NCVA eREPORTER - March 31, 2004

In this NCVA eReporter:

Events

• Learn the Principles of Community Organizing – Multiple Dates
• Regional Health Conference in Illinois – June 4, 2004
• VNHELP Fundraising Concert – “Lotus in the West – Huong Sen” – June 20, 2004

Funding Opportunities

• HOPE Awards to Promote Minority Home Ownership
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health e-Technologies Program
• AT&T Wireless Community Connections Award
• Fannie Mae Foundation Accepting Applications for Competitive Grants Program
• Communities in Need

Jobs/Internships

• OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship Program
• Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program
• Dept of Labor – Summer Program
• Executive Director, Forefront
• Program Coordinator, Korean American Coalition

Legislation

• HR 3987: Congressman Moran Introduces Legislation Providing Automatic Citizenship to Amerasians Born to U.S. Soldiers Between 1950-1982 (Press Release)

News

• Nation's Health Professional Students Launch Major Advocacy Initiative on Substance Abuse Training (Press Release)
• Multilingual Poll of California Ethnic Groups on Criminal Justice Issues (New California Media)
• APIA Vote 2004 (Asian American Press)
• Rewriting Vietnam War History (Pacific News Service)

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EVENTS

LEARN THE PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

Sign up for the COMMUNITY ACTION TRAINING (CAT) of the Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO). CAT is a weekend-long, intensive introduction to community organizing.

CAT provides hands-on training through field work, role plays, and discussions. Learn from experienced organizers, share skills and knowledge with other activists, and have fun meeting others dedicated to building a movement!

WHEN:   April 23-25, 2004

WHERE:  Oakland, CA

WHEN: April 30-May 2, 2004

WHERE: New York, New York

Registration deadline: April 15, 2004

Register at www.ctwo.org/cat_reg.html

510.533.7583

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REGIONAL HEALTH CONFERENCE 

The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) and its co-sponsors* will be hosting a one-day regional conference, Working Together for Healthier AAPI Communities: Capacity-Building in the Midwest, in Oak Brook, Illinois.  Please see below and attached for more information.

DATE:

Friday, June 4, 2004

LOCATION:

Hyatt Regency Oak Brook

1909 Spring Road

Oak Brook, Illinois  60523

Tel: (630) 573-1234

Fax: (630) 573-1909

http://oakbrook.hyatt.com

*CO-SPONSORS:

Asian Health Coalition of Illinois

Asian Human Services

Illinois Primary Health Care Association

Illinois Department of Human Services

Illinois Department of Public Health

Indiana Minority Health Coalition

Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation

UCare Minnesota

U.S. DHHS Office of Minority Health

U.S. DHHS Office of Minority Health Region V

Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association

OBJECTIVES:

1.  To share information on health issues such as mental health, diabetes, and cancer that are affecting new and emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

2. To highlight and promote strategies and models of practice that will shift the paradigm from health care which simply provides competent care to all communities to that which emphasizes providing culturally competent care for AAPI patients.

3. To further develop partnerships between national AAPI organizations, government agencies, grant-making entities, and community-based organizations working with AAPI communities.

AGENDA:

7:30am             Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:00am             Welcome and acknowledgements

8:30am             Keynote Speaker:  AAPI community development and health issues in the Midwest

9:00am             Morning Plenary Session: Overview of AAPI Health Conditions in the Midwest

                        1. Mental health

                        2. Diabetes

                        3. Cancer

10:30am            Break

10:45am            Roundtable Discussions: 

                        1. Access to Quality Healthcare

                        2. AAPI Health Data & Policy

                        3. AAPI Involvement in Health Research

                        4. Community Development                   

Noon                 Luncheon Plenary Session:  Building Effective Partnerships

2:15pm             Technical Assistance Workshops: 

                        1. Grant Writing & Fundraising

                        2. Health Advocacy

                        3. Coalition-Building

                        4. Leadership Development 

3:45pm             Break

4:00pm             Roundtable Report Back

4:30pm             Closing comments

5:00pm             Adjournment

REGISTRATION FEE: $20

Registration fee covers the cost of all sessions, breakfast, lunch, snacks, conference materials, and proceedings.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: April 26, 2004

Space is limited and early registration is highly recommended.  Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.  On-site registration will not be available on the day of the conference. Please see attached registration form for more information.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

A limited number of scholarships are available to assist participation and attendance by community members, clinical staff, college/university students, and representatives from community-based organizations, nongovernmental organizations, or health departments who would otherwise not be able to attend this conference.  Priority will be given to individuals demonstrating financial hardship.  A maximum of one application per agency will be accepted.  Please see attached registration form for more information.

For additional information regarding the conference, please contact Ms. Junko Honma at jhonma@aapcho.org or (510) 272-9536 ext. 116.

 

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VNHELP FUNDRAISING CONCERT – “LOTUS IN THE WEST – HUONG SEN”

VNHELP is pleased to announce the spectacular fund-raising concert  "Lotus In The West - Huong Sen", which will be making its debut at  Mayer Theater, Santa Clara University on Sunday June 20, 2004 at 3PM.

This is a unique concert conducted and performed by Ms. Vo Van-Anh, a Vietnam National Champion in various traditional musical instruments: zither, monochord, Highland T'rung and K'longput. Her specialty is on zither, a 16-string instrument that is almost similar to the western harp.

