NCVA eREPORTER - August 2, 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

• Access to Success 2006 – August 3, 2006
• Sustain and Grow Your Organization – Aug 9 & Aug 10, 2006

 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

• Ronald McDonald House Charities Fund National/International Programs for Children
• Bikes Belong Coalition Grants Promote Bicycling
• National Endowment for the Arts: The Big Read
• YSA: Red White and Green Climate Change Grant Program
• Norfolk Southern Foundation Supports Community Programs in the Eastern U.S.
• YSA/U.S. Department of Justice Youthrising Grant
• State Farm/YSA 2007 Lead Agency Application
• Angel Soft Angels in Action Awards Recognize Children Serving Their Communities
• Toshiba America Foundation Funds K-12 Science and Math Programs
• Verizon Foundation Supports Literacy and Domestic Violence Prevention Programs
• NetAid Global Action Awards

JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

• Asian/Pacific Islander Youth Advocacy Network Coordinator
• Executive Assistant – Chinatown Community Development Center

TIPS/RESOURCES

• Human Resources: Understanding and Institutionalizing a Culture of Diversity
• Finance: 7 Terms For Understanding Fiscal Sponsorships
• Volunteer Management: Essential Tips for Training Volunteers
• "Healthy Start, Grow Smart" Pamphlet New Online Ordering
• Service-Learning Supplement Now Available

NEWS

• Immigrant labor creates more opportunity (The Argus)
• A Memorial to Some U.S. Allies, and Another to Build (Pioneer Press)
• Foreign-speaking patients get help (Muskogee Phoenix)
• A Community's Ethnic Tradition in Transition (KTLA)
• Asian American Youth: America's New Trendsetters (PRNewswire)
• Sandwich Shops Feed on Diversity (Houston Chronicle)
• Casinos Winning Big by Betting on Asian (Associated Press)

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EVENTS

ACCESS TO SUCCESS 2006

Join us and  400 other Business Owners, Corporate Executives, Economic Service Providers and:
    *   Congressman  Lames Moran (8th District of Virginia)
    *   Chairman  of Arlington  County  Board  Chris Zimmerman
    *   Chairman  of Fairfax  County  Board  of Supervisor Gerald Connolly
    *   Assistant  Secretary of Trade and Commence Vivek Kundra
    *   Chairman  of USIBA Sanjay Puri
    *   Director  of NOVA Export Assistance Center, Anne Grey Learn  to

*      Expand  your business into the Federal, State and Local government market
*      Explore  opportunities in Export/Import to US, India,  Latin American
*      Run  a successful retail business
*      Find  capital for your business expansion

SPECIAL SESSION:     Congressman Jim Moran  (D-VA-8th District), Vivek Kundra, Virginia  assistant secretary of commerce and trade, and Mara Olquin, vice president,  corporate marketing, Charles E. Smith will touch upon the impact of Base  Realignments and Closure (BRAC)

WHEN:
Thursday, August 3, 2006
8:00 a.m. – 3:30  p.m.

WHERE:
The Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel
801 N.  Glebe Road, Arlington, Va. 22201

RSVP:
http://www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/index.cfm/10999

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
Contact Lauryn Han at 703-538-7418,  email: lhan@bdag.org

Or visit http://www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/atbs

(http://www.bdag.org)

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SUSTAIN & GROW YOUR ORGANIZATION

Get Training to Accelerate Services that Last

What does it take to move your compassionate service beyond the seedling phase? How do you sustain and grow the services that you have toiled to start?

You need to find ways to accelerate growth, and ways to sustain quality service - stepping stones that will lead you the next level of growth.

Start to understand your organization’s “Sustainability Quotient”: the right mix of resources, identify accelerators: organizational nutrients that will increase your size and strength quickly, remove misplaced plants (weeds) to maximize your growth, and ensure that essential elements for growth are present.

Register for one of two CA locations

Santa Ana, CA: August 9th - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Los Angeles, CA: August 10th - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Cost: Both trainings are FREE for California residents under We Care America’s Southern California Compassion Capital Fund.

The purpose of We Care America and the California Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) Sub-Award Program is to strengthen community and faith-based organizations to serve more people effectively. Funding, provided by our Grants Program and Technical Assistance and Training gives organizations the opportunity to expand and enhance their program structure. As a result, organizations across the Southern California region are increasing their ability to serve those in need.

REGISTER HERE:

http://www.nationalgrantcenter.org/sustainandgrow.asp

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES FUND NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN

The national office of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) supports national or international nonprofit organizations whose programs help improve the health and well-being of children. Organizations seeking funding should have a specific program that: improves the health and well-being of children (ages 0 to 21 years); addresses a significant funding gap or critical opportunity; has long-term impact in terms of replication; and produces measurable results. RMHC has supported nonprofit organizations that help children read, provide nutritious after-school meals, offer life-changing surgeries, help prevent life-threatening disease, etc. The next deadline for letters of intent is August 28, 2006.

(http://www.rmhc.org/rmhc/index/grants.html)

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BIKES BELONG COALITION GRANTS PROMOTE BICYCLING

The mission of the Bikes Belong Coalition, sponsored by the American bicycle industry, is to put more people on bicycles more often. The Coalition welcomes grant applications from nonprofit organizations and public agencies within the United States that align with its mission. Grants are provided in the following categories: facility, advocacy, and education. All proposals must address the goals of the grants program strategic plan: encourage ridership growth, leverage funding, build political support, support bicycle advocacy, and promote bicycling. Requests are reviewed quarterly; the remaining deadlines for 2006 are August 28, and November 27.

(http://bikesbelong.org)

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NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS: THE BIG READ

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literature in American popular culture and bring the transformative power of literature into the lives of its citizens. This program will engage libraries and other community and school partners across the country to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. Organizations participating in The Big Read will be required to produce a community-wide read of a selected book, including innovative programming. Events should promote active participation, involve the local library where there is one, and occur in a variety of locations. Approximately 50 organizations will be selected for programming occurring between January 2007 and June 2007. The deadline for these applications is September 12, 2006.

(http://www.neabigread.org/application_process.php)

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YOUTH SERVICE AMERICA: RED WHITE AND GREEN CLIMATE CHANGE GRANT PROGRAM
Service-Learning Projects Target Climate Change

The Red, White & Green Climate Change Grant Program, administered by Youth Service America, provides support for service-learning projects about climate change intended to engage community members and candidates for the 2006 election. The program is open to all young people in the U.S. between the ages of 15-25 and to organizations that engage youth. Projects where youth work in partnership with adults (parents, coaches, teachers, youth leaders, etc.) are welcome; however, the projects should be youth-led. Twenty-five grants of $500 each will be awarded for projects that take place between October 1 and November 30, 2006. Applications must be postmarked no later than Thursday, September 1, 2006.

(http://www.ysa.org/awards/award_grant.cfm#nowavailable)

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NORFOLK SOUTHERN FOUNDATION SUPPORTS COMMUNITY PROGRAMS IN THE EASTERN U.S.

The Norfolk Southern Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that focus on educational, cultural, environmental, and economic development opportunities within the region served by Norfolk Southern in the Eastern U.S. (A system map of Norfolk Southern communities is available on the company’s website.) The Foundation offers grants in three principal areas: educational programs, primarily at the post-secondary level; community enrichment focusing on cultural and artistic organizations; and environmental programs. Applications are accepted between July 15 and September 30, annually.

