NCVA Reporter - November 26, 2003

In this NCVA Reporter:

Events

Funding Opportunities

Tips

News

Legislation

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

Events

National Stakeholder Teleconference with U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights and U.S. Department of Justice Coordination and Review Section

An Update- Effective Communication with Limited English Proficient Students and Families in School Communities receiving funding from DOJ, ED, and HHS

Including......Classrooms, after-school programs, school-based healthcare, parent involvement activities, parent-teacher conferences, special services, supplemental services (tutoring etc), guidance counseling, migrant education, vocational education, extra-curricular activities, disciplinary meetings, school board meetings, PETs, information and participation in bilingual education, parent education programs, Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools and so on and so forth....

December 9, 2003

1:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

Please contact Kathy Poulos-Minott: lep@maine.rr.com  for call-in information and specific topics you would like addressed.

Kathy Poulos-Minott
National LEP Advocacy Task Force
207-878-5196
www.leptaskforce.org
lep@maine.rr.com

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

Calvert Foundation

Training Series 2003: Raising Socially Responsible Investments

Calvert Foundation is pleased to announce a national training session on how to raise money from the socially responsible investment community. The training is free of charge.

Accessing Socially Responsible Investment Funds

December 12, 2003 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.  Eastern Standard Time

Registration deadline: November 26, 2003

This session is geared towards CDFIs and organizations that are interested in raising funds from socially responsible investors.

Topics to be discussed will include:

  • How to access investment capital from the SRI community;
  • How to access capital directly from the Calvert Foundation; and
  • Individual Investor Programs

To enroll, please go to http://www.calvert.com/foundation/cdfitraining.doc, complete the attached registration form and submit it either by fax c/o Richard Glod at 301.654.7820 or email it to richard.glod@calvert.com.  This session will be held via conference call and presentation materials will be sent by mail.  For more information, please email richard.glod@calvert.com or call 301.961.4771.

Calvert Foundation is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to increase community investment. Calvert Foundation raises investments from the general public and makes investments in community development loans funds, community development credit unions and community development corporations. Calvert Foundation currently has over 2000 investors and manages over $70 million in assets.

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

NATIONAL CONGRESS FOR COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (NCCED)

"Building the Next Generation of Community Economic Development Leaders"

MARCH 5-10, 2004
Washington, D.C.

The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is a unique leadership development program open to undergraduate and graduate students as well as recent graduates from colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools. The ELP brings together students and practitioners each year to learn more about the diverse and exciting field of community economic development (CED). The ELP is a part of NCCED's Human Capital Development Initiative (HCDI) to create a "talent pipeline" of CED leaders and professionals.

Emerging Leaders:

* Attend the national NCCED Policy Conference.
* Participate in leadership workshops.
* Increase knowledge base of CED industry and opportunities.
* Build a professional network.
* Become a member of NCCED's alumni association.
* Opportunity to apply to NCCED's Internship Program for a paid internship position with a community development corporation (CDC).

*       Visit Capital Hill and meet Legislators.
*       Make new friends with similar professional interests.

For program information and application material, please log on to our website at www.ncced.org (click on programs)

Extended Deadline: Applications due December 31, 2003

National Congress for Community Economic Development
1030 15th St., NW, Suite 325
Washington, DC 20005
202-289-9020
sklukas@ncced.org

The National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED) is the trade association and advocate for the community-based development industry. Founded in 1970, NCCED represents over 3,600 CDCS across America. CDCs produce affordable housing and create jobs through business and commercial development activities. NCCED services the community development industry through public policy research and education, special projects, newsletters, publications, trainings, conferences, and specialized technical assistance.

www.ncced.org

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

THE FIRST VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN NGO CONFERENCE

May 7 - 9, 2004

Asilomar Conference Center

Pacific Grove, California

The Planning Committee – Pacific Links Foundation (www.pacificlinks.org), East Meets West Foundation (www.eastmeetswest.org), VN21 and SAP-VN (www.sap-vn.org) – is delighted to announce the First Vietnamese-American NGO (VA-NGO) Conference, to be held on May 7 -- 9, 2004 at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California.

Over the course of this weekend-long conference we hope the participants will have the opportunities to 1) network with other Vietnamese-American NGOs, 2) share with each other our experience with implementing projects and programs in Vietnam, 3) help each other to improve our organizational capacity, including fundraising and 4) find ways to improve our sustainable development advocacy work on behalf of the people of Vietnam and within the overseas Vietnamese communities.

The VA-NGO Conference will be held from 12 noon Friday, May 7 through 12 noon Sunday, May 9, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. We encourage all interested participants to attend the full conference. Registration, detailed program and agenda and logistical information are forthcoming.