"Lotus in the West - Huong Sen" is unique because there will be a sensational harmony between Vietnamese traditional musical instruments and Western instruments, played by the Viet Spring Folk Ensemble - founded by Ms. Vo Van-Anh, and the members of the Chamber Orchestra - who graduated from the Saigon Conservatory. Also appearing in this  concert is singer Quoc Chinh, who specializes in traditional Vietnamese  folk songs. The MC for the program is a talented radio anchorwoman,  Vu Trinh. Vietnamese people will be proud to see the Vietnamese instruments  in harmony with the Western instruments through Vietnamese music. Western people will be astonished to see "strange" instruments that they may have never seen before.

Vo Van-Anh, who was born to an artist family, showed her natural talents since she was very young. Her first teacher was her father who gave her the first lesson when she was four years old. At eight years old she entered Hanoi School of Art and Music, then Hanoi Conservatory as a first ranked student in 1992.

Vo Van-Anh is acclaimed for her artistic intelligent and extraordinary musical gifts on traditional Vietnamese instruments. She learned different kinds of Vietnamese music from the Northern Classical Opera (nhac cheo) to the Southern Opera (cai luong) with well-known artists. In 1995 Vo Van-Anh won 2 important awards at the same time: The National Championship in zither and the First Prize in performing newest songs . Vo Van-Anh has performed in more than 20 countries. She is now living in Sunnyvale, California.

Tickets: $30, $40, $50, $100

Please call VNHELP office: 408-885-1791 or 408-999-0369

All proceeds from "Lotus in the West - Huong Sen" concert will benefit the needy children in Vietnam.

http://www.vnhelp.org

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR HOPE AWARDS TO PROMOTE MINORITY HOME OWNERSHIP

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

Deadline: December 1, 2004

Organizations and individuals making outstanding contributions to promote minority home ownership are invited to submit applications for the 2005 HOPE (Home Ownership Participation for Everyone) Awards.

Each of the award winners in as many as seven categories will receive a $10,000 honorarium and national recognition for their contributions to removing barriers to minority home ownership. Winners will also be given the opportunity to discuss their work and share their experiences with housing policy makers at a symposium at the National Press Club.

Categories for the awards include Home Ownership Education, Finance, Project of the Year, Real Estate Brokerage, Public Policy, Media Coverage, and Leadership.  Awards will be based on the impact of the nominee's work on promoting minority home ownership, use of innovative ideas, acceptance by the minority community, focus on  minority home ownership, and affordability.

For more information on the program, submission guidelines, and online entry forms, visit the HOPE Awards Web site.

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ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION – PROPOSALS FOR HEALTH E-TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM

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

Deadline: April 12, 2004 (Request for Information)

The Health e-Technologies Initiative, a $10.3 million National Program Office initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ( http://www.rwjf.org/index.jsp ), supports research that evaluates the effectiveness of  interactive eHealth applications (i.e., Internet, interactive TV and voice response systems, kiosks,  personal digital assistants, CD-ROMs, DVDs) for health  behavior change and chronic disease management.  The program is designed to advance understanding of whether and how these applications improve the processes and outcomes of care for culturally diverse groups of patients/consumers and support provider adherence to evidence-based care.

The program's current call for proposals focuses on evaluating the functional components of secure patient - provider portals intended to promote and integrate health behavior change and chronic disease management into care processes by enabling and enhancing patient-provider communication.

To be eligible for the program, applicants must have access to a currently operating secure patient-provider portal that has industry-standard security technologies, is HIPAA-compliant, and supports functionality/access for both provider and patient groups. The applicant organization and the proposed research must be housed and conducted in the United States or its territories.  Both non- and for-profit organizations may apply (public-private collaborations are welcome).

Selection criteria include existence of a robust, currently operating secure patient-provider portal with a  critical mass of key functions and users; potential for  the research to elucidate factors about patient-provider  communication that can serve to promote and integrate  health behavior change and chronic disease management into  care processes; a primary research focus on patient  outcomes; potential to have broad impact on the field of  eHealth; appropriate methodology and evaluation plan; generalizable results; and strength of the research team  and dissemination plan.

As many as eight 24-month awards of up to $400,000 will be made in 2004.

Applicants may register for an optional applicant  informational teleconference. (Teleconference registration deadline: April 1, 2004.)

For detailed information about the application process, visit the Health e-Technologies Initiative Web site.

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AT&T WIRELESS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AWARD

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

AT&T Wireless and NPower have announced the AT&T Wireless Community Connections Award, a national program to help nonprofits use wireless technology to expand the reach and impact of their services. This award is based on AT&T Wireless' conviction that nonprofits that utilize wireless technology can communicate more easily, network more effectively, and deliver community services more efficiently. All applications must be submitted online through the Community Connections Award website. The application deadline is May 28, 2004.

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FANNIE MAE FOUNDATION ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM

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

The Washington, D.C.-based Fannie Mae Foundation works to create affordable homeownership and housing opportunities through partnerships and initiatives designed to build healthy, vibrant communities across the United States.

The foundation will award most of its 2004 grants by directly soliciting proposals from organizations. However, the foundation has also set aside a limited amount of grant funding for which nonprofit organizations may apply through a competitive application process. Most of these competitive grants will provide general operating support to nonprofit organizations to help build their capacity, increase their impact, and operate more efficiently and effectively.

