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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.


SPONSORS

NCVA eREPORTER - April 5, 2005

In this NCVA eReporter:

EVENTS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

TIPS/RESOURCES

NEWS

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 EVENTS

FORTUNE FESTIVAL 2005: "A CELEBRATION OF ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER CULTURE & BUSINESS"

Did you know that Sacramento County is home to more than 14.1% Asian & Pacific Islanders and that the city of Sacramento is one of the most culturally-diverse in the nation? Come join us . . .

Saturday, April 16, 2005

10:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m.

The Boys & Girls Club
5212 Lemon Hill Avenue, Sacramento, CA

 FREE Admission

Enjoy Family Fun & Entertainment
*      Eat your way around the delicious Asian cuisine exhibits
*      Live performances, a Pan-Asian fashion show and music spun by DJ Cantos
*      Martial arts demonstrations ranging from judo to karate
*      Games, Prizes and Free Giveaways on the hour
*      For the kids, come at 10AM to meet Dinger from the Sacramento River Cats, jump in the bounce house and obstacle course
*      Enjoy family origami workshops, calligraphy and much more
*      Get to know the businesses in the Stockton Blvd area
*      Discounts, Prizes, and Free Giveaways
*      Meet television hosts Suzanne Phan (Channel 3), Lonnie Wong (Fox 40) and the beautiful Miss Polynesia!!!

Directions:
Take CA-99 South, Exit 47th Ave. East, Left at Sampson Blvd, Right onto Lemon Hill Ave.

Event Sponsors
Intel Corporation, Assembly Member Dave Jones, Comcast, Former Sacramento City Councilman Jimmy Yee, Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, District 1, Sacramento County Supervisor Illa Collin District 2, Stockton Boulevard Partnership, Yin's McDonalds, Florin Road Partnership, Fruitridge Shopping Center, Wells Fargo . . .

(www.sacasiancc.org)

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THE FALL OF SAIGON 2005: A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND HOPE

On Saturday, April 30, 2005, a rally and march in downtown Seattle will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.  Refugees from Vietnam, veterans of the war, and Vietnamese-American community representatives will speak.  Mayor Greg Nickels, Congressman Jim McDermott and former Governor Dan Evans, as well as KCPQ news anchor Lily Jang, will address the gathering.  Free and open to the public, the event begins at 11:00am at Union Station.  Everyone is invited to attend.

What:  The Fall of Saigon 2005: A Day of Remembrance and Hope

When:  Saturday, April 30, 2005, 11:00-2:00pm

 

Where:  Gathering at Union Station, 11:00am; march to Seattle City Hall; rally at City Hall, 12:30pm.

Who:  Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.  Congressman Jim McDermott.  Former Governor Dan Evans.  KCPQ news anchor Lily Jang.  The Unity of Vietnamese Americans Committee.  Vietnamese-American community leaders, elected officials, former refugees, veterans of the war, and Washington residents from many different cultures, all gathered to commemorate this historic date.

Contact: Nhien Nguyen at the International Examiner, 206-624-3925, ext 3.  Information about the Fall of Saigon Day program is also available by email uvac2005@gmail.com or on the web at www.seattleuvac.org.

(www.seattleuvac.org)

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5TH NATIONAL LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANT RIGHTS CONFERENCE

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

We invite you to attend the 5th National Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference to be held in Washington, D.C. on June 16-18, 2005 and participate in developing organizing and advocacy strategies around some of the core issues affecting low-income immigrants.

Themed "Standing for Justice in Challenging Times," this year's conference sessions are focused on low-income immigrant workers' rights, immigrant access to public benefits, and immigration rights.  Participants will again be a mixture of community leaders, organizers, advocates, experts, attorneys and policymakers.

Register before April 11th to get the "Early Bird" rate!

Registration
You can register online by going to (http://www.nilc.org/dc-conference2005.htm).  You may also fax or mail your registration by filling out pages 3-5 of the conference registration brochure and sending it to The Event Professionals at 301-577-6946.

Scholarships
There are a limited number of scholarships available.  To view the scholarship application and instructions click (http://www.nilc.org/DC_Conf/INDIVIDUAL_SCHOLARSHIP_APP_Rev032505.pdf) here.  Please forward any questions regarding scholarships to Alex Casillas at scholarship@nilc.org.

Sponsor Invitation Letter
We invite organizations to cosponsor the conference by filling the (http://www.nilc.org/DC_Conf/dc-conf2005/DCC05cosponsorinvite011505.pdf) cosponsor invitation form and faxing it to The Event Professionals at 301-577-6946.

Cosponsors primary roles are to publicize the conference to their own members and to help identify and encourage key participants to attend.  In addition, this year we are asking all conference cosponsors to make a financial contribution (of any amount) to the Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship Fund defrays travel, hotel and registration costs for members of community-based organizations outside of Washington, D.C., who otherwise would not have the funds necessary to attend.

We look forward to seeing you at the Conference!

Adey Fisseha
Policy Analyst/ 2005 Conference Coordinator
National Immigration Law Center
P.O. Box 80
New York, NY 10031
(212) 491-9095

(http://www.nilc.org/dc-conference2005.htm)

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 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

BIOTERRORISM TRAINING AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

WHO: Faith-based community-based organizations, public or private educational organizations, or nonprofit organizations.

WHAT: The goal of this program is the development of a health care workforce to recognize indications of a terrorist event, meet the acute care needs of patients, participate in a coordinated, multidisciplinary response to terrorist events and other public health emergencies, and effectively alert the public health system of such an event at the community, State, and national level.

WHEN: Applications Due Apr 05, 2005

AWARD AMOUNT: 35 awards totaling $25,500,000

CONTACT INFORMATION: To view full announcement go to:

(http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/HHS/HRSA/GAC/HRSA-05-080/listing.html)

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President's Prisoner Re-entry Initiative: DOL Announces $19.8 Million in Funding for Faith-Based and Community Organizations; Expects Awards for 30 Communities

Summary: The President's Prisoner Re-entry Initiative seeks to strengthen urban communities characterized by large numbers of returning prisoners through an employment-centered program that incorporates mentoring, job training, and other comprehensive transitional services. This program, which involves several federal agencies, is designed to reduce recidivism by helping inmates find work when they return to their communities, as part of an effort to build a life in the community for everyone. The Department of Labor (DOL) will be awarding grants under this competition to faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) to be the agencies carrying out this demonstration.

The Department of Justice will subsequently award competitive grants to State agencies to provide pre-release services to prisoners who will be returning to the communities served by the DOL grants. The Department of Housing and Urban Development may in future years provide funds under this initiative for housing services and the Department of Health and Human Services is also assisting in the design and implementation of the initiative regarding substance abuse and mental health treatment. We hope to serve 6,250 released prisoners during the first year of this initiative with projects operating in 30 communities across the country.

Each lead local agency awarded a DOL grant may choose to directly provide services to released prisoners; provide sub-grants to other FBCOs to provide these services; or use a mixed approach of providing some direct services themselves while using other FBCOs to also provide services. We expect that most lead local agencies will need to sub-grant some portion of their award to other FBCOs. If the lead local agency is using sub-grantees, it will be responsible for providing technical assistance and oversight to these other FBCOs. Lead local FBCOs applying for these grants will identify as part of their application the need in the community that they plan to serve; their proposed FBCO sub-grantees; their plan for serving released prisoners; and their partnerships with the criminal justice system, Workforce Investment Board, housing authority, and mental health and substance abuse treatment providers.

Am I an Eligible Applicant for These Grants?: You are eligible to apply for the DOL grants if you are a faith-based or community-based organization and are located within or have a staff presence within the urban community that is the focus of your grant application. Urban communities are those that are located within Urbanized Areas or Urban Clusters, as designated by the Census Bureau in the 2000 Census. National or regional FBCOs may submit separate proposals for more Than one metropolitan area, but applicants must demonstrate that they have a presence in each metropolitan area for which they submit a separate application for each metropolitan area. Can an FBCO Be Listed as a Sub-Grantee in More Than One Application? Yes, but if an FBCO is listed as a sub-grantee in two winning proposals, it will only be allowed to receive a sub-grant award from one grant.

