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About NCVA
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum – by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil liberties.


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NCVA eREPORTER - March 14, 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

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 EVENTS

DOONENICETHING.COM OPERATION FEEL BETTER

Dear Friends,

This Sunday DoOneNiceThing.com will be launching OPERATION FEEL BETTER. We will ask people to make get well cards for seriously ill children. Then we'll collect and send the cards to hospitals. We're also going to scan and display the cards on our site. It will be fun to view them, and also it will encourage more people to participate when they see what others created.

Will you please help me kick off this project? Please take 5 minutes and make a get well card for a sick child. You can do it! Get in touch with your inner-child and draw something happy! Send it to me at:

Operation Feel Better
Do One Nice Thing
149 S. Barrington Ave. #279
Los Angeles, CA  90049-3310

Some of you work with children and other groups who could make cards as a group project. If you know other people who might like to participate, please feel free to forward this email or your Sunday DoOneNiceThing email.

Thank you! 

Warm wishes,

Debbie Tenzer
Founder, DoOneNiceThing.com
dtenzer@DoOneNiceThing.com

(www.DoOneNiceThing.com)

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“ENVISION YOUR SUCCESS”
2006 Career and Entrepreneurship Expo

Date:  Saturday, March 18, 2006
Time:  9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location:  Fairfax County Government Center, Fairfax, Virginia
Theme:  “Building a Market for Career and Business Growth”

Highlights of the 2005 Expo:
* More than 1,000 job seekers and prospective entrepreneurs attended workshops and informal counseling sessions; visited more than 40 major area employers and service provider exhibits; and toured a model SkillSource Center.

* The event featured an Employer Networking Breakfast and Business Partnership Awards, led by Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Gerald Connolly.

* The Expo was widely covered in the ethnic media, and shown in a prime-time news feature on two national television stations.

Goals of the 2006 Expo:
* Equip job seekers and career changers with information, tools, resources, and strategies for achieving long-term success in high-growth industries;

* Engage major employers as industry experts to educate career seekers on demand skill sets and career paths, and connect these industry leaders to qualified candidates; and

* Connect prospective entrepreneurs with regional economic development service providers and resources they can use to start or expand their business.

2006 Expo Organizers:
* Fairfax County SkillSource Centers
* Center for Business Planning and Development

Contact:
James Do, Business Services Manager
Phone: (703)533-5471 E-mail: james.do@fairfaxcounty.gov

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the closing night screening of

JOURNEY FROM THE FALL

at the 24th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival

Thursday, March 23, 2006
7:00 PM
Palace of Fine Arts
(http://www.tickets.com/venue_info.cgi?vid=81)

Credits
Director: Ham Tran (http://www.nhamagazine.com/arts_ham_tran_p1.htm)
Producer: Lam Nguyen -  Kieu Chinh
Writer: Ham Tran

Cast:
Kieu Chinh, Long Nguyen, Diem Lien, Nguyen Thai Nguyen

San Francisco Premiere
USA/Thailand 2005 | 134 mins | Color 35mm | English, Vietnamese w/E.S.

In Person: Director Ham Tran, actors Kieu Chinh & Long Nguyen

Synopsis
The first major American film to dramatize the traumatic aftermath of the Vietnam War from a Vietnamese perspective, Ham Tran's impressive feature-length debut delves into the stories of those left behind after the fall of Saigon.

For tickets and more information about the film and festival, click here.
(http://www.asianamericanfilmfestival.org/films/film_detail.php?i=61)

(http://www.journeyfromthefall.com)

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Korean American Coalition (KAC) presents

9TH ANNUAL NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2006, “CATALYSTS FOR A COMMUNITY IN MOTION”

The 9th Annual Korean American Coalition National Leadership Conference is in Orange County, California on March 30-April 2, 2006.  This year's conference promises to be our most rewarding and informative one yet! Korean American community members from all over the country will come together to develop their leadership skills in organizing and maintaining community-based outreach organizations.

When & Where?
*         March 30 (Thur) - April 2 (Sun), 2006
*         Hyatt Regency Orange County, Garden Grove, California (www.orangecounty.hyatt.com)

Why?
*         To increase understanding of the unique circumstances of non-profit organizations

*         To develop skills for helping non-profit organizations to be more strategic in their day-to-day operations and in  
*         their thinking
*         To explore fundraise opportunities - How to write grant proposals, sponsorship packets, etc.
*         To learn how to successfully apply for 501 (c) 3 status
*         To strengthen communication and network between non-profit organizations in the Korean American community

*         To use KAC's successful history as a model to discuss about issues in managing non-profit organizations
*         To provide leadership training specifically designed for college students

Who Should Attend?
*         Interested in getting involved with KAC, or is currently a member
*         Currently working in the non-profit sector or is serving as a board member/ member of non-profit organization
*         Interested in getting involved in the non-profit sector
*         Community relations officers of corporate and Government entities reaching out to the Korean American community
*         Looking to network with other Korean American community leaders
*         College students currently involved in a community service organization or is looking to start a campus organization

What is KAC?
Established in 1983, Korean American Coalition (KAC) is a nonprofit community based organization dedicated to facilitating full participation of Korean Americans in the civic, legislative, and community affairs of American society.  Headquartered in Los Angeles, KAC maintains chapter offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, and Washington, D.C. And 17 chapters and affiliates nationwide.

Please Join Us!

The 2006 KAC 9th Annual Leadership Conference provides an unequaled opportunity to learn about how to become effective leaders in the community.  You will be introduced to important issues facing the Korean American community and its non-profit sector, and meet other leaders like you.  We would like very much to count you among the conference participants and we encourage you to register NOW and make plans to join us in Orange County in March.

VISIT www.kacnational.org/nlc.html to register TODAY or send us a request for a registration brochure!

Contact Us
KAC-Orange County Chapter @ 714-590-6123  or kac_oc@yahoo.com
National Headquarters  @ 213-385-KACN (5226) or kacnational@gmail.com

EDUCATE, ORGANIZE, EMPOWER

KOREAN AMERICAN COALITION, WASHINGTON DC AREA CHAPTER
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 730, Washington, DC 20036 | o. 202.296.9560 | f. 202.296.9568

(http://www.kacdc.org)

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FOR RELEASE APRIL 1, 2006

Contact:

Sandra Duncan
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
408-621-1101, pr@sjquiltmuseum.org

Mai Bui
Chair, Association for Viet Arts
650-868-6158, mai@vietarts.org

MUSEUM OF QUILTS & TEXTILES PARTNERS WITH ASSOCIATION FOR VIET ARTS TO PRESENT AO DAI: A MODERN DESIGN COMING OF AGE

SAN JOSE, Calif., January 30, 2006 - In the first exhibition of its kind in North America, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, in partnership with the Association for Viet Arts is pleased to present the upcoming exhibition, Ao Dai: A Modern Design Coming of Age. The ao dai (pronounced 'ow yie' in the south, but 'ow zie' in the north) is a versatile garment of ancient Vietnamese origin known for its unique beauty and grace. Considered a cultural symbol of Viet Nam, the ao dai is worn by women and men as a fitted tunic-style gown worn over long, loose-fitting pants. The exhibition opens April 18, 2006 and features the largest survey of historical and contemporary ao dai pieces, many never before seen in Viet Nam or the United States, from international designers, collectors and a royal restorer.