The foundation will accept grant requests from national, regional, and local organizations working to achieve one or more of the following goals:

1. Increase the Affordable Housing Supply — Eligible organizations are those working city-, county- , region-, or nation-wide to increase the supply of affordable housing.
2. Increase Sustainable Homeownership and Build Individual and Community Wealth — Eligible organizations are those with proven experience providing comprehensive pre- and post-purchase homeownership counseling and education resulting in sustainable homeownership that builds individual and community wealth.
3. Create Healthy and Vibrant Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. — Eligible organizations are those working in the District of Columbia to preserve rental and homeownership units that are at risk of conversion to market-rate housing; or working to improve adult literacy or improve education by providing teacher professional development, curriculum content aligned with D.C. Public School curriculum standards, or principal training in instructional leadership.

For complete eligibility criteria, funding priorities, and an online application form, see the Fannie Mae Foundation Web site.

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COMMUNITIES IN NEED
First Data Western Union Foundation

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

The First Data Western Union Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in the United States and selected regions internationally that improve and enhance the lives of individuals, families and communities most in need. In the United States, Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, New York and Texas, where First Data's employees live and work, are the priority funding regions. Outside of the United States, China, India, Mexico Russia and the Ukraine are the priority funding regions. However, grant requests from other states and countries are accepted and will be approved or denied based upon a program's ability to serve extremely needy and vulnerable individuals with very limited avenues of assistance. Grants are provided for educational, health, and human services programs, especially in support of initiatives that address literacy, healthcare for the uninsured, poverty alleviation, language barriers and cultural adjustment. Emergency assistance around the world and in the U.S. is also given to help those whose lives have been devastated by disaster. The next application deadline is June 1, 2004. Visit the above website for more information.

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JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

OCA CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2004 OCA-UPS GOLD MOUNTAIN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Washington, DC - The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) is partnering with UPS to present the 2004 OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship Program. Twelve scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded to Asian Pacific American (APA) students who are the first in their family to attend college and will be entering their first year of college this fall.

"OCA and UPS are dedicated to education in the APA community," commented OCA National President Raymond Wong. "UPS recognizes the need to provide opportunities to APA students who do not have access to the financial resources necessary to pursue higher education."

Scholarships and financial aid are critical in helping students from lower income families attain a college education. According to 1999 statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 12.6 percent of the U.S. APA population of nearly 12 million lives at or under the poverty rate.  This is of 12.6 percent, compared to nine percent of non-Hispanic Whites. Although APAs are often victims of the "model minority" myth, and thus lack access to additional financial resources to pay for college, most APAs do not fit into the highly educated and wealthy category dictated by this stereotype. The OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship Program will provide opportunities to APA students who wish to pursue higher education while facing financial difficulties.

Within the last eight years, OCA has awarded more than 1300 scholarships to financially disadvantaged students through its various scholarship programs.

"Education has always been a high priority in the Asian Pacific American community." noted Christine Chen, OCA Executive Director. "Although the average level of education for APAs is high, the statistics are misleading. While there are many members of our community who have advanced degrees, there also are countless APAs who are unable to attend college due to financial difficulties. Through our many scholarships - including the OCA-UPS Foundation Gold Mountain Scholarship - OCA is committed to granting deserving APA students a chance they otherwise would not get."

UPS is committed to preparing the next generation of business leaders and thinkers by supporting diverse education programs. As the cost to attend colleges and universities continues to rise, UPS supports a wide range of scholarship programs to ensure students have the opportunity to pursue higher education.  Through partnerships with organizations such as the United Negro College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and benefits such as tuition assistance for its employees, UPS and The UPS Foundation are involved in strategic efforts to provide access to funds for higher education.  Visit community.ups.com for more information on the UPS Foundation and UPS's community programs.

For more information on OCA's scholarship programs and an application, students may go to OCA's website at www.ocanatl.org. The deadline for applying to the 2004 OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship Program is May 1, 2004.

Contact: Vana Tran, vtran@ocanatl.org

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MOVEMENT ACTIVIST APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Apply to the Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP) A paid, national organizer training program for people of color. Learn the art of organizing through in-the-field training and skills development with a labor or community organization.

Graduates of the program receive help finding employment as an organizer with community-based organizations and labor unions fighting for justice.

MAAP 2004: June 15-August 8, 2004

Application deadline: April 16, 2004

At a time of profound political challenges here and around the world, our communities need strong, trained, committed and strategic leaders. Spaces are limited.

Sign up today and reserve your place in the movement!

(http://www.ctwo.org/maap_info.html)

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Department of Labor - SUMMER PROGRAM

Our Mission

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the oldest and most respected agencies in the Federal government. Over the years there have been many changes in the Department's programs and activities, but our primary mission remains the same -- to serve and protect American workers and prepare them for the demands of tomorrow's work place. In serving and protecting workers, the Department of Labor ensures workers' rights, inspects work sites, shields workers from employment discrimination, administers unemployment insurance programs and enforces workers' compensation and wage standards. The Department also sponsors training and retraining programs to help workers adapt to the demands for new skills in the ever-changing work force.

DOL's Summer Employment Program

Working at the Department of Labor is a great way to spend the summer! You will have a chance to gain insight about how a Federal government agency operates, and you will also acquire valuable experience that will enhance your education and provide you with a professional working perspective of your discipline.