To help us plan the agenda, please provide us with your feedback and details on the following:

Brief one-paragraph description of your organization

Full contact information:

Street Address or P.O. Box

City, State, Zip

Phone

Fax

E-mail

Website

Highlight projects or programs that you have funded or implemented

List of three things that you would like to learn or achieve from this conference

We would like to extend this invitation to organizations and groups that fund, support or operate projects in Vietnam which were founded or currently directed by Vietnamese-Americans. Please join us at this first national gathering to showcase our commitment to the work that we do and to explore effective ways to enhance our program and resource development capacity.

For more information about the VA-NGO Conference, please call Sonny Le at the East Meets West Foundation at 510-763-7045 or email us at va-ngo-conf@sbcglobal.net.

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

Funding Opportunities

Grants Help At-Risk Girls

(http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/funding/featured.html?record=30)

The Women's Sports Foundation provides grants to nonprofits that combine sports programs with educational information to reduce risky behaviors among girls ages 10 to 14.

The deadline for grants in the next round of the GoGirlGo grant program is Nov. 30. A total of $400,000 will be awarded.

Eligible nonprofits must demonstrate the ability to deliver sports programming to girls through programs lasting eight weeks or longer. In addition, the nonprofit must commit to participating in the GoGirlGo educational curriculum.

Complete program guidelines and application forms are available on the Women's Sports Foundation's website.

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

Service Grants Available to Nonprofits

(http://www.taprootfoundation.org/npo/criteria.shtml)

Nonprofits with budgets under $5 million that are located in the New York and Bay Area are eligible to apply for 2004 service grants offered by the Taproot Foundation.

The Service Grant program provides marketing and technology capacity-building support to nonprofits. In this round of funding, four types of grants are available: Branding and Identity; Brochure; Website; and Donor Database.

The application deadline is Dec. 1. Applications and additional information are available on the Taproot Foundation's website.

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

Grants Available for Work on Youth-Policy Issues

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

Professionals who work on youth policy issues at the national, state and local levels are invited to apply for fellowships through the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF).

The AYPF, based in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit professional-development organization that provides nonpartisan learning opportunities for individuals working on youth-policy issues.

Its Harold Howe II Fellowships are awarded each year to promising young scholars or practitioners. Fellows work on a self-designed project addressing significant issues in youth policy, practice, research, or program evaluation, focusing particularly on disadvantaged youth.

Fellows will receive a stipend of $25,000 and join the AYPF staff for 12 months.

The application deadline is Jan. 9, 2004. Application information is available online.

(http://www.aypf.org/whatsnew.htm)

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

Program Targets Community Leadership Training
 The Pew Partnership for Civic Change: LeadershipPlenty

(http://www.pew-partnership.org/programs/leadershipPlenty/index.php)

The Pew Partnership for Civic Change LeadershipPlenty program is a training program aimed at strengthening community leadership by equipping citizens to take effective civic action. Selected partner organizations are provided with the LeadershipPlenty Training Program, "train-the-trainer" instruction through an intensive training institute, limited technical assistance with implementation of the program, and involvement with other partners in the LeadershipPlenty Network to refine the program and share strategies. Groups eligible to apply for the program include national organizations with local affiliates, national foundations, community foundations or regional organizations, local community organizations, and universities and colleges. Applications are due December 31, annually. Visit the above website for more information and application instructions.

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

Support to Prevent and Alleviate Hunger
 Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger: FOOD FOR ALL

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

The FOOD FOR ALL program is an effort of the food industry to alleviate hunger and malnutrition by fostering long-term, self-help solutions in the United States and around the world. Nonprofit organizations in California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming are eligible to apply. The program provides support to build community food security, develop individual and family self-reliance, and create employment opportunities. Grants generally range from $1,000 to $10,000. Applications are due February 3, annually. Visit the above website for more information.

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

Start-Up Funds for Interfaith Community Volunteer Caregiving Programs
 The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Faith in Action

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

Faith in Action is an interfaith volunteer caregiving program that brings together religious congregations of all faiths and other community organizations such as hospices, clinics, and hospitals, in a common mission to provide volunteer care to neighbors with long-term health needs. The program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, offers start-up grants of up to $35,000 to help communities organize new coalitions for volunteer caregiving. In addition to providing start-up grants, the Faith in Action national office offers technical support and advice on how to develop successful, sustainable caregiving programs that can serve communities for many years. Application deadlines are February 1, June 1, and October 1, annually. For more information, or to access application instructions, visit the above website.

