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


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NCVA REPORTER - April 27, 2004

In this NCVA Reporter:

Events

Funding Opportunities

Jobs/Internships

Tips/Resources

News                                               

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EVENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APRIL 20, 2004

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  DAPHNE KWOK 202-296-9200

“APIA 2004 POLITICAL PARTICIPATION - FROM THE GRASSROOTS TO ELECTED OFFICIALS “FORUM

Washington, DC - The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) will hold a one-day forum on “Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) 2004 Political Participation - From the Grassroots to Elected Officials” on Friday, May 7, 2004 at the Capital Hilton, 16th & K Streets, NW, in Washington, DC.  The Forum is being sponsored by Sodexho, Inc.  The Forum is open to the public and will be held from 7:30 am - 6:00 pm. 

The Opening Address will focus on APIA Women and their role in 2004 and will feature Former Lt. Governor of Hawaii Mazie Hirono.

A plenary session is being held in collaboration with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) featuring CAPAC Chair Mike Honda, Former CAPAC Chair Robert Underwood and a screening of “Searching for Asian America” on Governor of Washington Gary Locke.

A Town Hall Session will focus on the Grassroots Political Trenches and will feature APIAs in key states - Houston City Councilmember Gordon Quan, Seattle City Councilman David Della, and Garden Grove, CA City Councilman Van Tran.

A luncheon discussion will feature the participants of the APAICS Leadership Academy discussing “The Role of APIA Elected Officials in a Presidential Election Year”.  They include:  Seattle (WA) City Councilmember David Della, Bridgewater (NJ) City Councilmember Michael Hsing, Palo Alto (CA) City Councilmember Yoriko Kishimoto, Sunnyvale (CA) City Councilmember Otto Lee, Torrance (CA) Mayor Pro Tem Ted Lieu, Oakland (CA) City Councilmember Danny Wan, Cupertino (CA) City Councilmember Kris Wang, Virginia Beach (VA) City Councilmember Ron Villanueva.

An afternoon session will be Democratic and Republican Party Caucus sessions followed by a reception.

Registration is $25.00 per person and includes a continental breakfast, lunch and reception.

APAICS FORUM REGISTRATION FORM

Name___________________________________________

Phone___________________________________________

Email___________________________________________

_____ # of persons x $25.00/person = $_______________

Please make check payable to:  APAICS

Mail to:  APAICS

             1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, #835

             Washington, DC 20036

Please fax registration form in to 202-296-9236 or email to: dkwok@apaics.org.

For more information call 202-296-9200.

ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CONGRESSIONAL STUDIES

“APIA 2004 POLITICAL PARTICIPATION - FROM THE GRASSROOTS TO ELECTED OFFICE “FORUM

SCHEDULE

Friday, May 7, 2004

Capital Hilton

16th & K Streets, NW

Washington, DC

Sponsored by Sodexho, Inc.

7:30 am Registration & Continental Breakfast - Statler Foyer

8:30 am - 9:00 am    “The Role of  APIA Women in 2004”

The Honorable Mazie Hirono, Former Lt. Governor of Hawaii - Statler A&B

9:00 am - 10:30 am Plenary Session in Collaboration with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus - Statler A&B 

D.C. Screening of “Searching for Asian America”

On Washington Governor Gary Locke

  • Laura Efurd – Moderator, APAICS Board Member

  • The Honorable Mike Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

  • The Honorable Robert Underwood, Former Member of Congress

  • Don Young ,Director of Media Fund & Television Programming, National Asian American Telecommunications Association

10:30 am - 10:45 am Break - Foyer

10:45 am - 12:15 pm “What’s Going on in the 2004 Grassroots Political Trenches?” - Statler A&B

  • Gloria Caoile – Moderator, Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO

  • The Honorable Gordon Quan, Houston (TX) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable Van Tran, Garden Grove (CA) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable David Della, Seattle (WA) City Councilmember

12:30 pm - 2:30 pm  Luncheon

“The Role of APIA Elected Officials in a Presidential Election Year”