Most positions are located at our headquarter's office near Capitol Hill -- just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol Building and the Supreme Court! Throughout the summer you will also have the option of attending enrichment activities that will help you:

• manage your time and money effectively
• learn about your personality type and preferences as determined by the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory
• learn how to improve your communication skills
• learn about careers in the Department of Labor, and
• learn about the services provided by the Department's Career Assistance Center.

Additional activities include an end-of-summer event as well as brown bag luncheons and shadowing and mentoring opportunities with senior Departmental officials. You may even have the opportunity to meet the Secretary of Labor!

·    The application deadline is: April 19, 2004.

·    Incomplete applications or applications which are postmarked after April 19, 2004 will not be considered.

·    An application and recent college transcript must be submitted for EACH position for which you apply.

·    Photocopies of applications and transcripts are acceptable.

Please call Lisa Strawberry - BLS Summer Employment Coordinator - at 202.691.6606 or email Strawberry.Lisa@bls.gov for more information.

(http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/Summer2004/2004-summer-emp-prog.htm)

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FOREFRONT SEEKS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Forefront provides technical assistance, protection, training and resources to frontline human rights leaders. Founded in 1998 by recipients of the Reebok Human Rights Award, today Forefront disseminates tools, strategies and best practices to strengthen the work of human rights organizations throughout the world.

Supported by individuals, private foundations and corporations, Forefront has a staff of six and is governed by a nine-person international Board of Directors. An international Advisory Council assists with advocacy and organizational development.

We are seeking a dynamic, talented and passionate executive director who will play a central role in Forefront's continuing evolution as a powerful and close community of innovative grassroots activists from around the world who are challenging power and inequality, fighting for justice, and demanding rights for all. The new Executive Director will lead the organization's planned growth from an organization focused solely on technical assistance to a limited number of partners to one that serves a broader constituency. The Executive Director will diversify the organization's funding, develop and strengthen programs, and increase our visibility. As team leader, the Executive Director will create an entrepreneurial, team-oriented work environment for the staff, board, volunteers and partners, as we build a strong community of innovative new leaders throughout the world who are challenging power and inequality, fighting for justice and demanding rights for all.

Responsibilities of the Executive Director:

The Executive Director, who reports to the Board of Directors, is responsible for the overall vision, organizational development, financial management, and the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Specific areas of work include:

Program Supervision, Planning and Evaluation. The Executive Director will provide overall vision and supervision to program staff, including hiring, leading and supervising staff and managing all human resources. The Executive Director will lead the staff through annual program planning and evaluation and engage Board members in long term strategic planning.

Development. The Executive Director will lead the organization through a growth phase over the next three to five years. In addition to providing overall vision and planning on fundraising, the Executive Director is responsible for building and maintaining individual donor and foundation relations, events, annual appeals and developing the Board's fundraising capacity.

Governance. The Executive Director will manage all communication with the Board of Directors, provide direction and focus to effectively develop and engage the resources and energy of the board, and cultivate new leadership. Over the next three years, the Executive Director will build an active Advisory Council.

Communications. The Executive Director will lead all communications with strategic partners, and build and maintain the active engagement of our supporters. Leading the repositioning of the organization and development of effective communications materials is critical to successfully positioning the organization.

Administration and finance. The Executive Director will handle all finances for the organization.

Required Qualifications:

• Global perspective on human rights, with direct experience that reaches beyond one issue or country
• Senior experience with a human rights organization, preferably outside the United States
• Fluency in English and at least one other language (French, Spanish, Arabic or Portuguese preferred)
• Substantial management experience with demonstrated success in building strong organizations
• Successful record of securing individual and major donor support
• Track record of strong proposal writing skills and contacts in foundations
• Experience with financial management
• Significant experience developing and working with Boards and Advisory Committees
• High level of enthusiasm and flexible nature
• Superior interpersonal skills and success building relationships
• Excellent writing skills and persuasive speaking ability
• Experience and sensitivity in multicultural setting

TO APPLY

Please send applications by email to forefront@forefrontleaders.org with SEARCH COMMITTEE in the subject line by March 12, 2004 with the following:

1. letter of inquiry including salary history and requirements; and
2. resume

Please label all attachments with your last name and any additional description as necessary.

We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

We are only able to contact candidates selected for phone interviews.

More about our Work:

Program Work

To strengthen the work of frontline human rights leaders, Forefront provides technical assistance to partners in more than 30 countries, including:

• Protecting activists facing threats or exile;
• Distributing opportunities and practical information to assist partners with their work;
• Assisting partners with media and outreach;
• Administering small grants funds; coordinates a Learning Community training program;
• Assisting with project design, evaluation, proposal development and a connection to funding sources;
• Facilitating the exchange of ideas and best practices; and
• Responding to requests for advocacy and technical assistance
  delegations.

In addition, Forefront is developing two newer program areas:

• Advocacy, including developing an effort to highlight the needs and role of human rights defenders; and
• Human Rights Tools, including the worldwide distribution of handbooks on practical aspects of human rights work; development of a "best practices" web site (www.hrconnection.org); and training.

Please also visit www.forefrontleaders.org for more information. The position is based in New York.