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

Funds for Teaching Tolerance
Southern Poverty Law Center: Teaching Tolerance Grants

(http://www.tolerance.org/teach/expand/gra/guide.jsp)

The Teaching Tolerance project of the Southern Poverty Law Center offers grants of up to $2,000 to K-12 classroom teachers across the nation to implement tolerance and youth activism projects in their schools and communities. Grants target activities that promote acceptance of diversity, peacemaking, community service, or any other aspect of tolerance education. Proposals from other educators, such as community organizations and churches, will be considered on the basis of direct student impact. Applications are accepted year-round. Visit the above website for more information and to access application forms and guidelines.

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

Community Support from the Gannett Foundation
Gannett Foundation

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

The Gannett Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations that serve the communities in more than forty states where Gannett Co., Inc., owns a local daily newspaper or TV station. For a list of Gannett communities go to http://www.gannettfoundation.org/communities.htm. The majority of the Foundation's community grants target grassroots organizations in the areas of social and human services, and health and mental health. Other areas of interest include education, arts and culture, and civic and community projects. Each community has its own priorities in addition to the general guidelines of the Foundation. Interested applicants should check with the local contact person to see if the grant request fits with local funding preferences. Deadlines for proposals to arrive from the local operations to Foundation headquarters are February 15, May 15, and September 15, annually. Local deadlines are at least a month earlier. Check with your community's Gannett operation for local deadlines. For application procedures, local contact information, or more information, visit the above website.

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

Awards to Support Art Exhibitions
Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation: Exhibition Awards

(http://www.tremainefoundation.org/art/default.asp)

Through the Exhibition Award program, the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation rewards innovation and experimentation at the curatorial level, supporting exhibitions that challenge audiences and the mainstream of Contemporary Art. Curators, partnered with an established nonprofit exhibition space, are encouraged to apply for the award to develop thematic concepts that they have always dreamed of. Awards of up to $100,000 are granted. Application guidelines will be available in November 2003 through the Foundation's website and applications will be due April 16, 2004. Visit the above website for more information.

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

Tips

Early Insights on Faith-Based Civic Engagement from the Organized Religion Initiative

Americans have always felt ambivalent about the role of religion in public life, yet its influence in shaping policy can be traced from the beginnings of the Republic. Today we live in a time when more and more Americans feel alienated by or excluded from public life. After decades of secularism, religion is now recognized as a powerful force in public life, for good or possibly ill, from Iraq to the White House.

(http://www.irvine.org/IQ3.1_grant.htm)

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

Eyes Wide Open: Deciding When to Launch a Community Initiative

Imagine for a moment that you are a staff member of a community foundation, and a program officer from a private foundation calls with a tantalizing offer of funding for a special community initiative on after-school programs. Or, that you are approached by a group of community members who are concerned about problems facing the local economy, and they ask your community foundation to take on the issue as a major community project. How do you choose the best course of action? A new publication helps you make the decision.

(http://www.irvine.org/IQ3.1_publications.htm)

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

Easy Voter Guide: Providing Californians with Accessible Voter Information

Politics in California has never been a hotter topic, and it is more important than ever that all California citizens vote. The “Easy Voter Guide” Project is based on the simple premise that all people should have access to user-friendly information to help them get involved in our democratic process. The community-designed guide provides nonpartisan information about how to vote and what is on the ballot for traditionally underserved audiences in California as well as for the general public.

(http://www.irvine.org/IQ3.1_useit.htm)

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

Website Offers Resources for Affordable Housing and Community Development
Fannie Mae Foundation: KnowledgePlex®

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

KnowledgePlex, a collaborative effort created by the Fannie Mae Foundation and supported by a team of founding partners, has recently launched its redesigned website to assist the efforts of practitioners, grantors, policy makers, scholars, investors and others involved or interested in affordable housing and community development. The website features a collection of publications including research, case studies, best practices, scholarly articles, opinion pieces, and other material related to the affordable housing and community development fields; the latest housing and community development news stories from national publications; the "Week in Review" e-newsletter summing up the weekly relevant news; topical discussion forums for information exchange; and a calendar of events for industry professionals. To access these resources, visit the above website.

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

CLINIC Announces New Edition of Citizenship for Us

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) is pleased to announce the 3rd edition of Citizenship for Us: A Handbook on Naturalization and Citizenship.  This latest edition, published in August 2003, is updated for the recent transition of the INS to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) and includes updated information on new laws, forms, procedures, and technologies.  Citizenship for Us is a 346-page handbook that explains the N-400 (Application for Citizenship) and contains legal analysis of citizenship eligibility, requirements, and benefits.  It describes the naturalization process in detail and contains many useful CIS forms and sample correspondence from CIS.  The handbook also contains 12 study units on U.S. history and civics with historic photos, time lines, vocabulary, and sample tests.  Wri tten by Aliza Becker, a best-selling author on citizenship, and CLINIC staff, it is geared for immigrants, community leaders, social service providers, and other non-attorneys.  The cost is only $25.