  • The Honorable David Della, Seattle (WA) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable Michael Hsing, Bridgewater (NJ) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable Yoriko Kishimoto, Palo Alto (CA) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable Otto Lee, Sunnyvale (CA) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable Ted Lieu, Torrance (CA) Mayor Pro Tem

  • The Honorable Danny Wan, Oakland (CA) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable Kris Wang, Cupertino (CA) City Councilmember

  • The Honorable Ron Villanueva, Virginia Beach (VA) City Councilmember

2:30 pm - 2:45 pm    Break

2:45 pm - 4:45 pm    “Mobilizing for November 2004”

  • Democrats - Democratic National Committee - Statler A

  • Republicans - Republican National Committee - Statler B

4:45 pm - 6:00 pm    Reception - The Grill      

www.apaics.org

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For Immediate Release                                              

April 19, 2004                                                          

Contact:

Dan Duy Hoang (202) 262-4600, National Co-Chair

Ryan Hubris (408) 238-7780, Executive Director

Vietnamese American National Gala (VANG)

Golden Torch Award

“Honoring America’s Best and Brightest”

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -  The Vietnamese American National Gala will be presenting the “Golden Torch Award,” awarded to Vietnamese Americans for distinguished achievements in their profession or in their service to the community. Six (6) Vietnamese Americans will be recognized.  They are as follow:

Mr. Dat Nguyen, #59, Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys - Mr. Nguyen is the first Vietnamese American professional football player. He is a defensive star for America's Team after a distinguished career at Texas A&M University, where he was named the national collegiate Defensive Player of the Year. At 5 feet 11 and 243 pounds, he is considered "small" by NFL player standards, but Mr. Nguyen more than make up for his lack of size with his hard-hitting style and a knack for finding the ball.

Mr. Yen Ngoc Do, Founder and Publisher, Nguoi Viet Daily News - Based in Westminster, CA, it is the largest Vietnamese-language daily newspaper in the U.S. The newspaper literally was founded in the garage of his home. The paper grew over the years, helping to chronicle the triumphs and trials of Vietnamese immigrants in Little Saigon. In March, 2004, Nguoi Viet celebrated its 25th Anniversary.

Mr. Trung Dung, Founder & CEO, Fogbreak Software - Based in San Ramon, CA, Mr. Dung (pronounced "Dzung") is a pioneer in the development of business-to-business application integration technology. Mr. Dung also founded and grew OnDisplay from a product concept to an enterprise software company that was one of the 10 most successful IPOs of 1999. The company was acquired by Vignette Corp. in 2000 for $1.8 billion.

Ms. Ngoan Le, Special Assistant to the Mayor of Chicago - Ms. Le currently serves on Chicago's Committee on Homelessness, Chicago Department of Human Services.  Previously, she served as the member of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  She was the first Vietnamese American woman appointed to that position.

Mr. Truong Dinh Tran, Proprietor of Hotel Carter (New York, NY) & Hotel Lafayette (Buffalo, NY) and Philanthropist - Mr. Tran donated $2 million of his personal funds to the American Red Cross 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund.  His generous donation is a testament to his deep commitment to America.

Dr. Eugene Trinh, Director, Physical Sciences Research Division, NASA Headquarters - Dr. Trinh is the first Vietnamese American astronaut.  He was a member of the crew on Space Shuttle Columbia for STS-50 on June 25, 1992.

In addition to the Golden Torch Award, VANG will also recognize an organization and an “Honorary Vietnamese American” for their leadership and achievements.  They are as follow:

National Leadership Award: An award presented to an organization that, through its ground-breaking efforts, has allowed Vietnamese-Americans to realize and expand their opportunities in the United States. Catholic Charities is being honored for its work in the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees in America.

Honorary Vietnamese American: A recognition presented to a non-Vietnamese individual who has made a significant contribution to the lives of Vietnamese-Americans.  Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, U.S. Department of Transportation, and former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce under President William J. Clinton.  Secretary Mineta is being recognized for his work with civil rights and advocacy of the Asian Pacific Americans community.  Secretary Mineta was also a Congressman and Mayor for San Jose, the city with the largest Vietnamese population outside of Viet Nam.