Ao Dai: A Modern Design Coming of Age is co-curated by Caroline Kieu Linh Valverde, Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California at Davis, and Robin Treen, Chief Curator, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. The exhibition will be on view through July 9, 2006.

“Aside from the striking beauty of the ao dai presented in this exhibit, each piece tells a story that allows us to connect with the Vietnamese culture while learning of the magnificent ways in which it has evolved and transformed in Viet Nam and overseas,” said Valverde.

“Through the pieces in this exhibition you can trace the evolution of, and participation in, cultural expressions of identity brought upon the ao dai revival of the last two decades by communities displaced by war and economic reconstruction, as well as the reinvention of culture by post-war generations,” added Treen.

In recent years, the contemporary ao dai has made its mainstream debut on Hollywood celebrities as well as on the haute couture runways of Paris from top fashion designers including Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Claude Montana and Richard Tyler. Though originating in the mid 18th century as the national dress for both genders, the modern ao dai form only emerged in the 1930s. The exhibition takes the viewer on an journey through the past and present and combines traditional techniques with new global influences that embody both functional and artistic designs, representing the innovative spirit of Viet Nam’s ao dai tradition. The exhibition features the work of: prominent Vietnamese ao dai designer, Minh Hanh; fashion designer Le Minh Khoa; Si Hoang, an artist and educator turned ao dai designer; Le Phuong Thao, a Vietnamese-American designer who combines traditional and modern techniques; and Trinh Bach, a collector and restorer of royal ao dai from the 19th and 20th centuries.

In conjunction with the exhibition the museum will host several monthly educational lectures and children’s workshops looking at the culture, design and influence of this art form. Professor Caroline Kieu Linh Valverde will host a program on the history of ao dai, its re-emergence as a national dress, and its design influences outside of Viet Nam.  A lecture with Professor Susan B. Kaiser will cover textiles, design, fashion, and its influence on society. And designer Monica Tran will discuss the fashion industry and how she incorporated ao dai into her designs for mainstream consumption. Three programs for children are also scheduled, presenting ao dai as both an art-making opportunity, and a form of individual expression. For program dates and times visit www.sjquiltmuseum.org or call 408-971-0323.

Association for Viet Arts
Founded in 1991, the Association for Viet Arts (AVA) is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary arts organization serving San Jose and the Bay Area.  AVA’s goals are to provide opportunities for Vietnamese American artists to present their work, open dialogues for cultural understanding, bridge Vietnamese and American cultures, and the sustain the arts through arts education for youth in the community. For more information call 650 868 6158 or visit www.vietarts.org

San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
Founded in 1977, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles is the oldest museum of its kind in the United States and in 2005 became one of the top 10 attractions in San Jose. Museum and Museum Store hours are: 10:00am-5:00pm Tuesday through Sunday; open until 8:00pm Thursdays; closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $5 general; $4 students and seniors; and free to museum members and children under 13. Admission is free on the first Thursday of each month. The San José Museum of Quilts & Textiles is located at 520 South First Street in downtown San Jose. For more information, call 408-971-0323 or visit www.sjquiltmuseum.org.

###
This exhibition and associated programming is supported, in part, by "Advancing the Arts Initiative," an initiative of Community Foundation Silicon Valley, funded by the James Irvine Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; by a grant from Arts Council Silicon Valley, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the California Arts Council; the City of San Jose; the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; and the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association.

(http://www.vietarts.org)

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ASPIRE 2006 ASIAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

ASPIRE is pleased to present our 2006 Asian American Women In Leadership (AAWIL) Conference on April 29, 2006 at Simmons College.

We look forward to an inspiring day of celebrating and promoting professional and community leadership among Asian American girls and women. At AAWIL, conference participants and prominent speakers will convene to discuss pertinent aspects of modern leadership. These include: essential highlights of effective leadership, ways to develop a powerful and personal leadership style, and innovative approaches to developing leadership skills.

If you have any questions please email Olive and Emilie at conference@girlsaspire.org.

(http://www.girlsaspire.org)

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FILIPINOS FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION – “ADVANCING SOCIAL JUSTICE: HONORING OUR PAST, BUILDING OUR FUTURE”

Filipinos For Affirmative Action (FAA) presents "Advancing Social Justice: Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future," a one-day conference to commemorate and build on the 100-year anniversary of formal Filipino immigration to the United States.   2006 is a special year for Filipinos in the U.S. It marks the centennial anniversary of formal Filipino migration to this country, when in 1906, the first of tens of thousands of migrants came to what was then the U.S. territory of Hawai’i to work on sugar cane plantations. On the occasion of this centennial, Filipinos for Affirmative Action, a 31 year-old community based organization, will gather the Filipino community to reflect on the issues affecting the community that we have built here in the Bay Area, the health of the institutions that make up the infrastructure of the community, and use this occasion to celebrate, assess and promote the health and well-being of our community.

Workshop topics include: Youth, Low-wage workers, Immigrant Rights, Newcomers, Civic Participation, Filipino World War II veterans, Organizational Sustainability, and Preservation of Community. Time will also be dedicated to caucuses at the end of the day.

Keynote speaker: Professor Dean Alegado, University of Hawai’i.  Dean Alegado is the chairperson of the Department of Ethnic Studies at UH.  His childhood and educational pursuits have taken him far and wide. Born in the Philippines, but raised in the San Francisco Bay area, Alegado earned his bachelor s degree from UC Berkeley and his master s degree in Philippine history from Goddard-Cambridge.  His research interests include international labor migration from the Philippines and the emergence of the Filipino transnational communities and diaspora.

Date:               Saturday, May 13, 2006
Time:               9am - 5pm
Location:         First Unitarian Church (Oakland, CA)

Admission:      $35 general, $25 college, $10 high school

Please visit our website for more details about logistics, workshops, and also to register or become a sponsor: www.filipinos4action.org

Christopher Punongbayan
Advocacy Director
Filipinos for Affirmative Action
310 8th Street Ste 306, Oakland, CA 94607
510-465-9876 Ext 304, 510-465-7548 fax

(http://www.filipinos4action.org)

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 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (HAVA) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (T/TA)
to Assist Protection and Advocacy Systems (P & As) to Establish or Improve Voting Access for Individuals with Disabilities

WHAT: The purpose of funds awarded under this announcement is to provide training and technical assistance to Protection and Advocacy Systems in their promotion of full participation in the electoral process for individuals with disabilities, including registering to vote, casting a vote, and accessing polling places; developing proficiency in the use of voting systems and technologies as they affect individuals with disabilities (including blindness) in order to assess the availability and use of such systems and technologies for such individuals.