To order the handbook, call (202) 635-2556 or visit the CLINIC website at www.cliniclegal.org.

Laura Burdick
Deputy Director for National Programs
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)
(202) 635-5820

Translations of A Guide to the Naturalization can be found at:

(http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/guide.htm)

in Vietnamese – (http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/Vietnamese.pdf)

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

Ten Tips for Successful Pre-Service Training
(from the MOSAICA Training Briefs newsletter)

A successful pre-service training or orientation is the key to starting the program year off strong. This is the first opportunity for members to see the program in action; set realistic expectations; form partnerships with other members, program staff, and site supervisors; and begin building a strong sense of team (or esprit de corps). AmeriCorps members need to develop a foundation, a functional level of general and project specific knowledge and skills, in order to feel comfortable and confident in their new roles, and effectively serve their community. A strong foundation laid during pre-service  training can help ensure a smooth year (effective and happy members) and be built upon during in-service sessions throughout the year. If the foundation is not strong, it will need reinforcing. Ineffective pre-service training will create challenges and leave program staff, and members, playing catch-up for the rest of the year. Investing in effective training up front pays off later.

The following tips will help AmeriCorps programs prepare for member pre-service training or orientation.

1. Plan. The better organized you are, the better the orientation will be -- even if you make lots of changes during the session. The more you systematically consider possible situations and needs, methods and potential problems, the more confident and flexible you will be.

2. Make your orientation outcome-based. Instead of designing your orientation based on topics to include, decide what outcomes you want to accomplish. Then pick topics and methods that will generate these outcomes. Often, one activity can contribute to several outcomes.

3. Make your pre-service training truly interactive and experiential. That means more than time for question and answer. Use every component of the experiential learning model (Starting Strong,p. 85) -- and keep in mind the learning pyramid (Starting Strong, p. 88). The greater the active participation of the members, the greater the retention.

4. Carefully choose, and thoroughly prepare, your facilitators and presenters. Select them for their training skills, not just their content knowledge. Be sure they know what you expect, and review materials and methods before the training. For experts who aren't trainers, use them as "resources," and facilitate the session yourself.

5. Emphasize teamwork. Most participants will be working in teams. Use icebreakers, well-designed small-group activities, special teambuilding activities, and community projects to build team spirit and mutual trust.

6. Model the service ethic. Bring in role models, build on individual eagerness to serve, and have the staff, site supervisors, and other presenters reflect the benefits of service. Talk about service directly and honestly, and communicate realistic expectations.

7. Use participants as resources. Assess their skills as well as their training needs. Give them opportunities to teach each other, through cooperative learning groups (Starting Strong, pp. 197) and other specific peer teaching activities. Use them as co-facilitators in areas in which they have special expertise.

8. Link training with the service assignment. Train the supervisors as well as the members. Have supervisors work with members to plan their service activities. Provide or plan community projects. The more relevant the orientation to the actual assignment, the more interesting and useful it will be for members.

9. Monitor, assess, and evaluate. Throughout the session, ask members for feedback, and make immediate refinements. Assess specific activities and the overall session as a basis for change next year. Follow up to see if skills learned are retained and used. Use varied evaluation techniques.

10. Make pre-service training the first step in ongoing learning. Link it to in-service sessions, site-based training, and other knowledge and skill development opportunities. 

(http://nationalserviceresources.org/resources/online_pubs/training/trainingbriefs_2.php)

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

The Personal Touch: Training the Team Yourself

Maybe you’ve searched for a trainer and no one is available to train your members or volunteers on a particular day. Maybe you know the subject matter better than anyone else. Maybe you want the experience of training your team yourself so you can handle questions that arise or convey the information precisely.

Whatever the reason, there will likely come a time when you as program coordinator or staff member will be responsible for training your members or volunteers. It does not have to be a daunting experience. The trainer’s responsibility is to facilitate the learning of information through activities and discussion. Don’t think you have to lecture. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. By being prepared and planning creative activities for participants to learn from, your job as trainer will be easier and participants will walk away with the skills they need.

(http://nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/294/training.pdf)

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

News

November 5, 2003

ELECTRONIC BALLOT

ESlate voting proves smooth, not flawless

By ERIC BERGER
Houston Chronicle

Voting at 663 polling stations in Houston and the rest of the Metropolitan Transit Authority area using eSlate machines went smoothly Tuesday, elections officials said.

"In general I think it went very well," said Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman. "I think our people in the field did a very good job."