(http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application?pageid=About%20NS&category=About%20NS&contentId=english/nscorp/about_ns/ns_foundation.html)

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YSA/U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE YOUTHRISING GRANT

Youth Service America and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention are pleased to announce the launch of the YouthRising grant program. This opportunity offers $2,000 for organizations to engage high risk and/or gang-involved youth in volunteer service. Eligible organizations must have documented success in prevention/intervention work with high risk and/or gang-involved youth.

The grant will support projects that engage high-risk and/or gang-involved youth (ages 12-25) in service to their communities. We seek projects that are co-led by youth and adult allies such as parents, counselors, coaches, teachers, youth leaders, etc. A significant portion of the project must take place on National and Global Youth Service Day, April 20-22, 2007.

Application materials are available at http://ga1.org/ct/p72P-J61au-t/ysa-org-awards. Deadline is 5pm EST on October 12, 2006.

(http://ww.ysa.org)

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STATE FARM/YSA 2007 LEAD AGENCY APPLICATION

Youth Service America is excited to announce the upcoming release of the 2007 Lead Agency Application. Lead Agencies are organizations across the United States that increase the scope, visibility, and sustainability of National & Global Youth Service Day by leading city, regional, or statewide service projects. Being a Lead Agency is an opportunity to connect your organization with an international youth service movement while increasing your program participation. Past Lead Agencies have been successful in garnering national media attention, developing new partnerships, and engaging elected and public officials in their service and service-learning projects.

Lead Agencies receive a $2,000 N & GYSD planning grant sponsored by State Farm Companies Foundation and direct assistance and support from Youth Service America to ensure a successful National & Global Youth Service Day. To learn more about the Lead Agency program and the application, please email cmiller@ysa.org.

(http://www.ysa.org)

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ANGEL SOFT ANGELS IN ACTION AWARDS RECOGNIZE CHILDREN SERVING THEIR COMMUNITIES

The Angel Soft Angels in Action Program recognizes children ages 8 to 18 who have executed exemplary acts of service to benefit their community, a charity, or cause. The most outstanding service project will be named Program of the Year with the winner receiving $15,000. Two Grand Prizes of $10,000 and five First Prizes of $1,000 will also be awarded. Along with cash awards, the Program of the Year winner and both Grand Prize winners will receive a trip for two to Walt Disney World. Nominators who are 18 years or older may submit an essay of 200 words or less about the nominee's service accomplishments. Nominations must be received by October 1, 2006.

(http://www.angelsoft.com/angelsinaction/awardsprogram2006.asp)

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TOSHIBA AMERICA FOUNDATION FUNDS K-12 SCIENCE AND MATH PROGRAMS

The mission of the Toshiba America Foundation is to promote quality science and mathematics education in U.S. schools. Grants are made for programs and activities that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics in grades K-12. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking on inquiry-based projects designed by individual teachers, and small teams of teachers, for use in their own classrooms. The application deadline for K-6 grants is October 1, annually. Grade 7-12 grant requests of up to $5,000 are accepted at any time. The deadlines for requests over $5,000 are February 1 and August 1, annually.

(http://taf.toshiba.com)

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VERIZON FOUNDATION SUPPORTS LITERACY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports nonprofit organizations that benefit the customers, employees, and communities in the areas the company serves within the U.S. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking on literacy programs and domestic violence prevention. The Foundation also supports initiatives that promote access to wireline, wireless, and broadband technologies in order to address the issues of literacy and domestic violence. Proposals are reviewed from January 1st through November 30th, annually. Requests are only accepted through the Foundation’s online application process.

(http://foundation.verizon.com)

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NETAIDE GLOBAL ACTION AWARDS

The NetAid Global Action Awards recognize U.S. high school students who have organized and led projects that address global poverty. Eligible projects cover a wide range of activities, including HIV/AIDS prevention, hunger alleviation, as well programs to improve access to education in impoverished countries and awareness campaigns in the students’ communities. Students must have attended a U.S. high school during the 2005-2006 school year to be eligible. Honorees will receive $5,000 for college or a charitable cause of their choice. Applications must be submitted by November 30, 2006.

(http://netaidregister.dreamhosters.com/gaa_index.php)

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JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER YOUTH ADVOCACY NETWORK (AYAN)

The role of the AYAN Coordinator is to support and coordinate the work of the Asian/Pacific Islander Youth Advocacy Network (AYAN). Working with a coalition of community-based organizations, City departments, and community leaders, the Advocacy Coordinator will manage the implementation of a community response plan developed by AYAN in 2004.

Responsibilities include:
· Coordination and support of AYAN advocacy and policy agenda;
· Serving as the primary external liaison for AYAN;
· Managing communication strategies for AYAN and developing necessary literature and other collateral materials;
· Recruiting new members;
· Coordinating advocacy efforts for youth within the API community;
· Disseminating information to AYAN members and the public on API related issues;
· Managing the program budget and overseeing all fiscal related matters;
· Support of fund development efforts.
· Preparation of all required reporting for funding sources;

Minimum Qualifications:
1) Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college
2) Experience in human service related program management including program planning and evaluation, budget monitoring and report writing
3) Knowledge of the diverse API communities in San Francisco
4) Knowledge of community organizing/advocacy strategies and models
5) Computer literate with experience in data base management
6) Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills
7) Flexible schedule
8) Fundraising and/or grant writing experience preferred

Send resume and cover letter by Friday, July 28, 2006 to: Tina Alcantara, AYAN Coordinator Search, c/o JCYC , 2012 Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 or

Email cover letter and resume as separate attachment as a MSWord document to jcycjobs@jcyc.org.

PLEASE NOTE: AYAN and its fiscal agent, the Japanese Community Youth Council, actively seeks to hire and promote individuals, recruit volunteers and provide services to individuals without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religious creed, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, or presence of non-job related conditions or disabilities.

Please Note: Upon completion of the recruitment process, candidate selected will be required to present for verification: Proof of identity and eligibility to work in the U.S. As per guidelines of JCYC, all employees will be required to be fingerprinted and must agree to a background check.

   - Compensation: $40K+ excellent benefit package
   - This is at a non-profit organization.

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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT – CHINATOWN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Reports to:     Deputy Director

Status:             Full-time, non-exempt

Hours:             Monday through Friday, regular business hours, some evening work required

Salary:              Low 30's with excellent benefits

Job Summary:  The Executive Assistant maintains the administrative and information systems to support the Executive Director and Deputy Director.  The position requires a motivated individual who pays careful attention to detail, has strong interpersonal skills, and is highly organized.  He/she must be versatile, enjoy working independently, and thrive in a casual, yet fast-paced professional environment.