WHO: Faith-based and community organizations are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants must have demonstrated experience in voting issues for individuals with disabilities and must be governed by a board with respect to which the majority of its members are individuals with disabilities or family members of such individuals or individuals who are blind.

WHEN: Applications are due by April 24, 2006.

AWARD AMOUNT: Four awards totaling $338,115.

CONTACT: Margaret Schaefer at 202-690-5962 or mschaefer@acf.hhs.gov.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2006-ACF-ADD-DH-0034.html)

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COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: OPERATIONAL PROJECTS

WHAT: The Community Economic Development program supports projects that create employment and business opportunities for low-income residents and their communities through business, physical, and commercial development.

WHO: Community Development Corporations (CDCs), including faith-based CDCs, that are experienced in implementing economic development projects.  NOTE: Proof of experience in developing and managing economic development projects is required in application.

WHEN: Applications are due May 12, 2006.

AWARD AMOUNT: 19 to 20 awards of $700,000 per project period.

CONTACT: Debbie Brown at OCSGRANTS@acf.hhs.gov.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2006-ACF-OCS-EE-0019.html)

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BIDDERS CONFERENCE WEBINAR FOR THE $341 MILLION NATIONAL GRANT COMPETITION FOR THE SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces a grant competition for national grantee funding under the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). These projects will promote part-time work-based training opportunities in local communities for unemployed, low-income individuals who are age 55 and over, and will foster increased prospects for their economic self-sufficiency. SCSEP is the only nationwide Federal program that focuses on training and placing older individuals into community work-based training and unsubsidized employment.

The total amount of funds available for this SGA is approximately $341,000,000.  It is anticipated that no more than 20 awards will be made under this SGA, including at least one award to an Indian and Native American organization and at least one award to an Asian Pacific Islander organization. Eligible entities include any non-profit organization, Federal public agency, or Tribal organization that has the ability to operate in more than one state and that meets the eligibility and responsibility requirements outlined in 20 CFR part 641 subpart D. The final date for receipt of applications is April 17, 2006.

There will be a bidders webinar for organizations interested in submitting a grant application:

WHEN: Tuesday, March 14, 2006, 12:00 Noon ET

WEBSITE:  http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/SGA/SGA.cfm

Information and instructions for accessing the live webinar will be posted at the above site no later than Friday, March 10, 2006.

There will a limited number of openings available for the webinar. A recording of the webinar will be archived and posted from March 16 – April 17, 2006 for those unable to attend the live event.  When available, the site link for this archived webinar will be made available at
http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/SGA/SGA.cfm.

For further information on the SCSEP Solicitation for Grant Application, please visit the following two websites

(http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/SGA/SGA.cfm)

(http://www.doleta.gov/sga/sga.cfm)

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QWEST FOUNDATION FUNDS EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

The Qwest Foundation's philosophy is to help build strong communities through investing in people and the places where company employees live and work. The Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations in the company's 14-state region, including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that generate high impact and measurable results through community-based programs, including pre K-12 education and workforce development. Applications can be submitted throughout the year.

(http://www.qwest.com/about/company/community/foundation/index.html)

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GTECH AFTER SCHOOL ADVANTAGE PROGRAM SUPPORTS INTER-CITY COMPUTER CENTERS

The GTECH After School Advantage Program is a national community investment program that provides nonprofit community organizations with state-of-the-art, Internet-ready computer centers. For each After School Advantage program, GTECH donates an average of $15,000 in computers, online technology, software, and volunteer hours. These computer centers are designed to provide inner-city children aged 5 to 15 with a meaningful learning experience in a safe environment during the critical after-school hours. After School Advantage Programs will be implemented in all jurisdictions where GTECH's offices are located nationwide, including locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Washington, DC. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

(http://www.gtech.com/about_gtech/proposal_guidelines.asp)

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NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES CHALLENGE GRANTS

The National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grants help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for their humanities programs and resources. Challenge grants most commonly augment or establish endowments that support humanities activities in education, public programming, scholarly research, and preservation. Awards are made to museums, public libraries, colleges, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, public television and radio stations, universities, scholarly associations, state humanities councils, and other nonprofit entities. Grant recipients must raise three times the amount of federal funds offered from nonfederal donors. The application deadlines are May 1 and November 1, annually.

(http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/challenge.html#program)

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AMERICAN ELECTRIC FUNDS COMMUNITY PROJECTS

The American Electric Power (AEP) Corporate Giving Program supports nonprofit organizations in communities within the AEP service territory, including communities in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Contributions are made principally in the areas of education, the environment, and human services, such as hunger, housing, health, and safety. AEP also offers the Teacher Vision Grant program, which provides grants to educators who have a creative idea for projects to improve academic achievement. There is no deadline for the Corporate Giving Program; however, Teacher Vision Grants are due by April 28, 2006.

(http://www.aep.com/go/corpgiving)

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NETSQUARED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Thanks to the generosity of the WK Kellogg Foundation, NetSquared is offering a limited number of scholarships to its May conference. Scholarships will be awarded to non-governmental organizations and nonprofits already using blogs, podcasts, or other new-generation Internet technologies and to nonprofit staffers who would like to learn how these tools can help extend their organization's impact and reach.

To nominate a candidate, visit:

(http://ga0.org/ct/i1aKh9516RRt)

(http://www.netsquared.org)

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NASD INVESTOR EDUCATION FOUNDATION

The NASD Investor Education Foundation's 2006 General Grant Program is accepting competitive grant proposals from eligible organizations for research projects and/or educational programs that address the Foundation's investor education and investor protection priorities. Priorities include projects that have a positive impact on investor education or protection; better prepare Americans to save for or handle finances during retirement; encourage women and minority populations to take control of their financial future. The application deadline is May 15, 2006.

(http://www.nasdfoundation.org)

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 JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

Taiwanese American Citizens League is offering:

SUMMER POLITICAL INTERNSHIP IN TOP GOVERNMENTAL OFFICES

Spend your summer as an intern with the Taiwanese American community's premier Internship Program.

Interns experience first hand how the political system works and observe and participate in the formation of policies, both domestic and foreign. In addition to working in their offices, interns visit top legislators in an intense Sacramento trip, attend community events, participate in leadership development workshops, and various other activities.

The TACL Summer Internship Program, established in 1992, was formed to infuse the Taiwanese American community with a greater understanding of the political system through placement of college level students at offices of local, state, and national public officials. This allows Taiwanese Americans to be better recognized as a developed community with a voice. Our primary mission for TACL is to promote Taiwanese culture, heritage and identity as well as involvement in American society.