*Due Date:* The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is *July 13, 2005*. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. (EST). Application and Submission information is explained in detail in Section IV of this SGA.

Please review the grant application for further information

HTML version
(http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-6484.htm)

PDF version
(http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-6484.pdf)

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HASBRO CHARITABLE TRUST ACCEPTING LETTERS OF INQUIRY

The Hasbro Charitable Trust manages a grants program on behalf of toy manufacturer Hasbro, Inc. in areas where Hasbro has operating facilities, including Rhode Island; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Seattle, Washington.

The trust's grantmaking priority is to provide support for direct service programs for children, with emphasis on those with the greatest need. The trust places a higher priority on health, hunger, homelessness, and after-school programs. Capital campaign support may be provided, depending on the number of proposals received. Such proposals must be for facilities that house programs for children. Again, the highest priority is given to programs that support children with the greatest need.

Due to the number of multi-year commitments the trust currently has, funds for 2005 are somewhat limited.

All organizations interested in applying for a grant are asked to first submit a Letter of Inquiry using the Hasbro Charitable Trust's online system.

(http://www.hasbro.org/pl/page.grantmaking/dn/ct/default.cfm)

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PATAGONIA OFFERS SUPPORT FOR GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL WORK

Patagonia ( http://www.patagonia.com/ ), a privately held outdoor clothing and gear company, provides support for environmental work through grants to nonprofits.

Patagonia's Environmental Grants Program funds environmental work that is action-oriented; builds public involvement and support; is strategic; focuses on root causes; accomplishes specific goals and objectives; and takes place in communities in which the company does business.

The company does not fund general environmental education efforts; research, unless it is in direct support of a developed plan for specific action to alleviate an environmental problem; land acquisition/land trusts/ conservation easements; endowment funds; political campaigns; or organizations without 501(c)(3) status.

The company seeks to support small, grassroots activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas. Most grants will be in the range of $3,000 to $8,000.

Proposals for Patagonia's Environmental Grants Program will be accepted during the months of April and August.

(http://www.patagonia.com/enviro/grants_app.shtml)

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VIRGINIA ENVIRONMENTAL ENDOWMENT OFFERS VIRGINIA MINI-GRANT PROGRAM

A grantmaking program of the Virginia Environmental Endowment ( http://vee.org/ ), the Virginia Mini-Grant Program supports community-based efforts to strengthen environmental education and to promote stewardship of Virginia's waterways. The grants awarded through the program are intended to be one-time start-up grants, with preference given to modest local projects.

Public and private schools (K-12) and nongovernmental, nonprofit community organizations in Virginia are eligible to apply. Local, state, and federal government agencies and programs are not eligible.

Mini-Grant awards range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $5,000 for projects up to one year in duration. Matching funds from other sources are usually required. Although cash matches are preferred, in-kind and volunteer services will be considered when detailed in the grant proposal and budget.

(http://www.vee.org/mini.cfm)

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ILLINOIS CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL HEALTH CENTERS

The Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation ( http://ilchf.org/ ), which works to improve the health of Illinois children, has announced its 2005 Requests for Proposals process, through which approximately $5.6 million will be awarded.

The focus for this year's two RFPs is on increasing the access underserved children have to specific health services provided through either school or community health centers. Funds will be provided to those organizations that seek to establish or expand oral health, mental health, and/or developmental screening/ intervention services for children. Additionally, funding is available through the School Health Center RFP to assist communities with the planning process required to establish a school-based or -linked health center.

Funds may be requested for construction-related costs, equipment, or staffing expenses required to add or expand the specific health services. Funds may not be requested to supplement existing services. The foundation expects to award grants ranging from $30,000 to $300,000 through the School Health Centers RFP, and grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 through the Community Health Centers RFP.

To be eligible for funding, an applicant must be a 501(c) organization determined to be a public charity under section 509(a)(1), (2), or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a governmental entity described in Code section 170(c)(1) or 511(a)(2)(B). In addition, applicants must provide licensed health services to children residing within the state of Illinois.

(http://www.ilchf.org/HOME.asp)

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SUPPORT FOR YOUTH PROJECTS

Youth Venture

Youth Venture is a national movement of young people who are proving that their dreams, creativity, and abilities make a positive difference to communities across the nation. Youth Venturers are young people (ages 12 to 20) who have a dream or identify a need in their school or community, develop an idea and then, with a team, launch their own community-minded organizations to address that dream or need. Each venture team must have an Ally, a caring adult who advises the team. Grants of up to $1,000 are provided to help launch the organization. Applications are accepted anytime.

(http://www.youthventure.org)

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SUMMER ARTS PROGRAMS SUPPORTED

NEA Summer Schools in the Arts Program

The goal of the Summer Schools in the Arts Program, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, is to raise the quality and availability of arts education in communities nationwide. Support is provided to summer 2006 arts education programs that enable children and youth to acquire knowledge and skills in the arts as well as gain lifelong interests in the arts and culture. NEA anticipates awarding fewer than 50 grants ranging from $15,000 to $35,000, with a match requirement of at least 1 to 1. Eligible applicants must have a three-year history of providing arts education. All organizations that are interested in applying must submit a Statement of Interest through Grants.gov, the federal government's on-line application system, by May 23, 2005.

(http://www.nea.gov/grants/apply/SummerSchools.html)

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SUPPORT FOR JOB TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Staples Foundation for Learning

The mission of Staples Foundation for Learning is to provide funding for programs that provide job skills and/or education for all people, with special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. The goal is to help local groups throughout the U.S. with programs and services that will positively impact their community every day. Guided by this mission, the Foundation seeks to support causes that teach, train, and inspire people from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds. Grants range from $ 1,000 to $25,000. The remaining application deadlines for 2005 are June 28 and September 27.

(http://www.staplesfoundation.org)

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LANDS' END SUPPORTS CHARITABLE PROGRAMS

Lands' End Corporate Giving Program

Lands' End Corporate Giving Program primarily provides support to nonprofit organizations that focus on education, community development, the environment, health, or human services. The majority of Lands' End's charitable donations are given to organizations in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York, with preference placed on the communities where company distribution centers, phone operations, and retail outlets are located. The remaining donations are awarded to charities across the United States. Applications, which must be submitted online through the company's website, are reviewed throughout the year.

(http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/help/0,1452,1_36877_36883_37029___,00.html?sid=2126141370823115900)

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NATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE PROJECTS FUNDED

A.L. Mailman Family Foundation

The mission of the A. L. Mailman Family Foundation is to enhance the ability of families and communities to nurture their children.  To achieve this mission, the grants program is focused on improving the early care and education of young children.  The Foundation supports projects conducted by national organizations or intermediaries that promote high quality early childhood programs, especially for children from birth to three.  Funding is not provided for locally focused, direct service programs, such as child care centers, schools, and professional education programs. Letters of inquiry should be submitted by May 15 or December 1. If there is sufficient interest in the project, a full proposal will be invited.

(http://www.mailman.org)

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BOLLINGER FOUNDATION NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

The Bollinger Foundation is seeking nominations for this year’s awards. Specifically, assistance is available to families who have lost a parent or guardian where the deceased or surviving parent or guardian worked in the field of public housing, community development, or economic development. The deadline for nominations is May 20, 2005.

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

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 JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR BILINGUAL STUDENTS PURSUING CAREERS IN HEALTH CARE

Seventy $2,000 scholarships are available for Spanish-speaking, bicultural high school students who want to pursue careers in the healthcare industry.