FOREFRONT
333 7th Avenue 13th Floor
New York, NY, 10001-5004
Tel: (212) 845-5200
Fax: (212) 253-4244
forefront@forefrontleaders.org

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JOB OPENING:  PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Korean American Coalition Washington DC Area Chapter (KAC-DC) is seeking an individual for immediate full-time employment as Program Coordinator.

The Korean American Coalition is a non-partisan, non-profit service, education, and community advocacy organization. Its mission is to facilitate the Korean American community's participation in civic, legislative and community affairs, encouraging the community to contribute to and become an integral part of the broader society.  As a bilingual membership organization, KAC addresses concerns of the Korean American community by galvanizing first, second, and third generation Korean Americans into taking action.  Members work to educate and empower themselves and the community on civic, legislative, and political issues.

In addition, KAC-DC's members and volunteers have strived to "Organize, Educate, and Empower" the Korean American community of the greater Washington, D.C., area through a variety of programs.  KAC-DC supports the Korean American merchant community through the Crime Victim Assistance Program and Alcohol and Tobacco Education Program.  We encourage the development of Korean American leadership in the community by sponsoring leadership workshops and the College Summer Internship Program.  We also provide programs targeting the general Korean American community, such as citizenship drives, voter registration drives, and community service days.

DUTIES

Develop, coordinate, and assist in KAC-DC’s ongoing programs:

§         Citizenship and Immigration

§         Crime Victims Assistance Program

§         Project AA/PI Youth

§         Internship & Mentorship

§         Voter Registration Drives

§         Membership Forums

Develop and Manage Resources:

§         Donor Programs/Special Events (membership, fundraising dinner, golf tournament, other events)

§         Grant Research & Writing (fundraising techniques, foundation research)

Communicate with the Public:

§         Media Liaison (communicate with local reporters and editors)

§         News reader (read English, Korean, or other newspapers and clip relevant articles)

§         Writing/Editing (Press releases, education materials, other publicity materials)

REQUIREMENTS

§         Bachelor's Degree

§         US Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident

§         Interest in public affairs, Korean American community issues, and APIA community issues

§         Strong oral & written communication skills

§         Ability to work in a one person office environment with little supervision

SALARY

Commensurate with experience; health insurance coverage; paid vacation and holidays.

Please fax or email resume to KAC-DC President Julie Park at (202) 296-2318 or julie@linkuskorea.com.  Visit us at www.kacdc.org.

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LEGISLATION

[Note: This is HR 3987.  Previously, in October 2003, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren introduced HR 3360 – Amerasian Naturalization Act of 2003: Amerasian Naturalization Act of 2003 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide automatic U.S. citizenship for lawful immigrants residing in the United States who were fathered by a U.S. citizen and born in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975.] 

Representative Jim Moran
United States Congress                  Eighth District of Virginia

For Immediate Release:                 Contact: Dan Drummond
Wednesday, March 31, 2004          202-225-4376

CONGRESSMAN MORAN INTRODUCES LEGISLATION PROVIDING AUTOMATIC CITIZENSHIP TO AMERASIANS BORN TO U.S. SOLDIERS BETWEEN 1950 AND 1982

WASHINGTON, March 31 - Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat, has introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives providing full citizenship for Amerasians born to U.S. soldiers between the years 1950 and 1982.

        Currently, Amerasians are allowed to emigrate from their home country to the U.S. and receive permanent residency status. This legislation, co-sponsored with Congressman Lane Evans, grants full and automatic citizenship to these individuals. Those persons covered under the legislation include Amerasians from Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, and Thailand as part of the Amerasian Immigration Act of 1982 as well as the Amerasian Homecoming Act of 1988, which allowed additional Amerasians to emigrate from Vietnam. This legislation would amend both acts to allow for automatic citizenship.

        "This legislation makes it explicitly clear that these Amerasians are not simply 'permanent residents,' but are citizens of the United States and are entitled to all of the rights and privileges -and responsibilities - that come with it," Moran said. "This country has a moral duty to grant them citizenship and welcome them with open arms."

        Unlike other children born overseas to American fathers, these children - most of whom are now adults - are not given the right of American citizenship. And in their home country they face discrimination and segregation because of their heritage. Moran said this legislation would ensure that if they come to the U.S., they would become citizens and part of their new country. 

        "America has a rich history of accepting immigrants from foreign lands. We must do all we can to be accepting of those persons who already have links to this country through their birth and are entitled to be citizens," Moran said.

 - 30 –

Daniel F. Drummond
Communications Director
Congressman Jim Moran, D-Virginia
2239 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-0367 (Direct)
202-225-0017 (Fax)
202-225-4376 (Office)

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NEWS

March 23, 2004

Press Release
Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP)
Brown University
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Box G-BH
Providence, RI 02912
Phone: 401-444-1817
www.plndp.org

NATION’S HEALTH PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS LAUNCH MAJOR ADVOCACY INITIATIVE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE TRAINING

As of this morning, advocating for more training in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse in health professional schools is just a click away. A group of medical, nursing and physician assistant students at schools across the country have launched a student-run, student-created website, www.hpssat.org, as part of an advocacy effort to improve substance abuse training on their campuses.

The newly formed group, Health Professional Students for Substance Abuse Training (HPSSAT), has created the website as a tool for empowering students to advocate for more substance abuse training at their schools and increasing students' access to educational resources. The site serves as a one-stop shop for information about curriculum development, state and national news, and educational opportunities in the field of substance abuse.