The Organization:  A private nonprofit organization established in 1977, Chinatown Community Development Center's mission is to build community and enhance the quality of life for San Francisco residents through its roles as neighborhood advocates, organizers and planners, and as developers and managers of affordable housing. Our organization is based in Chinatown, but also serves the Tenderloin and North Beach communities. We have had a role in the development of over 2,400 units of affordable housing and currently manage over 1200 units in 20 properties, serving diverse ethnic, racial, and age constituencies.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
·         Draft, edit, and proofread general correspondence or other written materials
·         Maintain Board of Directors database
·         Prepare monthly Board packets
·         Coordinate, attend, and record minutes for Board of Directors bi-monthly meetings, and other Committees as requested
·         Organize Board of Directors orientation and recruitment events
·         Assist Executive Director with Board calendaring and agenda setting
·         Assist with planning and logistics of organization and Board events
·         Research and write articles; obtain and compile information to produce monthly staff newsletter
·         Maintain Executive Director's chronological files
·         Facilitate bi-monthly meetings with department assistants
·         Provide computer assistance to Executive Director and Deputy Director
·         Perform word-processing, photocopying, and faxing as requested
·         Support Executive Director and Deputy Director and assist other committees as requested

Knowledge/Skills Required by the Job
·         Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills
·         Consistent attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines
·         Capacity to work independently and exercise own judgment
·         Strong interpersonal skills

Minimum Experience and Skill level
·         Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
·         High proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and Publisher
·         Excellent writing and editing skills

Preferred Experience and Skill level
·         Experience with non-profit Boards or non-profit organizations
·         Two years experience as administrative assistant or executive assistant
·         Bilingual in English and Cantonese/Toisanese language
·         Bi-literate in English and Chinese
·         Familiarity with San Francisco Chinatown or Tenderloin communities

Please send résumé/letter to: Chinatown CDC, Attn: CCDC-EA

Email jobs@chinatowncdc.org– Fax 415.362.7992– Mail 1525 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

(http://www.chinatowncdc.org)

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TIPS/RESOURCES

HUMAN RESOURCES: UNDERSTANDING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING A CULTURE OF DIVERSITY

Despite the efforts of a multi-year, core-funding initiative aimed at serving the needs of women and girls, many philanthropy professionals, nonprofit leaders and researchers concede that women and girls still do not receive foundation funding proportionate to their numbers in the population.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation launched the Women's Philanthropy Cluster, a group of organizations that would collaborate to develop long-range planning strategies to improve philanthropy for women and girls. In their book, Effective Philanthropy: Organizational Success through Deep Diversity and Gender Equality, Mary Ellen S. Capek and Molly Mead address the importance of capitalizing on an organization's differences that divide us, particularly gender.

To be effective, the authors concluded that foundations must both understand diversity and institutionalize that knowledge. The following are frequently cited issues and concerns raised by the 60 philanthropic and nonprofit leaders that were polled during the first phase of the book:

* The need for talking in more subtle ways about organizational culture and the importance of institutionalizing diversity and gender cultural competence.

* The need for better and more accessible demographic data as a key tool of institutionalized diversity and cultural competence.

* The need for grantees to focus on effectiveness and target foundations issue areas when they make a case for funding women and girls.

* The importance of relationships and partnerships (between funders and grantees, among funders, and among grantees).

* The importance of applying international understandings of gender to domestic grants programs.

* The need to take a closer look at women in foundation leadership positions (constraints, strengths, and the need for leadership on womens issues).

* The need for new language and strategies for talking about effective grant making for women and girls.

* The importance of leadership to address and institutionalize such effectiveness.

* The need to educate and/or change both foundation and nonprofit boards to be more accountable for effective philanthropy.

When foundations understand how much they gain by considering the differences that divide us (race, class, gender, sexual orientation, geography, age, religion, physical ability, among others) then gender becomes just one piece of the big picture, and they start funding women and girls explicitly. Their other funding initiatives also become more effective.

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

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FINANCE: 7 TERMS FOR UNDERSTANDING FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS

In the ever-growing world of nonprofits there is an ever-expanding terminology, which may be useful but can become overwhelming and confusing to many.

In his book Fiscal Sponsorship, Gregory L. Colvin offers examples of terms or concepts that have arisen in the nonprofit world, with a look at what each one means.

Among the concepts offered:

* Direct project. Project belongs to sponsor and is implemented by its employees and volunteers. Basic relationship is employer-employee.

* Independent contractor project. Project belongs to sponsor but is conducted by a separate entity under contract. The relationship is project contract.

* Pre-approved grant relationship. The project applies to a sponsor for one or a series of grants. Sponsor funds project only to extent that money is received from donors. The relationship is one of grantor-grantee.

* Group exemption. Sponsor obtains federal group tax exemption, confers 501(c)(3) status on subordinate projects. The relationship is subordinate-affiliate.

* Supporting organization. Project gets its 501 c(3) exemption, but public charity status is based on support of sponsor’s purposes. The degree of connection or relationship can vary.

* Technical assistance. Project has its own 501c(3) exemption but needs help with bookkeeping, tax returns, payroll, management, etc. The relationship is a management contract.

* Payments for the use of sponsor. Project approved by sponsor, trust account is set up for project separate from sponsor’s assets, donors pay directly to trust account. The sponsor must control the project.

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

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VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT: ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR TRAINING VOLUNTEERS

Nonprofit staff, particularly the chief development officer, has a responsibility to recruit, train and retain quality fundraising volunteers.

However, volunteers should be expected to maintain confidentiality of information provided to them, complete assignments on time, present the organization in a positive manner and present any conflicts of interest, stated Linda Lysakowski, author of Nonprofit Essentials Recruiting and Training Fundraising Volunteers.

In her book, Lysakowski developed the following guidelines for successful management of fundraising volunteers:

* Develop clear expectations for all fundraising volunteers, including the obligation to make their own gift first.
* Remain sensitive to the needs and motivations of volunteers.
* Always act in a professional manner when working with volunteers.
* Schedule meetings and activities at times and locations that are convenient for volunteers. It may require early morning hours or even meeting at the volunteers office.
* Provide volunteers with the information that they require.
* Never ask a volunteer to undertake a task that is unethical or illegal.
* Provide training and education about the entire philanthropic process. Don?t focus simply on the tasks in which they will be involved.
* Teach volunteers that their highest responsibility is to the donor.

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

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“HEALTHY START, GROW SMART” PAMPHLET NEW ONLINE ORDERING

Please visit http://www.ntis.gov/cms/index.aspx to order free "Healthy Start, Grow Start" pamphlets. HHS is proud to present organizations the opportunity to order the series of pamphlets for parents and caregivers, called "Healthy Start, Grow Smart." This series consists of 13 issues beginning with information on newborns through the first year of life and provides valuable, age-appropriate information about health, safety, nutritional needs, and early cognitive development that has been proven to help babies thrive. These guides are provided free of charge to assist organizations in reaching out to families.

The pamphlets are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese, You can review the written product through the downloadable versions also found on the website. If you have any questions, please contact June Milby at 410-786-8686.

(http://www.ntis.gov/cms/index.aspx)

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SERVICE-LEARNING SUPPLEMENT NOW AVAILABLE

Now available for free download is a service-learning supplement to assist youth in the completion of their service project component of F.I.L.M. Adapted from Youth Service America (YSA) materials, the guide may be used in conjunction with any F.I.L.M. program. It serves as an excellent service project planning and management resource for youth facilitators and youth. Topics include: Tips for Adults and Youth Working Together, Understanding Service-Learning, Engaging Youth Volunteers with Disabilities, Generating Project Ideas, Service Ideas by Subject Area, Determining Responsibilities, and Engaging Media.

F.I.L.M.(Finding Inspiration in Literature and Movies) is a literacy and film program that encourages youth to screen the featured films, read the books associated with the movies, participate in activities from the free, downloadable activity guides, and complete service projects that relate to the central themes of the books and movies. F.I.L.M currently has activity guides available for Because of Winn Dixie, Dreamer, Glory Road, Hoot, and more.