The scholarships, funded by the PacifiCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc. ( http://pacificare.com/), are offered on behalf of PacifiCare's Latino Health Scholars program, which is designed to educate and encourage Hispanic and Latino students to pursue career opportunities in health care.

High school seniors with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 who are fluent in Spanish and English are eligible to apply. Applicants must show proof of acceptance into a university, community college, or an accredited technical college, and must be enrolled in an approved healthcare program at the time they receive the scholarship.

For 2005, PacifiCare has expanded the program to include two PacifiCare Freedom Awards in the amount of $25,000 each for the two most deserving and qualified applicants.

(http://www.pacificare.com/commonPortal/index.jsp)

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 TIPS/RESOURCES

2005 GRANT OPPORTUNITIES NOTEBOOK

WHO: Faith-Based and Community-Based organizations interested in this year's federal funding opportunities from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

WHAT: A guide to this year's federal funding opportunities for faith-based and community organizations across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This notebook was developed by the HHS Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in partnership with the Administration on Children and Families, the Health Resources Services Administration, the Administration on Aging, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Included in the notebook is information on approximately 40 grants in the following areas: Community Development, At-Risk Children and Youth, Senior, Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health programs. The block and formula grants that are HHS funds and administered by State and/or local governments are listed in the Partnership Opportunities section. Also included is information on the Compassion Capital Fund, how to be a grant reviewer, how to make a Freedom of Information request, and web resources for organizations interested in federal funding. We strongly encourage everyone to download a copy of the 2005 Grant Opportunities Notebook. The Notebook is also hyperlinked for your convenience. Unfortunately, our office will not be able to distribute printed copies this year.

CONTACT: The notebook is downloadable in PDF format at <http://www.hhs.gov/fbci>.  Click on the "New Information" tab in the yellow column. (An Adobe Acrobat reader is required.)

(www.hhs.gov/fbci)

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QUICK STATISTICS

Using Quick Statistics one can access data on admissions to substance abuse treatment and on substance abuse treatment facilities. Data are currently available for the United States, each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, and 5 U.S. territories

http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/Quick/Quick.htm

Publication date: March 2005

Source:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
1 Choke Cherry Road
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone 301-443-8956

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BOARDS – CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, MANAGE IT

It is no surprise to most people in the nonprofit world that there have been changes over time. The nature and scope of needs, organizational structure, public perception of philanthropies, all have undergone some kind of alteration.

In their book Governance as Leadership, Richard P. Chait, William P. Ryan and Barbara E. Taylor maintain that there have actually been five clear-cut areas of change in the nonprofit world since the 1970s. These areas have had a profound effect on the nonprofit picture, they contend.

* Demand for the services of some nonprofits declined. For instance, private colleges confronted stiff competition from lower-priced public institutions, and even from for-profit educational institutions. Hospitals were saddled with empty beds and budget deficits because of cutbacks in insurance reimbursements and the growth of outpatient treatment.

* Arts organizations, from orchestras to museums, simultaneously encountered a bevy of challenges: resistance to expensive tickets, distaste for modern genres, unfavorable demographics and competition from popular culture.

* Nonprofits became subject to external ratings. The comparative data enlightened consumers, shaped public perceptions and prodded administrators to be more responsive to consumer concerns.

* Government agencies, foundations and philanthropists started to treat grants to nonprofits more like investments than gifts. Resource providers wanted objective assurance that allocations to one organization would yield a higher rate of social return than to another.

* With more information available about nonprofit performance, competition for personnel intensified as well. A high-performing organization could attract better staff than a low-rated one.

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

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MANAGEMENT – MAKING CONTROVERSY A PRODUCTIVE EXERCISE

It is possible that all of us will become embroiled in a controversy at some time in our lives. For the manager of a nonprofit organization, controversy can occur within the organization, such as between individuals or groups, or outside the organization among parties that the organization either helps or must deal with. Sometimes, mediation becomes an unavoidable necessity.

In their book Leading Diverse Communities, Cherie B. Brown and George J. Mazza offer a six-step process that they maintain can be helpful in moving a discussion forward instead of becoming bogged down on personalities or side issues.

The six steps are:

* Have the other person tell you his/her position. Without interrupting or planning a rebuttal while that person is speaking, listen carefully to what is being said.

* Repeat back to the person who has just spoken in exactly the same words, if possible, the precise reasons that person gave for the opinion.

* Ask a question that communicates that you value the other person's opinion and want to know more about how the individual sees the issue.

* The parties switch roles and repeat the first three steps.

* Write down the concern of both persons, checking to make sure that the recorded concerns accurately reflect the respective positions.

* Review both parties' concerns, pointing out areas of agreement. Then propose a reframed question that takes at least one concern from each side into account.  Review both parties' concerns, pointing out areas of agreement. Then propose a reframed question that takes at least one concern from each side into account.

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

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 NEWS

Press Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Press Release
March 30, 2005

USCIS ANNOUNCES NEW GUIDANCE REGARDING INDOCHINESE PAROLEE ADJUSTMENTS
New Law Eliminates Adjustment Cap and Three-Year Filing Window
Washington, D.C.- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today two significant changes to the management of the Indochinese Parolee Adjustment Program.  Statutory changes included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 (Public Law 108-447) have eliminated both the three-year filing period window and the adjustment cap.

Prior to the recent changes, Section 586 of Public Law 106-429 (often referred to as the "Indochinese Parolee Adjustment Act") limited the total number of eligible individuals who could adjust under this provision to 5,000.  The Act also required individuals to file their applications within a three-year period that began on January 27, 2003 and was scheduled to end on January 25, 2006.  Both of these restrictions have been eliminated.

The Indochinese Parolee Adjustment Act authorizes the granting of lawful permanent resident status to certain eligible parolees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.  Following the Vietnam War, certain individuals from those three countries were paroled into the United States and have remained here without a permanent resolution of their immigration status.

To qualify for adjustment of status under Section 586, the applicant must be a native or citizen of Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos who was inspected and paroled into the United States prior to October 1, 1997 and was physically present in the United States on October 1, 1997.  In addition, the applicant must have been paroled into the United States in one of three ways: from Vietnam through the Orderly Departure Program, from a refugee camp in East Asia, or from a displaced person camp administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Thailand.

Eligible individuals applying for adjustment of status under section 586 must send Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), all required documentation, and all corresponding applications to: Nebraska Service Center, P.O. Box 87485, Lincoln NE 68501-7485. Eligibility and procedural requirements are explained on the USCIS website at: http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/residency/adjust_VCL.htm.

- USCIS -

On March 1, 2003, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services became one of three legacy INS components to join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  USCIS is charged with fundamentally transforming and improving the delivery of immigration and citizenship services, while enhancing our nation's security.

(http://uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/newsrels/20050330parolee.pdf)

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March 31, 2005

For More Information
Contact: Jeffrey Sutton (202) 270-6897

REMINDER:  2005 CAPAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS ARE DUE APRIL 7, 2005

Washington, D.C - The Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) has increased from three to four the number of scholarships it is offering.  To apply, please submit the application form by April 7, 2005.  The application form is available at www.capal.org.

CAPAL will award $2,000 scholarships to four outstanding Asian Pacific American (APA) college students interning in the Washington, D.C., area during the summer of 2005.  Eligibility is open to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Awarded annually since 1992, CAPAL scholarships are intended to enable outstanding APA students to work full-time and learn about ways to affect public policy that benefit their communities.  With these scholarships, CAPAL hopes to provide APA students with the financial means to successfully complete their summer internships.

Applications can be downloaded from the CAPAL website at www.capal.org.  For more information, call (202) 270-6897 or e-mail capalscholar@gmail.com.

CAPAL is a 501(c)(3) charitable and education organization that was founded in 1989 by APA professionals as a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization.  Its mission is to promote APA interests and success in public sector careers, to provide information and education on policy issues affecting the APA community, and to serve the APA community at large.

