sense to take advantage of an opportunity, such as a donation or a property going at a bargain price.
* There are government programs that make low-interest purchases available to nonprofits. This may actually be more of a factor for what to purchase rather than whether to purchase.
* Availability is more of a driving force than anything else in a decision to buy. This is usually reflected in the tightness or softness of the market. In a tight market there may be more rentals available than purchase property.
* Renting can help provide a cash reserve that is available in time of emergency.
* Nonprofits need to ask themselves what the long-terms cost of occupancy will be. This includes costs, services and revenues.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/finance.html)
******************
MANAGEMENT: 10 BASICS TO TRAITS YOU CAN’T IGNORE
In an age of complexity and multitasking, any nonprofit executive can be caught up in a maze of duties, some of which may have been anticipated but have become more complicated and some that were never anticipated.
Similarly, the skills expected of a nonprofit executive are wide-ranging, sometimes being used in unanticipated ways, and sometimes executive need to utilize skills they never knew they had, or would need, for their work.
In his book The Nonprofit Chief Executive's Ten Basic Responsibilities, Richard L. Moyers reminds nonprofit executives of the basics about their positions, basics that can often be pushed to the back burner, or pushed off the stove entirely.
They are:
* Commit to the mission. This also means knowing all about it.
* Lead the staff and manage the organization. The core of the job.
* Exercise responsible financial stewardship. From day to day, from month to month.
* Lead and manage fundraising. This can be an anxiety-producing part of the job, but it is necessary.
* Follow the highest ethical standards, ensure accountability and comply with the law. This means more than not doing what is unlawful.
* Engage the board in planning and lead implementation.
Solid planning is essential for the future.
* Develop future leadership. Both within the board and staff.
* Build external relationships and serve as an advocate.
The chief executive is the public face of a nonprofit.
* Ensure the quality and effectiveness of programs. Staff and advisers may be need to help with this.
* Support the board.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/management.html)
******************
TECHNOLOGY: MAKING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR YOU
New information technology is changing the way nonprofits operate. Much of the technology can seem overwhelming to staff and volunteers, but organizations need to set realistic goals in how each is going to equip itself and utilize technology to achieve its goals.
The Complete Guide to Nonprofit Management, Second Edition, by Smith Bucklin & Associates, Inc., states that the evaluation of how well your technology system is working is simple. Simply ask yourself, is it meeting the needs for which it was intended?
* Begin with a carefully conceived strategic and operational plans. Consult with both staff and outside experts. Be clear, yet flexible, to accommodate changing technology. Move consistently into the future without extreme leaps forward. Have goals and timelines in place with demonstrated milestones. Be prepared to change as different systems become available.
* Start with the simplest system that will meet your needs and then build on it. It will eventually become more complex but as it grows, your users and staff will grow along with it. Training and professional development of staff and hardware and software additions and upgrades are very important to the overall care of your system.
* Make intelligent use of technologies including voice mail, email and Web sites. All organizations should have some type of Web presence. Consult outside experts and consider the use of an Internet Service Provider to manage the technical requirements of your site.
* Enjoy the new technology. With increased efficiency and productivity take time to enjoy the labor saved, the increase in output, and the added creative possibilities. Give your staff freedom to explore new ways of doing business.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/technology.html)
******************
NEWS
May 10, 2006
UTA: IF ONE FLAG GOES, THEY ALL GO
Arlington: Threat to funds may have led to removal of display amid Vietnam banner uproar
By Toya Lynn Stewart
The Dallas Morning News
Pressure from state lawmakers to withhold future funding may have contributed to the decision to remove 123 international flags on display at the University of Texas at Arlington.
The flags were taken down Tuesday night after more than a month of heated debate and protests over the addition of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam flag during international week in April.
Thousands of Vietnamese-American students and community members rallied to have the post-war flag removed. They called on lawmakers to help.
UTA President Jim Spaniolo said last month that Vietnam's official flag was about students, not politics, and that it would remain in the Hall of Flags along with the flag of the Republic of South Vietnam, now known as the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag.
But this week, a discussion came up about a bill in the House that gives money to public universities for capital improvements and includes $70 million for a new engineering research building at UTA.
"There was the prospect that an amendment would be offered to make the funding on the tuition revenue bond conditional on removing the flag," state Rep. Toby Goodman, R-Arlington, said Wednesday. "I would have had to defend funding or go against the Vietnamese-American community."
Adding the post-war flag "became a political issue that could damage the university financially," Mr. Goodman said.