To download the free Service-Learning Supplement, please visit:

(http://ga1.org/ct/7d2P-J612cD-/Supplement)

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NEWS

June 1, 2006

IMMIGRANT LABOR CREATES MORE OPPORTUNITY

By John Tierney
The Argus

IF you're fretting about immigrants stealing American jobs, I recommend going to Traci Harris for a manicure, complete with the soothing aromatic compresses. Her business is a case study of what happens to native workers when immigrants arrive.

In theory, hordes of immigrants are a problem because they can take lots of jobs and drive down wages, especially for the less-educated natives in direct competition with them.

In practice, though, that's not what economists find when they look at wages and unemployment rates in cities that attract large numbers of immigrants. Less-educated American workers in places such as Los Angeles, Miami and New York don't seem to be substantially worse off than they are in cities with few immigrants.

Why not? One of the cleverest answers comes from an analysis of the nail-salon business in California. It makes an especially tidy case study because the state keeps track of all licensed manicurists, enabling economists to see what happened to American workers such as Harris when tens of thousands of Vietnamese entered the business during the past two decades.

Harris owns the Salon Legohn in Leimert Park, a working-class, predominantly black neighborhood in Los Angeles. As Vietnamese salons proliferated nearby, she couldn't compete with their low prices. But she has kept her salon in business — and kept hiring Americans — by concentrating on hairstyling.

"Women want a hairdresser who speaks English," Harris says. "You don't face the same kind of competition from the Vietnamese."

Harris herself remained a manicurist, but not at her own salon. She has found more lucrative full-time jobs at beachfront hotel spas and as a freelancer on movie sets and at magazine photo shoots. Instead of competing with the Vietnamese in the neighborhood, she visits clients in Beverly Hills who pay $150 for a house call.

"If you can speak English, it's easy to find a job at an elite shop," she says. "American manicurists are a hot commodity. My clients want to have a conversation."

Harris' experience doesn't surprise Kathy Krynski of Kenyon College, one of the economists who analyzed the California manicure business. She, Maya Federman and David Harrington found that the surge in Vietnamese manicurists didn't suddenly put Americans out of work.

Some Americans gave up their licenses, but the turnover wasn't much higher than it had been before the Vietnamese arrived. The chief effect of the competition was to discourage young 

Americans from entering the business, so over time the number of American manicurists dwindled.

"The Vietnamese didn't so much displace Americans as gradually replace them," Krynski says. "Some Americans stayed in the business in upscale salons, and others probably went into other occupations offering higher wages, like being a hairdresser."

Some young Americans did lose the chance to become manicurists, but it's not as if every immigrant took an American's job. The study found that for every two fewer Americans in the business, there were five new Vietnamese manicurists.

Like other immigrants, Vietnamese nail-salon owners didn't simply fill existing jobs. They created more jobs that benefited American consumers. These entrepreneurs transformed the business not only with their workers but also with time-saving innovations such as electric tools for shaping nails.

As a result, shop clerks in Harris' neighborhood who used to go a couple of months between manicures can now afford weekly visits to Van's Salon. I got a manicure there from Nancy Nguyen for $8, a quarter of what I paid for the cheapest manicure available from Harris at the spa at Shutters on the Beach hotel.

Nguyen couldn't compete with Harris in ambiance or conversation — I barely got her to utter her name. Harris spent half an hour working on my right hand, gently using compresses infused with tangerine and peppermint as well as a hazelnut and menthol scrub. Nguyen did my left hand in 10 minutes without explaining what she was doing.

To my inexpert eye — this was my first manicure — Harris did the better job, but the nails buffed by Nguyen certainly looked better than usual. If I wanted a weekly manicure, I'd be glad to have the cheaper Vietnamese option available.

And I wouldn't worry about the economic menace of foreign manicurists. American workers have survived this immigrant invasion with their paychecks intact, and their fingernails in better shape than ever.

John Tierney writes for The New York Times.

(http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/oped/ci_3886988)

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July 23, 2006

A MEMORIAL TO SOME U.S. ALLIES, AND ANOTHER TO BUILD

The war that remade St. Paul and other corners of the American Midwest now has a permanent monument on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Wisconsin.

Next year, if all goes well, there will be a similar marker here, where the Secret War in Laos also lives on.

Last weekend, under a broiling summer sun, a circular black granite structure was unveiled at a lakefront park in Sheboygan, about an hour's drive north of Milwaukee. Old Hmong soldiers in crisp camo fatigues joined white-haired special forces guys in dress greens. A recorded version of taps was played. Volleys were fired. A governor, members of Congress, mayors and the old vets spoke with honor and respect.

The Lao, Hmong and American Veterans Memorial in Sheboygan is by far the most ambitious U.S. monument to the Secret War the U.S. waged in Laos in the 1960s and 1970s. The Hmong, living in the mountains of Laos, were key allies in that war. Supplied and directed by the U.S. CIA, Hmong Special Guerilla Units took the war to the North Vietnamese Army in Laos and helped rescue American pilots shot out of the sky.

The collapse of Laos to the communists in May of 1975 put tens of thousands of Hmong and Lao refugees in motion.

St. Paul, a welcoming city in a refugee-friendly state, became a prime destination for the Hmong. In the last census, St. Paul's Hmong population of more than 24,000 was the largest of any single U.S. city, and the number is probably closer to 30,000 now. St. Paul has two Hmong-American state legislators and a flourishing Hmong business and professional class.

Sheboygan and nearby Manitowoc, smallish towns between Milwaukee and Green Bay, have also become Lao and Hmong havens. Last weekend's event, coming in the midst of a loud national debate over immigration, was a reminder of how two countries can come together.

This was a day for unity and appreciation, for remembrance and rededication. The Asian and U.S. warriors were on the same side, again and forever.

"If there was anybody from another country who deserved to be here, they did,'' said Col. Bill Lair, who helped build the relationship between the U.S. and Hmong military in the 1950s and 1960s and was considered a godfather to the Hmong fighters. "They earned the right with their lives.''

This was a war that was lost. Who lost it, or whether it could have been won, is subject to debate. The status of the U.S.-backed warriors in Laos after the defeat was not debatable, however: they faced persecution and peril. Lair put it bluntly. When the U.S. agreed to a coalition government, and then allowed the communists to take over, the days of the Hmong and Lao warriors were numbered.

"We basically sentenced them to death,'' Lair said.

"A lot of us hope that one day Laos will become free again, so all that want to go back, can go back,'' said Rev. Lucian Bouchard, a priest who ministered to the people of Laos during the war and is, like Lair, a legendary figure from the Secret War.

The Sheboygan memorial honors the Lao and Hmong fighters as well as the Americans who fought with them, with names of many who served, and others who died, etched into the granite. When organizers removed a red-white-and-blue covering over the memorial, families crowded in, oblivious of the heat, and broke down at this solid, physical representation of the saga they carried in their hearts for three decades.

This is the third such memorial to the Secret War.

There is a small plaque in Arlington National Cemetery and a bronze statue in Fresno, Calif., another center of Hmong immigration, that depicts two Hmong fighters rescuing a U.S. pilot.

And some day — perhaps next year — there will be a similar memorial in St. Paul.

State Rep. Cy Thao of St. Paul said work continues to raise funds and plan for a memorial to be placed on the Capitol Grounds. Thao said the project got $150,000 in state funding this past legislative session. Organizers are trying to raise another $100,000 privately.