(www.capal.org)

******************

March 31, 2005

JANE FONDA REGRETS 1972 VISIT TO VIETNAM GUN SITE

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jane Fonda regrets her visit to a North Vietnamese gun site in 1972, the actress and fitness guru said in an interview with CBS television show "60 Minutes" to be aired on Sunday.

The actress defended her trip to Vietnam in 1972, which won her the nickname "Hanoi Jane." But she said her visit to a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun site used to shoot down U.S. pilots was a "betrayal" of the U.S. military.

"The image of Jane Fonda, Barbarella, Henry Fonda's daughter ... sitting on an enemy aircraft gun was a betrayal," she said, calling the act, "The largest lapse of judgment that I can even imagine."

But she said she did not regret visiting Hanoi, or being photographed with American prisoners of war there.

"There are hundreds of American delegations that had met with the POWs," she said. "Both sides were using the POWs for propaganda. ... It's not something that I will apologize for."

Three decades on, Vietnam continues to be a divisive issue for Americans. During last year's election campaign, some Republican supporters of President Bush called his Democratic rival, Sen. John Kerry, "Hanoi John" for protesting the Vietnam War after fighting in it and receiving five medals for combat duty.

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15927-2005Mar31.html)

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April 1, 2005

DIVORCES DOWN, MARRIAGES UP

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldm.com)
The Korea Herald

 Buoyed by a boom in international marriages and more remarriages, the number of couples who tied the knot in Korea last year has increased for the first time in the past eight years, while the number of those getting divorced has dropped for the first time in 16 years, statistics show.

About 310,000 marriages were reported to the authorities last year, which means an average 849 couples took the vows each day, an increase by 2 percent from the previous year. On the other hand, about 139,000 couples divorced last year, an average 381 couples each day. It was a decrease by more than 16 percent from 2003.

According to the statistics on marriages and divorces in Korea released by the National Statistical Office yesterday, marriages between Koreans and foreigners showed a remarkable 38.2 percent rise last year while marriages between divorced people increased by 11.9 percent.

A total of 35,000 international marriages and 67,000 remarriages were reported.

"While the number of first-time marriages continued to show a decline, international marriages and remarriages shot up, propping up the overall marriage figure," Jung Chang-shin, a NSO official, said.

"International marriages have been growing steadily for the past few years. But this year's big jump can be explained, partly, by eased procedures (that went into effect in July 2003)," he said.

The statistics show that marriages to foreign brides have increased by 33.2 percent last year and those to foreign men by 52.9 percent.

By nationality, marriages involving a Chinese national topped the list with 5,154 cases of marriages to a Chinese bride and 2,422 to a Chinese groom. It was an increase by 38.5 percent and 202 percent, respectively.

Vietnamese brides followed China with 1,059 cases, showing a 75.5 percent increase from last year. Third on the list were Japanese brides with 1,224 cases.

Among the foreigners Korean women got married to, Japanese and Americans were second and third after Chinese.

(http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2005/03/31/200503310010.asp)

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April 1, 2005

 WOMEN’S CENTER TO HOST ‘RE-INVESTMENT’ CONFERENCE
 Women of color are the focus of the 10th-annual event, which will feature various speakers and workshops

 Amanda Bolsinger, News Reporter
(abolsinger@dailyemerald.com)
Oregon Daily Emerald

 The 10th-annual Women of Color Conference promises to be unlike any of the previous conferences. This year's event will host speakers from around the world, five separate workshop tracks, an open mic and two performances.

"This year is a re-investment in women of color," ASUO Women's Center Interim Director Erin O'Brien said. "It is an exciting prospect for the Women's Center addressing women-of-color issues."

The conference is titled "Dialogues About the State of Women's Rights as Human Rights" and focuses on the rights of women of color as basic human rights that have been denied or jeopardized.

The conference will feature keynote speaker Ninotchka Rosca, a former political prisoner under the Marcos regime in the Philippines. She is also the founder of GABRIELA, a women's rights organization of the Philippines. Her primary concerns are the issues of sex tourism, trafficking, the mail-order bride industry and violence against women.

Issues women of color face will be discussed in a sexual orientation and sexuality workshop and a theater of the oppressed.

"It's giving a voice to cover all different parts of life," said Stefanie Loh, public relations coordinator for the Women's Center. "Being a woman of color is not a single thing." Some of the workshops will be closed workshops, open only to women who identify themselves as women of color. Other workshops will be only for those who do not identify themselves as women of color.

"The whole thing is a big deal," Women's Center Diversity Coordinator Ma Vang said. "Every workshop, performer and speaker is important."

The conference will begin today at 2:30 p.m. in the EMU Ben Linder Room and will continue throughout the weekend with the closing session ending at 1 p.m. Sunday. More than 50 people have registered for the conference, and registration will remain open for the weekend. The conference is free for University students, staff and faculty.

(http://www.dailyemerald.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/04/01/424d45c853bdb)

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April 1, 2005

APALA ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Washington, D.C. - The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, a national organization of Asian and Pacific Islander American union members, today announced the appointment of Juliet Huang as the new Executive Director of APALA effective April 18. Ms. Huang succeeds Gloria T. Caoile who is retiring after more than 30 years in the labor movement, the last two years serving APALA as its Executive Director.

"We are pleased to have Juliet Huang accept this appointment," said Luisa Blue, President of the APALA Board. "Ms. Huang brings more than ten years of valuable experience in labor organizing, political campaigns, policy research and executive leadership to APALA. We look forward to working with her."

Ms. Huang is leaving her job with the Service Employees International Union where she was engaged in research on both domestic and international labor issues. She was involved in analyzing American and British transportation corporations and assisted in the development of corporate accountability strategies to support organizing campaigns.

In addition, Ms. Huang was previously employed by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees where she performed research and analysis on election data to assess political trends, guide elections strategy, and evaluate the effectiveness of labor union electoral programs.

"Juliet Huang brings a skills set that will serve APALA well," said Gloria T. Caoile, the retiring Executive Director. "Over the last five years, APALA has intensified its efforts to involve Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the electoral process. Ms. Huang's experience in organizing, her previous work in congressional campaigns, and her experience in training union members and Asian American community activists in political campaigns are tremendous assets that will benefit APALA members. She is energetic and she will reinvigorate the organization and its programs."

Juliet Huang holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where she also earned her undergraduate degree. She completed the union organizing training of the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute, served as an intern at the White House with Vice President Gore's Domestic Policy Office, and is currently the Washington, D.C. chapter President of APALA.

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(www.apalanet.org)

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Press Release

Friday April 1, 2005

PBS TO OFFER SPECIAL PROGRAMMING FOR MAY 2005 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders and their vibrant cultural heritage in the United States. In honor of APA Heritage Month, PBS is proud to present a number of programs on topics ranging from Filipino American soldiers who became General Douglas MacArthur's secret weapons in World War II to the dance stories of the Pacific Islands to a fascinating portrait of former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos. Reflecting the diversity of ethnicities, experiences and regions with a breadth that can't be found anywhere else, these compelling programs examine the rich history, cultural contributions and distinguished heritage of Asian Pacific Americans.

Since 1977, APA Heritage Month has taken place in May to mark the month in which immigration of the first Japanese to the United States took place (May 7, 1843) and to commemorate the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. Chinese immigrant workers formed the majority of laborers who laid down the tracks.

SUGIHARA: CONSPIRACY OF KINDNESS (Premiere)
Thursday, May 5, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET
One of the most compelling and inspirational stories of courage during World War II is that of Chiune Sugihara. In the face of the Nazi onslaught, this modest diplomat saved thousands of lives, using his authority to rescue fleeing Jewish refugees. This remarkable documentary chronicles the life of Sugihara and the little-known relationship between the Japanese and Jews in the 1930s and 40s.