Mr. Goodman, who attended a student-led candlelight vigil and watched a rally protesting the flag, said he also talked to UT System Chancellor Mark Yudof.
"It's a horrible place to be ... a no-win deal," Mr. Goodman said.
Though the bill was not a part of the agenda for the special session and could not be considered, Mr. Spaniolo made the decision to remove the flags Tuesday.
"We were never asked to remove all of the flags," said Bob Wright, director of public affairs at UTA. "We felt that if we removed one, we had to remove them all."
Mr. Spaniolo said he opted not to disclose details from his conversations with lawmakers about the flag, saying that he has a policy of keeping private conversations private.
"Legislators were candid with me, and I appreciated their advice," he said.
In a statement released Wednesday, Mr. Spaniolo said, "A cooling off period is needed for thoughtful reflection."
UTA will establish a student committee in the fall to find another way to recognize and celebrate its student diversity. The flags remain in storage until the university figures out what to do with them, Mr. Wright said.
"Our ultimate goal remains fostering a strong sense of community among all our students, including all our international students," Mr. Spaniolo's statement read. "We must never forget that a public university is a special institution that respects all individuals and embraces diversity."
Tuesday's decision drew mixed responses.
Duc Tran, 21, a Vietnamese-American student at UTA, said he thinks it's irresponsible to take down all of the flags.
"For us, we only fight to remove the communist flag," said Mr. Tran, a junior. "It's like a blame on us because they removed all of the flags."
He said he and his peers are relieved but feel pressure because the international students might blame them because theirs was removed, too.
Another Vietnamese-American student, Kelly Dinh, never expected the university to take down all the flags.
"I was very disappointed," said Ms. Dinh, 22. "The American flag and Texas flag are down, too. We're Americans, and we're Texans.
"He made a mistake in the beginning to bring the flag up, and now he made another mistake to bring them all down," she added. "It's really a mess."
Hung Cao, 25, an international student from Vietnam, says he too fears all Vietnamese students will share the blame.
"I'm sad about that because they had to remove all of the flags of all international countries," said Mr. Cao, who has been at UTA since the fall and is working on a master's degree. "Maybe they blame us and think it's our fault because of our convictions."
"It's a sensitive issue," he said, adding that perhaps UTA should have removed just the post-war flag. "Before the hall was colorful. Now it's not."
Bloggers also weighed in, criticizing the university's decision to remove all of the flags.
UTA alumus Tom Ha appreciates the removal of the flag that he said offended and hurt Vietnamese-Americans. Its presence and the university's decision to hang it caused psychological damage, he said.
"It's like if someone hit me in the face with a 3-by-4, and they keep hitting me. I'm hurt, but even if they stop, I'm still hurt," he said. "We're distressed and distraught."
"It has turned our lives upside down," Mr. Ha said. "It created animosity among international students. They're blaming Vietnamese-American students."
Mr. Spaniolo's statement did little to help the situation, he said.
"There's no healing in that statement," he added.
UTA officials estimate that about 2,000 Vietnamese-American students are enrolled at the campus. About two dozen students are from Vietnam.
State Rep. Hubert Vo, D-Houston, said he was thankful that the university reconsidered its position and removed the flag.
He wrote a letter to UTA officials after the post-war flag was raised and urged them to take it down. Eighteen other lawmakers supported his letter.
"My intent was not that they remove all of the flags," Mr. Vo said. "I know it's a tough decision for them. The community is very grateful."
The tradition of hanging flags representing international students in the College of Engineering began in 1989, Mr. Wright said.
E-mail tstewart@dallasnews.com
Statement from UTA president Jim Spaniolo’s statement
(http://www.uta.edu/public-affairs/statements/vietnamese_flag.html)
(http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/0511dnutaflags.2b82f96c.html)
******************
May 15, 2006
MORE ASIAN IMMIGRANTS BECOME U.S. CITIZENS
By Gannett News Service
WASHINGTON — While a raucous public debate swirls around the estimated 12 million, largely Hispanic, illegal immigrants living in the United States, little attention is paid to the nearly equal number of foreign-born residents who are naturalized U.S. citizens.
These new citizens come mainly from Asia. A smaller percentage of Latinos go through the naturalization process.
Forty-one percent of the 537,151 new Americans in 2004 — 218,874 — were from Asian countries, according to the federal Office of Immigration Statistics. And while Mexico tops the list of home countries of new U.S. citizens that year, the next five home countries are in Asia: India, Philippines, Vietnam, China and Korea. The same trends hold true over the five-year period ending in 2004.