A proposed design depicts four figures: a fallen American pilot, a Hmong soldier assisting him, a woman carrying the soldier's ammunition, and a boy soldier, carrying the weapons. Thao said if planning and fundraising can be completed this year, the memorial could be built next year.

Back to that hot lakefront.

Sitting under a tent, hoping for a gasp of wind, and looking at those old soldiers, the mind wanders from the past war in Southeast Asia to the current war in Iraq. In both cases, the U.S. formed alliances with indigenous factions whose interests coincided with our own. In both cases, the drumbeat of casualties triggered an opposition movement back home and a polarized debate about the rightness of the cause.

Is this how that war will end too? Will we be left with a memorial to the expatriate foreign fighters whose children, pounding the soccer ball on the grass a few feet away, will never know their homeland, or even what all the fuss was about?

Memorials have a way of making us wonder about the future. The low granite walls in Sheboygan, a five-hour drive from St. Paul, are like that. It's worth the trip.

Hmong memorial

State Rep. Cy Thao of St. Paul said organizers of the Minnesota memorial to veterans of the Secret War are accepting contributions for the project at: Veterans Memorial Fund, c/o Lao Hmong American Coalition, 1394 Jackson St./Suite 206, St. Paul MN 55117.

(http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/15094972.htm)

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July 24, 2006

FOREIGN-SPEAKING PATIENTS GET HELP

Service, bilingual workers provide translation

By Keith Purtell

Phoenix Staff Writer

Medical staff at a busy emergency room depend on being able to understand the patient’s problem.

That may be impossible when the doctor’s words are the unintelligible sounds of a foreign language.

“People are scared enough when they come into a hospital,” said Kim Faith, Social Services supervisor at the Muskogee Regional Medical Center. “They are very grateful when they find out we can translate.”

The hospital uses a paid service available by telephone. A special phone with two handsets allows the hospital staff and the patient to speak with a translator. The Language Line Service offers translation in more than 150 languages including Cherokee.

Faith said some of employees are bilingual and give the patient someone they can speak to in person. For citizens of Muskogee with limited English skills, they will often bring a friend or family member who can help.

Some 49.6 million Americans (18.7 percent of U.S. residents) speak a language other than English at home; 22.3 million (8.4 percent) have limited English proficiency. Between 1990 and 2000, the number of Americans who spoke a language other than English at home grew by 15.1 million (a 47 percent increase), and the number with limited English proficiency grew by 7.3 million (a 53 percent increase).

Daniel Carbone, owner of Daniel’s Jewelry, moved from Argentina to the U.S. 22 years ago. As a businessman, he has worked hard on his English.

“I went to the doctor recently, and I thought I explained myself pretty good,” he said. “He told me he wanted to take out my gall bladder. Then I went on vacation to Argentina and a doctor there told me it was a problem with my stomach. It didn’t have anything to do with my gall bladder.”

Carbone said better communication is not only good for the patient’s well being, it’s also good for the business side of health care.

At the Muskogee County Health Department, Luisa McGee, patient care assistant and interpreter, said she helps Spanish-speaking patients get signed up for services and speak to the nurse practitioner or doctor there.

“Usually, they’re looking for maternity care, shots or physicals for their kids or birth control for themselves,” she said. “Also, I’m an older person, and many are young and away from their family, so they may be looking for a parent figure substitute.”

In the New England Journal of Medicine, author Glenn Flores, M.D., outlined some of the results of language barriers in health care.

“Patients who face such barriers are less likely than others to have a usual source of medical care; they receive preventive services at reduced rates; and they have an increased risk of nonadherence to medication,” he said. “Such patients are less likely than others to return for follow-up appointments after visits to the emergency room, and they have higher rates of hospitalization and drug complications.”

At Muskogee County Head Start, Family Support Manager Stan Cowan, said they have Spanish translator on staff and a number of bilingual employees. In addition, they use the same telephone translation as MRMC and translation services at Oklahoma 211; a central resource available in most counties.

Hispanic persons aren’t the only ones who need help with language barriers.

“We’re now seeing an influx of Vietnamese people come in to Head Start,” he said.

Cowan said Head Start encourages their clients to learn English when possible. Many recent immigrants to the United States have difficulty supporting their families and attending language classes at the same time.

Reach Keith Purtell at 684-2925 or kpurtell@muskogeephoenix.com.

(http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/NEWS01/60724002/1002)

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July 25, 2006

A COMMUNITY’S ETHNIC TRADITION IN TRANSITION

L.A.'s old Chinatown of family shops and traditions is grudgingly giving way to galleries and lofts. Even Quentin Tarantino is buying in.

By David Pierson, Times Staff Writer

During the day, the faded red lanterns that crisscross Chung King Road in Chinatown dangle listlessly above a row of Chinese antique and trinket shops that have seen better times.

But on a recent Saturday night, after the gates on the Chinese shops were pulled down, another Chinatown sprang to life near L.A.'s downtown.

Modern art galleries that have filled Chinatown's storefronts in recent years opened, and the red lanterns were illuminated. A mostly bohemian crowd jostled to view abstract drawings and photographs of Brazilian prostitutes. Amid the fashionably dressed visitors drinking Mexican beer and smoking cigarettes, an elderly Chinese woman scoured the street for empty cans, even accepting ones out of the hands of art patrons.

These days, there are two Chinatowns — one on the rise, the other on the decline.

The old Chinatown — the one established as an entry point for Chinese immigrants, made up of long-standing family associations and shops that celebrate China's traditions — is struggling. The population is aging, merchants are starved for shoppers and the associations can't attract younger members.

The new Chinatown — the one of art galleries, loft developments and trendy boutiques celebrating modern Asian fashion — is booming. It's a community more about style than tradition, created by a mix of white artists and second- and third-generation Chinese Americans who came from the suburbs to form their own vision of Chinatown.

The transformation has been occurring gradually over the last six years but now appears to be shifting into overdrive. Loft conversions, mixed-use projects and luxury apartments are on the horizon. Director Quentin Tarantino has even bought an old theater where he plans to show Asian films.

The situation has created a culture clash. Some old-timers complain about the rowdy behavior of the new patrons. There are periodic flare-ups over art shows that some longtime Chinatown merchants consider too racy. Some elderly residents worry about being pushed out by gentrification.

"They're North Pole and we're South Pole," said Michael Han, a jade cutter whose jewelry store, Win Sun Co., has been a mainstay on Chung King Road for 30 years. "There's no way for the two to get together. They've got people with nose rings, earrings, all those things. They come in here asking if they can use the restroom. I'm not offended; it's just the trend."

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In the back room of his jewelry store, Han was playing a noisy game of mah-jongg with three elderly friends and bantering in Cantonese. The septuagenarian also speaks Mandarin, Taiwanese and Toisanese — a true mark of an old-timer, because some of Chinatown's earliest settlers were from an area in southern China's Guangdong province where it is spoken.

Though he is ethnically Chinese, Han grew up in Burma and left for the U.S. in the 1960s. He landed in Chinatown, like most Chinese immigrants of that time. He fondly remembers the 1970s, its boom period.

"It was so busy I never had a chance to have lunch," said Han. "Jade was very fashionable."

