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


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NCVA eREPORTER - November 15, 2005

The National Congress of Vietnamese Americans' NCVA eReporter is a regular email newsletter containing information on grant/funding opportunities, events/forums/conferences, available internships and news items pertinent to the Vietnamese American and Asian Pacific American communities.

In this NCVA eReporter:

EVENTS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

TIPS/RESOURCES

NEWS

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 EVENTS

[Editor’s Note:  Although this event is in the past, perhaps you will still consider a small donation.]


FUNDRAISER DINNER FOR MICHAEL DUONG, VICTIM OF GANG VIOLENCE

ST. Paul — The great news that Michael Duong has emerged from a month-long coma and appears alert and healing, is received with great joy by his classmates at Highland Park Junior High, who are holding a fundraiser dinner on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the school, 975 S. Snelling Ave. Saint Paul, MN, 55116. The cost is $5 per person, $3 per student and donations are greatly appreciated. Call 651-293-8950 with any questions or to reserve a seat at the event.

Funds from the event will go toward medical expenses of HPJH student Michael Duong, a victim of gang violence currently receiving medical care at Regions Hospital. Duong is recovering from his injuries and is expected to return to school by the end of the year. However, he has been in the hospital since September 23, the night of the attack, and the fundraiser will ease the cost of physical therapy and his hospital stay.

“My brother is on the road to recovery,” said Lan Ngo, Duong’s older brother. “He’s excited to get back to school soon, and we’re hoping this fundraiser will help us with the hospital bills, as well as show him how important he is to his family, friends, and the community.”

Michael Duong was attacked the night of September 23 by two gang members who mistook him for a member of a rival gang. The two are facing attempted murder charges in Ramsey County Juvenile Court.

(http://www.aapress.com/archive/2005/webnov4/c-duong.htm)

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POLL PRESENTATION

THE LESSONS OF KATRINA: HAS A SINGLE EVENT CHANGED THE WAY AMERICANS VIEW RACE RELATIONS, POVERTY, CLIMATE CHANGE & ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

WHAT: Briefing with noted pollster Sergio Bendixen on the first national multilingual poll on the lessons of Katrina, commissioned by New America Media (NAM).

WHY:  Virtually all Americans and much of the world witnessed Hurricane Katrina. In one single event Americans came face to face with core issues confronting the society race, poverty, climate change and government effectiveness.

How did the storm, its impact and the government’s response change the way Americans view these issues?

What are points of consensus uniting America’s four major ethnic groups on the priorities the country needs to address? What are the deepest points of conflict? How do these groups compare Katrina to other disasters in their lifetimes?

To date, national polls have surveyed immediate reactions. Some have framed the responses in a black versus white perspective. NAM’s survey is the first to explore the deeper issues raised by the storm and to survey 1000 African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics and Whites in six languages. This survey reveals what a national conversation about Katrina sounds like when all of America’s major ethnic populations are included.

WHEN: 11:00 a.m.- 12:30pm
Thursday, November 17, 2005

Equality Room, Human Rights Campaign
1640 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington DC

Please RSVP to Alex Moe, NAM Communications (646) 812-4885 | amoe@pacificnews.org

Special thanks to briefing sponsors: Center for  American Progress, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund and Open Society Institute

Executive summary of poll is available at
http://www.ncmonline.com/polls

New America Media | 275 9th Street | San Francisco, CA 94103 | 415-503-4170 | www.newamericamedia.org

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LEGACIES OF WAR BENEFIT & RECEPTION

Join us for a night devoted to building new legacies.

Come out to support Legacies of War in launching a national fundraising campaign to develop a museum exhibition about the history and legacies of the secret bombings in Laos. The event will include:

* A special preview of historic drawings done by survivors of the bombings, which will be featured in the museum exhibition.
* Laotian appetizers, music, & cocktails.
* A silent auction with items of tantalizing proportions.

* Special guests Ambassador Phanthong Phommahaxay, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Bobby Muller, formerly with the Int'l Campaign to Ban Landmines and leaders in the Laotian-American community.

Suggested Donation: $20 or 217,300 Lao Kip - pay at the door

Thursday, November 17

6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

The Josephine Butler Parks Center
2437 Fifteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC  10016
Tel. 202-462-7275

Background: Laos is officially the most bombed country in history. During the Vietnam War, the US military dropped over 80 million anti-personnel cluster bombs on Laotian territory. Up to 30% of those bombs did not explode.  As a result, someone in Laos is injured or killed by unexploded ordnance (UXO) every day. The Legacies of War project was created to engage the Laotian Diaspora and international community in raising awareness of the need for increased UXO clean-up efforts in Laos and to aid survivors.

Supporting organizations: Center for Hmong Studies, Fund for Reconciliation & Development (FFRD), Laotian-American National Alliance (LANA), Laotian American Women's Alliance (LANA), Newcomer Community Service Center, Public Interest Projects, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), TeAda Productions, ThaiLinks, United Laotian Community Development (ULCD)

(http://www.legaciesofwar.org/low_news_washdc.htm)

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Supporting Committee For The Vietnamese Language Section
At Thomas Jefferson Library

Cordially invites you to

The GRAND OPENING CEREMONY OF THE VIETNAMESE SECTION AT THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
7415 Arlington Boulevard
Falls Church Virginia 22042

Saturday, December 3, 2005
12:30 PM to 3:30 PM

Program Agenda

12:30 PM  Lion Dance by Nga Mi group (Library parking lot)

1:05 PM  National Anthems
Welcome remarks by the Library and Committee Representatives
Recognitions of Contributors and Sponsors

1:30 PM  Remarks by Distinguished Guests and Elected Officials

2:00 PM  Ribbon Cutting
Presentation of the Vietnamese Language Section
Cultural Performance by the Dong Phuong and Viet Nhi Groups
Special exhibit of Vietnamese Calligraphy Arts by Vu Hoi

3:00 PM  Reception with light refreshments

Your presence will be an honor for us and a great encouragement for our effort.

RSVP and Contact Info:
Nguyen Kim Huong Hoa (703) 904-0255
Toa Do (703) 963-7991

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 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

GRANTS FOR TEACHER TRAINING

The Fund for Teachers provides grants to classroom teachers who work with students in grades K-12 so that they may participate in training and enriching activities that will improve and enhance their skills and capacities as teachers. Applications will be accepted from teachers in 30 states and Washington, DC. Applicants must have a minimum of three years teaching experience and propose a summer activity that will make the applicant a better teacher. Teachers may apply as an individual or as a team. The application deadline is January 20, 2006.