Very good, perhaps, but not flawless. Greater True Light Baptist Church, a northeast Houston polling site, did not open until about 9 a.m. An election worker there had difficulty setting up the equipment, and did not call for help quickly enough, Kaufman said. Between 50 and 100 voters were turned away.

"The concern is that they would not be able to get back in time," said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, of the predominantly African-American district. "Their voting rights are being impinged upon. It's a severe problem."

Lee discussed with Sylvester Turner's mayoral campaign staff the possibility of getting a court order to keep the polling site open two more hours, but chose not to because the problem appeared to be isolated.

"If we would have had a widespread situation I would have been over there myself in front of a judge asking to extend the hours," said Kaufman, who cannot keep a polling place open late on her own authority.

At the Holiday Inn Hotel at 7787 Katy Freeway, election workers decided to use paper ballots when they thought the eSlate voting machines were not working properly. About 75 makeshift ballots were cast -- and signed.

But the eSlates were not malfunctioning. Workers were entering incorrect information into the machines that assigned the wrong ballots to voters. David Puckett, who showed up shortly after 7 a.m., at first registered his vote on a piece of paper, but returned later to cast an eSlate ballot, concerned his initial vote might not be counted.

"This isn't Houston's finest moment," he said. "You had to see it to believe it. Really, no one knew what to do."

Elections officials said they would ensure that only one vote per person would be counted.

Part of the confusion at the west Houston location and others is the distinction between the Houston and Metro voting areas. All of Houston is in Metro, but the Metro area extends well beyond the city limits.

In some polling precincts, one voter might be eligible to vote in the Houston elections, such as mayor, and on the rail referendum, but another voter might only be able to vote for or against rail. At other polling precincts, some people were eligible to vote in the rail referendum, while others, residing outside the Metro area, were not.

Donna Mabry, who lives just outside the city and Metro areas near Ellington Field, said she and other residents from SageGlen subdivision were surprised when they were turned away from the polls.

"Now I know how those poor people in Florida felt," Mabry said, referring to problems there in the last presidential election.

The county's decision not to make the eSlate ballots available in Vietnamese did not seem to faze most Vietnamese voters, who got bilingual friends and relatives to help them vote.

At Chancellor Elementary in Southwest Houston, Gary Phan stood at the booth to help his 70-year-old mother with the new electronic ballot.

"It's not easy for her to understand the English," Phan said of his mother, Lu Thi Dong. "She has been voting for four years, and I always help her."

City officials believe the precinct voting at Chancellor, on Boone near Bellaire, has the highest Vietnamese population of any in Houston. Two translators stood by to help, but they said they were not busy, since most Vietnamese preferred to use relatives to translate.

"We haven't had any problems," said Hieu Binh, one of the translators.

Some precincts refused to let Vietnamese voters use their own translators. At All Saints Lutheran Church on West Bellfort, election officials insisted Vietnamese voters work with translator Chan Ho.

"The translator is supposed to be helping them, not the family member," said Precinct 649 Alternate Judge Ruth Duson-Phillips.

Ho said the lack of a Vietnamese version of the ballot made it more difficult for about 20 voters in the precinct.

Kaufman said it is not only legal for a voter to get someone -- other than their employer or union boss -- to help understand a ballot, it is encouraged.

Chronicle reporters Salatheia Bryant, Ed Hegstrom and Bill Murphy contributed to this story.

(http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/ec/nov4/2201121)

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

November 17, 2003

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        CONTACT:  David Grinberg

Monday, November 17, 2003                    (202) 663-4921

                                                             James Ryan

                                                             (202) 663-4965

                                                             (202) 663-4900

                                                TTY:      (202) 663-4494

 

ISHIMARU TAKES OATH AS EEOC COMMISSIONER


Stuart J. Ishimaru is sworn in as an EEOC Commissioner by Chair Cari M. Dominguez, as his wife and children look on.

 

Commission Has Full Five Members For First Time Since 1996

WASHINGTON - Stuart J. Ishimaru was sworn in today as a Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), bringing the bi-partisan panel to its full five-member status for the first time in seven years. Mr. Ishimaru was nominated by President Bush on October 14, 2003, and unanimously confirmed by the full U.S. Senate on October 31 to fill the remainder of a five-year term expiring in July 2007.

 

"In his varied and distinguished career, Stuart Ishimaru has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to equal opportunity and civil rights," said EEOC Chair Cari. M. Dominguez. "We are delighted to have his many talents committed to furthering the mission of our agency. We welcome Commissioner Ishimaru and look forward to working with him."

 

Mr. Ishimaru joins Chair Dominguez, Vice Chair Naomi C. Earp, and Commissioners Leslie E. Silverman and Paul Steven Miller on the five-member Commission. Commissioners are appointed for five-year, staggered terms with the President designating a Chair as the chief executive officer of the Commission, as well as a Vice Chair. The five-member Commission makes equal employment opportunity policy and approves most litigation in consultation with the General Counsel (also a presidential nominee). The current General Counsel is Eric Dreiband.