Han's store is on the ground floor of a peach-colored building. He rarely sits behind his glass counters, which display hundreds of jade and gold necklaces, earrings and bracelets. He's lucky to get one customer on some weekdays, so playing mah-jongg in the back room has become part of his daily routine.

Han still sends out 500 Christmas cards each year to the regular customers he's accumulated in three decades of business. Many haven't been to the store in years.

In Chung King Road's golden era, Han's business was one of many high-end dealers in art, furniture, ceramics and jewelry. But by the end of the 20th century, many patrons had passed on, and reproductions of Chinese antiques were being mass-produced.

Most of the merchants' children have college educations and little interest in taking over the stores. Han's son is a robotics engineer and his daughter is a teacher.

Shop after shop has closed on Chung King Road, leaving behind only some of the more well-known businesses, such as F. See On, the Jade Tree and Fong's Oriental Works of Art.

By the late 1990s, property owners were desperate to lease out the empty storefronts, so they took a gamble. They lowered rents and leased the spaces to rising artists, who considered the rents a bargain compared to places like Santa Monica. Over the next few years, the scene took off.

Today there are about a dozen art galleries on the street. They have formed one of the most talked-about contemporary art scenes in the world.

Han and other merchants were optimistic when the galleries arrived, hoping they would bring more customers. But they soon realized that the galleries were not going to substantially boost business, in part because many drew crowds only for Saturday night exhibitions.

At times, the two cultures cannot appear to be further apart. Wounds are still fresh from a controversy last year, when one gallery displayed nude paintings of men having sex. Locals were outraged. The gallery agreed to obscure its artwork by frosting its storefront windows.

The remaining Chinese merchants obsessively count the new galleries, looking for the familiar clean whitewashed walls and studio lighting. They peer inside the spaces and struggle to comprehend the meaning of the abstract art and the prices the pieces demand.

"What is it?" asked Alex Cheung, owner of an antiques store, jabbing his finger at a newspaper clipping showing a tub of steaming tar used for an art installation at a nearby gallery several years ago.

"It's so weird," said his wife, Lily, surrounded by amber-colored Chinese furniture and blue-and-white porcelain in the couple's store. "I once saw a hand-carved wooden flower for $20,000. It was just hanging on a wall. Maybe we should get into modern art?"

Later, Roger Herman, an art instructor at UCLA whose Chinatown gallery is in a former kung fu studio, visited Cheung's store. Herman was looking for more of the same ivory necklaces he had bought there before.

"He's a dying breed," Herman said of Cheung, who at 56 has run the store more than half his life.

Herman and his business partner, Hubert Schmalix, have begun collecting rare Chinese pottery but say it is hard to find in the new Chinatown.

"Too many art galleries now," Herman said.

"Are these galleries here for the long term?" Lily Cheung, 50, asked Herman.

"I think so," Herman said. "I think the galleries have reached critical mass."

The Cheungs have reason to be nervous. They used to have twice the space, but the landlord raised the rent when more galleries came calling. So the immigrants from Hong Kong canceled the lease on a space next door. It has been taken over by art dealers from London and Berlin.

"I'm lucky to have a few old clients, but we're still struggling," Alex Cheung said, standing behind his counter. On the wall behind him is a framed black-and-white photograph of him shaking hands with the late county Supervisor Kenneth Hahn.

Herman said he is keenly aware that he helped create the scene that now is pushing out merchants like the Cheungs.

"I wish we had more art dealers from China here," Herman said as he paid and prepared to leave.

Alex Cheung walked out onto Chung King Road and stared at the lanterns and a tan-colored loudspeaker screwed to the wall across from his shop.

"We used to have Chinese music play on the street," he said. "It's very sad. They stopped it when the art galleries came. Their heart isn't in it like us."

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If there's one place where a visitor can simultaneously witness Chinatown's demise and promise, it is Central Plaza.

The square offers ample postcard fodder with its neon-tinted gate off Broadway, stone wishing well, pagoda and curved tile roofs.

Storekeepers, many of them the owners of the buildings they work in, spend hours behind their counters, often selling not much more than soda and noisemakers.

Across the way, the street scene bursts with life.

There is Via Cafe, an always busy Vietnamese diner that's popular with artists; Ziyi Art in Fashion, a gift shop owned by a recent Miss Chinatown contestant; and Munky King, a devilishly decorated art-toy store that sells rare pieces by underground artists from Asia to America.

Roger Hong, who until last year owned the buildings those businesses are in, has spent much of his time pushing for new blood in Chinatown.

"We felt that the children who left Chinatown would come back if things were more trendy," Hong, 63, said over dim sum at Empress Pavilion. "Chinatown doesn't have to perpetuate an identity of being a self-protective enclave. They have to change."

Hong's family has deep roots in Chinatown. His father was famed immigration attorney You Chung Hong, the first Chinese American to pass the California bar exam. He became a pillar of the community when Central Plaza was opened in 1938.

"There's no need for Chinatowns anymore," Hong said. "It's not a place just for the underprivileged anymore."

Perhaps the most stylish store in Central Plaza is Realm, a home accessories business nothing like the neighboring trinket shops. The wares are trendy and often expensive. Some offer a modern twist on Asian culture, such as the cocktail glasses bearing Andy Warhol-like impressions of Japanese Emperor Hirohito.

Realm is the vision of Richard Liu, a Chinese American architect who sees the store as a metaphor for what Chinatown should become. He's part of the new generation of younger Chinese Americans who say they want to change Chinatown's image as a sleepy place where one can get cheap food and bargains on kitschy items such as back scratchers and silk robes.

"We need to break out of thinking that Chinatown is dirty, cheap and crowded," Liu said. "People should go to Beijing and Shanghai today and see how different it is. There's state-of-the-art architecture, merchandising and technology. This has to be represented here."

Liu, a 49-year-old USC graduate, grew up in Silver Lake. He moved into a former bank building in Central Plaza four years ago, when the gallery scene was in its infancy.

Liu is sensitive to the complaints of old-timers that Chinatown is losing its Chinese identity. But he sees his store and others as introducing a fresher look at Asian culture: "For this area to survive, we needed people who were willing to come in and sacrifice their time to try something new."

Something new definitely is occurring. On weekend nights, Chinatown's narrow walkways are filled with young people of many ethnicities.

Downtown loft developers have caught the vibe. "Chinatown is one of those best-kept secrets," said Kate Bartolo, senior vice president for Kor Realty Group, which is planning a development.

On a recent Saturday night, Central Plaza's main square was rented out for a non-Chinese wedding, the first of its kind at the location. Seniors at the Hop Sing Tong Benevolent Assn., accustomed to playing Chinese checkers and mah-jongg, instead pulled out chairs and sat in the courtyard. They watched with curiosity as party-goers in suits and gowns chomped on bok choy and pot stickers and listened to a DJ spinning records.

Copyright © 2006, The Los Angeles Times

(http://ktla.trb.com/news/ktla-ethnic,0,199468.story?coll=ktla-news-1)

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July 26, 2006

ASIAN AMERICAN YOUTH: AMERICA’S NEW TRENDSETTERS

- Research Shows Youth Generation's Increasing Influence on U.S. Pop Culture -

LOS ANGELES, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study on the cultural influence of Asian American youth released by New American Dimensions and interTrend Communications reveals that Asian American youth are increasingly generating some of the key trends in pop culture being embraced by the rest of mainstream American youth culture. According to results of the study, "Made in America: Asian American Teens and Echo Boomers," Asian American young people are likely to see themselves as trendsetters in three distinct cultural categories -- technology and gadgetry, anime and manga, and video-gaming.