(http://www.fundforteachers.org)

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FUNDS FOR HUNGER RELIEF

FOOD FOR ALL is a program of the Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger, which is a voluntary effort of the food industry to alleviate hunger and malnutrition by fostering long-term, self-help solutions. Grants are awarded to programs that address one of three focus areas: Building Community Food Security, Developing Individual and Family Self-Reliance, and Creating Employment Opportunities. To be eligible to apply, an organization must be located in a geographic area where retailers participate in the year-round program. The application deadline is February 3, 2006. To receive a FOOD FOR ALL grant application, please email a contact name, the name of your organization, your mailing address, email address and phone/fax numbers to (damein@foodforall.org).

(http://www.foodforall.org/Anti-hunger%20national.html)

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INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES: NATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANTS FOR MUSEUMS

National Leadership Grants for Museums, a program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, supports projects that address current problems in creative ways, develop and test innovative solutions, and expand the boundaries within which cultural heritage institutions operate. Funded projects should provide creative solutions to issues of national importance and provide leadership for other organizations. Successful proposals should show evidence that they will have national impact and generate results, whether new tools, research, models, services, practices, or alliances, that can be widely adapted or replicated to extend the benefit of federal support. IMLS particularly encourages projects that meet community needs through innovative collaborations between museums and libraries. The application deadline is February 1, 2006.

(http://www.imls.gov/grants/museum/mus_nlgm.asp)

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THE NATHAN CUMMINGS FOUNDATION SUPPORTS SOCIAL JUSTICE GRANTS

The Nathan Cummings Foundation is rooted in the Jewish tradition and committed to democratic values and social justice, including fairness, diversity, and community. The Foundation’s core grant programs include arts and culture; the environment; health; interprogram initiatives for social and economic justice; and the Jewish life and values/contemplative practice programs. Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year. Organizations whose projects fit most closely with the Foundation guidelines will be asked to submit a full application.

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

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PACIFICORP FOUNDATION FOR LEARNING

The PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning fosters strategic, sustainable learning initiatives that serve the best aspirations of individuals, organizations, and communities, and that enhance and develop their capabilities to address significant challenges and opportunities.  The Foundation limits its support to major operating areas in the Northwest where PacifiCorp has a significant presence including locations in Northern California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Grants are provided in the following four categories: civic and community, education, culture and arts, and health and human services. Requests are reviewed four times per year with the focus on a specific category each quarter. Health and human services requests will be accepted for the next deadline of December 15, 2005.

(http://www.pacificorpfoundation.org)

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GEORGE GUND FOUNDATION SEEKS FELLOWSHIP CANDIDATES

Through the George Gund Foundation Fellowship, the George Gund Foundation, a philanthropic organization that plays a vital role in supporting the civic life of Greater Cleveland as well as in various national policy deliberations that impact the community, provides an opportunity for promising professionals to work inside the foundation. The fellowship, a two-year, full-time commitment beginning in Summer 2006, requires residence in Northeast Ohio during the term of engagement.

Established in 1952, the Gund Foundation is the largest private foundation in Ohio and makes grants totaling approximately $21 million annually. Program officers professionally handle grantmaking in the arts, economic development and community revitalization, education, environment, and human services.

The fellowship experience is tailored to the foundation's needs and includes a wide range of substantive assignments, including reviewing grant proposals, organizing and conducting site visits, and researching topics related to the foundation's grantmaking interests.

Each Gund Foundation Fellow will receive a stipend of $40,000 per year and a full benefits package. Housing, transportation, and other living arrangements are the responsibility of the fellow.

Successful candidates for this fellowship will have a graduate degree and/or several years work experience in the nonprofit sector. Excellent writing skills and sufficient computer competency to carry out assigned projects are essential. A demonstrated desire to work in public service or the nonprofit sector is also important, as the foundation views the fellowship to be a valuable early career opportunity. The selection process is anticipated to be highly competitive.

(http://www.gundfoundation.org/news_and_publications/news/fellowship_2005_announcement.asp)

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PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FOUNDATION ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM

The Public Interest Law Foundation at Columbia Law School is an independent, not-for-profit corporation founded by members of the Columbia Law School community to support legal work in the public interest. Since its inception in 1980, PILF has raised and awarded more than $500,000 in grants to individuals and organizations across the U.S.

This year, the foundation plans to award four to five grants of $1,000 to $15,000 each. The foundation is particularly interested in funding innovative projects that would not be undertaken without a grant and in helping established projects that suffer from a funding shortage. PILF has awarded grants to a wide variety of projects, including advocacy and representation for families at risk of homelessness; advocacy for children and youths subject to unlawful exclusion from school; advocacy for mentally ill persons in the criminal justice system; assistance with pension advocacy to retired workers; direct representation and advocacy on behalf of special education children; education of coalfields workers on the laws related to black lung disease; investigative services for indigent capital defendants; legal assistance for gay men and lesbians involved in custody battles; and political asylum representation.

Both individuals and organizations are eligible for funding. Organizations should explain how the proposed project relates to their existing goals and projects. Individual applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to public interest law.

(http://www.columbia.edu/cu/pilf/grants.html)

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CENTER FOR INFORMATION AND RESEARCH ON CIVIC LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCES NEW GRANT COMPETITION

CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) promotes research on the civic and political engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25. With funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, CIRCLE will make grants in 2006 to support research on civic education at the high school level.

In the current Request for Proposals, CIRCLE is seeking research that will help educators and policy makers improve civic outcomes for U.S. students of high-school age (roughly 14-18).

"Civic outcomes" include, but are not limited to, knowledge of politics, democracy, and civil society; knowledge of social issues; values such as tolerance, trust, patriotism, concern for others’ rights and well-being, and efficacy (the belief that one can make a difference); skills and habits of deliberating about public issues and participating in politics and community affairs; volunteering and membership in voluntary and/or nonprofit groups; and intentions to vote or to consider careers in public service (in the government or nonprofit sectors).

CIRCLE welcomes proposals from academics, students (especially Ph.D. candidates at the dissertation stage), independent scholars, practitioners, and nonprofit research organizations and firms. CIRCLE also welcomes proposals from high-school-age youth, perhaps working in partnership with adults. Such youth-led research proposals will be evaluated separately and not compared directly to proposals from adults.

The total pool of money available in this RFP is $500,000. CIRCLE has never chosen to make a grant in excess of $100,000 and is unlikely to exceed that limit in this competition.

(http://www.civicyouth.org/whats_new/RFP.htm)

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 TIPS/RESOURCES

DONORS: WHAT ARE THEY THINKING WHEN THEY GIVE?

Yesterday, the most successful nonprofits were those that donors knew best. Today, the most successful nonprofits are those that know their donors best -- not simply as statistics -- but as real people.

According to Todd Baker, senior account executive at Masterworks in Poulsbo, Wash, "Donors are not ATMs! Donors are driven by needs and wants and they give based on an exchange of values."