 

"I am honored and excited to be joining the Commission," said Mr. Ishimaru. "For nearly 40 years the EEOC has been at the forefront of our nation's commitment to root out illegal discrimination. I look forward to working with my colleagues at the Commission to make this vision a reality."

Mr. Ishimaru previously served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice between 1999 and 2001, where he supervised litigation involving employment, disability, and housing discrimination, and criminal prosecutions of civil rights laws. Prior to that, he served as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for five years, advising Assistant Attorneys General on policy and political matters.

In 1993, Mr. Ishimaru was appointed by President Clinton to be the Acting Staff Director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and from 1984 to 1993 served on the professional staffs of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights and two House Armed Services Subcommittees of the U.S. Congress. A native of San Jose, Calif., he received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his law degree from the George Washington University.

The EEOC is the federal agency charged with enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment or pregnancy) or national origin and protects employees who complain about such offenses from retaliation; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, which protects workers age 40 and older from discrimination based on age; the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which prohibits gender-based wage discrimination; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the federal sector; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Further information about the Commission is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.

(http://www.eeoc.gov/press/11-17-03.html)

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

November 20, 2003

Congress Studies Why Women Earn Less
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Women's income is lower on average than that of men in part because they generally work less, leave the labor force for longer periods and tend to hold jobs that pay less, a congressional study found.

But even after adjustments are made for those factors, women still earned an average of 20.3 percent less than men in 2000, investigators said Thursday.

The General Accounting Office conducted the earnings study for Democratic Reps. Carolyn Maloney of New York and John Dingell of Michigan.

The 20 percent gap has been relatively unchanged in the past two decades. The difference was 19.6 percent in 1983.

The study could not explain reasons for the earnings difference, but noted that experts have speculated it could be due to discrimination or the decision by some women to forgo career advancement for family-friendly jobs that offer more flexibility and less stress.

"These decisions may have specific consequences for their career advancement or earnings," the study said. "However, debate exists about whether these decisions are freely made or influenced by discrimination in society or in the workplace."

Maloney and Dingell want to create a research center at a public university that would study potential solutions and publish information for employers and employees.

"After accounting for so many external factors, it seems that still, at the root of it all, men get an inherent annual bonus just for being men," Maloney said. "If this continues, the only guarantees in life will be death, taxes and the glass ceiling. We can't let that happen."

Men work on average 2,147 hours per year, compared with 1,675 for women, the study said.

Almost nine of 10 men worked full time compared with two of three women. Men were out of the labor force an average of one week compared with three weeks for women, the report said.

The influx of women in the labor force in recent decades has failed to result in significant changes at the office, the study said.

"Research suggests that many work places still maintain the same policies, practices and structures that existed when most workers were men who worked full time, 40-hours per week," the report said. "As a result, there may be a mismatch between the needs of workers with family responsibilities and the structure of the workplace."

(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/7309076.htm)

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

November 22, 2003

Police auditor urges changes
ACTIVE ROLE SOUGHT IN SHOOTING PROBES
By Roxanne Stites
Mercury News

San Jose's independent police auditor recommended that the department's shooting review panel be more rigorous and accountable when determining whether it needs to improve training following shootings by officers. She also recommended a larger role for herself in investigating cases where officers shoot civilians.

The current system is inadequate, said auditor Teresa Guerrero-Daley in her regular six-month report released Friday. She said routine complaints, most of which don't involve severe injury, usually receive more scrutiny than fatal shootings.

The shooting review panel -- set up in 1999 with members including the police chief, auditor and other top police administrators -- doesn't independently investigate incidents, Guerrero-Daley said, but instead relies almost exclusively on a detective's report. Also, there is no documentation of the panel's discussion and members often leave without clear decisions on what should be changed or reinforced in police training to prevent future shootings.

Expanded role

She recommended that the panel be able to call witnesses and ask questions in shooting cases -- similar to the way the auditor investigates other complaints.

``At least then,'' she said, ``we could say we conducted a thorough, independent review. As it is right now, it's very limited.''

Her recommendations follow by four months a highly emotional and widely publicized case in which a San Jose officer shot and killed a young Vietnamese mother, Bich Cau Thi Tran, in her home after she allegedly waved an unfamiliar kitchen implement at him. Guerrero-Daley said, however, that her recommendations do not stem from a particular case, but from a review of shootings by officers from 1993 to 2002. The officer in the Tran case was cleared by a grand jury of criminal wrongdoing.