Based on a fifteen-minute survey conducted with 538 Asian American teens and "echo-boomers" -- between the ages of 14 to 28 years -- the study demonstrates that today's Asian American youth demographic inhabits a wide variety of cultural worlds and is engaged in a broad spectrum of media, entertainment, and cultural activities. The research was conducted online across the country and through in-person survey intercepts administered in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.

In the study, 62 percent of respondents were U.S.-born and 38 percent were born outside the U.S. Differences emerged between both groups in their involvement in trends within popular culture. Among the major findings identified by the study are:

  * Respondents identify (1) technology/gadgetry, (2) anime/manga, and (3) video-gaming as the top three primary areas of popular culture where they are driving overall trends in the U.S. marketplace.  Close to 80 percent of respondents identify "technology/gadgets" and "anime/manga" as the top two areas where Asian Americans are influencing trends, while 72 of respondents cite "video gaming" as the third major area.  Other areas Asian American youth cite a high degree of influence is in "food and culinary arts" and the visual arts.

  * Hip Hop and Alternative music are the dominant musical genres favored among U.S.-born Asian American youth.  A diverse array of musical genres forms the listening habits of Asian youth -- but with distinct differences according to their acculturation levels and generation.  While first-generation (born outside the U.S.) respondents preferred "Pop/Top 40" music, second-generation Asian Americans (U.S. born) exhibited a strong preference for Hip Hop and Alternative music.  Among the latter, sixty-two percent of respondents identify "Hip Hop/Rap" as their favorite music genre, followed by 51 percent who favor "Alternative / Indie" music.

  * Asian American youth are more likely to identify and seek out trends through word-of-mouth messaging than through any other media channel or network.  This is particularly true for second-generation Asian Americans who indicate they are twice as likely as their first generation counterparts to learn about trends via word of mouth.  Among the first-generation cohort, television holds the greatest influence in helping them learn about new trends according to the survey.

"It's not completely surprising that Asian Americans wield a tremendous influence in areas like video-gaming and manga," states Thomas Tseng, Principal & Co-Founder of New American Dimensions, who oversaw the research study. "Anime and Manga constitute a growing $4 billion business in the U.S. and is embraced today by millions of American kids across the color spectrum. As ambassadors and curators of this subculture, Asian American youth really shape the contours of this space and spread it to the rest of their peers."

"These results contrast with previous research we have conducted among Hispanic youth," according to David Morse, President of New American Dimensions. "Whereas many second-generation Hispanic kids often exhibit their pride through their language and culture, Asian American youth seem to assert their pride in how they are shaping mainstream American culture."

This study, "Made in America: Asian American Teens and Echo-Boomers," will be presented at the conference "IMPRINT: Urban Youth Unabridged" (http://www.imprint-life.com/) on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 at the Japanese American National Museum. George Takei will be the opening speaker, while the rest of the conference will feature a mix of live panels, presentations, and performers -- including Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment, Jim Farley from Toyota Motor Sales, Eric Nakamura from Giant Robot, Gonzalo Perez from MTV, and John Hiler from Xanga.

"IMPRINT intends to show advertisers and marketers the influence and impact of trends beyond the Asian segment," says Julia Huang, CEO of interTrend Communications. "It's important for the attendees to get a first hand look at those individuals influenced by the Asian experience and how their 'imprint' is being seen in the mainstream pop culture."

About interTrend Communications

interTrend Communications Inc. is an award-winning full-service communication agency based in Los Angeles, California, helping corporate America to target the Asian American segments such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Filipinos nationwide. For more than a decade, New American Dimensions has been successfully helping Fortune 1000 clients to nurture and establish brand leadership positions in this emerging market through an integrated mix of advertising, public relations, promotions, events, and interactive strategies via various in-language media outlets.

About New American Dimensions

New American Dimensions is an ethnic marketing consulting, research, and trends company based in Los Angeles, California. Our aim is to be nothing less than a rich resource of actionable marketing intelligence for our clients -- helping them to shape effective strategies leading to greater success by capturing the rapidly expanding markets of U.S. ethnic consumers and emerging youth markets. We are established on the premise that innovative, pioneering marketing solutions are required for companies to effectively win the hearts and minds of America's burgeoning diverse consumers.

Website: http://www.imprint-life.com/

(http://sev.prnewswire.com/entertainment/20060726/LAW05826072006-1.html)

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July 27, 2006

SANDWICH SHOPS FEED ON DIVERSITY

Vietnamese style lures other ethnic groups

By JENALIA MORENO

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Stuffed with jalapeños, cilantro and pickled vegetables, Vietnamese-style sandwiches satisfy the taste buds of not only many Asian consumers, but also Hispanics, the owners of one California-based restaurant chain have discovered.

And they hope that in Houston, with its large Vietnamese and Hispanic populations, they can build on that success.

Last March, Lee's Sandwiches opened its first Houston restaurant on bustling Bellaire Boulevard in New Chinatown.

According to a 2004 survey by the Census Bureau, nearly 80,000 people of Vietnamese descent live in the Houston area. The Hispanic population has been pegged at 1.5 million, according to the bureau.

Combine the two large populations with the fact that many of Houston's Asian residents had sampled sandwiches, ice cream and desserts at Lee's outlets when visiting friends and relatives in Orange County, Calif. — home to the nation's largest Vietnamese community — and it's easy to see why the restaurant had a ready-made market when it opened.

"People were waiting in line for an hour when we first opened," said Diem Truong, general manager of the Houston restaurant, where children excitedly watch a machine churn out dough to make more than 300 baguettes an hour and customers sample traditional treats like ice cream made with durian, an exotic fruit popular among many Asian consumers. 

Houston resident Thai Vuong has become a regular customer, and on Monday he introduced his cousin, Von Nguyen, to the ice cream and pastries filled with custard.

"This is the place to come," said Virginia resident Nguyen, noticing the number of customers who were simply gathering in the restaurant to talk to friends.

But it was also the city's Hispanic market that appealed to Lee's. "We find out that we share incredible parallels," said Ryan Nguyen Hubris, vice president for the private company that declined to release its revenues.

At some of Lee's restaurants in California, 80 percent of the customers are non-Asian, he said. At the Houston store, about 20 percent of its consumers are non-Asian.

Blue-collar Hispanic workers frequent the restaurants because of the price tag — just $1.85 for a cured pork, pate or or tofu filled sandwich, Hubris said.

That's cheaper than some meals sold at taco trucks and Mexican restaurants.

"Truthfully, the taquerias, most people perceive it's supposed to be inexpensive, but it's not," Hubris said. "Nobody just eats just one taco." But many consumers could eat just one sandwich served on a 10-inch baguette.

Spanish-language ads

If Colombian immigrant Marcial Manzano is any indication, Lee's Sandwiches should be successful with Hispanic customers.

"Since I noticed it, I've come here four times," said the mechanic, who spent less than $4 on a sandwich and a drink. "I like the bread, the ham, and it's a good price."

Within the next year, the company plans to roll out a Spanish-language radio and newspaper advertising campaign in the three states where it operates in addition to its advertisements in Asian publications that are printed in English and Vietnamese.

That move makes sense, said one local immigration expert.