List of last year's 2005 participating political offices:
* ****Barbara Boxer, US Senator
* ****Howard Berman, US Representative
* ****Bob Beuprez, US Representative
* ****Cruz Bustamante, California Lieutenant Governor
* ****Gilbert Cedillo, California Senator
* ****John Chiang, California State Equalization Board Member
* ****Judy Chu, California State Assembly member
* ****Charles Dent, US Representative
* ****Jane Harman, US Representative
* ****Johan Klehs, California State Assembly member
* ****Tom Lantos, US Representative
* *****Bob Margett, California State Senator
* ****Barbara Boxer, US Senator
* ****Lucille Roybal-Allard, US Representative
* ****Adam Schiff, US Representative
* ****Hilda Solis, US Representative
* ****Diane Watson, US Representative

The 9-week program will begin on June 9, 2006 and end on August 12, 2006.

Political interns will be assigned to offices located throughout Washington , D.C. the Greater Los Angeles area, and San Francisco area.

APPLICATION AVAILABLE AT: http://tacl.org/programs/internship

The completed application package is due no later than March 12, 2006 to accommodate interviews, but applications received sooner will be appreciated. You may submit the application by email to teddy.liaw@tacl.org

(http://tacl.org/programs/internship)

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APAPA's 2ND ANNUAL STATE CAPITOL INTERNSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

The application deadline for APAPA's 2nd annual State Capitol Internship and Scholarship Programs has been extended to 4/10/06.  We urge you to broadcast and outreach your communities and families for their students to apply. Please post the link to your website for us.  The students can apply for either one or both.  Please see the attached application forms and guidelines.  There will be a minimum of 10 to 15 college or college-bound students to be awarded for either one or both.

Our Award Ceremony has been set for 5/17/06 at Radisson Hotel.  Good luck to your students.  Please note that the Internship is NOT POLITICAL!  It is an Educational program to send our qualified students, regardless their major, to our governmental and public service offices to learn and prepare themselves to become great leaders of our country in the future. The internship is for 6 weeks in the Summer.

Please go to our http://www.APAPA.org.  Our on-line application submittal function is now available.

Mayue Carlson
APAPA Chief Ambassador
APAPA State Capitol Internship/Scholarship Program Founder and Chair

(http://www.APAPA.org)

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PUBLIC ALLIES LOS ANGELES IS STARTING UP AGAIN FOR 2006-2007!

Please forward to all your amazing people encourage them to apply!
*Please forward far and wide!!*

What is Public Allies?

Public Allies is a 10 Month paid intensive internship and leadership development experience. Young adults between the ages of 18-30 get the opportunity to serve at a community non profit organization doing work in the community while simultaneously participating in a leadership development, political awareness and skill building program. Program participants are expected to work 45+ hours weekly and maintain commitment to the program for 10 months. Allies are compensated $1,500.00 a month (before taxes) and receive an educational award totaling $4,725.00 which can be used for future schooling or to pay off past loans.

For more details contact us or attend an info session ASAP!!!

You can also visit our web page at: www.publicallies.org/losangeles/.

CONTACT US TO ATTEND AN INFORMATION SESSION TODAY!!!

It is recommended that anyone interested in applying for the Public Allies Program attend an Information Session. Contact Tafarai Bayne at Public Allies - Los Angeles, 213.741.2202 x4 or via email at tafaraib@publicallies.org.

The Information Sessions for the 2006 - 2007 Program are:
Wednesday, March 15th : 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Wednesday, March 29th : 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday, April 15th :11:00am - 1:00pm
Saturday, April 26th :11:00am - 1:00pm
Saturday, May 6th :11:00am - 1:00pm
Wednesday, May 10th : 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Wednesday, May 17th : 6:00pm - 8:00pm

RSVP TODAY!!

Info sessions will be held at Public Allies Office at:

520 West 23rd st. 1st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90007

(www.publicallies.org/losangeles)

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 FORD FOUNDATION SUMMER INSTITUTE ON REPLENISHING DEMOCRACY

We are pleased to announce the second Ford Foundation Summer Institute on Replenishing Democracy, June 11-24, 2006 at Amherst College.  We ask your help in identifying undergraduates with interests in social justice and activism and encouraging them to apply.

This program for undergraduates is designed to encourage connections between academic institutions and grassroots activism. The Institute will bring together distinguished scholars and activists with undergraduates to rigorously study the theory and practices of democratic engagement. In this forum, undergraduate student leaders will learn about the complexities of political action and gain practical knowledge about grassroots organizing.

This year we will address two particular themes under the broad rubric of replenishing democracy through civic engagement. The first concerns the links between poverty, inequality and criminalization. The second theme concerns the relationship between religion and politics. This program will be enriched by the presence of community activists and leaders from the United States and abroad.

Twenty undergraduates with demonstrated interests in social activism and leadership skills will be invited to participate. Preference will be given to students between their junior and senior years, and efforts will be made to ensure that a diverse group of students is chosen. The selected group will include students from the United States, South Africa and India.

The Institute will be free of charge for the selected participants. The participants will be provided with the necessary course materials and reimbursed for their travel expenses to Amherst.

Further information about the program and online application materials are available at: http://www.amherst.edu/~democracy/.

The Institute follows Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action policies and encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply.

Sincerely,

Amrita Basu
Professor of Political Science and Women's and Gender Studies

Kristin Bumiller
Professor of Political Science and Women's and Gender Studies

Hilton Kelly
Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Black Studies and Sociology

Amherst College
Amherst, MA 01002

Institute Contact (for information and application materials):

Leena Valge, Academic Department Coordinator, Women's and Gender Studies
14 Grosvenor House, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002
Phone (413) 542-5781; Fax (413) 542-8192; E-mail lvvalge@amherst.edu

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 TIPS/RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT: NOT ALL CAPITAL IS FINANCIAL

Money is of course the primary concern of nonprofits, including raising it, managing it and using it. Money is capital, but not all capital is money. In their book Governance as Leadership, Richard P. Chait, William P. Ryan and Barbara E. Taylor argue that nonprofit organizations must learn to recognize, appreciate and capture the value of four forms of working capital that go beyond money.

The forms of working capital are:

-- Intellectual capital. This is the collective brainpower that can be put to use to generate mission-critical resources. This is not imply the sum of the knowledge of many but a shared sense of the nature of the work of the organization and enough common knowledge to do the work together. Communities of practice can create multiple opportunities to pool usable knowledge in areas such as leadership transition, development and financial oversight.

-- Reputational capital. The ultimate intangible asset cannot be gained through haphazard recruitment. The organization should be asking what reputation it wants to advance (or repair) and with what stakeholders. Deadwood adds no value. Figureheads add token value.