Compare that with the makeup of the illegal immigrants in the United States in 2005, according to the Pew Hispanic Center: 56 percent were Mexican, another 22 percent were from the rest of Latin America, while 13 percent were from Asia.
“The question isn’t so much why it is that Asians naturalize at a higher rate,” said Bill Ong Hing, professor of law and Asian American studies at University of California, Davis. “It’s why Latinos and Mexicans don’t naturalize at higher rates.”
Hing and others who work with and study immigrants give lots of reasons for more Asians and fewer Latinos becoming citizens:
— Cultural differences lead Asians to place more value on U.S. citizenship.
— Hispanics have a harder time with the immigration system because many have less education and come into the country illegally.
— The long distance from Asia drives a stronger desire to break ties with the home country, while the closeness of Mexico has the opposite effect.
Like many new citizens, several intertwining reasons put Mohammed Ibrahim, an Iraqi Kurd, on the path to taking the oath of U.S. citizenship on Friday in a Nashville, Tenn., federal courtroom.
“One of them was when I applied for citizenship, there was no hope to go back to Iraq,” Ibrahim, 57, said of his war-ravaged country. “The second thing is to be able to benefit (by) being (a) citizen of one of the greatest countries of the world.”
When Ibrahim left Sulemany in northern Iraq with his wife and three children in 1996, Saddam Hussein’s regime was targeting Kurds like Ibrahim, an engineer, who were helping to rebuild the northern province.
Originally settled in Buffalo, N.Y., Ibrahim moved his family to Nashville, where the large Kurdish community includes several of his friends.
Now, with Hussein out of the picture, Ibrahim has another reason for seeking U.S. citizenship: Only Kurds who have become U.S. citizens are able to return and help with the reconstruction of Iraq.
Hing believes Asian culture drives more immigrants from that part of the world to become U.S. citizens.
“It became a tradition. It was a habit. It was something you did as an Asian immigrant,” said Hing, who is Chinese-American.
Mexicans, Hing said, can more easily move back and forth between their home and the United States and that makes them less likely to go through the naturalization process. “It was no big deal for them coming back and forth,” Hing said. “It was not part of their psyche to become naturalized.”
Distance from home and the likelihood of returning there is a factor driving which immigrants go on to become U.S. citizens, said Jeffrey Passel, senior research associate at the Pew Hispanic Center, which studies immigration.
The fact that many Mexicans come into the country illegally also makes it more difficult for them to go through the naturalization process, said Passel. A person must be a legal resident for five years before applying for citizenship.
David Lubell, state director for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, doesn’t buy the cultural difference argument. “If there was an Asian country nearby (the United States), you’d have the same thing,” Lubell said. He blames the immigration system and the fact that low-skilled workers have less access to visas, which would put them in the country legally and on the path toward citizenship.
Mabel Arroyo, an immigration attorney in Nashville who works mostly with Hispanic clients, said she finds learning English is often a barrier. “They don’t know the language and they don’t have a lot of interest in learning the language.”
Also, she said, some Mexicans have a gut aversion to becoming U.S. citizens because they think they would be renouncing their home country, what they call “piso la bandera” which means “I step on my flag.”
Whatever reticence Mexicans and other Hispanics may have about becoming U.S. citizens is likely to change, Hing and Passel said.
The anger flowing from many of the immigration protests will lead more to seek citizenship, the two experts believe, so they can exercise what the citizenship test calls an important American right: the right to vote.
BY STATE
States with the highest number of immigrants who became new citizens in 2004:
1. California, 145,593
2. New York, 66,234
3. Florida, 43,795
4. Texas, 35,417
5. New Jersey, 30,291
6. Illinois, 29,432
7. Massachusetts, 16,263
8. Michigan, 14,615
9. Virginia, 13,478
10. Washington, 12,668
(http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2006/05/12/news/nation_world/doc44641120dcc76531587557.txt)
******************
May 16, 2006
Mike Bergman
Public Information Office
(301) 763-3030/457-3670 (fax)
(301) 457-1037 (TDD)
e-mail: <pio@census.gov>
REVENUES FOR ASIAN-OWNED FIRMS SURPASS $326 BILLION, NUMBER OF BUSINESSES UP 24 PERCENT
The number of Asian-owned businesses grew 24 percent between 1997 and 2002, approximately twice the national average for all businesses. The 1.1 million businesses generated more than $326 billion in revenues, up 8 percent from 1997. This is according to a new report, Survey of Business Owners: Asian-Owned Firms: 2002 [PDF], released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
“The robust revenues of Asian-owned firms and the growth in the number of businesses provide yet another indicator that minority entrepreneurs are at the forefront as engines for growth in our economy,” said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon.