-Donor give, according to Baker, for many reasons:
* To enhance self-worth
* To do the right thing
* To create a return on investment

-And people give to people who:
* Are in need
* Are in crisis
* Are in despair

-According to Baker, donors are loyal to charities that:
* Are perceived to be leaders
* Connect with them emotionally
* Provide relevance and meaning
* Offer significance and fulfillment
* Help them make a statement about what they value
* Help them to accomplish great visions
* Help them change the world now and for all time
* Provide them with a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves

-People best respond to communication that:
* Seeks first to listen and understand
* Has a vision of relationship building
* Is responsive to their inquiries and requests
* Is relevant to their lives
* Is driven by them

-People who give to charity contribute in five primary ways:
* Their time though most of us are "time poor," volunteerism is a significant indication of loyalty.
* Their talent everyone has a one. Involve your donors in this manner and watch an increased enthusiasm.
* Their influence engage your donors in exploring the idea of leveraging their place in life to further your cause.
* Their resources most corporations have an excess of "stuff" that your charity could use. Very often these gifts-in-kind help charities become more cost effective.
* Their money and actually, other than cash, there're a number of ways that donors can make a financial impact on your organization, such as stocks, bonds, life insurance, real estate, personal property, etc.

Now you have the giver's take on philanthropy, said Baker.

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

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GRANTS: ALLOCATING INDIRECT COSTS

Many nonprofit organizations are heavily or completely funded by grants. These grants come from a variety of sources federal, state, or local governmental agencies, and/or private foundations.

According to Liz Marenakos, product line manager, financial and business solutions at Blackbaud in Charleston, S.C., for government grants, there are specific guidelines around what is and is not chargeable to a specific grant.

In addition to direct expenses, a percentage of the organization's overhead (i.e., indirect costs) is often reimbursable under the grant guidelines. Grants are either issued on a contract or reimbursable basis, and both direct and indirect expenses are charged to these grants, Marenakos explained.

 * A cost is allocable to a federal grant if it is incurred specifically for the award, can be distributed in reasonable proportion to the other benefits received, and is necessary to the overall operation of the organization even though a direct relationship to any particular cost objective cannot be shown.

* Direct expenses are those expenses that can be directly attributed to performance under the grant or contract. These expenditures are necessary and reasonable for carrying out the terms of the agreement.

* Indirect expenses are expenses that are essential but are not necessarily directly associated to performance under the contract.

* Under the contract scenario, the governmental agency contracts with the nonprofit to provide a specific service. The two parties agree on a rate at which the organization  can bill the funding agency for overhead costs associated with performing under the contract. This charge may be on a per-head or per-square-foot basis. Alternatively, the governmental agency might agree to pay the nonprofit a certain dollar amount over time.

* The rate at which a nonprofit is reimbursed for overhead expenditures can be either negotiated beforehand or calculated at the end of each reporting year.

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

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PLANNED GIVING: DISCLOSURE OF EXPECTATIONS IS VITAL

It is possible for donors of planned gifts to be disappointed with some aspect of their return, but there are steps an organization can take to avoid problems that may arise.

Organizations routinely inform potential donors of the benefits that can be gained, but they are not often as forthcoming about risks.

It is essential, therefore, that certain areas be disclosed to make donors aware of the pitfalls as well as the benefits of planned giving.

Those issues are:

* Investment or asset management issues. These include the choice of manager, how the gift will be invested, and potential risks.

* Gift vehicles. This involves the ramifications of particular gift planning options, such as the fixed or variable nature of payments, the irrevocability of the gift and the selection of a payout rate.

* Gift assets. This area includes the information that donors should have when deciding how to fund a particular gift plan, and it involves the tradeoffs of using cash versus appreciated assets and the issues to consider when giving real property or other hard-to-value assets.

* Financial and tax benefits. This involves the disclosure that should accompany projections of tax deductions, future beneficiary payments and the ultimate benefit to the charity.

* Gift administration. The is concerned with how the gift plan will operate, including payment methods, reporting and how fees and expenses will be paid.

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

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NATIONAL COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT COALITION REPORT DOCUMENTS CRA COMMITMENTS

The mission of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition is to increase fair and equal access to credit, capital, and banking services/products because discrimination is illegal, unjust, and detrimental to the economic growth and well-being of our society. NCRC seeks to support and provide long-term solutions that include providing tools for building community and individual net worth. NCRC’s newest report on Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) agreements documents banks' commitments of $4.2 trillion to minority and lower income neighborhoods.

(http://www.ncrc.org/policy/cra/documents/2005-09-21_CRACommitmentsUpdated.pdf)

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CHAPTERS: ARE YOU REALLY A FEDERATION?

Many of the largest and best-recognized nonprofits in the United States operate as networks of local affiliates that share mission and program model but are legally independent of one another and the national office.

In an article of McKinsey Quarterly, Maisie O'Flanagan and Lynn K. Taliento observed that this model, which they refer to as the federation, is very rare outside the nonprofit world. Further, they argue that, while the structure might be sound, there may be a need for overhaul. According to them, the national offices of federated nonprofits must focus on supplying affiliates with four main benefits. These benefits are:

* A valuable national brand. The national office must define the brand and communicate its attributes to donors and local communities, just as a for-profit would.

* A reliable system for measuring performance. A well-run organization develops specific program and administrative standards that help it to review and benchmark the performance of its affiliates and share best practices.

* Shared administrative services. At the very least, most organizations should share information technology systems, procurement in areas such as insurance and travel, and HR functions such as benefits and relocation assistance.

* Coordinated fundraising services. The organization must divide responsibility for different types of donors, draw up guidelines for the transfer or sharing of resources, create procedures to resolve conflicts and institutionalize opportunities to share lessons and practices within the organization.

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 NEWS

November 2, 2005

VIETNAMESE WORK TO RECOVER IN ALABAMA CITY AFTER KATRINA

By SHELIA M. POOLE
Cox News Service

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. — Business is still slow at Vien Dong supermarket in this small southwest Alabama fishing town.

It's taken weeks for owner Tu Phuoc to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Katrina trounced the area, displacing scores of residents and temporarily shutting down some businesses.

He's had to buy new refrigerators, a new freezer and replace his inventory of Asian foods and spices.

"It was bad," said Phuoc, who moved to the United States from Vietnam in 1978, three years after the end of the Vietnam War. Phuoc also owned a Vietnamese and Chinese restaurant next door to his grocery store. Large sheets of plywood cover the windows.

He said the place was heavily damaged by water and mold. He had to throw everything away, costing him thousands. He's waiting to see what federal agencies can do to help cover those costs.

In the past few weeks, Sister Christine Truong My Hanh, a Catholic nun and the founder and director of Good Shepherd Services in Chamblee, Ga., and Hieu Duong, who teaches English as a second language and computer courses, have traveled from Atlanta to Alabama to take food and other items.

Hanh said she learned about the Vietnamese community on the Internet.

"They needed help," she said. "We took to them what we could and what people donated. We had to do something."

Phuoc plans to stay and says it will take more than a hurricane to force him from the place where he had planted roots.

Longtime resident Dewayne Buie isn't so sure he'll stay.