"As medical students, we're taught to identify and treat diseases, but not always their underlying causes," stated Jennifer Lee, a second-year student at Brown Medical School and HPSSAT member. "By the time we graduate, we may know the treatment for acute pancreatitis, but we won't necessarily have been taught anything about treating the drinking problem that caused it. HPSSAT is taking the steps toward changing that."

Studies show that this change is needed. Currently, only 8% of U.S. medical schools include a substance abuse component in the curriculum. Additionally, the primary source of adolescent referrals for substance abuse treatment is the juvenile justice system; health care providers represent just 5% of referrals.

In addition to creating the website, HPSSAT members have initiated a range of activities on their campuses - hosting lectures, forming student interest groups and committees on substance abuse issues, piloting surveys, and developing a curriculum report card -- to assess and improve substance abuse training in health professional programs.

The group stems from an effort of the Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP), a group of national medical leaders that advocates for a public health approach to substance abuse, to promote the need for an expanded role of health professionals in the screening, diagnosis, intervention and referral of individuals with alcohol and other drug problems. In February 1998, the PLNDP conducted a national survey and found that 76% of medical students surveyed reported receiving little or no substance abuse training during medical school, and that 90% of all respondents felt physicians played an important role in the issue.

Last November, PLNDP selected 10 health professional students to participate in an advocacy workshop where the students formally created HPSSAT and discussed the need for building the website. Primary funding for this effort was provided by the Hanley Family Foundation with additional support from The Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (through the PLNDP project).

Jack Hanley, founder of Hanley-Hazelden, supports the initiative and met HPSSAT members at the advocacy workshop in Atlanta. He stated, "If they can stir up their schools so that there is a greater understanding of the disease, then that is a major step forward."

Although HPSSAT members currently hail from physician assistant, nursing and medical schools, the students plan to expand and diversify their membership nationwide to reach all health professional students including but not limited to those in the fields of dentistry, pharmacy, social work, and psychology.

(www.hpssat.org)

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March 24, 2004

MULTILINGUAL POLL OF CALIFORNIA ETHNIC GROUPS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES

Funded by the JEHT Foundation and the Open Society Institute

NCM Poll, Conducted by Bendixen & Associates

(Full Report: http://www.ncmonline.com/media/pdf/polls/justice_summary.pdf)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The criminal justice system is one of the most powerful entities in our nation, and the issues that define its policies are constantly setting boundaries for millions of Americans. The way various citizens view criminal justice issues is not only important to the system but also to society as a whole.

This first-ever comprehensive “ethnic” poll on criminal justice issues interviewed 1,854 California adult residents – 450 Latinos; 401 Asians from China, Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, Japan and India; 401 Middle Easterners from Armenia, Iran and several Arab nations; 200 African Americans; 200 American Indians; and 202 non-Latino whites – in 12 languages during May 2003.

The findings reveal that racial and ethnic groups have strong, at times near unanimous, opinions on crucial criminal justice issues that range from alternative sentencing to police misconduct. They command the attention of California legislators, who write the criminal justice laws; of prosecutors and judges, who enforce those laws; and of advocates who wish either to reform the system or to maintain its status quo. A summary of the major findings of the study follows.

MAJOR FINDINGS

I.The most important finding of this poll shows that California minorities overwhelmingly prefer alternative sentencing and rehabilitative programs for minor offenders. There is unanimous agreement among all racial and ethnic groups that people with drug problems who commit a minor crime should be sent to drug treatment programs rather than to prisons.

There is also evidence in the polls that California residents firmly support community service as a form of punishment over imprisonment for those who have committed minor crimes such as shoplifting or petty theft. More than four out of five Latinos, Asians/Middle Easterners, African Americans and American Indians would prefer to punish petty theft offenders by requiring them to work in homeless shelters.

Solid majorities of ethnic and racial groups in California also favor rehabilitation programs for prisoners that will enable them to get high school and college diplomas while they are still in prison. They are strongly supportive of the notion that former convicts should be eligible for government college loan programs.

II. Another important finding of this poll reveals that the image of California’s criminal justice system is in trouble. Surprisingly, in a country where the criminal justice system is supposed to be the strongest and the most dependable, majorities of the poll’s 12 racial and ethnic groups think California’s system favors the rich and powerful. Eighty-eight percent of African Americans and 75 percent of American Indians agree with that concept. Moreover, the state’s criminal justice system scored low on the most important criterion: its fairness. More than two out of three African Americans, Latinos and American Indians indicated that they have only “some” or “very little” confidence in the fairness of the criminal justice system of California.

III. The study indicates that California’s racial and ethnic groups have decidedly mixed feelings about the death penalty. The groups that most strongly oppose the death penalty for people convicted of murder are Koreans and African Americans. In contrast, Chinese, Arabs and American Indians strongly favor the death penalty. But the poll reveals that there is a strong consensus when racial and ethnic groups are asked about the death penalty for juveniles convicted of murder.

All of the groups that are strongly in favor of the death penalty for adults are staunch opponents of the death penalty for juveniles (those 16 and 17 years old). The biggest shift is seen with Asian/Middle Eastern respondents. Sixty-three percent support the death penalty for adults, but only 26 percent favor the death penalty for juveniles.