The Vietnamese American National Gala (VANG) is a national celebration of Vietnamese Heritage and pride, in conjunction with the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which honors the achievements of Asian Pacific Americans and recognizes their contribution to America. The black-tie dinner gala will take place on May 10, 2004 in the Presidential Ballroom at the Capitol Hilton.  The gala is hosted by Viet Heritage Society, a non-profit organization based in California.

VANG will celebrate three decades of progress and achievements made by Vietnamese Americans and honor the accomplishments of distinguished individuals and organizations through out the United States.

For additional information on the gala or any of the events being held by VANG, please visit www.vangUSA.com or contact Ryan Hubris, Executive Director, at info@vangUSA.com.

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The ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN HEALTH FORUM

presents

VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY 2004: TAKING ACTION ON HEALTH & WEALTH DISPARITIES

Sunday, May 23 to Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill

400 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20001

The VOICES Conference is the largest gathering devoted to Asian and Pacific Islander American health.  Join this three-day meeting of skills-building, networking, and planning around health issues vital to the API communities.  In the course of the meeting, participants will be mobilized to advocate for policies and programs that would improve the health of API communities.  The conference coincides with Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and covers topics such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, language access, cultural competence and other issues important to the API communities.  This year's meeting will have special significance as it is being held during an election year at the nation's capital.

VOICES from the Community 2004 will bring together the national and the local, the novice and the skilled, and the public and the private sectors.  Together, we can make a difference in the health and well-being of our communities. 

Bring your VOICE to Washington, D.C.!

To register, please visit www.apiahf.org/events/voices2004.htm

For more information send a message to PolicyDC@apiahf.org or call (202) 466-7772.

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OFFICE OF REFUGEE & RESETTLEMENT: 2004 NATIONAL REFUGEE PROGRAM CONSULTATION

ORR State Letter

# 04 - 05

Date: March  9,  2004

TO:

STATE REFUGEE COORDINATORS

NATIONAL VOLUNTARY AGENCIES

OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

FROM:  Nguyen Van Hanh, Ph.D., Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement

SUBJECT:  2004 National Refugee Program Consultation

The Office of Refugee Resettlement will conduct its 2004 National Refugee Program Consultation from mid-morning on Wednesday, June 23 to mid-afternoon on Friday, June 25 at the Washington Wardman Park Marriott Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road  (near Connecticut Avenue) in Washington, DC.  All participants in the Refugee Program are encouraged to attend, and specific invitations will not be necessary.  A formal notice and agenda, together with registration details, will be provided within the next few weeks.

As usual the agenda, which is now being developed, will cover a broad range of ORR activities.  Highlights will include, among others, sessions on refugee arrivals including Hmong and Bantu and the international refugee scene, 2004 Refugee Program funding, the ORR Health and Rural Initiatives, refugee community development, and the programs on Matching Grants, Microenterprise, and Individual Development Accounts.  As before, there will be tracks dedicated to the ORR programs for Unaccompanied Alien Children and Trafficking in Persons.

I hope you will mark you calendars and begin your planning to attend this important meeting.

Nguyen Van Hanh, Ph.D.

Director

Office of Refugee Resettlement

(http://www2.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/mission/index.htm)

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YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEADERSHIP RETREAT

Dear Advocates for Social Change:

I am writing to tell you about the Young Women of Color Executive Director Leadership Retreat sponsored by the National Women's Alliance June 23-27, 2004 in Miami, Florida at the Eden Roc Hotel and Resort www.edenrocresort.com.

The application deadline is May 14, 2004. All applications must be received by this date. You may download the application

http://www.nwaforchange.org/nwa/downloads/NWA.Retreat_Application.pdf

The NWA Young Women of Color Executive Director Leadership Retreat is a unique capacity-building and leadership program that provides support and training for women of color Executive Directors between the ages of 25-35 working in fields related to human rights and social justice.