"We lost everything," said Buie, who stopped by the small store on South Wintzell Street to buy a couple of packs of curried sausage. Buie evacuated to Dothan before the storm hit, but when he returned he found his indoor flea market destroyed.

"I've got to relocate," he said.

According to the 2000 census, Asians make up about 33 percent of Bayou La Batre's population, and Vietnamese represent the largest segment.

Many Asians moved into the community decades ago to work in the fishing and shrimping industries, which were hit hard by Katrina.

Sal Versaggi, vice president of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, said the storm cut production by half, but the industry is rebounding and operating at about 75 percent capacity.

In Bayou La Batre in far southwestern Alabama, "everything revolved around the fishing industry," said Versaggi.

The state is fifth in terms of shrimp production.

News about the Vietnamese neighborhood spread quickly on the Internet, but Xia Hong, a mother of four, said more aid is needed.

The family went to Montgomery to wait out the storm, then returned a few days later.

Her home, where she has lived for about a dozen years, was flooded even though it rests on cinder blocks. The family had to get rid of all of their furniture.

"All our stuff was moved around, and pictures were overturned," said Hong. "It didn't look like our house. When I opened the door I felt really sad. We lost everything."

Today the family lives in a cramped FEMA-issued trailer in the backyard.

The seafood processor where she works has closed for a while, putting Hong out of work.

Hong said it would help if someone could come and help fix her house, as she doesn't have the money to do so on her own. She'll also have to replace her furniture and appliances.

A major obstacle has been language. Hong speaks very little English. A daughter, Nikki Duong, 23, tries to help her mother navigate the system. "She said she gets frustrated at times, but she has to be patient," Duong said.

Shelia M. Poole writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. E-mail: spoole@ajc.com

 (http://www.pulsejournal.com/hp/content/shared/news/nation/stories/11/1102_COXKATRINA_VIETNAMESE.html)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE:      November 4, 2005

CONTACT:  Brad German
703-903-2437

FREDDIE MAC, ASIAN-AMERICAN GROUPS TO HELP VIETNAMESE, CAMBODIAN, LAO FAMILIES DISPLACED BY RECENT HURRICANES
U.S. Reps. Davis, Moran, Honda Hail Effort to Surmount Language Barriers to Storm Relief

McLean, VA  . . . Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) is joining forces with three Asian-American organizations in an effort to break down cultural and language barriers separating public and private hurricane relief programs from hundreds of Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian families whose Gulf Coast homes and businesses were wrecked by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The three groups are the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans (NCVA), Boat People SOS, and the National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies (NAVASA).

Freddie Mac’s $200,000 corporate grant will enable the three Asian-American groups to send bi-lingual, bi-cultural staff to the hurricane disaster areas to help nearly 1000 families find temporary shelter and to apply for federal, state, local and private aid. 

The bi-lingual staff the three organizations can now deploy are expected to place 700 Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Lao families in temporary housing in Bayou La Batre, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi, provide housing assistance to an estimated 250 additional families returning to New Orleans, and help the Vietnamese community assess its rebuilding needs in areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Today’s announcement drew quick praise from several Congressmen, including Rep. Tom Davis, Chair of the House Committee on Government Reform. “I applaud Freddie Mac for the grant they awarded to the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans (NCVA), Boat People SOS (BPSOS), and the National Alliance of Vietnamese Americans Service Agencies (NCVA),” Davis said.  “I know firsthand these three highly regarded community organizations will work tirelessly to ensure this grant money helps Vietnamese Americans rebuild their homes and communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Rita.”

“The devastation from Hurricane Katrina is a great challenge for our nation,” added Congressman Jim Moran, a member on the House Committee on Appropriations. “We will rebuild the Gulf Coast and bring New Orleans back as one of this country’s most vibrant, culturally infused cities.  But it will take a collective effort, one that people of all races, creeds and ethnicities must pitch in to help. I am especially concerned about helping state and local officials house those in need and applaud Freddie Mac for moving us in the right direction.”

“With the Asian American community’s infrastructure and resources limited throughout the Katrina storm area, many victims are relying on APIA community organizations that lack funding for an extended recovery effort,” said Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. “I want to thank Freddie Mac for their leadership in providing this grant which is the first step in providing an adequate response.”

“By working with these three widely-respected organizations, we can provide an essential bridge between displaced Asian families and the hurricane relief efforts Freddie Mac and other organizations launched in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” said Dwight Robinson, Freddie Mac’s senior vice president of corporate relations and housing outreach. “Today’s announcement further underscores Freddie Mac’s mission to foster financial stability for America’s lenders, borrowers and communities in all kinds of weather.”

“This timely grant will help us transition from emergency relief to recovery,” said Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, Executive Director of Boat People SOS. “One of our focuses in the recovery phase is temporary housing for hurricane victims. Due to language barrier, hundreds of Vietnamese, Cambodian and Lao families have not been placed into FEMA-provided trailers or transitional housing. They continue to live in their damaged residence under absolutely unhealthy conditions.”

“Freddie Mac has taken great measures within the past months in responding, initiating and making timely contributions in efforts to aid the Asian American survivors of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. I strongly believe that by working together Freddie Mac, Boat People S.O.S., NCVA and NAVASA will benefit thousands of displaced survivors,” Huy Vu Bui, Executive Director of NAVASA stated, “and I hope that this effort will encourage other corporations with Asian consumers and personnel to give support to our efforts.”

“Today’s announcement will help make homes possible for Americans of diverse backgrounds and help ensure Vietnamese Americans have a role in the rebuilding of their homes and neighborhoods in an affordable and equitable manner,” said Hung Nguyen, president and CEO of the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans. “I applaud Freddie Mac for stepping forward and making this commitment to provide needed resources to our vulnerable communities.”

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

# # #

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November 4, 2005

SOCIAL JUSTICE 101 TEACHES STUDENTS TO TOUCH THE WORLD

By Rumbidzai Sithole
The Cable, Staff Writer

This semester in the Center for Just Living (CJL), the Social Justice 101 pilot program will kick off. It is purely a student initiative.

“Diane Tran originally came up with the idea for the seminar, as she has known about the program Youth Venture for a while and has always wanted to organize and implement a unique initiative like this,” Lauren Satterlee, one of the organizers, said.

The seminar is looking to attract all types of students on campus, but mainly aims to better student activism by developing leaders.

“Generally we’re looking for students who are already civically engaged and want to look at the bigger picture, network or collaborate with others and are asking deeper questions than can be answered on their own,” Tran said.

Nine students will be taking part initially and they will be discussing material that was obtained from faculty, staff and students with activism experiences.

“It is great to have a small group to get to know each other more intimately and for relationship-building,” Tran said.