DANCES OF LIFE (Premiere)
Thursday, May 12, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
This performance documentary reveals the cultural history and diversity of the Pacific Islands through their "dance stories," which for nearly 50,000 years have been an expression of Pacific Islanders' origins, their journeys, their struggles and their very existence. The program views dance through the eyes of the people who practice it as an art form and as a way of life. Keisha Castle-Hughes, the young star of Whale Rider, narrates.

TIME OF FEAR (Premiere)
Monday, May 16, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
In World War II, more than 110,000 Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes and relocate to military camps. This documentary tells the story of the 16,000 men, women and children who were sent to two camps in southeast Arkansas, one of the poorest and most racially segregated places in America. It also explores the reactions of the native Arkansans who watched in bewilderment as their tiny towns were overwhelmed by this influx of outsiders. With rare home movies of the camp and interviews with Japanese Americans and Arkansans who lived through these events, TIME OF FEAR is a tale of suspicion and fear, of resilience and of the deep scars left by America's long and unfinished struggle with race.

AN UNTOLD TRIUMPH (Premiere)
Monday, May 30, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
Narrated by Lou Diamond Phillips (whose mother is a Filipina), AN UNTOLD TRIUMPH tells the never-been-told story of the U.S. Army's lst and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments, made up of immigrants and sons of immigrants living in Hawaii and the Mainland America at the time Pearl Harbor was bombed. Using the men of the Filipino Regiments as "Secret Weapons," MacArthur sent members of the 1st Recon Battalion into the Philippines by submarines to act as spies behind Japanese enemy lines. These "Filipino Commandos" proved to be an indispensable asset to help MacArthur fulfill his promise to the Filipino people of "I shall return!"

INDEPENDENT LENS (Premieres)
Tuesdays, 10:00 p.m. ET

"Imelda" (Premiere)
Tuesday, May 10, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET
Few contemporary political figures have been as controversial and outspoken -- and even misunderstood -- as Imelda Marcos, the first lady and subject of award-winning filmmaker Ramona Diaz's compelling and entertaining film.  For the first time ever, Mrs. Marcos tells her own story: how, by using a combination of guile, ambition and beauty, she rose from humble provincial origins to become one of the richest and most powerful women in contemporary world history.

"Vietnam: The Next Generation" (Premiere)
Tuesday, May 17, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
Eight young Vietnamese, some born in the final days of the Vietnam War, others in the war's tragic aftermath, are entrepreneurs and street kids, farmers and students, artists and engineers. Together they embody the hopes, dreams and frustrations of a new Vietnam. Through their stories, this groundbreaking program takes an in-depth look at modern-day Vietnam, where communism and capitalism are going head-to-head.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (Premiere and Re-broadcast)
Mondays, 9:00 p.m. ET

"Victory in the Pacific" (Premiere)
Monday, May 2, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, this documentary examines the final year of World War II in the Pacific, including the rationale for using the atomic bomb. The two-hour program features the first-hand recollections of both American and Japanese civilians and soldiers -- even a kamikaze pilot who survived his failed mission.

"Bataan Rescue" (Re-broadcast)
Monday, May 30, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
In late 1941, tens of thousands of American and Filipino soldiers fought a desperate battle to defend the Bataan peninsula in the Philippines against the Japanese. When they lost, they were marched to prison camps in sweltering heat through mosquito-infested jungles. With little or no food or water, thousands died along the way. Three years later, with the war in the Pacific coming to an end, only 500 men in the Cabanatuan camp had survived the brutality of their captors and epidemics of tropical diseases. Fearing the Japanese would murder their captives before the U.S. Army could liberate the camp, the Americans sent an elite Ranger battalion to rescue the prisoners. The rangers sneaked 30 miles behind enemy lines and with the help of courageous Filipino resistance fighters, mounted an astonishing rescue that was fraught with danger but ultimately triumphant.

BECOMING AMERICAN: THE CHINESE EXPERIENCE (Re-broadcast)
May 2005 (check local listings)
Bill Moyers and a team of filmmakers collaborate to tell the fascinating and dramatic story of the Chinese experience in America.

"Gold Mountain Dreams" -- As civil war and famine ravaged southern China in the mid-19th century, word of the California Gold Rush reached the port of Canton. Looking more for a new livelihood than a new homeland, young Chinese men set sail across the Pacific, hoping to provide a better life for their families. But, when the gold strikes tapped out and hard economic times loomed in California, Chinese immigrants faced a wave of violence, terror and discrimination.

"Between Two Worlds" -- The 1882 Exclusion Act prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country and becoming citizens. It also ushered in the most violent decade in Chinese-American history. This episode tells the story of these hostile years when Chinese Americans existed in a kind of limbo, denied the rights of their new country and no longer at home in their former one.

"No Turning Back" -- World War II ushered in the beginning of major changes for the Chinese. At war with Japan, China became an American ally. In an abrupt about-face, Chinese Americans found themselves suddenly embraced by America's political establishment. To fuel the war effort, Chinese men and women were moved into factory jobs, the military service and other arenas formerly closed to them. But it was in the late 60s, as civil rights laws and the 1965 Immigration Reform Act took effect, that Chinese Americans began their rise to the pinnacle of U.S. life.

P.O.V. (Re-broadcasts)
May 2005 (check local listings)

"American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai'i" -- For Hawaiians, the hula is not just a dance but a way of life -- even for those who no longer live on the islands. While most Americans know only the stereotypes of grass skirts and coconut bras, the hula is a living tradition that tells of the rich history and spirituality of Hawai'i through music, language and dance.

"Mai's America" -- In Marlo Poras' film, a spunky Vietnamese teenager named Mai gets the chance of a lifetime -- to study in the United States. Expecting Hollywood, she lands in rural Mississippi, a crazy quilt of self-proclaimed rednecks, cliquish teenagers, South Vietnamese exiles and transvestite soulmates. As she tries to fit in and to make ends meet, Mai discovers that "America" is both less and far more than she bargained for.

INDEPENDENT LENS (Re-broadcast)
May 2005 (Check local listings)

”Shaolin Ulysses: Kungfu Monks in America" -- The famous fighting monks of the Shaolin Monastery have seen a resurgence throughout the world, aided in part by the popularity of kung-fu movies among the hip-hop set and films like The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This film follows a handful of Shaolin monks who have brought the style to America, chronicling their adventures in New York City, Houston and Las Vegas.

(http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050401/dcf064.html?.v=1)

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MONTAGNARDS STRUGGLE IN VIETNAM
Christians face restrictions and persecution from the government

By Alan Rappeport
Salt Lake Tribune
Religion News Service

KON TUM, Vietnam - Once a month, Vietnamese police bang on the door of Nay Thit's small wooden village house and force him to sign a declaration of happiness.

The declaration asserts that Nay Thit has no problems with the government and that he will not try to flee the country or encourage others to do so. If he does not comply, he could find himself in prison, for the fourth time.

Nay Thit is a Montagnard - an ethnic minority comprised of mostly Christian hill tribes in Vietnam's Central Highlands region. Like many Montagnards, he worked and fought alongside Americans during the Vietnam War. Nearly 30 years later, Montagnards say their struggle continues, with religion a key point of friction.

The Vietnamese government has made public gestures in recent months to show a new tone of religious tolerance, but life in the Central Highlands remains tense with potential for conflict.

''Everything is unfair between the Vietnamese and the Montagnards,'' Nay Thit said in a hushed voice. ''We want to have our own government. We want autonomy. It is very difficult.''

The Central Highlands is comprised of four provinces about 150 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City and is home to 1 million Montagnards. The conflict between the Vietnamese and the Montagnards is rooted in resentment over the war, land ownership rights and religious repression. Nay Thit is Catholic and has been arrested in the past for resisting the government and fleeing to Cambodia.

''They arrest us and take us back,'' said Nay Thit, who worked as an interpreter for Americans during the war and last served prison time in 1993. ''Vietnam pays Cambodia to give us back.''