Understanding that there are very few resources and support available for women of color who are at the beginning of their social justice careers, the NWA Executive Director Leadership Retreat was developed to help build the capacity of young women of color to lead movements for social change; encourage new perspectives and new approaches to community organizing and movement building; build camaraderie and strengthen peer relationships; and create opportunities for networking and information sharing.

We anticipate accepting a total of fifteen participants. All costs associated with participant attendance will be covered by the National Women's Alliance. Attached please find an application and information packet. Please post and share this information with other social justice organizations and individuals who you believe could benefit from knowing about this initiative. Applications are due May 14, 2004 at 5:00 p.m.

If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to contact me at 202.518.5411 or visit our website at www.nwaforchange.org.

Sincerely,

C. Nicole Mason

Executive Director, NWA

(http://www.nwaforchange.org/nwa/downloads/NWA.Retreat_Application.pdf)

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

PEOPLES BANCORP OFFERS GRANTS THROUGH NEW CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

(http://pebo.com/investors/PeoplesBankFoundationForm.htm)

Peoples Bancorp, Inc. (http://www.peoplesbancorp.com/), a diversified financial products and services company, has formed Peoples Bancorp Foundation, Inc., an independent nonprofit corporation, to make charitable distributions to organizations located in its service areas in Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

The Peoples Bancorp Foundation seeks to enhance the quality of life for individuals served by organizations located in the communities served by Peoples Bank. Foundation contributions will be used to meet the needs of all segments of the community, especially low- and moderate-income households, businesses, and neighborhoods.

The foundation focuses its charitable giving in four major areas: Community Investment and Economic Development; Youth and Education; Human Services programs that improve the social needs of low- and moderate-income communities and individuals; and Arts and Culture.

The foundation will review applications for grants four times a year. Grant requests should be received at the foundation office no later than February 10, May 10, August 10, and November 10. If the application is not received by that date, it will be held over for consideration during the next grant period.

Grant requests must include an IRS letter of 501(c)(3) determination or a copy of the organization's application for exempt status.

See the Peoples Bancorp Web site for complete information and application guidelines.

Deadline: Open

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NETAID ANNOUNCES NEW AWARDS PROGRAM TO HONOR YOUNG PEOPLE FIGHTING GLOBAL POVERTY

Deadline: June 30, 2004

(http://netaid.org/youth/awards/global_action/)

NetAid ( http://netaid.org/ ), a New York-based nonprofit that works to mobilize people in developed countries to end extreme poverty, is inviting applications for its new "Global Action Awards" competition, which honors young Americans who have made significant contributions to the  fight against global poverty.

The awards will honor young people ages 14 to 18 in the United States who have taken outstanding actions and made significant impact on efforts to improve the lives of the world's poorest people. While awardees will be united in their vision of building a better world, the nature of their actions will vary: Applicants who run awareness-raising Internet campaigns or make innovative uses of media will be considered alongside those who raise funds or volunteer to have a direct impact on the lives of the world's poorest people.

Selection criteria will include an assessment of applicants' innovation, leadership, and ability to involve and inspire others, as well as the impact of their work. Awardees will each receive a $5,000 prize to be applied to their higher education or to a charitable cause of their choice.

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AETNA FOUNDATION ISSUES REGIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTH GRANTS PROGRAM REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Deadline: May 18, 2004 (Cycle I)

(http://aetna.com/foundation/communitygrants/2004_rfp.htm)

An independent philanthropic arm of healthcare company Aetna, Inc., the Aetna Foundation ( http://aetna.com/foundation/ ) seeks to help build healthy communities by funding initiatives that improve the quality of life where Aetna employees and customers work and live.

The foundation's Regional Community Health Grants Program aims to address critical health issues in communities within Aetna's six business regions. In 2004 the program will focus on reducing racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare.

The program will be launched in three cycles. Only organizations with programs servicing the locations specified in each cycle are eligible to apply for funds. Applications are now being accepted for Cycle I from organizations serving communities in Aetna's North Central and West regions.