Tran, along with the Satterlee sisters, Lauren and Rachel, started specifically planning for the Social Justice 101 idea near the end of this past summer. They had all been involved with the CJL for a while and were looking for a way to bring students together to reflect on the different types of humanitarian work that they do.  The seminar will be held every week, and it will last for 10 weeks. The group focuses on discussing a different short reading each week, read in-between each session by all participants. The actual structure of the seminar is designed to be a round-table learning experience, where students can all learn things from each other.

“I think our inspiration to create a reflective seminar partially came from each of our semester experiences off campus,” Lauren Satterlee said.

Social Justice 101 is not like a class simply because it is meant to be a completely open discussion, personal reflection and hopefully a re-centering process. Right now there is no credit offered for the seminar, but organizers are looking into the idea of making it an officially student-run course that does offer credit.

Students will benefit from the intellectual discussions as well as the reflective mood in the seminar. This will also present an opportunity for student activists to come together to motivate each other, as well as analyze the results of their work on and off campus.

CJL Director Jay Newcomb was thoroughly impressed with the student initiative in light of all of the troubles in the world calling for social justice.

“I think that it is very exciting when a group of students takes the initiative to read more books and discuss significant issues,” he said. “They are creating their own ‘course’ and directing their own learning focused on social justice. What could be a better outcome of our CSS education?”

(http://143.110.4.81/cable/main.php?contentPage=pages&pageNum=3&pageDate=_11_04_2005)

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November 5, 2005

 RACE RELATIONS: VIEWS MIXED OVER MAYOR’S TRACK RECORD IN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY

By JESSICA VAN SACK
The Patriot Ledger

Betty Yau is frustrated that the mayor hasn’t hired additional Asian-speaking workers in city hall. Yet Kent Yee says the administration has contributed to the recent strides made by his community, including a rise in Asian-owned businesses.

Chinese and Vietnamese residents interviewed by The Patriot Ledger had mixed reviews for Mayor William Phelan’s reign over the state’s most concentrated Asian-speaking community.

Some said Phelan reaches out when it’s important, while others depicted a hands-off approach.

‘‘Plan more programs; engage Asian participation in the planning process; invite volunteers from the Asian community to help ourselves,’’ suggested Yau, host of ‘‘The Cantonese Show’’ on WJDA-AM (1300).

Yau said she can’t understand why the city has only one worker in charge of helping non-English speakers navigate through city hall red tape. Asian Liaison John Chen speaks Vietnamese, Cantonese and Mandarin and serves as the city’s on-call translator.

Phelan said plans are in the works to hire more bilingual staffers and police officers.

‘‘The best change in Quincy over the past 15 years is the increased diversity of its citizens,’’ Phelan said. ‘‘I honestly believe that just transforms Quincy into a great community, a place that when I was younger didn’t really have that diversity.’’

Yee, a community policing officer and active member of the Atlantic Neighborhood Association, credited Phelan for targeting the growth of Asian business via his seat on the coalition Quincy 2000. He also noted that while previous mayors would send a liaison to Asian community events, Phelan always makes an appearance.

But some Asian Americans said that while Phelan has articulated a vision for downtown development and the schools, they don’t feel he has offered any comparable initiatives fashioned for the city’s changing ethnic face.

Phelan said he has directed energy toward bolstering community groups that, in turn, respond to the ethnic population. The city aids the neighborhood centers that have Asian outreach programs as well as the nonprofit Quincy Community Action Programs, which holds classes for English language learners, he noted.

Paul Watanabe, director of the Institute for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, said Phelan faces a greater challenge than his predecessors as Quincy continues to become less white.

According to the U.S. Census, the Asian population more than doubled from 5,554 in 1990 to 13,546 in 2000. Local census figures last year showed that there are 14,000 Asians in Quincy - 16 percent of the city’s 89,500 residents. However, City Clerk Joseph Shea believes the percentage is now closer to 20 percent.

For an idea of how that figure may change, Asian Americans make up 27 percent of students in the Quincy public schools.

The Vietnamese and Chinese represent more than two-thirds of the Asian community. The fastest-growing subset is the Indian population, which according to the U.S. Census has swelled from 143 in 1990 to 1,127 in 2000, a 688 percent increase.

In 2001, local restaurant owner Jimmy Liang was the first-ever Asian candidate to run for political office, and none have followed since he lost his bid for city council.

In Quincy, the political establishment traditionally nurtures its future leaders. But ‘‘the succession game’’ makes politics impenetrable for immigrants unless political leaders recruit them, Watanabe said.

‘‘It would be an important step to have the mayor try to help promote having candidates from this growing community,’’ Watanabe said.

Jessica Van Sack may be reached at jvansack@ledger.com.

Copyright 2005 The Patriot Ledger

(http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2005/11/05/news/news03.txt)

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For Immediate Release
November 8, 2005
Contact:  Anh Phan - Director of Communications
aphan@ocanatl.org, 202-223-5500

 OCA ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Washington, DC – OCA is pleased to welcome Dorothy Wong as the next Executive Director for the organization. Wong comes from Seattle, Washington, where she was Executive Director of International Community Health Services (ICHS) for the past 12 years. Under her leadership, ICHS grew from a storefront clinic on the verge of bankruptcy with 60 staff to one with a $15 million budget and over 200 staff. The agency now has two 12,000-square-foot clinics, each providing a range of medical and dental services, Chinese traditional medicine and other health-related care such as health education and preventive care services.

Wong will be the eighth Executive Director in OCA’s 32-year history. “We are extremely pleased that Dorothy has accepted the position as OCA’s Executive Director. We are confident that she will work well with the National Board and rise to the challenge of bringing OCA to the next level,” said OCA National President Ginny Gong. “Her reputation in Seattle as a visionary and community advocate with strong management skills and business instincts, combined with extensive collaboration building experience will be a valuable asset to the organization.”

Wong is credited for not only keeping ICHS focused on providing affordable, culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate health care to Seattle’s APIA communities, but also expanding services to East and West Africans, Russians, Bulgarians and other immigrant communities.

“Dorothy’s friends and colleagues have all commented on her ability to personally embody the values and principles of ICHS as its Executive Director,” commented Sharon Wong, OCA’s Transition Committee Chair. “We have high expectations of her ability to convey OCA’s vision and mission. Her experience in expanding and building two sites for ICHS will be a definite plus for OCA as we continue our goal of establishing the OCA National Center for APA Leadership here in Washington, DC.” “I am excited about joining OCA as it develops its strategic direction for the next few years,” said Wong. “There are many issues under review at the federal level that will significantly impact the future well-being of people in this country. It is important that the APA communities have a voice—in articulating their needs and in helping to shape future policies on issues that affect them. OCA is positioned to play a greater role in ensuring that the APA communities have ‘a place at the table.’”

# # # #

“Founded in 1973, OCA, a national organization with over 80 chapters and affiliates across the country, is dedicated to advancing the social, economic, and political well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.”