In January, Vietnam, Cambodia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees agreed that 750 Montagnards living in Cambodian refugee camps near the Vietnamese border would be returned because they were rejected or refused settlement in the United States. Vietnam promised that the Montagnards would not be punished for trying to leave.

''There's some real denial on the part of the UNHCR,'' Sara Colm, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch said. ''It's against their mandate to send people back to a place where they are being persecuted. We have documented systematic persecution as well as arrest and torture of Montagnard Christians in Vietnam.''

Some Montagnards who successfully reach Cambodia are given asylum and brought to the United States. More than 4,000 Montagnards currently live in North   Carolina.

''A group of Montagnards just left Cambodia for the United States,'' Anne Peters, of Jesuit Refugee Services, in Phnom Penh said. ''One of them was Ksor Ni, the brother of the Montagnard leader.''

The Montagnard leader is a man named Kok Ksor, who escaped to the United States in the 1980s and lives in Spartanburg, S.C., where he runs the Montagnard Foundation. Kok Ksor is a founding member of the United Struggle Front for the Oppressed Races (FULRO), a Montagnard independence movement that has drawn ire for speaking out against the government.

In February, the Vietnamese government offered to allow outlawed Protestant ''house-churches'' to operate if they renounce connections with Kok Ksor, who many feel is orchestrating uprisings in the Central Highlands from the United States.

''There have been problems with the Montagnards trying to flee to Cambodia because Montagnards in the United States are encouraging them,'' said Nguyen Do Huynh, a tour guide who is half Montagnard and half Vietnamese. ''The government has been giving them extra money now to make their lives here easier.''

After the Vietnam War, the Communist government took large chunks of Montagnard land in the Central Highlands that is now used for growing coffee and rubber. Many village churches were shut down or bulldozed, allowing for only government-sanctioned churches in cities. Those who practice Dega Christianity - the Montagnard equivalent of evangelicalism - were forced to renounce or face arrest. The restrictions on religious practices left many upset and some in an uproar.

Despite the government's claims of attempted appeasement, the situation seems to worsen for the Montagnards each year.

On Easter 2004, peaceful protests in the streets of Pleiku, a town just south of Kon Tum, drew a violent response from police who used tear gas and barbed wire to corral the crowds. More than 100 Montagnards were arrested and 10 were killed, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report.

While the most severe restrictions have been imposed on Protestants and Jarai villagers in the Central Highlands - who are seen as having the strongest historical connections with the United States - most Christians in the area feel the strain on their religious rights.

''It is very difficult for the Christians here,'' said John Ho, a Vietnamese Bible teacher at an orphanage in Kon Tum. ''There are many limitations by the   government.''

Police stopped Catholics who live in the surrounding villages from coming to pray at the Montagnard church last Christmas, Ho said.

All churches must be registered with the government and have a Vietnamese priest. Getting a permit to build a new church in the Central Highlands is considered a miracle.

''The last time someone tried to build a church without a permit, the government bulldozed four churches as punishment,'' Ho, 55, said. ''The Communist government is atheist. They don't like the religion.''

The issue of religious freedom is highly sensitive in Vietnam, as the country tries to move beyond its history of conflict and move toward international respectability. Questions about the country's human rights practices could be an obstacle, as last year the U.S. State Department labeled Vietnam a ''country of concern'' because of its record of religious intolerance.

The attention may have caused the government to tighten its grip. Trips to the Central Highlands are discouraged for tourists. Those who venture off Vietnam's tourist track must take circuitous routes on rickety minivans and get clearance at military checkpoints. Try searching for ''Montagnard'' at an Internet   cafe in Vietnam and the browser may shut down.

''It's not something the government wants on the world's radar right now,'' Colm said.

Nay Thit said he has given up trying to escape Vietnam. He spends his days working in the jungle, making barely enough money to get by. In the evenings he teaches English to children in his village and encourages them to find a way to move abroad.

''One day the Vietnamese government will have a plan for the Montagnards,'' Nay Thit said, resigned to a life of government-enforced happiness. ''But not yet.'' 

(http://www.sltrib.com/faith/ci_2636950)

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April 2, 2005

THE PLIGHT OF VIETNAMESE WOMEN

Hoi Trinh, Commentary
Nguoi Viet

I am traveling at the moment. Temporarily in transit or worse, terribly lost in translation somewhere in Europe where almost everything is exactly 1.5 times more expensive than the United States due to the current strength of the euro — while anything less than 1,000 years old is just not worth visiting.

I suppose against such old timers, Americans do indeed appear to be relatively young, foolishly confident, and always ready for a good fight against the evils across the globe. Having fought off and lived through the evils of the last two world wars, it is understandable that most Europeans view this world more as a dark place where competing forces strive for a place in history, rather than as an axis of evil that defines the conventional wisdom and imagination — or any lack thereof — of America.

But this is not an overview of Europe.

As far as I am concerned, the place will remain infinitely the same unless, of course, another Hitler or Mussolini comes to life, God forbid.

What I instead will share with you is the plight of Vietnamese women in Taiwan and to a lesser extent, in Cambodia. I was there for only a couple of days in each place. But the experience left me more aware of what poverty can do to ordinary lives and less sympathetic to man’s tendency to abuse if left unchecked.

There are, at present, around 200,000 Vietnamese women in Taiwan. Most of them shouldn’t even be referred to as women. They are 17- and 18-year-old girls trying to escape poverty by agreeing to marry Taiwanese men of various shapes and sizes. These grooms may be old and crippled. They may even be as boring and paternalistic as Fidel Castro. But in all cases, they would have far more money than their Vietnamese wives-to-be. It would cost them anything between $6,000 and $10,000 before a suitable girl — preferably a virgin, I have been informed — is found.

And even when the girls’ families end up with only $500 — the rest had to be used as oil to turn the wheels of this growing industry — most of the brides I met during my stay said that they would still do it again despite their black years in Taiwan.

First, they would do it for their peasant families in rural Viet Nam where $500 is considered a large sum. Secondly, they would do it for themselves, having found no better prospects at home.

Leaving aside the cosmic question of how one could practically sell oneself for a mere $500, one may add that it is fair game in this day of free-market forces and personal choices.

In fact, I had met with many of these girls who would easily fall within this description. Scratching the surface a little deeper with an expert for just a day, however, revealed a far more depressing picture of the stark reality on the ground.

The expert is a Vietnamese Australian Catholic priest who has been around for some 16 years amid the industrial development of Taiwan. The picture involves innocent teens who have either been forced or tricked into prostitution.

I called the priest Cha Hùng. And Cha Hùng’s mission is to expose the crimes of human trafficking. In layman’s terms, it should be referred to as modern-day sex slaves: Vietnamese girls forced into prostitution against their will in a foreign land without knowing if or when they would be rescued.

I met with eight in one day. Four were rescued from a brothel where they were ordered to work at and live in from the day they arrived at Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. Four are living at Cha Hùng’s shelter waiting for a trial date. Once completed, they would be deported back to their homeland. Empty-handed, I was told.

When asked if any of them had told their family, none said yes.

None believed that it would be good for them or their family.

Besides, one asked: “What good would that do?

“It would only bring shame and social stigma upon our return,” said another.

They cried tears of happiness when recalling their dramatic escape and rescue three months ago. But I suspect their tears were also shed for their own shattered dreams and forever broken lives.

I could tell you a similar tale in Cambodia. It’s the story of Vietnamese girls who choose to sell their virginity for $350 and their bodies for a dollar a time. Yes, the power of the greenback was most evident when I went with a U.S. Embassy friend to Phnom Penh’s Vietnamese red-light district.

Later, he told me the official count in this city alone is anywhere between 8,000 and to 10,000 sex workers, not counting those who are about to arrive. The two I managed to talk to at great length were 17 and 19. They have been in the business for just longer than two years. My friend told me some can be found as young as 8. I didn’t know that such a disturbing slice of life in Asia actually exists.