In the North Central region, $300,000 is available in total grants to organizations serving the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson (CO); Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry, (IL); Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Wyandotte (KS); Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte (MO); and Asthabula, Columbus, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Franklin, Geauga, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Madison, Mahoning, Medina, Pickaway, Richland, Summit, Stark, Trumbull, Union, and Wayne (OH).

In the West region, $350,000 is available to organizations serving the following counties: Maricopa, Pinal (AZ); Alameida, Contra Costa, Fresno, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Ventura (CA); and Kings (WA).

Proposals will be accepted in the following categories: 1) Cultural Competency -- programs to improve the delivery of care to patients with diverse values, beliefs, and behaviors; and 2) Oral Health -- programs to improve the oral health of children and adults in underserved populations and reinforce the importance of oral health.

Grant requests ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 will be considered. Grants will be made only to nonprofit organizations with evidence of a 501(c)(3) designation or de facto tax-exempt status.

See the Aetna Foundation Web site for complete program details, application procedures, and information on upcoming funding cycles.

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WAL-MART: INVESTING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES
Wal-Mart Foundation

(http://www.walmartfoundation.org/wmstore/goodworks/scripts/index.jsp)

The Wal-Mart Foundation's emphasis is on local programs that improve the quality of life in Wal-Mart communities. The Community Matching Grant Program is the largest program funded by Wal-Mart and SAM'S Club. Associates raise funds with a local nonprofit organization at local stores and Wal-Mart and SAM'S Club match a portion of the funds raised. Community-based nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for this program as well as organizations that are exempt from needing nonprofit status, such as public schools, churches, and government agencies. All requests for funding must be directed to the Good Works Coordinator at the local Wal-Mart store, SAM'S CLUB, Neighborhood Market or Distribution Center. Visit the above website for more information.

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FOCUS ON RENEWING CITIZENSHIP

Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation

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

The focus of the Bradley Foundation is on projects that cultivate a renewed, healthier, and more vigorous sense of citizenship among the American people, as well as among people of other nations. The Foundation seeks to reinvigorate churches, families, schools and neighborhoods, and encourage decentralization of power and accountability away from centralized, bureaucratic, national institutions. The Foundation is interested in supporting projects in any arena of public life -- economics, politics, culture, or civil society -- where citizenship is an important issue. Eligible projects include demonstrations of the resuscitation of citizenship; policy research and writing about approaches encouraging that resuscitation; academic research and writing that explore the intellectual roots of citizenship, its decline, and revival; and popular writing and media projects that illustrate the themes of citizenship for a broader public audience. The Foundation is also interested in community and state projects in Milwaukee and Wisconsin that focus on increasing educational and cultural opportunities, grassroots economic development, and effective and humane social and health services. Letters of inquiry are accepted year-round. Visit the above website for more information.

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FOCUS ON INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Laura Jane Musser Fund

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

The Laura Jane Musser Fund supports projects throughout the United States in the areas of intercultural understanding, and the environment. In the area of intercultural understanding, the Fund supports projects that build cross-cultural communication; offer members of various cultural communities an opportunity to work together; involve U.S. citizens; and build tolerance, understanding and friendship among people of various backgrounds. In the area of the environment, the Fund provides support to nonprofit organizations and public entities for projects in rural areas focusing on consensus-based activities in environmental stewardship or environmental dispute resolution. The Fund also supports small, participatory projects in the arts in the states of Minnesota, Ohio, Wyoming, Colorado, Hawaii and New York. Letters of intent are due May 1, 2004 for intercultural harmony grants and the small arts program grants and September 1, 2004 for environmental grants. Visit the above website for more information and application guidelines.

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AWARDS FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SYSTEMS OF JUSTICE

June 1 Nomination Deadline
Foundation for the Improvement of Justice

(http://www.justiceawards.com/)

The Foundation for the Improvement of Justice encourages improvement in the various systems of justice by rewarding accomplishments in the following ten categories: simplification of the law; child protection; crime victims' rights; reducing recidivism; lowering the cost; speeding the process; crime prevention; effecting restitution; alternative sentencing; and other significant efforts. Up to ten nominees annually are awarded $10,000 for innovative programs that have proven to be effective and can serve as models for others. These are awards given for accomplishments, not for future projects. Nonprofit organizations and individuals throughout the United States are eligible to be nominated. The nomination deadline is June 1, annually. Visit the above website for nomination guidelines.