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November 9, 2005

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AWARDS NEARLY $20 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR PRESIDENT’S PRISONER RE-ENTRY INITIATIVE

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded 30 grants totaling $19.8 million to faith-and community-based organizations to assist non-violent ex-offenders returning to their local communities. These grants were awarded under the President's Prisoner Re-entry Initiative grant competition and are designed to serve urban centers and areas of greatest need.

"Communities benefit when non-violent ex-offenders become contributing members of society," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "This $20 million in grants will fund projects in 20 states to provide job training, mentoring and other services to prepare returning ex-offenders for new lives as productive workers."

Introduced by President Bush in his 2004 State of the Union Address, the Prisoner Re-entry Initiative is designed to help strengthen urban communities and assist ex-prisoners re-entering the community through an employment-based program that incorporates housing, mentoring, job training and other services.

This competition for grants turned out to be the biggest and most competitive in recent years, with 549 applications submitted to the Department of Labor.

"Employment can be the most stabilizing factor in an ex-offender's transition back into the community. Many of the individuals who will receive services under these grants need skills training and assistance as they make this transition," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. "These grants will support faith- and community-based organizations in providing the help ex-offenders need as they move to find employment and restart careers, as well as build safer communities."

The Prisoner Re-entry Initiative is a collaboration of the Departments of Labor, Justice, Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services. The Department of Justice is holding a limited grant competition in the 20 states where the Labor Department grants were awarded to conduct pre-release services for program participants.

Please visit (http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/reentryfactsheet.htm) for more information on the Prisoner Re-entry Initiative. For additional information on the Department of Labor's employment and training programs, please visit (http://www.doleta.gov/).

View the list of award recipients (http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20052123list.htm).

(http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/reentryfactsheet.htm)

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November 8, 2005

STATE DEPT. CITES SAUDI ARABIA ON RIGHTS

By Barry Schweid
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The State Department cited Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for denying religious freedom to non-Muslims and found fault to a lesser degree with other allies including Israel, Belgium, France, Germany and Pakistan.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who will be going to Saudi Arabia at the end of the week as part of a trip to the Middle East, released the report.

"In far too many countries, governments fail to safeguard religious freedom," Rice said in releasing the survey of 197 countries and territories.

The same eight countries found to be of "particular concern" last year were cited again on Tuesday. They are Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Vietnam.

Rice said if Vietnam continues to improve its record it could be removed from the list next time, however.

"Freedom of religion does not exist" in Saudi Arabia, the report said. "Islam is the official religion and all citizens must be Muslims."

In Israel, the report said, some non-Jews, primarily Arab Muslims and Christians, experience discrimination in education, housing and employment.

"Tensions between Israeli Jews and Arab Muslims and Christians remained high due to the institutional, legal and societal discrimination against the country's Arab citizens," the seventh annual report to Congress said.

In France, where mayhem is sweeping impoverished neighborhoods with large African and Arab communities, and in Belgium and Germany, the State Department mildly criticized the branding of certain religions as dangerous cults and sects.

Pakistan was faulted for discriminatory legislation and failing to intervene in cases of violence against minority religious groups.

The citation of Saudi Arabia for not recognizing religious freedom and denying it to all but those who adhere to the state-sanctioned version of Sunni Islam could be an irritant during Rice's visit to the Arab kingdom.

In September, she postponed punishing the Saudis with trade or other restrictions by giving the country's rulers 180 days to show progress in the treatment of religious minorities.

While criticizing the Saudi government at a news conference Tuesday, John Hanford, who heads the State Department's religious freedom office, said, "We are pleased that hundreds of thousands of people are permitted to practice their religion privately."

Burma was accused of severe violations of religious freedom. China was faulted for showing insufficient respect for freedom of religion, Cuba for controlling and monitoring religious activities, and North Korea for not permitting religious freedom at all.

Listed as hostile toward minority or nonapproved religions were Eritrea, Iran, Laos, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, as well as Saudi Arabia.

The State Department said that in Iran, Sunni Muslims, Bahais, Jews and Christians reported imprisonment, harassment, intimidation and discrimination based on religious belief.

Religious freedom declined in Uzbekistan while there was some improvement in respect for religious freedom in Vietnam and Egypt, the report said.

Hanford said Uzbekistan uses its law on religion against both Muslims and Christians.

In thousands of cases, he said, the government has accused people of encouraging terrorism simply because they expressed their devout Muslim beliefs.

And, Hanford said, the government has made false assertions of membership in extremist organizations as a pretext for repressing the innocent expression of religious belief.

Still, in Egypt, discrimination against non-Muslims continued and in India the government responded slowly to counterattacks against religious minorities, according to the report.

On Capitol Hill, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said his human rights subcommittee would hold a hearing on the report next Tuesday.

"By forthrightly naming the countries that systematically and egregiously violate the right to religious freedom, no matter friend or foe, we can begin to develop solutions that will guarantee the right to religious freedom to all people," he said.

On Vietnam, where the State Department found improvements, Smith disagreed, particularly on the way the government treated Montagnard Christians.

The religious situation has deteriorated, he said, and the arrest and sentencing of Vo Vanh Thanh Liem (Nam Liem), a leading figure of the independent Hoa Hao Buddhists, was an outrage.

On the Net:
State Department: http://www.state.gov

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110800893.html)

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November 9, 2005

U.S. GROUPS ORGANIZING DENTAL, MEDICAL CARE FOR RURAL VIETNAMESE
Two nonprofit organizations sending health care teams to Da Nang November 12-23

By Todd Bullock
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Two Vietnamese-American nonprofit organizations are sending health care professionals to Vietnam November 12-23 to provide dental and medical care for children in rural areas, including many who have never been to a dentist or doctor.

Vietnamese Assistance for the Handicapped (VNAH) and Hope for Tomorrow (HOPE), two U.S. nonprofit organizations led by Vietnamese-Americans, are sending seven dentists, two doctors and two public health workers -- all Vietnamese-Americans and fluent in Vietnamese -- to the central highlands city of Da Nang and the surrounding area to give medical care to rural Vietnamese children and provide public health training.

The VNAH-HOPE medical mission will be providing services to one of the most underserved populations in Vietnam. The team plans to visit several rural communities west of Da Nang, a coastal city with a population of almost 600,000 people, most of whom lack basic infrastructure such as electricity and running water. The mission will also be providing basic dental and medical services to minority populations who live in isolated villages in the central highlands.

Representatives from both organizations discussed their goals for the mission with the Washington File.

VNAH
VNAH is a Virginia-based nonprofit organization originally established to assist war amputees and other disabled people in Vietnam.  Its president, Ca Van Tran, an entrepreneur who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam, founded VNAH to help disabled Vietnamese overcome their disabilities and lead richer, fuller lives.

"VNAH has a 15-year record of successful operations in Vietnam," Tran said in an October 17 interview with the Washington File. "We have provided technical assistance to regional prosthetics clinics," and we promote "programs and policies with Vietnam's government to integrate the disabled into all aspects of their community's social and economic activities."