-- Political capital. This connotes the influence and leverage that people within an organization acquire and deploy to frame problems, elevate one above others and promote one solution over another.

-- Social capital. Relationships and social capital are not synonymous; rather, the first term provides the raw material that produces the second. In an organizational context, certain characteristics enable people to extract productive value from their relationships.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/management.html)

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ETHICS: MAKING THE MORAL CHOICE

In addition to their official duties, nonprofit managers find that they practice ethics on a routine basis. Personal, professional and public expectations converge to challenge managers almost daily.

In their book The Ethics Challenge in Public Service, Carol W. Lewis and Stuart C. Gilman offer several terms and definitions that they say will help in getting a clear vision of ethical conduct.

Among these terms are:

-- Ethics. This involves thinking systematically about morals and conduct and making moral choices about right and wrong when faced with ethical dilemmas. I goes beyond though to performance and action.

-- Moral choice. This is the would-should divide, the heart of good moral character to which most of us are exposed as children. The mama test (what mama would have said) clarifies simple choices between right and wrong.

-- Moral judgments. These are what individuals must make when they find themselves between the rock and hard place of incongruent duties and conflicting claims -- the stuff of ethical dilemmas. Unfamiliar situations, organizational and technological impersonality and professional and public power intensify pressures.

-- Moral character. This means having appropriate ethical values and is associated with attributes such as honesty and fidelity. Character is a sort of internal gyroscope that helps a person distinguish right from wrong.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/ethics.html)

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 NEWS

March 9, 2006

LOCAL DESIGNER WINS FASHION REALITY SHOW
She beats two other finalists for $100,000 prize to start clothing line

By Joy Sewing
Houston Chronicle

After weeks of anticipation, Houston designer and boutique owner Chloe Dao took the top prize of Bravo's fashion reality show, Project Runway, Wednesday night.

Hundreds of fans cheered as they watched Dao beat Daniel Vosovic in the show's final episode at Farrago on West Gray.

In the show, designers are tested on their ability to create and produce garments under tight deadlines and extreme conditions.

"The 13 challenges nearly killed me. I think I did a great job," Dao said, surrounded by family and friends.

Dao, 34, appeared in New York on NBC's Today Show and ABC's The View before arriving in Houston for the celebration.

As owner of Lot 8 boutique in Rice Village, Dao was one of three finalists on the reality show. Collections by Dao, Vosovic and Santino Rice were shown at New York Fashion Week in February.

Dao receives $100,000 to launch her own clothing line, a $24,000 Saturn vehicle, a spread in Elle magazine and a mentorship with Banana Republic.

(http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/celebrities/3711104.html)

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March 11, 2006

CHILD SEX TOURISM CONTINUES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA DESPITE LEGAL EFFORTS

By Christopher Torchia
Associated Press Writer

SINGAPORE - Southeast Asia is one of the world's top destinations for people seeking sex with children, and signs of the trade are often evident.

In one late-night scene at a Cambodian bar, half a dozen children played with a puppy and watched cartoons on television as Western men strolled outside. In Thailand, despite tougher law enforcement, foreigners are sometimes seen walking with young girls dressed in high heels and halter tops.

Despite these telltale signs of impropriety, legal efforts to curb child sex tourism in Southeast Asia face a huge challenge in a region beset by corruption, limited resources and, in some places, a tolerance for an act considered heinous elsewhere.

"Many of these countries do have certain laws in place. The issue is enforcement," said Ruben Rodriguez of the U.S.-based International Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Hundreds of thousands of girls and boys are believed to be working in the sex trade in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries in an underground industry that inflicts untold emotional and physical harm on young lives.

Police and courts struggle with a backlog of drug, murder and other cases. Child sex prosecutions are relatively rare, and tend to snare individual offenders rather than the trafficking networks that supply them. Many pedophiles pay off authorities or the families of victims, who are usually poor and eager to avoid the shame of a public trial.

On March 3 in Vietnam, a court sentenced former British rocker Gary Glitter to three years in jail for molesting two girls, and his lawyer said he could be paroled sooner. The judge said the US$2,000 that Glitter paid to each girl's family contributed to the lighter sentence from a possible maximum of seven years.

Such an outcome could reinforce a perception of lax laws in Southeast Asia and attract foreign child molesters who face tougher penalties at home, experts said. In some cases settled out of court, they said, the destitute family of a young victim takes hush money even if the distraught child doesn't want the bribe.

"There are more and more tourists coming, more and more danger for the children," said Christian Guth, a former French police officer who has assisted Cambodian authorities in investigating the child sex trade.

Cambodia has made progress with help from international agencies. In 1999, fewer than 50 people were prosecuted for sex offenses in the country, while at least 400 cases went to court in 2005, Guth said. Sex crimes data are hard to compile because of inconsistent reporting, he said, and it's unclear how many of the cases involved children.

The United States, Britain and Australia are among countries with laws allowing the prosecution of their citizens who sexually abuse children overseas. A U.S. law from 2003 mandates a sentence of up to 30 years for anyone, at home or abroad, who has sex with a minor, defined as someone under the age of 18.

But crafting legal cases based on evidence from another continent entails long delays, and sometimes requires victims to travel a long distance to testify. Some transient children are difficult to locate, especially for a small team of investigators from another country.

Most perpetrators of child sex crimes in Asia are Asian. This month, Singapore became one of the first Asian countries to say it would amend its law to prosecute its citizens who have sex with minors overseas. The wealthy enclave is a short ferry ride from the Indonesian resort island of Batam, where sex tourism flourishes.

The Philippines has a law that protects children against all forms of abuse, but it needs to be amended to cover the pervasive problem of child pornography on the Internet, said Anjanette Saguisag, a child protection officer at the UNICEF office in Manila.

"With the advances in technology, the law hasn't been able to cope with the new ways of committing the crime," she said. Few other countries in the region have specific legislation that targets child pornography offenses on computers.

Saguisag said some sex offenders try to attract children through online chat rooms, sometimes pretending to be children themselves. Philippine activists are pushing lawmakers to upgrade the law, but the lobbying is expected to take a long time.

Legal experts and social workers said some laws don't clearly define child sex tourism as a crime, and that the ambiguity of the wording can weaken their impact. Cambodia, for example, prosecutes some child molesters under a law that bans "debauchery."

"They don't have a specific statue that would focus on having sex with children under a certain age," said Katharine Bostick, a former U.S. federal prosecutor based in Singapore with Microsoft Corp. The company helps train law enforcement officials and social workers in the region in how to track down pedophiles operating on the Internet.

Changing perceptions as well as laws is part of the battle, Bostick said. An Indian social worker told her about members of an Indian group who thought an incestuous relationship between a father and a daughter was acceptable, even though the group was caring for young victims of sexual abuse. Bostick cited another case in which a Cambodian official said a 7-year-old victim should not have given her consent to the molester.