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K-12 EDUCATION FUNDS
June 30 Deadline

Braitmayer Foundation

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

The Braitmayer Foundation supports organizations and programs throughout the United States that enhance the education of K-12 children. Two areas of particular interest to the Foundation are curricular and school reform initiatives; and preparation of and professional development opportunities for teachers, particularly those that encourage people of high ability and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12 teaching. Nonprofit organizations across the United States are eligible to apply. The next application deadline is June 30, 2004. For the June 30 deadline, the Foundation will accept proposals for grants below $10,000 and letters of intent for grants up to $35,000. Visit the above website for more information.

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TECHFOUNDATION INVITES NOMINATIONS FOR TECHGRANTS SPRING 2004 AWARDS                                                                   

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

The TechFoundation, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based nonprofit that delivers technology, expertise, and capital to help other nonprofit organizations serve humanity, is celebrating its fourth year of TechGrants and will award a total of $25,000 in grants to six nonprofits that have shown leadership in the innovative use of technology.

The grand-prize and first-prize winners will receive $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. In addition, honorable mentions and $2,500 will be awarded in the following categories: nonprofits with a budget over $5 million; nonprofits with a budget under $5 million; international nonprofits (headquarters not based in the United States); and local nonprofits (headquarters in Boston or Cambridge, Massachusetts).

Nonprofits can be nominated by their peers, community leaders, or other nonprofits. Finalists will be asked to submit a case study on how they have used technology to help fulfill their missions.

An organization must have a valid 501(c)(3) certificate at the time of nomination in order to be eligible for the grant.

See the TechFoundation Web site for complete nomination guidelines and an online nomination form.

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JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH INTERNSHIP

ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCE PROJECT (DVRP)

Summer 2004

The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) is a diverse group of women and men whose mission is to address and prevent domestic violence in the Asian/Pacific Islander communities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area through victim assistance services, community education, public advocacy, research, and referral services.  DVRP believes in providing culturally appropriate tools, support, and resources for women to make their own life choices.

Description of Internship

DVRP is currently searching for a part-time summer intern for the Community Outreach Program.  The Community Outreach Program addresses domestic violence through youth prevention efforts, community dialogues, and dissemination and sharing of information.  Through community outreach, individuals can become aware of available resources and communities can begin to address domestic violence in appropriate and meaningful ways. Community outreach activities may include workshops, presentations, trainings, development of educational materials, dissemination of information through media, partnerships with community organizations, and dialogue with community members and service providers.  The intern will work closely with the Community Outreach Director and volunteers to fulfill the following duties:

§        Perform administrative tasks;

§        Develop website and educational materials;

§        Compile weekly digest for listserve;

§        Assist with coordination of volunteer activities;

§        Connect with local Asian/Pacific Islander communities and organizations; and

§        Engage in other activities to promote awareness and prevention of domestic violence in Asian communities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Applicants should be enrolled in a two-year or four-year college program, and be willing to commit to a minimum of two months of service.  A stipend is also available.  Applicants should submit a cover letter, three references, and a resume to: hannah@dvrp.org or A/PI DVRP, P.O. Box 14268, Washington, D.C. 20044.  For additional information, please contact Hannah Sin, Community Outreach Director, at 202-464-4477.

Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project

P.O. Box 14268

Washington, DC 20044

Phone: (202) 464-4477

Fax:   (202) 986-9332

www.DVRP.org

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SHARTSIS, FRIESE & GINSBURG PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIP

General Description:

The East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) is a non-profit organization founded to provide high quality legal services to low-income clients and to provide educational opportunities to law students and community volunteers. EBCLC serves as a clinical placement for law students, primarily from Boalt Hall School of Law at U.C. Berkeley.

Through the generous support of the law firm of Shartsis, Friese & Ginsburg LLP, EBCLC seeks a one-year fellow, beginning September 1, 2004.