IV. California “ethnics” also support more lenient sentences for juveniles in general. They are opposed to Proposition 21, a law that allows juveniles in California who commit serious felonies or are involved in gang-related crimes to be sent to adult prison. Sixty-five percent of African Americans, 55 percent of Latinos and 52 percent of Asians/Middle Easterners are opposed to the idea of treating juveniles like adults.

These racial and ethnic groups want their state government to change its priorities. They would like to see California increase its spending on rehabilitation and crime prevention programs rather than funding the construction of more prisons and juvenile detention facilities. Racial and ethnic minorities also support spending money on expanding education opportunities for juveniles.

V. The results of the poll reveal good news and bad news for California’s police departments. On the positive side, all of the groups are satisfied with the job that their local police departments are doing in protecting their neighborhoods. More than half of all the groups and four out of five Arabs and Armenians rate their job performance as “good” or “excellent.” On the negative side, a majority of California’s racial and ethnic groups believe that their local police tend to harass and detain people with darker skin or with foreign accents more than they harass and detain other Americans. Namely, three-quarters of African Americans and nearly half of all Latinos believe that their local police officers often abuse their power.

VI. Most racial and ethnic groups in California get their information about the criminal justice system from local television news programs in English, where images of crime are often sensationalized. These poll results are in stark contrast to results of similar polls of California “ethnic” groups on other major issues, such as medical care and international events, that revealed that minority groups, especially immigrants, prefer ethnic media as their primary source of information. This is clearly not the case here. Ethnic media in California needs to accept the challenge of covering the state’s criminal justice system in a more comprehensive way.

PURPOSE OF THE POLL

For many months, the JEHT Foundation and the Open Society Institute jointly had wanted to research the opinions of California’s minorities on criminal justice issues. An ideal opportunity arose when Sandy Close, executive director of the Pacific News Service and of its offshoot, New California Media, proposed the present study. Close has been active in criminal justice issues in California since the late 1960s. In 1996, she and a dozen other San Francisco-area journalists founded New California Media to give organized voice to – and a common-interest meeting place for – the burgeoning number of minority-language broadcast, print and Internet outlets in California. NCM’s membership, now beyond 700 outlets, is still growing.

In requesting funding for this, NCM’s fourth multilingual poll conducted by Bendixen & Associates of Coral Gables, Fla., since 2002, Close noted:

“As NCM’s first multi-lingual poll documented, 54 percent of California’s new ethnic majority identifies ethnic media as their primary daily source of news, and 84 percent report accessing ethnic media on a regular basis. These figures suggest that ethnic media is emerging as the most powerful new force in American journalism since alternative media emerged in the 1960s. [Just as] alternative media once helped give a voice to the ‘disaffected,’ so ethnic media now provides critical reassurance on a daily basis that communities disconnected by language, culture, race, poverty and other factors now have a presence in the American media culture.”

This poll’s questions were propounded and vetted by Sergio Bendixen, founder and president of Bendixen & Associates, and his colleagues in Coral Gables. After the English-language questions were approved as to content and clarity by a team of experts , they were sent to qualified professional translators for translation into the poll’s other 11 languages: Spanish, Arabic, Persian, Armenian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, Hindi and Japanese. The translations then were forwarded to a second panel of experts in each language for screening. The screeners’ job was to change into everyday terms familiar to speakers of each language any words or phrases deemed translated too literally to make sense if uncorrected.

“Too literal” can be complicated to explain, but here’s a real-life illustration. A few years ago, The Miami Herald’s Spanish-language sister paper, El Nuevo Herald, was translating into Spanish a Miami Herald story containing the English phrase “a grassroots movement.’’

The translator, a literalist at least at that moment, rendered the phrase into Spanish as “a movement of the roots of the grass.’’ This gaffe caused considerable amusement (and embarrassment) in both newspapers’ newsrooms. It also engendered head-scratching bemusement among El Nuevo Herald’s Spanish-only readers. Unlike El Nuevo Herald’s many English-fluent readers, who could readily make the back-translation into English, Spanish-only readers could only wonder what on earth the phrase meant.

Once corrected by the panel of screeners, the poll’s questions all were clear and unambiguous to all respondents in all 11 translated languages. Experienced interviewers then telephoned respondents who were scientifically chosen from throughout Northern California, the Central Valley and Southern California to represent fairly the subgroups in the 1,854-person sample. The subgroups included 450 Latinos, 401 each of Asian and Middle Eastern origin, and 202 non-Latino whites, 200 African Americans and 200 American Indians.

All respondents were asked to identify themselves as to which of the included groups they belonged. Next, all then were asked whether they preferred to be interviewed in English or in their self-chosen group’s native tongue. The interviews then proceeded in the language of each respondent’s choice.

The interviewers marked all responses to all questions, in all languages, on a common score sheet tabulated in a-b-c-d fashion. This eliminated the need to translate back into English the responses rendered in the other 11 languages. All responses then were totaled and collated by computer.

The margin of error for the sample of 1,854 respondents is plus or minus two percentage points. For the subgroups of 450 Latinos, 401 Asians and 401 Middle Eastern immigrants, the error margin is about five percentage points. For the subgroups of American Indians, non-Latino whites and African Americans, the error margin is seven percentage points.