"There's a long way to go in terms of understanding that this is a problem," Bostick said.

Ages of consent differ from country to country, and the lack of comprehensive laws across Southeast Asia means that pedophiles can shift activities from one place to the next to avoid a crackdown.

"Since Thailand has become more stern in their law enforcement, more pedophiles are coming to Indonesia," said Tjokorda Bagus of Indonesia's Committee Against Sexual Abuse. He said there had been at least 200 reported incidents of child sex abuse since 2001 on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Bali suffered an economic downturn after terrorist bombings disrupted its tourist industry, forcing more children to earn money for their families in the sex trade, humanitarian workers said.

Bernadette McMenamin of Child Wise, an Australian charity, said two teenage Australian brothers vacationing with their parents on Bali in January were approached by a man in the popular Kuta Beach area. The man asked them if they would like to have sex with two local 13-year-old girls.

AP reporter Zakki Hakim contributed to this report from Jakarta, Indonesia.

On the Net:
ECPAT International: http://www.ecpat.net/eng/index.asp

International Center for Missing and Exploited Children: http://www.icmec.org

(http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/mar/12/yehey/top_stories/20060312top4.html)

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March 12, 2006

FAITH UNDER FIRE
Vietnamese Christians come to aid of U.S. businessman
Even as Hanoi seeks WTO membership, religious persecution continues

By Jay Baggett
WorldNetDaily.com

When Vietnam's prime minister, Phan Van Khai, visited the U.S. last summer to discuss his country's entry into the World Trade Organization, he was faced with demands to ease religious persecution – a demand he took to heart upon returning to Hanoi with several liberalizing measures – but one Northern California businessman, who claims he's been harassed for the last week while visiting Christian friends in Ho Chi Minh City, says the local police must not have been informed of the new policies.

Chad MacNamee, a building contractor and land developer from Northern California, is on his third trip to Vietnam in five years. "It's really changed.. There are more cars, fewer bicycles, and the food in the restaurants and the accommodations are much better.

But the police have been unbearable, he said. "From Monday we have been followed everywhere we go. Even the hotel staff have been threatened into telling all our movements and who comes and goes with us."

The only reason for this treatment, he said, is because the friends they are visiting in Vietnam are Christians.

In their travels throughout Southeast Asia, the McNamees have met local Christians and formed lasting friendships. Some of those they've met have visited them in California.

"We've only come as tourists to visit this beautiful country and see our friends that have come over to the U.S. before," said Loree McNamee, Chad's wife. "The prime minister of Vietnam told President Bush that there is freedom here. However, we have been followed and harassed since we arrived. Although Chad is a building contractor, not a preacher or a teacher, they seem to want to believe otherwise."

The pair, and another American couple traveling with them, now find themselves in the center of an escalating faceoff between local authorities and a Christian church in Ho Chi Minh City.

Last Thursday, the two couples received "invitations" to come to the immigration office the next morning at 8:30 a.m.

"Really," Loree said. "At the top, it read 'Invitation.' We were 'kindly invited' to come to immigration the next day. As we were busy that day, we kindly declined their 'Invitation.'"

At 10:00 p.m., Friday, the police came to the couples' hotel to inquire about their failure to appear.

"No problem. No problem," the officers repeatedly assured them, while continuing to insist they come to the immigration office on Monday morning to have their visas checked.

"They never threatened the men physically," noted Loree. "They were very courteous and careful."

At that point, Chad McNamee informed the officers that a local pastor was on his way to the hotel and they left quickly.

"They did not want to talk to Pastor Mai," Loree said, noting that the minister and other church members arrived at the hotel carrying cameras.

According to the McNamees, Mai reports many instances of the police intimidating Vietnamese Christians. In return, he and some of his parishioners have begun videotaping and photographing incidents to document cases of official harassment. According to the Vietnamese Embassy website, the nation's constitution guarantees citizens "freedom of belief and religion."

Mai has told the McNamees, who have a meeting at the U.S. Consulate tomorrow, he will deal with the police for them.

In a related matter, Associated Press reports a U.S. trade delegation, representing more than 20 major American companies and currently meeting in Hanoi, endorsed Vietnam's bid to join the WTO.

"We'd like to see Vietnam's WTO accession finalized by the end of the year, preferably by the end of November. That's a pretty vigorous timetable," said Matthew Daley, head of the US-ASEAN Business Council. "There will be questions of religious freedom, there will be questions of democracy, there will be questions of human rights. Any number of these things could come up. I think it's going to be important for Vietnam and the United States to be in a position to address those in straightforward manner," he said.

The pro-business McNamees don't think Vietnam is ready for WTO membership just yet.

"Although Vietnam has told President Bush that there is freedom of religion in Vietnam, apparently there is a misunderstanding," Chad McNamee said. "The government here wants to have it appear that they have freedom of worship but not lose control – saying one thing to the outside world and doing another.

(http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49228)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 13, 2006

CONTACTS:
Douglas Duvall, Freddie Mac, 703-903-2476
Brad German, Freddie Mac, 703/903-2437
Candy Cardwell, Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, 225-763-8700

SENATORS LANDRIEU, VITTER HAIL FREDDIE MAC, LHFA’S $36 MILLION BELOW MARKET RATE MORTGAGE EFFORT FOR STORM VICTIMS
Statewide Mortgage Initiative Also Targets Police, Teachers, Low-Income Borrowers

NEW ORLEANS, LA. – Senators Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA) and David Vitter (R-LA) joined Eugene McQuade, president of Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) and officials from the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency (LHFA) today to announce nearly $36 million in new below market 30-year fixed rate mortgages and $1 million in downpayment and closing costs assistance to promote recovery in federally designated hurricane disaster areas and foster homeownership opportunities for police officers, teachers, and qualified low-income borrowers.

Freddie Mac, one of the nation’s largest investors in residential mortgages, is buying $36 million of LHFA tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds for its investment portfolio as part of the $1 billion commitment it made last year to help finance the Gulf Coast’s recovery from last year’s storms.  Separately, the LHFA is providing over $1 million from its own funds to provide four points of downpayment assistance to qualified borrowers. Minneapolis-based US Bank is the new initiative’s master servicer.

“This $36 million investment in affordable mortgages is very good news for Louisiana families, particularly those most devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I want to thank Freddie Mac and others in the state for their work to provide affordable homeownership for our citizens,” said U.S. Sen. David Vitter. “I’m particularly pleased to see that some of this funding will benefit first responders. Our first responders and other essential personnel play such a key role in the recovery of south Louisiana, and this will continue the momentum as we rebuild and revive Louisiana’s communities.”