"That's where the growth is — immigrant to immigrant," said Stephen Klineberg, a Rice University sociology professor, who described Houston as a "microcosm of the world."

And in that microcosm, tastes are changing with more consumers eating salsa and spring rolls, Klineberg said.

A recent report by Packaged Facts, the publishing division of MarketResearch.com, found that this year, Americans have an appetite for Pan Asian, Latin and Middle Eastern foods.

With more consumers dabbling in ethnic cuisines, Lee's Sandwiches hopes to reach all segments of Houston's diverse population.

"Whoever eats a sandwich," Truong said, describing his target market.

More stores planned

Open only four months, the restaurant in the Fountain Square shopping center is the largest in the chain — a 10,000-square-foot eatery filled with neon signs, computers free for customers' use and glass-enclosed deli cases filled with croissants, spring rolls and chauds, or pastries filled with pate.

The restaurant has become one of the top three sellers in the company's 29-store empire, and five more Bayou City stores are planned for the next year.

jenalia.moreno@chron.com

(http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4074901.html)

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July 31, 2006

CASINOS WINNING BIG BY BETTING ON ASIANS

It's a little after noon, and a crowd has started to gather in Boston's Chinatown.... All look up whenever the deep roar of an engine sounds like it's coming their way.

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (AP) — It's a little after noon, and a crowd has started to gather in Boston's Chinatown. Some are reading the Sing Tao Daily or Ming Pao Daily News. Others clutch plastic bags filled with snacks. All look up whenever the deep roar of an engine sounds like it's coming their way.

Ip Kachuang and two of his friends share a smoke while they wait. It's a routine Ip knows well. Five days a week, he makes the four-hour round-trip bus ride to Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.

"It's a happy place," Ip said in Mandarin Chinese. "It's very easy and relaxing, and it's open all the time."

Ip represents a group of customers aggressively being courted by casinos around the country.

Every day, Foxwoods and nearby rival Mohegan Sun combined send more than 100 buses to predominantly Asian neighborhoods in Boston and New York. The number of buses doubles on Chinese New Year, and on Thanksgiving and Christmas, which many Asians don't celebrate.

Foxwoods, the biggest casino in the world based on gambling floor space, estimates that at least one-third of its 40,000 customers per day are Asian. Mohegan Sun says Asian spending makes up a fifth of its business and has increased 12% during the first half of this year alone.

The number of Asians in the United States increased by 17% between 2000 and 2004, the fastest growth of any ethnic group during that period, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And few industries have catered to the Asian boom with as much cultural competency as the $75 billion U.S. gaming industry.

In 2000, Foxwoods, which is run by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, hired a vice president specifically in charge of Asian marketing. In 2005, Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan tribe, hired an international marketing executive who would target the Asian demographic.

The two casinos seek to attract and retain Asian customers, mainly of Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Korean descent, by placing ads in ethnic media, providing plenty of restaurants at its casinos that serve Asian food, and sponsoring community activities such as the Boston Dragon Boat Festival, the Toronto Asian Beauty Pageant, and the Southeast Asian Water Festival in Lowell, Mass.

"Our Asian blood loves to feel the luck," said Ernie Wu, director of Asian marketing at Foxwoods. "We call it entertainment, we don't say it's 'gambling.'"

The buses are key to the marketing strategy. 

Foxwoods customers pay $10 for round-trip bus fare, but the casino throws in a $12 food coupon and a $40 gambling coupon at no additional cost. Mohegan Sun customers also pay $10 for bus tickets, and receive a $15 meal voucher as well as a $20 betting coupon.

On a recent weekday afternoon, one Foxwoods bus picked up Ip, his two friends, and more than 40 other passengers from Boston's Chinatown. During the 100-mile journey, some watched the Hong Kong soap opera "Always Ready," which played on television sets throughout the bus. Most caught up on sleep.

Some say the casinos are filling a void in entertainment options for low-income Asian immigrants, many of whom work in restaurants, beauty salons or factories.

Many U.S. pastimes require fluency in English. A trip to Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium, for example, can be prohibitively expensive, and sporting events require an understanding of the sport. While New York's Chinatown once had eight Chinese movie theaters, today there are none.

Gambling doesn't require language skills or a high upfront cost, and casinos including Foxwoods have set up dozens of tables featuring favorite Asian games such as Pai Gow poker, Pai Gow dominoes, Sic Bo and Baccarat.

Next to the popular noodle bar, the entrance to the massive "Asian Pit" at Foxwoods is adorned with carved wooden panels. One of the liveliest sections of the massive casino, the room is teeming with Asian customers. Those who aren't seated at gaming tables, mill about the room to get a look at the hottest action.

And when customers aren't gambling, there are Asian concerts and shows to keep them occupied. Mohegan Sun has brought superstar singers A-Mei from Taiwan and Sandy Lam from Hong Kong to perform at its 10,000-seat arena.

"This is a way of demonstrating the casino's sensitivity and understanding of the market," said Joe Lam, president of L3, an advertising agency that works with Mohegan Sun.

Zheng Yuhua emigrated from southern China to New York City eight years ago. She works six days a week, 11 hours a day, preparing takeout orders at a restaurant in Chinatown. On her day off, she takes one of the Foxwoods buses.

"All of our friends come once or twice a week," Zheng said, speaking Mandarin as she rested near the noodle bar with her brother-in-law. "Life in America is hard. Our English isn't good. Even if we have time off, there's nowhere else to go. We don't have cars."

Asians make up roughly a fifth of the 13,000-person staff at Foxwoods. Wu says dealers know not to touch Asian customers on the shoulder, a sign of bad luck. They don't say the number four, which in Chinese, sounds similar to the word for death. The casino also has omitted the No. 4 seat at Pai Gow and Baccarat tables, which have numbered seats.

The model of attracting and retaining Asian customers is being watched carefully as casinos reach out to other untapped markets.

Mohegan Sun's senior marketing vice president, Anthony Patrone, said the casino is interested in expanding its Latino marketing. On July 21, Mohegan Sun hosted its first Latino boxing match that was broadcast on the Spanish-language channel Telefutura.

Some say the casinos are going too far to market to people who are vulnerable to excessive gambling.

"If casinos didn't market to Asians, they'd market to someone else. It's just that right now, the market is Asians," said Dr. Tim Fong, co-director of UCLA's Gambling Studies Program.

But those marketing strategies to attract customers aren't without concerns. Fong, who began studying gambling addiction among Asian-Americans in 2005, called it a "subtle epidemic. It's out there, it's insidious, slowly damaging families."

Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are not required to fund programs to combat gambling addiction, but both have taken voluntary steps, such as training employees to read signs of addictive behavior and referring problem gamblers to psychiatrists.

Steve Karoul, who until earlier this month was vice president of casino marketing at Foxwoods who has spent 30 years in the casino business and worked in several Asian countries, said Asians aren't significantly affected by compulsive gambling.

"Honestly, we find it's not as prevalent in the Asian community as it is in the non-Asian community," Karoul said. "Of all the markets, I would say it's the least affected by problem gaming. Gaming is part of the culture, but problem gaming is not widespread."

Back in the Asian Pit, Ip Kachuang decided to take a break after three hours at the Baccarat tables, his favorite game at Foxwoods. He said he hadn't won much money yet, but he was still in good spirits.

"It's fun," he said, "as long as you don't gamble big."

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

(http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2006-07-31-casinos-asians_x.htm)

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