The SF&G Public Interest Fellow will provide all stages of direct legal assistance to clients timed out of CalWORKs (welfare) - with a particular emphasis on serving Southeast Asian clients with disabilities and language access needs - up to and including representation at administrative hearings. The Fellow will conduct:

1) In-depth client interviews, with translation provided by the Legal Language Access Project where necessary, to determine client needs and desires;

2) Intensive fact investigation, including the gathering of records and declarations regarding clients’ mental health status;

3) Thorough counseling to offer clients the full range of legal options available to them; and

4) Zealous representation on behalf of clients’ interests with SSA case workers and before administrative law judges (including writs to Superior Court as necessary).

Successful legal advocacy will exempt clients from the time limits and restore their aid. Referral to our community partners will link clients with necessary services, either to pursue more generous federal disability benefits if unable to work, or, if employable, to take advantage of job training and placement services with the long-term goal of self-sufficiency for clients and their families.

Minimum Experience:

Member of the California State Bar or sitting summer 2004. Desirable skills and experience include: a commitment to direct legal services to low-income clients, experience in public benefits assistance; supervision and teaching skills and a commitment to clinical education; ability to work effectively with a diverse range of groups, including low-income and minority clients, students, service providers, and law school faculty; good public speaking skills and flexibility to respond to changing community needs; bilingual skills, especially Vietnamese or Cambodian, highly desirable.

Application Procedures:

Applications will be accepted through Monday, May 3, 2004. Mail or fax a current resume, three references, a short writing sample and a cover letter to East Bay Community Law Center, SF&G Public Interest Fellowship Committee, 3130 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705, (510) 548-2566 fax. EBCLC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, sexual minorities and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

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JOB ANNOUNCEMENT:

MANAGING DIRECTOR, LEAGUE OF YOUNG VOTERS & LEAGUE OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS*

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Friday May 7, 2004.

Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

QUALIFICATIONS

·    Five or more years of management experience including social change non-profit organizations and/or advocacy.

·    Foundation and individual donor (grassroots and major, c3 and/or c4) fundraising experience.

·    Experience with non-profit financial management.

·    Outstanding at working across divides including race, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, ideology and culture.

·    Entrepreneurial spirit, and experience in start-up organizations a plus.

·    Comfortable managing online projects.

·    Comfortable managing a national organization with a grassroots base.

·    Must be a strong writer.

·    Excellent communication and people skills; must be able to function in a casual, friendly and progressive work environment.

·    Experience managing and understanding of the laws and regulations governing families of organizations including 501(c)3, 501(c)4, and connected federal 527 PAC activities a plus.

·    Spanish speaker a plus.

·    Willingness to relocate to NYC.**

*League of Young Voters ("LYV") is a project of the Tides Center, a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and the League of Independent Voters ("LIV") is a 501(c)4 Project of The Tsunami Fund. This position would be split between the two organizations. See below for descriptions.

**Sorry, we do not pay relocation fees.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Management

Oversee all aspects of finances for both organizations, including administering payroll and benefits. Work with bookkeeper, external accountant, attorney and compliance officer.

HR Management

Responsible for overseeing all aspects of HR, management, evaluation of staff and volunteers for both organizations.

Fundraising

Responsible for assisting the Director of both organizations in individual and foundation grants management.

Operations

Responsible for developing and implementing operations systems for both organizations, including: office systems, administration, communication and data management.

Strategic Planning and Communication

Participate in setting the strategic direction for both organizations and responsible for internal communications as it relates to both organizations.

Salary

Commensurate with experience.

Start Date

June or July 2004.

Please submit a resume and cover letter which includes your salary requirement, and a maximum 2 page writing sample to Kyle Stewart: Kylekstewart@yahoo.com. Please indicate "MANAGING DIRECTOR" in the subject Line. No phone calls please.

The Tides Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable law. In addition we encourage women, people of color, LGBT, differently-abled, and people with a sense of humor to apply.