(Full Report: http://www.ncmonline.com/media/pdf/polls/justice_summary.pdf)

For more information, contact Catherine Black at 415-503-4170 x 241 or Catherine@pacificnews.org

(http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=54499e258d6fcf1e5e351a72d8415919)

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APIA VOTE 2004

Asian American Press

The Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) 2004 campaign is forming coalitions among APIA organizations nationally and at the grassroots level in various cities across the country, to facilitate the dissemination of uniform multilingual materials, and provide a national forum for a comprehensive public and media relations campaign.

APIAVote is a national coalition of non-partisan nonprofit organizations that encourages civic participation and promotes a better understanding of public policy and the electoral process among the Asian and Pacific Islander American community.  Our objective is to effectively engage the APIA community in the political process by coordinating outreach and educational activities and programs.

They will hold Voter Registration Drives to provide more opportunities for the APIA community to learn about the electoral process and to register to vote. The national effort will provide technical assistance and organize trainings for regional coalitions. Bilingual educational and promotional materials will be provided for these drives.

A toll free multi-lingual assistance voter hotline, 1-888-API-VOTE, will allow requests for voter registration materials to be taken in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, and Hmong.  A How-To Starter Kit will provide community leaders and volunteers with basic information and tips on how to effectively register their family, friends and community.

APIAVote will also coordinate voter registration, education and mobilization campaigns in selected regions in nine states (California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington) where the APIA have the highest concentration of eligible voters.  In conjunction with the high population, these regions are known either to be a presidential battleground, to have a Congressional or Senate race and/or 5 percent or more APIA population.  The focus on organizing local coalitions and efforts will be in these nine regions, but activities are not limited to these areas.

The National Campaign will amplify the efforts of local coalitions by reducing the amount of redundant work through centralization, developing effective messages on how to reach voters and get them to the polls, and providing current information about the national and grassroots efforts of APIAs mobilizing the community.

The Voter Education Project will develop and use language specific materials and resources for the APIA community to empower themselves with the knowledge and understanding of how important voting is and how it impacts their daily lives.

The development of a media and educational campaign will generate ethnic print media, television and radio materials on voting.  Additionally, multi-lingual election guides explaining the electoral process, voting rights palm cards explaining the voting rights of minority and limited English proficient voters, and voting 101 brochures discussing the basic mechanics of voting and obtaining absentee ballots will be created. Partnerships with ethnic media will be developed, and many of these materials will be available on our website at www.apiavote.org.

(http://www.aapress.com/webmar26/n-apia.htm)

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March 27, 2004

Rewriting Vietnam War History

Pacific News Service and Cali Today, News Report,
Pete Micek

“Mayday 1975,” held on March 18 at De Anza College in Cupertino, Calif., is part of a growing effort to document the first-hand experience of Vietnamese immigrants of the Vietnam War.

De Anza U.S. history instructor Jean Libby required her students to attend the discussion, which featured a former South Vietnamese army general, a student from Vietnam, and Mimi Nguyen, a researcher at the Oakland Museum who says she was fired for speaking out against the lack of Vietnamese voices in an upcoming exhibit on the conflict.

The incident sparked protests from the Vietnamese community throughout California, which numbers more than 500,000.

In response to the incident, Libby planned the town-hall discussion, which took place amid De Anza’s Vietnam Conflict Collection -- an expanding library of literature and multi-media materials. It includes valuable perspectives from Vietnamese.

Such collections are invaluable when studying the conflict. Without them children of Vietnamese immigrants, Libby says, are taught a version of the Vietnam War that does not include the viewpoints of their parents, Vietnamese who lived through it. Many Vietnamese immigrants in the United States supported the anti-communist South Vietnamese army.

America’s ally in the conflict, the South Vietnamese army was made to look untrustworthy and incompetent by U.S. groups that opposed the war, said Libby.

Students are reading history books that represent their parents in a negative light, Nguyen said.

During the war, only the most unfavorable angles of the South Vietnamese army, said author Lam Quang Thi, a former South Vietnamese army general, were shown by American media. He said the infamous picture of South Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Vietcong prisoner was made “more dramatic” by the American press.

“Vietnamese history has for a long time been misrepresented in American schools as well as in memoirs and books written by American anti-war authors,” said Nam Nguyen, editor of Cali Today, a Vietnamese-language publication in San Jose. “The Vietnamese people are living legacies of the conflict and they know more than many American authors."

“Mayday 1975” also refers to the pullout of U.S. forces from Vietnam -- and the subsequent American neglect of its former ally, South Vietnam -- Libby said.

Nguyen also said nothing was heard in the U.S. media about the “good things” happening in North Vietnam during the war. She said there was little coverage of the opposition to the war among North Vietnamese Buddhist monks and other religious groups because the U.S. government discouraged such reports.

Joining Libby in the group supporting Nguyen was Diem Truong, 27, a Vietnamese student at De Anza.

“Students need to be exposed to other sources of information besides the mainstream media,” Truong said. “We need to access the knowledge that immigrants have.”

Discussions like the one at De Anza College, Truong said, make immigrants feel more comfortable to voice their concerns.

Former De Anza student Patrick Noia, of San Jose, attended the event at the behest of a former teacher. “First-person accounts bring life to history books,” he said.

(http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=731ce975f32c4f07ddc357ac2307dc5a)

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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.