Nearly half (47 percent) of all Asian-owned firms were Chinese-owned (290,197) and Asian Indian-owned (231,179). Korean-owned firms were the third largest at 158,031, followed by Vietnamese- (147,081), Filipino- (128,223) and Japanese-owned firms (86,863).
Almost 1-in-3 of all Asian-owned firms had paid employees. These 319,300 businesses employed more than 2.2 million people and generated revenues of nearly $291 billion.
Other highlights:
* In 2002, slightly more than 3-in-10 Asian-owned firms operated in professional, scientific and technical services as well as other services such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. These firms accounted for 6 percent of all such businesses in the United States.
* Wholesale and retail trade accounted for 47 percent of all Asian-owned business revenue.
* There were 49,578 Asian-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more. These firms accounted for 4.5 percent of the total number of Asian-owned firms and nearly 68 percent of their total receipts.
* There were 1,863 Asian-owned firms with 100 employees or more, generating nearly $52 billion in gross receipts (18 percent of the total revenue for Asian-owned employer firms).
* California and New York accounted for 59 percent (170,547) of all Chinese-owned firms, 37 percent (86,494) of all Asian Indian-owned firms and 46 percent (73,466) of all Korean-owned firms.
* California and Texas accounted for 51 percent (74,634) of all Vietnamese- owned firms.
* California and Hawaii accounted for 54 percent (69,061) of all Filipino- owned firms and 65 percent (56,490) of all Japanese-owned firms.
* Forty-nine percent (35,224) of all other Asian-owned firms were located in California, New York and Texas.
* Los Angeles County, by far, had the largest number of Asian-owned firms in 2002 with 140,411 or 13 percent of all Asian businesses. These businesses generated $52.5 billion in receipts. Queens County, N.Y., was second (48,241), followed by Orange County, Calif., (46,015) and Honolulu County, Hawaii (35,376).
States With the Largest Number of Asian-Owned Firms: 2002
State - Firms (number) - Percent of total - Receipts (billion dollars) - Percent of total
California 371,415 - 33.6 - 125.6 - 38.5
New York 145,519 - 13.2 - 30.4 - 9.3
Texas 77,980 - 7.1 - 20.6 - 6.3
New Jersey 51,948 - 4.7 - 18.5 - 5.7
Hawaii 44,969 - 4.1 - 12.6 - 3.9
Illinois 44,480 - 4.0 - 14.6 4.5
Florida 41,278 - 3.7 - 11.2 3.4
Counties With the Largest Number of Asian-Owned Firms: 2002
County Firms (number) - Receipts (billion dollars)
Los Angeles County, Calif. 140,411 - 52.5
Queens County, N.Y. 48,241 - 5.5
Orange County, Calif. 46,015 - 11.3
Honolulu County, Hawaii 35,376 - 9.8
Cities With the Largest Number of Asian-Owned Firms: 2002
City Firms (number) - Receipts (billion dollars)
New York, N.Y. 112,853 - 22.0
Los Angeles, Calif. 47,714 - 19.5
Honolulu, Hawaii 22,394 - 7.1
San Francisco, Calif. 19,639 - 5.4
San Jose, Calif. 16,233 - 6.1
Houston, Texas 15,966 - 5.5
Asian Ownership of Firms by Detailed Group: 2002
Group - Firms (number) - Percent of total - Receipts (billions of dollars) - Percent of total
Asian-owned firms 1,104,189 - (X) - 326.4 - (X)
Chinese 290,197 - 26.3 - 106.3 - 32.6
Asian Indian 231,179 - 20.9 - 89.0 - 27.3
Korean 158,031 - 14.3 - 46.9 - 14.4
Vietnamese 147,081 - 13.3 - 15.7 - 4.8
Filipino 128,223 - 11.6 - 14.6 - 4.5
Japanese 86,863 - 7.9 - 30.6 - 9.4
Other Asian 71,439 - 6.5 - 20.3 - 6.2
The 2002 Survey of Business Owners (SBO) defines Asian-owned businesses as firms in which Asians own 51 percent or more of the stock or equity of the business. Separate reports on additional minority-owned firms, including a new report on businesses owned by native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders (previously included in the report on Asians), will be issued over the next two months.