According to Tran, VNAH works closely with the Vietnamese government and has received funding and support for its programs from several U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Labor.

HOPE
HOPE, a Maryland-based nonprofit organization, has a core mission of providing medical relief efforts to communities throughout the world that are in need of assistance. Its president Chau Nguyen, an entrepreneur who also emigrated from Vietnam, is particularly interested in helping improve the lives of under-served Vietnamese.

In the same interview with the Washington File, Nguyen cited several successful HOPE medical missions in Southeast Asia, including one in March during which HOPE members visited six rural communities around Phnom Penh and provided dental and medical care to over 2,000 patients.

"Thousands of patients who had never been seen by a doctor waited in long lines under intense heat to receive treatment. Our doctors treated a variety of tropical diseases rarely seen in the United States. As a result of the team's efforts, the people from those villages now have renewed hope for a better tomorrow," Nguyen said.

Both Tran and Nguyen said that their success in the United States has allowed them to give back to those less fortunate in Vietnam.

Nguyen also noted that the dentists, doctors and health care workers who participate in the programs demonstrate their generosity and compassion not only by giving of their time but by funding their own participation in HOPE's medical missions.

DENTAL CARE
According to Nguyen, the November mission team plans to conduct oral screenings and provide primary dental care -- including extractions and restorations when necessary -- and will work closely with local governments and clinics to provide follow-up care for cases requiring more definitive care.

Tran said that, for those cases requiring definitive care, VNAH will provide in-country support for patient follow-up care and will monitor such cases.

He noted the primary focus group of the November health care mission would be children between the ages of 5 and 14.

Nguyen predicted the medical mission would treat over 2,500 patients while in Vietnam.  The mission team will also provide dental and medical supplies to local clinics and will travel to Hue University November 19-20 to conduct workshops for Vietnamese dentists on oral surgery techniques.

PREVENTIVE CARE
Addressing the need to deliver preventive care, Nguyen said, "Learning from our past missions, we are incorporating a public health program in order to enable communities to implement and sustain proper health care programs."

"We will inform, empower and educate communities about health issues so that residents' health will improve and their risk of infections and disease will decrease over time," he said.

Nguyen said public health workers would conduct workshops in Vietnamese and provide brochures on topics such as women's health, hygiene and nutrition as well as on prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and other infectious diseases.

"Our goal is to use treatment to train local health care providers and authorities in techniques that promote public health, hygiene and sanitation," he said.

GOVERNMENT-COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
Tran said VNAH's role in the November joint project with HOPE is "to collaborate with local governments and communities to provide acute care and preventative treatment services to the medically under-served areas around Da Nang."

"The Vietnamese government has been helpful and is enthusiastic about our work," he said.

According to Tran, VNAH will provide logistical support for the health mission through its office in Vietnam and has arranged all of the necessary clearances from the government in Hanoi for the mission to travel the countryside around Da Nang.

"Our existing contacts with government officials and community partnerships, along with HOPE's team of medicals professionals, bring together the skill sets necessary for a mission to provide care for people who subsist on less than two dollars per day," Tran said.

See also "Vietnamese Legislators Study U.S. Disabilities Legislation." (http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=October&x=20051005155344TJkcolluB0.5491449&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html)

For more information on U.S. policy, see East Asia and the Pacific (http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/) and Humanitarian Assistance and Refugees (http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/global_issues/refugees.html).

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

 (http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=November&x=20051109093935TJkcolluB5.154055e-02&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html)

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November 11, 2005

JUSTICE FOR TRAN AND HER FAMILY

By Anh le and Richard Konda

Tran Thi Bich Cau, a petite 25-year-old Vietnamese American woman living in San Jose, Calif., was shot dead by a San Jose police officer in her apartment on July 13, 2003. Tran lived with her partner, Dang Bui, and her children, Tommy, 2, and Tony, 4. She was killed by a bullet through the heart while she was standing in her kitchen.

Officer Chad Marshall shot her after responding with his partner to a 911 call from the woman’s neighbor about a child wandering in the street. Marshall shot Tran at close range when he saw her holding a “dao bao,” an Asian vegetable peeler. The killing occurred in front of the woman’s children and partner.

Tran, who arrived in the U.S. at the age of 19, had a job as an assembly worker, and her dream was to someday own a nail salon.

The killing and the subsequent investigation have infuriated the Vietnamese American community. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability, comprising Vietnamese Americans, blacks, Latinos and others, has raised troubling questions about the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office, as well as the grand jury proceedings by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. The grand jury exonerated Marshall on October 30, 2003.

The Tran case also raises troubling questions concerning the issue of the use of deadly force by police when it is summoned for help. For officials to continue invoking the rationale that police can freely shoot a citizen in “self-defense” when faced with alleged “imminent danger” will not help to prevent repeats of the July 13, 2003, tragedy.

The Tran family filed a civil lawsuit against the city of San Jose for violation of civil rights and wrongful death.

In the civil case, U.S. District Judge James Ware has stated that even the testimony of Officer Marshall conflicted with the testimony of his partner, Officer Mun. Judge Ware pointed out that “Officer Mun’s statement that he ‘does not recall seeing a drawer open in the kitchen, or seeing or hearing the woman going through a drawer [allegedly to look for an item that would later be mistaken by the shooting officer as a “cleaver”],’” conflicted with Officer Marshall’s testimony.

The trial date for the Tran case has been stalled by the city of San Jose, and the Coalition for Justice and Accountability organized a Justice Rally for the Tran Family at 12 noon on November 1, at the San Jose City Hall.

The Coalition demands that the city of San Jose negotiate in good faith with the attorneys for the Tran family, and allow justice to be heard by stipulating a trial date in December.

How can we, as a caring community, look at now 6-year-old Tony Bui and 4-year-old Tommy Bui, and tell these orphaned children that our society condoned the killing of their mother?

Please contact the Hon. Ron Gonzales, Mayor of the City of San Jose and members of the City Council of San Jose at:

San Jose City Hall
200 E. Santa Clara St.
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 535-4800

Let your voices be heard, “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied. We Demand Justice for Tran Thi Bich Cau and her Two Orphaned Children Now!”

Anh Le is a member of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability. Richard Konda is executive director of The Asian Law Alliance, and a member of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability. For more information regarding the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, please contact: sccala@pacbell.net or (408) 287-9710.

 (http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=0d6640e9c79206b6f3ead1b69e9e57ee&this_category_id=172)

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November 14, 2006

GOING BEYOND THE MASTER NARRATIVE

by Sandy Tang and Polina Zhong

In 1982, Vincent Chin, a 27-year-old Chinese-American, was beaten to death with a bat following a confrontation in a Detroit bar. His murderers (Ron Ebens and Michael Nitz) received a $3,000 fine and never spent a day in jail. How could such an atrocity have come and gone without drawing the notice of the masses? We've all heard of Rodney King. But have you ever heard of Vincent Chin?