“This is $36 million in critical new mortgage funding for Louisiana,” said Senator Mary L. Landrieu. “Our homes and neighborhoods may have been destroyed by the catastrophes of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent levee breaks, but the spirit of our people can never be taken away.  Freddie Mac and the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency have stepped up as two of Louisiana’s most reliable, willing and enthusiastic partners for rebuilding our storm-damaged homes and communities.  I want to thank them for keeping their pledge to our families by fulfilling their public mission to keep homeownership strong.”

“Today’s announcement marks a new opportunity for families across Louisiana to achieve home-ownership and for storm victims to repair, build and reinvigorate their communities,” said Eugene McQuade, President and Chief Operating Officer of Freddie Mac. “I want to thank Senators Landrieu and Vitter, the LHFA and their colleagues for giving us the opportunity to work with them and to fulfill our Congressional mission to keep mortgage financing stable, liquid and affordable at such a critical time in Louisiana’s recovery.”

Altogether the new bond initiative will provide an estimated 300 borrowers with 5.35 percent or lower 30-year fixed rate mortgages that can be used to repair existing homes or purchase new ones.  In addition, subsidies from the Police Foundation, LHFA and $1 million from the state of Louisiana’s federal HOME grant are being used to subsidize special mortgage set-asides with even lower rates for police, teachers, and low-income borrowers.  In some cases, borrowers may be able to qualify for 30-year fixed rate mortgages with rates as low as 3.85 percent.

“This effort, consistent with our Agency’s mission, reflects the effectiveness of those strong partnerships necessary to rebuild our hurricane-devastated Louisiana,” said Helena Cunningham, President of Louisiana Housing Finance Agency.  “The LHFA is proud to be a part of this financing initiative and looks forward to the continued creativity in providing financing of our depleted housing stock.”

LHFA is giving special priority to federally designated disaster areas in order to add momentum to the state’s storm recovery efforts and historically underserved parishes targeted for urban revitalization. The mortgages, are available on a first-come, first-serve basis through a list of participating lenders that can be found on LHFA’s website (http://www.lhfa.state.la.us)

In an effort to help more borrowers caught in the 2005 storms, LHFA is waiving its usual first-time homebuyer requirement and raising its cap on home repair loans from $15,000 to $150,000 under special provisions in the 2005 Katrina Emergency Tax Act. To be eligible for the new mortgages, borrowers can earn no more than 140 percent of their area median income.

Today’s announcement builds on Freddie Mac’s ongoing effort to rebuild the Gulf Coast communities devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Freddie Mac has also financed $120 million in Mississippi Home Corporation bonds, provided MHC with $900,000 to buy 35 travel trailer units for use as temporary housing for displaced families and more than $1 million for rental units and credit counseling to storm victims.

In addition, Freddie Mac adopted emergency policies that temporarily suspended mortgage collections from many single and multifamily borrowers affected by the storm, assured forbearance for National Guard members involved in recovery operations, financed as much as $300 million in pre-storm loans closed on homes in federally-designated disaster areas, and joined with the Freddie Mac Foundation to donate $10 million to hurricane relief organizations.

For more information, contact Louisiana Housing Finance Agency at 225-763-8700 ext. 275.

Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned company established by Congress in 1970 to support homeownership and rental housing. Freddie Mac fulfills its mission by purchasing residential mortgages and mortgage-related securities, which it finances primarily by issuing mortgage-related securities and debt instruments in the capital markets. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and nearly four million renters in America. http://www.freddiemac.com

# # #

(http://www.freddiemac.com/corporate/news/archives/corporate/2006/20060313_lamrb.html)

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March 14, 2006

SOUTHEAST ASIAN YOUTHS AT RISK, STUDY CONCLUDES
Data on Vietnamese, Laotian arrests challenges stereotype of 'model minority;' language barrier plays a role

By John Geluardi
Contra Costa Times

A newly released study on youth crime in Richmond shatters the so-called "model minority myth," by showing high crime rates among Southeast Asians.

At a press conference Friday, a diverse coalition of community leaders including Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia and Richmond Mayor Irma Anderson said the study's findings revealed that Vietnamese and Laotian families in Richmond are isolated by language barriers and little understanding of social systems.

As a result, the families struggle economically and their children are performing poorly in school. They are also more likely to get involved in crime. Vietnamese and Laotian youth are arrested on a per capita basis more than any other ethnic group besides blacks, according to the study.

"Before now, Southeast Asians have always been compared to Chinese and Japanese, who are usually associated with over-achievement," said Sang Saephan, 21, a member of Southeast Asian Leaders. "This study gives a better idea of how each subgroup is doing."

While Southeast Asian youth represent a small part of Richmond's population, there are about 500 Southeast Asian juveniles in Richmond, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

The study points to a disturbing trend that was previously unknown, presenters said. In the West Contra Costa Unified School District, about 48 percent of ninth-grade Vietnamese students scored at or above the national average, while 43 percent were well below the average. Many Laotian students, 69 percent, failed to achieve average scores.

Saephan said Southeast Asians are having difficulty assimilating into American culture largely because they have only been immigrating to the United States for the past 30 years. The Japanese and Chinese have been immigrating to the United States since the 19th century and have well established community support systems that ease the transition for new arrivals.

"I hope this study can raise awareness about issues in the Southeast Asian community," Saephan said. "And hopefully it will result in more programs that can help them make the transition to American culture."

Gioia said the study could result in programs that end linguistic isolation, including employment information for parents and culturally specific after-school programs and activities for their children.

"The study shows a clear relationship that exists between poverty, academic achievement and crime," he said. "It's clear that the earlier we intervene in the lives of at-risk youth, we can increase the likelihood of a better outcome in that child's life."

The $25,000 study, titled Hidden Challenges, was sponsored by the Southeast Asian Youth and Family Alliance and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. It took 18 months to complete and uses statistical information from the Richmond Police Department, West Contra Costa Unified School District, the county probation department and the 2000 U.S. Census.

The study was inspired by the death of 15-year-old Chan Boonkeut, an honor student who was shot in the head when she answered the door of her Richmond home. The alleged target was a family member who reportedly was affiliated with a Southeast Asian youth gang.

Contact John Geluardi at 510-262-2787 or at jgeluardi@cctimes.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Find the study on the Web: www.nccd-crc.org/nccd/n_pubs_main.html

Or call the National Council on Crime and Delinquency at 510-208-0500.

(http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/14094081.htm)

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March 14, 2006

ENCLAVE FEARS IDENTITY IS ON THE BLOCK
A Beverly Hills developer is buying part of San Francisco's Japantown. Residents want guarantees the area's character will be left intact.

By John M. Glionna, Times Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO — The heart of this city's historic Japantown is being sold, stirring up fears in the century-old community that it could lose its deeply rooted cultural identity.

The nine-block area faces a double hit: Not only are the new owners not Japanese, they're from Southern California.

A family-owned development company in Beverly Hills is negotiating to buy several major properties — including two hotels and two retail malls — that comprise two-thirds of Japantown's commercial area and have been owned by Japan-based Kintetsu Enterprises since the 1960s.