The SBO is part of the 2002 Economic Census and combines survey data from a sample of more than 2.4 million businesses with administrative data.
Data for 2002 are not directly comparable to previous survey years because of several significant changes to the survey methodology. See “Comparability of 2002 and 1997 SBO Data” at <http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/text/sbo/sbomethodology.htm#comparability>.
The data collected in a sample survey are subject to sampling variability as well as nonsampling errors. Sources of nonsampling errors include errors of response, nonreporting and coverage.
-X-
(http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/006814.html)
******************
May 16, 2006
U.S. TRADE DEAL KEY TO GET WTO STATUS
Vietnam and the United States plan to sign a trade pact to reduce tariffs and normalize trade between the two former war enemies.
BY Foster Klug
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - When the trade agreement between the United States and Vietnam is signed, possibly next month, both sides expect to gain.
U.S. businesses will have more access to one of Asia's fastest growing markets, while Vietnam will take a major step toward realizing its long-held ambition of joining the World Trade Organization.
The economic agreement between the former war enemies, which officials hope to sign in June, is one of the final hurdles that Vietnam must clear to join the Geneva-based global commerce body.
U.S. officials believe the deal knocks down further trade barriers with a country whose two-way trade with the United States has grown to more than $7.8 billion, an increase of more than 400 percent since 2001.
''The road to normalization between the United States and Vietnam is almost complete,'' Sen. Max Baucus said Sunday. ``Today's agreement will further open Vietnam to U.S. products.''
Trade representatives hope to officially sign the agreement in early June when U.S. Trade Representative-designate Susan Schwab attends an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting of trade ministers in Ho Chi Minh City. They are required to complete legal consultations before officially completing the deal.
Vietnam wants to join the world trade body before hosting a November APEC summit in Hanoi that President Bush is expected to attend.
Before the communist-led country can achieve its goal, Congress must vote to formally restore permanent normal trade relations with Vietnam. Baucus said he hopes that process will be finished before Congress breaks in August, although some lawmakers have previously expressed misgivings over Vietnam's alleged abuse of its citizens' rights.
The agreement announced over the weekend calls for 94 percent of Vietnam's manufactured imports from the United States to face duties of 15 percent or less. Officials also negotiated duties of between zero and 5 percent for construction equipment, pharmaceuticals and aircraft.
The agreement also lowers tariffs on U.S. farm goods and opens key Vietnamese sectors to foreign companies, including telecom distribution and financial and energy services.
Officials say they have also settled the thorny issue of Vietnam's protection of its garment and textile industry: Vietnam has committed to abolish domestic textile subsidies banned by the WTO; U.S. quotas on Vietnamese textiles would also disappear when Vietnam joins the WTO.
(http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/international/14587542.htm)
******************
May 17, 2006
Asian vote a hot commodity
IT MAY BE A PIVOTAL BLOC
By Kate Folmar
Mercury News Sacramento Bureau
Over General Tso's chicken and pot stickers in a Mountain View community center last week, Anita Yu told several Asian-language journalists about her husband, Democratic Controller Steve Westly, and his commitment to public education and business opportunities.
Democratic Treasurer Phil Angelides spent part of a recent Saturday chatting up merchants in San Francisco's Chinatown with supervisor and Assembly candidate Fiona Ma.
In a Democratic primary that could be decided by a slender margin, the leading candidates are openly wooing what could be a pivotal voting bloc come June 6 -- Asian-Americans, who make up as much as 10 percent of the electorate. The outreach offensive is indicative of the efforts Westly and Angelides -- and their families -- are making to gain support, cash and endorsements from Californians of Asian descent.
A Hong Kong native, Yu now stars in Cantonese and Mandarin television ads for Westly that made their debut last week. She and her husband plan to campaign this weekend in Los Angeles' Koreatown. The Westly campaign, which touts diversity at every turn, has also launched what may be the first Chinese-language Web page from a California gubernatorial candidate.
Angelides sought support from Silicon Valley Asian-Americans during a March event hosted by Rep. Mike Honda, D-Campbell, who has endorsed him. At the end of the Harvard school year, Angelides' Mandarin-speaking daughter, Christina, is set to offer interviews to Chinese media about her father's run for governor. His campaign may well launch ads in Asian languages, too.