If not, you're not alone. Far from it. Few students have ever heard of the litany of similar hate crimes that have victimized Asian-Americans. These stories and the accompanying history of oppression that Asian-Americans, along with other minorities of color, have faced are not taught to students in the established formal educational system -- whether they are in kindergarten, 12th grade, or, in most cases, college.

To ignore the suffering of an entire group of people is to erase them from our collective memory. By not teaching about racism, we in essence teach future generations that it did not exist. We also teach that racism today, stripped of its historical context, does also not actually exist. The ultimate message conveyed is that nothing needs to be done now to counteract the harmful effects of racism. Who suffers the brunt of this illusion, and who decides what is important enough to be taught?

The exclusion of Asian Americans from American history enforces the conception of Asian-Americans as "foreigners," as not "true Americans" (to use the terminology of a radio DJ last year who attacked an Asian American running for political office) despite the fact that they have been here since the mid-1800s. It also indirectly lends credence to the "model minority myth" which depicts all Asian-Americans as upper-middle-class, well-to-do, hardworking, quiet overachievers. They are a "model minority" that doesn't get under anyone's feet. There is no education to provide counterevidence of the Asian Americans that are struggling, lower-class, oppressed.

This gap-filled education misleads Asian-Americans and non-Asian-Americans alike. Asian-Americans grow up with this image, and learn to believe that this is the archetype to which they are or should aspire. Although the Asian-American population is diverse and many do not resemble the "model minority," many come to believe that they cannot claim the identity of being Asian American if their personalities do not fit the limited mold. It is the only model they have of an Asian who is mainstream and assimilated into American culture. Education is an important way of dispelling these misconceptions.

Take a look into the typical American curriculum. What do you see? Chinese laborers building the continental railroad? Exclusion acts that implied "justice for all" applied to us? That Chinatowns that weren't born out of choice, but out of exclusion? Anti-miscegenation laws that strived to keep white blood pure? Deportation and detention? Vincent Chin gasping his last breaths in the name of mistaken stereotypes? None of the above?

At Tufts, Asian Americans hardly see themselves in the curriculum. The current master narrative in our textbooks fails to include ethnic minorities. With rising Asian American enrollment in universities, the model minority myth becomes perpetuated. How do we break down barriers and shatter glass ceilings? With a diverse curriculum that includes the histories of all peoples, goes beyond the black-white paradigm, students can broaden their comfort zones. Hate crimes stem from miseducation and ignorance. With hate, comes fear. Race relations will never ease if we do not attempt to understand one another.

In an institution that prides itself on diversity and acceptance, we cannot afford to neglect entire groups of people. Unlike many leading universities of our country, Tufts has failed to recognize the need for an Asian American studies program. And no, it's not the same as Asian studies.

This struggle isn't just about getting another professor or another class. What we're asking for is the decency of a university to recognize a marginalized group as worthy of validated existence. We're not asking the student body to stand behind us. We're simply asking you all to stand beside us in this long, overdue battle of false hopes, an uncooperative administration, and blatant neglect.

Sandy Tang is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. Polina Zhong is a junior majoring in American Studies and Community Health. They are both members of Asian American Curriculum Transformation (AACT).

(http://www.tuftsdaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/11/14/43782e0feacca)

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GOVERNOR IN CHINA
Selling California to Asia, seeking re-election at home
POLITICS: Trip coverage could help court Asian Americans in 2006 campaign

Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle Political Writer

It is billed as an official mission, but California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's six-day trip to China that starts today also serves another distinctly political purpose: an unofficial beginning to Schwarzenegger's 2006 re-election campaign.

The trade mission to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong allows the battered California governor to set a course for some new, and potentially valuable, allies, political observers said.

"Arnold won't be just selling California in China,'' predicted former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, who has made five trips to China in an official capacity. "He will be selling Arnold -- to Asian American voters.''

Schwarzenegger, by virtue of his movie star status, has "a chance to have a greater presence in the Asian community than any other Republican has had in a very long time,'' Brown said. "The Asian voter is not an identifiable party voter; he's voting in the interests of what affects his community. And Arnold, going to China, first and foremost shows great respect for the Chinese community. And that will have residual benefits.''

Schwarzenegger isn't the only politician looking abroad to help craft an appeal to an important audience in the nation's most populous state, where Asian Americans' increasing voter numbers and influence as political donors make them attractive allies.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein are also planning a high-profile trip to China later this month that could rival Schwarzenegger's visit for VIP business clout.

Phil Trounstine, who heads the San Jose State University Survey and Policy Research Institute, said the trips indicate that a growing number of state politicians have become increasingly aware of how to use visits abroad to boost their coverage and profile at home among ethnic voters.

And the strategy has worked, Trounstine said. He recalls how then-Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, on an early state visit to Mexico with Trounstine's former boss, then-Gov. Gray Davis, captivated the Spanish-language press and effectively "began running for mayor of Los Angeles" while he was hundreds of miles from home.

"When a California politician goes to Mexico, it has the effect of building his base with the Latino community in California; the same thing is true in Asia,'' Trounstine said. "To the extent that (Schwarzenegger) is popular in Shanghai and Hong Kong, it plays well among the Asian community in California."

In this instance, some Democrats say, Schwarzenegger is playing to an entirely different crowd -- big donors and business interests.

"I won't be surprised if he tries to reach out to Asian Americans, but unfortunately, the damage has been done to this governor -- and he'll be having a tough time with any of the ethnic voting communities,'' said Democratic strategist Roger Salazar, referring to last week's devastating defeat of the governor's special election measures.

Political observers on both sides agree the California governor's decision to head immediately out of state on the heels of a tough election allows him to try to erase the image of the bitter defeat.

There may be no better place than China for that goal: Schwarzenegger's films have reached millions of eager moviegoers there, guaranteeing him the media spotlight abroad. And he will reap a wave of positive, round-the-clock coverage back home in Chinese-language media.

David Lee, who heads the San Francisco-based Chinese American Voters Education Project, with an eye on the demographic trends, said the governor's trip is more evidence that political leaders in both parties are clearly vying for what he calls the "untapped market'' of California's Asian voters.

Lee cites the figures: one-third of San Franciscans are of Asian heritage, as are 20 percent of Bay Area residents and 11 percent of all Californians, with most located in the voter-rich urban Bay Area and the Los Angeles region. "We've been doing a voter registration campaign that has added 100,000 (voters) to the rolls in the last 15 years in the Bay Area,'' he said.

A Field Poll analysis estimated that Asian Americans made up about 9 percent of California's vote in the 2004 presidential election.

Schwarzenegger's trip to China comes as the California Republican Party, trying to break a Democratic lock on the state, has tried largely without success to make substantial inroads with minority populations, Lee said.

Lee said Republican leaders are "looking across the state, and one of the few (minority) groups that they