Guerrero-Daley made similar recommendations in 1999, a record year for shootings by officers. The solution then was to convene the review panel, but she said she has since realized that hasn't solved all of the problems.

San Jose police would not comment on specific recommendations until the department analyzes them and presents its opinion to city council members Dec. 2.

Guerrero-Daley, auditor since 1993, also wants a bigger role in investigating shootings by officers.

Immediate response

She wants to be called out immediately to police shooting scenes. Typically, the auditor starts her review three to five months after the shooting. She said police officials have been reluctant to give her access, fearing she'd contaminate evidence or be called as a witness. She said other cities that have auditors on scene have experienced no problems.

In her 17-page report, the auditor also commended the department for making strides toward decreasing the number of shootings. There were 10 shootings in 1999, eight of them fatal, but none last year.

There have been two this year, including Tran. That shooting prompted public outcry and led to a rare, open grand jury hearing. While the officer was cleared, Guerrero-Daley said lessons could be learned from that shooting and others.

Contact Roxanne Stites at rstites@mercurynews.com or (408) 295-3984.

(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/7326094.htm)

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

November 23, 2003

Mystic Turtle in Need of a Miracle
Giant species that stars in a Vietnamese folk tale faces extinction. Only one is believed to remain in Hanoi lake.

By Margie Mason, Associated Press Writer

HANOI — There once was a magic golden turtle that lived in Hanoi's most enchanted lake. A creature so powerful, it snatched a divine sword from a warrior king and returned it to the gods of the depths nearly six centuries ago.

That tale has long been a favorite among young and old Vietnamese living in the capital city, but folklorists may soon have to rewrite the story to include a very sad ending.

That's because in real life, the last giant soft-shell turtle living in Hoan Kiem Lake will probably die alone, and at least one biologist says the species will then be extinct.

The elusive creature — with a shell as big as a desk — occasionally pokes its wrinkled head out of the murky waters of the downtown lake to take a breath, but few Vietnamese are lucky enough to glimpse it. And certainly no one knows its age.

Scientists say it probably is the most endangered freshwater turtle species in the world.

"This species is a huge, huge animal that's incredibly endangered and it really needs help," said Anders Rhodin, co-chairman of the World Conservation Union's Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. "I don't think anyone is willing to try to capture that animal in Hoan Kiem Lake. I think it is thought to be sacred."

Conservationists are determined, however, not to let the legendary species die out. This month, researchers from Hanoi National University and the U.S.-based Wildlife Conservation Society plan to scout lakes in Thanh Hoa province, 100 miles south of Hanoi, where other giant turtles have been sighted, but never confirmed.

"We're going to the province to see whether there's any truth to this," said Douglas Hendrie, the society's Asia regional turtle conservation coordinator who has worked in Vietnam since 1996. "The species is very, very, very important to Vietnam culturally and therefore of high priority when it comes to conservation."

Legend has it that in the mid-15th century, King Le Loi defeated Chinese invaders with a magic sword given to him by the gods. After the victory, the king was said to be boating on the lake when a giant golden turtle rose to the surface and grabbed the sword in its mouth before plunging deep into the water to return it to its divine owners.

The lake was later renamed "Ho Hoan Kiem," which means "Lake of the Returned Sword," and the tale became an important part of Vietnamese culture that continues to be taught in school and performed at popular water puppetry shows.

But just like the Loch Ness Monster or the Tasmanian Tiger, no mythical creature comes without controversy. Vietnamese biologist Ha Dinh Duc, who has studied the lone turtle since 1991, reported in 2000 that it was a new species and named it Rafeteus leloii after the king.

Other scientists dispute his conclusion, saying at least five other turtles of the same species, Rafeteus swinhoei, have been found in zoos and a monastery in neighboring China.

But Duc, who vows to study the turtle for the rest of his life, said no one has spent more time researching and viewing it than he has.

"There's no other types of turtle like this in other countries," Duc said. "Their assessment is totally wrong."

As he slid his wire glasses up his nose and rifled furiously through years of yellowed papers and stacks of color photos, he spoke about the turtle like a child.

It weighs about 440 pounds and its massive shell stretches 6 feet long and 4 feet wide. Its gender remains a secret along with its age because Duc says only he has been lucky enough to view it completely out of the water a few times as it rested on an island in the middle of the small, shallow lake.

Hendrie said the turtle could probably live up to 100 years, but Duc believes that it's conceivable for the animal to be old enough for Le Loi himself to have released it into the lake, which was once part of the Red River.

The World Conservation Union ranks the turtle as critically endangered, the most threatened category, saying it is "perilously close to extinction" and "currently probably the most endangered freshwater turtle in the world."