So that’s where we are, and that’s what I have accidentally discovered along my journey around the world in 30 days. I am wondering myself, given all that, what can I do to help alleviate the suffering?

As with this particular column, I don’t know where to begin and how it should end. This world of ours gives us so many miracles, joy and hope.

But at the same time, it has also failed so many in their quest for a better future and a home to return to when night falls.

(http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=645a2f7fb0e2cede54e7d5eb73925ac6)

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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
April 2, 2005

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE DEATH OF POPE JOHN PAUL II

The Cross Hall

4:02 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Laura and I join people across the Earth in mourning the passing of Pope John Paul II.  The Catholic Church has lost its shepherd, the world has lost a champion of human freedom, and a good and faithful servant of God has been called home.

Pope John Paul II left the throne of St. Peter in the same way he ascended to it -- as a witness to the dignity of human life.  In his native Poland, that witness launched a democratic revolution that swept Eastern Europe and changed the course of history.  Throughout the West, John Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak.  And during the Pope's final years, his witness was made even more powerful by his daily courage in the face of illness and great suffering.

All Popes belong to the world, but Americans had special reason to love the man from Krakow.  In his visits to our country, the Pope spoke of our "providential" Constitution, the self-evident truths about human dignity in our Declaration, and the "blessings of liberty" that follow from them.  It is these truths, he said, that have led people all over the world to look to America with hope and respect.

Pope John Paul II was, himself, an inspiration to millions of Americans, and to so many more throughout the world.  We will always remember the humble, wise and fearless priest who became one of history's great moral leaders.  We're grateful to God for sending such a man, a son of Poland, who became the Bishop of Rome, and a hero for the ages.

END 4:04 P.M. EST

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/04/20050402-4.html)

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April 2, 2005

WAL-MART PURSUES ASIAN AMERICANS
Concerned about sales growth, the retailer tries a multilingual advertising campaign.

By Rong-Gong Lin II, Times Staff Writer

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is betting that a new ad campaign in Asian languages will translate into more sales.

The world's largest retailer Friday began running newspaper, radio and television advertisements in Mandarin, Cantonese and Vietnamese in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego and Houston, hoping to lure more Asian American shoppers to its stores. Print advertisements are also running in Taglish, a combination of Tagalog and English spoken by some Filipinos.

"We know they are a fast-growing consumer group … and we can see that Asian Americans are coming to our stores," spokeswoman Linda Blakley said. "There are signals that are telling us it's time."

The ad campaign comes as Wal-Mart struggles with slower sales growth than recorded in previous years, which executives have blamed partly on rising gasoline prices that have cut into shoppers' spending. In December, Wal-Mart mounted a rare advertising blitz in mainstream newspapers after poor post-Thanksgiving sales.

Asian Americans are coveted consumers, with an estimated buying power of $363 billion a year, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia. Such spending will continue to grow, in part because of continued strong immigration and the growing number of Asian-owned businesses, the Selig Center said in a report released last year.

Wal-Mart's latest marketing effort features actual shoppers speaking in their native languages about why they're loyal Wal-Mart customers. In the Chinese ad, the Kwong family recounts how its weekly Wal-Mart trip is a family bonding experience.

Wal-Mart, which already advertises in Spanish, sees Asians as a fast-growing consumer group. Some stores in California, which has among the largest Asian populations in the nation, carry products catering to Asian tastes, including powdered miso soup and hot wasabi peas.

The discounter, which has more than 3,600 U.S. stores, also is expanding operations in Asia; of its more than 1,600 stores outside the U.S., 44 are in China and 16 are in South Korea. Wal-Mart also owns 37% of Japanese retailer Seiyu Ltd.

Depending on the success of the campaign, which runs through January, the company may expand it to other languages, such as Korean, spokeswoman Blakley said. She declined to say how much Wal-Mart was spending.

Some Asian shoppers appreciated the Asian language campaign.

"It's a good idea," said Vivian Yang, 26, a native Mandarin speaker who was shopping for school supplies with two classmates at the City of Industry Wal-Mart. The three came from Taiwan two weeks ago to study English. "If we come from Taiwan, we like [communicating in] Chinese, right?" she said.

But West Covina resident Kevin Lee, 30, said the store would be wise to go further, such as posting signs in Chinese.

"I can understand, but my mother doesn't," Lee said. Blakley said she wasn't aware of plans to post signs in Asian languages.

Still, the ads probably will make inroads with Asian shoppers, said Wanla Cheng, president of New York-based Asia Link Consulting Group, a market research firm.

Other industries that have advertised heavily in Asian languages have done well — including banks, phone companies, insurance companies and investment firms — because many Asian Americans are foreign born, she said.

"When Asians come to a new country, they want to learn about brands and products," Cheng said. "When these companies reach out to them [in their native language], they tend to bond with that brand."

Although U.S. companies are open to advertising in Spanish, they have been more reluctant to advertise in Asian languages, Cheng said, partly because they need to communicate in several languages to reach shoppers of different Asian nationalities.

In Los Angeles, the advertising campaign will include seven Chinese-language TV and cable stations and two Vietnamese TV stations, said Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for IW Group Inc., the West Hollywood agency responsible for the ads. The agency focuses on advertising to Asian Americans, and its clients include McDonald's Corp. and Washington Mutual Inc.

Such advertising could win the loyalty of some Asian Americans, such as 18-year-old Jessica Sheu's parents.

"If they see [an ad] on the Chinese channel, then it's like Wal-Mart supports our ethnicity," said Sheu, who was working the cash register Thursday night at an Asian bakery in an Arcadia shopping center.

But for Fei Chen, 47, who was selling shoes in a stall nearby, the ad campaign would not make him more likely to go to Wal-Mart. "It doesn't matter for me," said Chen, already a Wal-Mart shopper. "Wherever there's low prices, we're there."

(http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-walmart2apr02,0,4416255.story?coll=la-home-business)

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April 4, 2005

The Death of Pope John Paul II
`He was easy to admire'

VIETNAMESE REMEMBER THEIR ‘SAINT’

Dahleen Glanton

NEW ORLEANS -- In this archdiocese of almost a half-million Roman Catholics, Pope John Paul II was remembered Sunday as a man of vision who brought hope to the world. But at Mary Queen of Vietnam parish--a community of former Vietnamese refugees and their families--he was considered a living saint.

While most Catholics in New Orleans hold a fondness for Pope John Paul II, who honored them by visiting the city in 1987, Vietnamese-Americans have a special devotion to him. During his 26 years as head of the church, they said, the pope reached out to the Vietnamese community. He canonized 117 Vietnamese martyrs and worked to raise the consciousness of Catholics throughout Asia.

"He fortified the church and reigned it in by creating a sense of unity," said Rev. Vien Nguyen, pastor of Mary Queen of Vietnam, a parish of more than 5,000 Vietnamese Catholics. "He was one of the major factors in the crumbling of communism. We consider him a saintly man, if not a saint."

When the pope visited New Orleans, Nguyen, then a young seminarian, held his microphone during mass. Nguyen said he was impressed when the pope took time to meet with a group of Vietnamese seminarians.

"We asked him to pray for the Vietnamese people, and the pope said he prays for Vietnam everyday," said Nguyen.

"He was special to us, and we believe we were special to him."

 (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0504040054apr04,1,1593503.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed)

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April 4, 2005

UNICEF CITES RISING RATE OF CHILD-TRAFFICKING

Associated Press

Manila — Unicef warned Monday that millions of children round the globe are being trafficked annually in an illegal industry worth $10-billion (U.S.) a year, rivalling the trade in illicit drugs and arms.

UN Children's Fund executive director Carol Bellamy urged legislators worldwide to ensure the protection of children by instituting laws that stop their exploitation and abuse.

“Parliamentarians have a choice,” Ms. Bellamy said at the launch of a handbook to help legislators combat child trafficking that coincides with the Inter-Parliamentary Association's annual meeting in Manila, attended by hundreds of legislators from all over the world.