``In what is being perceived as a relatively close race, every vote can count, every dollar raised can be used and every endorsement can be used,'' said Professor Don T. Nakanishi, who heads UCLA's Asian American Studies Center. ``To that extent, what all the candidates for governor are doing is a continuation of a pattern we've seen for the last 15 or 20 years of reaching out to Asian-Americans for their votes and their money.''
No official statistics are kept on Asian-American voters by California's secretary of state (who, incidentally, recently sent out a press release specifically encouraging them to register and vote). Exit polls suggest that Asian-Americans constitute 8 to 10 percent of the electorate in California -- and growing. Asian-Americans tend to vote for Democrats more often than Republicans, but that often varies by ethnic group.
Longtime political observer Tony Quinn sees the courting of Asian-Americans as part of a long political tradition, especially in the Democratic Party, which built strength through outreach to Irish, Italians, blacks and Latinos.
Seeking out ethnic voters ``is as old as the republic,'' said Quinn, who co-edits the non-partisan California Target Book analyzing state races. ``It's beneficial, sure, but it's much harder to do with Asians in California, because there's not one language or one demographic group.''
An April poll by the non-partisan political organization PowerPAC.org showed that Asian-American voters would favor either Westly or Angelides over Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger if the election were held today. In the primary race, 16 percent of Asian-American voters surveyed preferred Westly and 7 percent favored Angelides, with nearly three-quarters undecided.
So far, Westly's push has been the most aggressive and, perhaps, natural -- stemming from his roots in Silicon Valley, the diverse tech industry and his biracial marriage.
``Asian-Americans are the second-fastest-growing population in California, and they're also the second-fastest-growing voter bloc'' behind Latinos, said Garry South, Westly's senior strategist. In 2002, when South worked for former Gov. Gray Davis, Davis became the first candidate for California governor to run TV ads in Asian languages. Targeting them ``is smart strategy.''
Westly's campaign manager is Burmese-Chinese and his pollster is of Chinese descent. He has had several fundraising events targeting Asian- and Indo-Americans resulting in a donor list replete with Lees, Hasans and Godhwanis. And his supporters speak glowingly of how Westly fought for the national Democratic Party to pay more attention to Filipino-Americans and championed a bill to reflect the contributions of Asian-Americans in World War II.
``I don't think you can be in California and not take in the multicultural-ness of all of California,'' said Anita Yu, a native Cantonese speaker who moved to the San Diego area when she was 9.
Angelides is also aware of California's demographic shifts and may run ads in Asian languages, said senior campaign adviser Bob Mulholland.
As chair of the California Democratic Party in the early 1990s, Angelides helped with the party's first statewide voter guide directed at Asian-Americans. When President Clinton met with Vietnamese-Americans in Orange County, Angelides helped arrange it.
Mulholland says he believes that Democrats have a chance to make even bigger inroads with Asian-Americans now, because some immigrant groups are riled about federal legislation, pushed by some Republicans, that would make illegal immigration a felony. He views Asian-Americans as a ``key constituency'' for Democrats.
``This is a state that is a quilt of voters, and you have to pay attention to every part of the quilt if you're going to win an election,'' Mulholland said. ``It's good for Democrats that Republicans tend to stay put in one part of the quilt.''
Schwarzenegger's campaign would beg to differ.
Because the Democrats are snarled in a tight primary contest, their efforts are more noticeable right now. But Schwarzenegger's campaign has been laying groundwork behind the scenes to pursue Asian-American voters as well.
Last week, the governor's re-election campaign quietly launched its own Chinese-language Web page. Schwarzenegger recently visited the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, formerly known as the Chinese Six Companies -- one of the oldest and most influential Chinese-American political and social organizations in the state.
Tuesday, his campaign announced a coalition of about 50 Asian-Americans supporting his re-election, including former state Treasurer Matt Fong and Assemblyman Van Tran, R-Costa Mesa, the first Vietnamese-American elected to the Legislature.
In office, the governor has undertaken trade missions to Japan and China.
Most political observers see few downsides in courting Asian-American support, but they warn that political messages that work in English may not translate to other languages. It's crucial, they say, to have native speakers helping to develop and vet non-English ads.
``This race could come down to several thousand votes here and there,'' said veteran Democratic strategist Kam Kuwata. ``When you have the wherewithal to do something extra, that could push you over the top.''
Contact Kate Folmar at kfolmar@mercurynews.com or (916) 441-4602, and read her blog at www.mercextra.com/politics.
(http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/nation/14599219.htm)
Back To Top 