Its precarious circumstances mirror those of many turtle species, especially in Asia. The organization says 74% of the continent's 90 freshwater turtle and tortoise species are listed as threatened because of continuing demand for food and traditional medicine.

Hendrie and Rhodin said they're optimistic about finding other giant soft-shell turtles in the wild or placing the ones in China together in captivity to try to save the species from extinction. Turtles remain fertile until death, so it's possible for even very old animals to mate, but they said more research is necessary before steps can be taken.

However, the prospects for the Hoan Kiem turtle, as it is known, look bleak. Duc said three others like it emerged from the lake in the 1960s, but all of them have died and all of the scientists agree that only one remains. One huge stuffed specimen is displayed in a small temple on an island in the lake, but not even Duc is bold enough to disturb the revered remaining creature that will undoubtedly have its own legend centuries from now.

"No one is allowed to touch this turtle," Duc said, sitting by the water. "If something went wrong, who would be responsible? It would be a big deal that would impact the soul of a nation."

(http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-adfg-turtle23nov23,1,5665227.story)

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

This Month in Immigration History – July 1975

From U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Dept of Homeland Security

The war in Vietnam ended on April 30, 1975. Over 130,000 Vietnamese left the country amid the final moments of that war. Of these, some 65,000 Vietnamese military and government officials and Vietnamese employees of the United States and their families were considered "at risk" and were evacuated directly by the U.S. military; another 65,000 got out on their own in military aircraft, ships and boats. Most were taken first to Guam and then resettled in the United States. (You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this link.)  The last two Americans to die in that war were lost late on April 29 when their CH-46 evacuation helicopter crashed at sea near the USS Hancock, one of the navy ships receiving refugees. They were en route back to the mainland to collect more refugees.

Some in the United States reportedly thought that this initial wave would be all the Vietnamese war-related refugees needing sanctuary in the United States. In fact, this evacuation, rather than an end, was merely the beginning of what would become, during its 25-year history, one of the longest-running migration and refugee resettlement programs in the modern era. In the end, some 3 million people left their homes in the former French Indochinese colonies of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, including 1.75 million Vietnamese land refugees and boat people. They found resettlement, mostly in Western countries and Australia. Of these, the United States East Asian Refugee Admissions Program resettled over 1.4 million Indochinese refugees, including some 900,000 from Vietnam. Countless thousands more lost their lives leaving Vietnam in rickety boats -- only to be preyed upon by pirates, battered by rough seas, and, at times, devastated by an inability to land in friendly territory.

Responding to this migration and its evolution over time ultimately required two international conferences, permutations of traditional refugee definitions, extraordinary new protection measures, massive assistance programs, and large-scale resettlement efforts.

The first of these international conferences was the July 20-21, 1979, (International) Meeting on Refugees and Displaced Persons in Southeast Asia. One of the main movers behind the conference was reported to be British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher: she was anxious to relieve the pressure and expense of caring for Vietnamese boat people on Great Britain's then colony, Hong Kong. The July conference was the first attempt to address this migration in a systematic and comprehensive manner. This is a brief summary of the events leading to that conference, the agreements reached at it, and the consequences that resulted from it.

[Click on link below to read more.]

(http://uscis.gov/graphics/aboutus/history/july79.htm)

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

Legislation

H.R.3295 – Help America Vote Act
Title: A bill to require States and localities to meet uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements applicable to Federal elections, to establish grant programs to provide assistance to States and localities to met those requirements and to improve election technology and the administration of Federal elections, to establish the Election Administration Commission, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Ney, Robert W. [OH-18] (introduced 11/14/2001)      Cosponsors: 172
Related Bills: H.CON.RES.508, H.RES.311, S.565
Latest Major Action: 10/29/2002 Became Public Law No: 107-252.

Update:

November 26, 2003

SENATE WRANGLING BLOCKS FUNDS, LEADERSHIP FOR ELECTION OVERHAUL

Congressional Quarterly

The fight over the omnibus spending bill is holding up $1.5 billion to help states meet new federal election standards. But the money is not the only casualty of the raging partisan wars in the Senate. The four nominees to the commission authorized to distribute the funding are caught up in a spat between Senate Republicans and Democrats over other Bush administration nominees. Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took the floor yesterday to complain that "another round of obstructionism" by Democrats had prevented the Senate from confirming Bush nominations, leaving 95 nominees hanging -- including those for the election commission. Frustrated state officials say it may already be too late to get new equipment in place and make other major improvements in time for the 2004 elections. Denise Lamb, New Mexico's director of elections and president-elect of the National Association of State Election Directors, said, "It's mystifying that we've been giving these deadlines and yet [lawmakers] are hamstringing us."

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

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.

Visit us at www.ncvaonline.org.