“They can make decisions that ensure the protection of children, or they can make decisions that leave children vulnerable to being exploited and abused,” she said.

She said legislators can enact laws to protect children, allocate funds from national budgets and use the power of parliamentary inquiry to hold governments, industries and civil society accountable.

IPU President Sergio Paez said ensuring respect for the rights of children “is part of our social responsibility” and calls “not only for the expression of political will, but also for the establishment of institutions, standards and a new international culture.”

Ms. Bellamy said child-trafficking persists because criminal syndicates are behind the illicit trade, tourism is sometimes involved and victims often are afraid to come forward.

Curbing poverty and ensuring that children are in school would help reduce the vulnerability of youngsters from marginalized communities, she added.

There are no exact figures, but a U.S. government report suggests that 50 per cent of all trafficked victims are children. Unicef says the trend is on the rise in an industry worth $10-billion (U.S.) a year.

International Labour Organization figures for 2000 estimate 1.8 million children are exploited in the commercial sex industry, while Unicef estimates that child soldiers have been used in more than 30 ongoing or recent armed conflicts in almost every region of the world.

Other forms of trafficking and abuse include girls sold as brides and children sold or stolen for adoption, or recruited to beg for their captors.

(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050404.wchild0404/BNStory/International/)

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April 4, 2005

FAMILY ADDICTION PROBLEMS MANIFEST IN WORKPLACE

A survey of employees by the Hazelden addiction treatment program found that one in three workers said they have seen coworkers become distracted, unproductive, or miss work because they were dealing with an alcohol or other drug problem in their family.

Moreover, about a quarter of those surveyed said they had experienced addiction problems in their own family, and 41 percent of these workers said their work was negatively affected because they were coping with an alcohol or other drug problem at home.

"We've always known that substance abuse and addiction affect entire families, not just individuals, but this survey sheds new light on the repercussions for employers and workplace productivity," says Tom Galligan, chief market-development officer for Hazelden. "The growing problem of presenteeism [workers showing up for work sick or otherwise impaired, thus limiting productivity] for many companies is fueled by substance abuse and untreated addiction in an employee's family."

The 2005 Hazelden "Making Recovery America's Business" Survey also found that 57 percent of employees dealing with addiction in their family said they had missed a deadline or had their attendance suffer as a result; 46 percent said they had made errors in judgment they would not have otherwise made, and 14 percent said they had been so distracted that they forgot safely or security procedures at work.

About half of the employees surveyed said they would use an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) if their company offered one. But 19 percent said their employer did not offer EAP services, and another 19 percent were unsure if their company did.

 (http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/cms/ptt/hazl_7030_shade.html?sh=t&sf=t&page_id=29763)

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April 5, 2005

Straddling two cultures
VIETNAMESE AMERICAN FINDS LOOKING BACK HELPS HIM LOOK FORWARD

By My-Ly Nguyen
Press & Sun-Bulletin

With just a faded photograph and a general idea of where to look, Huy Huynh was determined to find the house where his mother and family had lived in Saigon, Vietnam, before they and thousands of other Vietnamese fled the only country they had ever known in April 1975.

After spending about a month in Vietnam searching for the residence, the Greater Binghamton native crossed paths with a woman who had lived in his mother's old neighborhood. She showed him the site where the house had been.

The Communist government had replaced his mother's old house and others in the area with its own buildings. But Huynh, 24, knew he had found "home," and with it, a greater understanding of himself and his two cultures.

His journey of self discovery was one that even he was unaware he needed.

"Growing up, I did the same things that all the other kids did," said Huynh, who graduated from Seton Catholic Central High School in 1999 and Hamilton College in 2003. "The big conflict or struggle with that came when I was in Vietnam. I didn't know where I fit in. Was I American or Vietnamese, or was I Vietnamese American?"

The trip, part of a six-month study abroad program with Hamilton College in 2002, marked the start of Huynh's efforts to better comprehend what it meant to him to be a Vietnamese American.

Huynh later won the prestigious 2003-2004 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to study Vietnamese refugees and second-generation Vietnamese in France, Germany, Thailand, Australia and Russia. He spent a year traveling through the five countries, conducting a comparative study of their acculturation in the nations and learning more about himself.

During his trip to Vietnam, many of the Vietnamese wrote him off at first glance as someone who had forgotten his parents' homeland and did not know enough about his ancestral heritage. His clothes, mannerisms and Vietnamese accent -- not quite sharp enough for the locals -- immediately set him apart as a foreigner among natives.

Yet many of the white Hamilton College students in the study abroad program turned to him for answers about Vietnamese culture and customs.

"It was almost embarrassing for me to say I didn't know a lot of the answers or that I didn't understand sometimes what they (the Vietnamese) were saying," he said. "I wanted to be more Vietnamese. It was embarrassing that I didn't know more about where I was from."

Huynh's sentiments are common among many Asian Americans who seek balance between retaining their ethnic culture and assimilating into mainstream American culture, said C.N. Le, chairman of the Asian American Studies program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting assistant professor in the university's sociology department.

"Sometimes that puts you on the fringe of both cultures," he said.

Many second-generation Vietnamese and one-and-a-half generation Vietnamese -- those born in Vietnam who immigrated to the United States at a young age -- feel strong connections to Vietnam despite spending all or most of their lives in America, Le said.

"Vietnamese have had to rely a lot on each other to form their own social networks and support to cope with the refugee experience," he said. "The new generations that are born are born into this strong ethnic solidarity network."

Often, both Vietnamese refugees and their offspring will feel a strong need to go to Vietnam, to return to the country they left behind or see for the first time the place from which their elders came.

"Even though I was born here, I feel a very strong connection to Vietnam and wanted to see it for myself," said Huynh, who had for years heard stories and seen pictures of his parents' homeland.

He came back from his trip to Vietnam still excited and interested in learning about the country and its people. Those feelings sparked his next trip abroad for the Watson fellowship.

"It's in some ways my responsibility to hold onto that culture and see if I can pass it on to my kids some day," he said.

His parents, Son and Phuong Huynh of Endicott, said they're pleased their son has navigated both cultures and embraced the best of both worlds.

Phuong Huynh said she had worried her children would become "too Americanized." But they can speak Vietnamese, cook Vietnamese dishes and have held onto Vietnamese traditions, in addition to the American customs they've incorporated into their lives.

"Even though my kids live in America, they still know about my country, my roots and where I came from," she said.

Huy Huynh said he sees it as a "gift and a privilege" to have both Vietnamese and American influences in his life.

He fondly remembers the day he stumbled upon the woman who led him to the site of his mother's old house.

"I definitely spent some time thinking about what that piece of earth that I walked on really meant," he said. "My mom and her family used to walk up and down that road. I found myself talking to my ancestors, my grandma and grandpa, to say, 'I'm here, and I've found where you guys are from. I know a little bit more now. Our family is doing well. We're all finding our way.'"

Huy Huynh's parents, who left war-torn Vietnam for the United States fearing for their lives, have not returned to their homeland though they want to some day. His three siblings, all born in America, have never been to Vietnam.

"Being the first one to come back there and find this place was very overwhelming," Huy Huynh said about the site where his mother's house had been.

He now lives in Syracuse, where he volunteers with FrancisCorps, working as the assistant director of Syracuse's Asian Apostolate. He also is a Vietnamese translator, tutor for an after-school program for Vietnamese-American children and assistant coach for a Catholic Youth Organization soccer team called the CYO Internationals.

He hopes the next time he returns to Vietnam, it will be with his parents and siblings. The trip probably will occur in about three years, after the youngest Huynh graduates from college.

"America is my home," Huy Huynh said. "But there's always this special place in my heart. I am who I am in large part because of my roots in Vietnam."

(http://www.pressconnects.com/today/lifestyle/stories/li040505s158462.shtml)

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