As the two sides close the sale, expected later this month, some of the city's Japanese Americans worry that the new owner won't respect the cultural role the properties play in the life of their community. Activists have collected 14,000 signatures on a "Save Japantown" petition, calling for guarantees that the area's character be left intact.

Robert Sakai still owns the market his grandfather opened in 1906 after selling his wares from a horse and cart. He frets that the small cultural stronghold — which survived the internment of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II and the redevelopment frenzy of the 1960s — will lose the soul it has left.

"People are afraid," said Sakai, 55, as shoppers wandered his store looking for sushi and imported foods. "If Japantown loses its character, we're hurt. The customers will stop coming. And the first foothold that Japanese Americans had in San Francisco will be gone."

Once the largest Asian nationality in California, Japanese Americans are now fourth, after Chinese, Vietnamese and Koreans. In 2004, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 315,500 Japanese Americans lived in California, including 13,300 in San Francisco and 50,500 in Los Angeles.

Only three of the nation's Japantowns remain, including Little Tokyo in Los Angeles and Japantown in San Jose. All three are in small, largely commercial areas that have declined over the decades and face uncertain futures as non-Japanese residents and businesses encroach.

Longtime residents refer to San Francisco's Japantown, established after the city's devastating 1906 earthquake, simply as "J-town" or by the Japanese name, "Nihonmachi." The two malls up for sale — the Kintetsu Mall and the Japan Center — have more than 40 Japanese-themed restaurants and shops.

San Francisco officials, including Mayor Gavin Newsom, have sought assurances from the developer — 3D Investments, owned by the Daneshgar family — that it would preserve Japantown's flavor. But community leaders complain that the family has offered few clues about their plans for the area.

Bobby Okamura loves the quaint neighborhood, with its cobblestone courtyard and stately pagoda, a 1968 gift from the Japanese government. "Our greatest nightmare is the new owners will start kicking out tenants to make way for McDonald's and Starbucks," said Okamura, who runs a confectionary store opened by his grandparents a century ago.

Despite repeated telephone calls and a visit to the Beverly Hills offices of 3D Investments, a company representative declined to comment on the deal, provide any information about 3D or make the Daneshgars available for comment.

"These people refuse to meet with the community as a whole, the people they supposedly want to partner with to preserve the legacy of Japantown," said Paul Osaki, executive director of the Japanese Cultural Center in the city. "Give me a break. These kind of mystery developers are good at this. They're accountable to no one."

Information on the company is scarce, but newspaper accounts indicate that 3D has numerous holdings in Hawaii. An affiliate of the company recently paid $30 million for the 24-story Waikiki Trade Center in Honolulu. And a group led by 3D bought Honolulu's 140-room Continental Surf Hotel for $11.6 million last year.

Don Tamaki, a San Francisco lawyer representing Kintetsu, defended 3D's "good reputation."

"They're family-owned and not publicly traded," he said. "Their preference is to be very low-profile."

But 3D's image in Japantown has already suffered. A deal was signed last month to sell the 218-room Radisson Miyako Hotel and the 125-room Best Western Miyako Inn — without the guarantee of long-term ownership activists seek.

When company officials recently met with community leaders, the employees at the hotels — more than 120 in all — received "termination notices," Japantown leaders said.

"We met with them for three hours, during which they promised not make any quick changes. Meanwhile, these employees are getting pink slips," said Osaki. "That's a bad omen."

Tamaki said the notices — sent out by Kintetsu — were required by federal law, which mandates that employers with more than 100 workers provide 60 days' notice of termination due to the sale of the business. He said 3D planned to keep "a majority" of the workers.

Anxiety pervades the state's Japanese communities, where Japanese-run businesses have sold out to newly arriving Korean and Chinese immigrants and where affluent non-Asian residents are replacing Japanese Americans.

San Francisco's Japantown — a mile west of the city's thriving Chinatown — once bustled with 25,000 Japanese Americans. Now a little more than a thousand of the 11,000 residents in the area bounded by Fillmore, Bush and Laguna streets and Geary Boulevard are Japanese, most of them living in senior centers, activists say.

Forced to leave during World War II, many Japanese Americans never returned to the enclave, which once stretched more than 30 blocks. The area was also shrunk by urban renewal projects in the 1960s and '70s.

Many third-generation Japanese families have moved out and no longer speak or read Japanese. Others have married outside their ethnicity. "There's this steady whittling away of the area's Japanese-ness," said Kaz Maniwa, chairman of the San Francisco-based Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.

"Parents want a better life for their kids — stressing professional careers and education, so the new generation is less likely to take over the family business," he said. "The question for these kids is: Do you want to work for Intel or continue making noodles?"

Little Tokyo, near Los Angeles City Hall, faces its own issue: the arrival of non-Japanese residents with downtown gentrification. The area expects 1,500 new housing units in the next few years, and community leaders know few new residents will be Japanese American. Today, only half of the enclave's 1,500 residents are of Japanese descent.

"I worry we're going to lose the heart and soul of what was once a thriving ethnic neighborhood," said Bill Watanabe, executive director of Little Tokyo Service Center, a social service provider. "I don't want Little Tokyo to become the Epcot Center, a place with restaurants and shops but no genuine culture."

In San Jose, activist Jimi Yamaichi said most businesses in the city's small Japantown remain Japanese-owned.

"We're trying to attract younger Japanese Americans to come back to the enclave — the insurance people, lawyers and accountants," he said. "It's a survival tactic."

To reassure San Francisco's Japanese American community, Kintetsu attorney Tamaki is working with 3D on what he called "binding commitments" to preserve Japantown's heritage.

"We have done our best to find a buyer who would hold the property for the long term and not flip it," he said.

City officials want to ensure that doesn't happen. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, whose district includes Japantown, has introduced an ordinance that would require any changes in the Japantown property to preserve the area's cultural integrity.

"We won't be able to protect Japantown unless we have something in the code that looks into the future," he said, dismissing the value of any restrictive covenants. "It's myopic to be lulled into a false sense of security."

Some Japantown residents are "cautiously optimistic." Activist Sandy Mori has met with 3D representatives. She researched one 3D project — a hotel in the East Bay city of Concord — and was satisfied "they did what they told people they were going to do."

Linda Jofuku, executive director of the Japantown Task Force, said Japantown has endured bigger threats to its identity.

"I think our community needs to get real," she said. "The real upheaval we experienced was when everything was taken away in World War II and when the city took our properties by eminent domain in the 1960s and '70s and bulldozed them.

"That was the real loss. We can survive this."

Times staff writer Steve Chawkins contributed to this report.

 (http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-japantown14mar14,1,5330652.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california)

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About NCVA
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum – by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil liberties.

Copyright material is distributed without profit or payment for research and educational purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107
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