The League of Independent Voters (a project of the Tsunami Fund) is a national voter-organizing 501(c)4 advocacy organization which engages 17-35 year olds in the democratic process, particularly those who have never voted before or feel turned off by electoral politics. LIV is working toward a progressive governing majority in our lifetime. Join us today at www.Indyvoter.org.

The League of Young Voters (a project of the Tides Center) is a national non-profit civic training program which educates and empowers 17-35 year olds to fully participate in the democratic process.

(www.Indyvoter.org)

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TIPS/RESOURCES

To Win Funds, Become an Asset to State Lawmakers

Want to tap state budget money? Keep lawmakers informed of your position on issues, says Vermont state Rep. Robert Dostis.

The Children and Youth Funding Report reported March 3 that Dostis noted that lawmakers rely on both lobbyists and their aides to keep them informed about issues like addiction and gun violence. Advocates for these issues have as much right as paid lobbyists to keep lawmakers informed. Often, the best way to do so is to become an asset to legislative staffers.

Ellen Vollinger, an advocate for the Food Research and Action Center, says that state lawmakers remain highly accessible to the public, and it is still possible to form a personal relationship with legislators in many states. To get access, call, write, or visit your representative's office.

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NCRP RELEASES RESULTS OF YEAR-LONG EXAMINATION OF THE PHILANTHROPIC GRANTMAKING OF POLITICALLY CONSERVATIVE FOUNDATIONS

NCRP's Axis of Ideology details the effective philanthropic strategies that 79 conservative foundations have used to support the activities of 350 public policy-oriented right-wing think tanks at the federal, state, and local levels

WASHINGTON - The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) has issued a new report on the grantmaking of politically conservative foundations, revisiting the analysis and conclusions reached in NCRP’s seminal report on conservative philanthropy in 1997. The new report greatly expands on the 1997 research, looking at 79 conservative foundations and their grants to 350 archconservative policy nonprofit organizations between 1999 and 2001.

"Conservative foundations are brazen and confident in their grantmaking to advance a conservative political agenda, constituting a vital component for financing the right wing policy juggernaut," said NCRP executive director Rick Cohen. "These conservative foundations know how to mobilize resources for their ideological causes and they do it well, to the detriment of the constituencies and populations that are not served by their nonprofit clients’ assaults on civil rights, tax equity, affirmative action, gay and lesbian rights, and so many other concerns of ordinary Americans."

Jeff Krehely, NCRP’s deputy director and the lead author of NCRP’s report, Axis of Ideology: Conservative Foundations and Public Policy, outlined the key findings of the study, saying, "Our research both confirms and advances the conclusions NCRP researched in 1997 on several fronts. Conservative foundations are far more likely to provide their grantees with flexible core operating support and long-term funding, they focus their grantmaking on a small number of grantees with an eye toward investing in and sustaining existing politically conservative policy centers, and they fearlessly support and promote organizations that lobby their conservative ideas aggressively in state capitals and in Washington."

Among the major findings of NCRP’s Axis of Ideology report are the following:

  • From 1999 through 2001, the 79 conservative foundations made more than $252 million in grants to nonprofit public policy organizations. (NCRP’s 1997 study profiled only 12 conservative foundation grantmakers)
  • The top conservative foundation givers were the Sara Scaife Foundation ($44.8 million), the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($38.9 million), the John M. Olin Foundation ($17.4 million), the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation ($13 million), and the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation ($12.2 million).
  • Multi-issue public policy think tanks got 46% of the grants, followed by 10% for education-oriented policy centers and 10% for conservative policy centers devoted to legal advocacy.
  • The largest recipient locales for conservative foundation public policy grantmaking, in rank order, were the District of Columbia, Virginia, California, Delaware, New York, Michigan, Indiana, and Texas.
  • The 10 largest recipients of conservative foundation grants between 1999 and 2001, in rank order, were the Heritage Foundation, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, George Mason University (the Mercatus Center), the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Hillsdale College, Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation, Judicial Watch, the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace, and the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
  • The conservative foundations continue to be extremely focused in their grantmaking, concentrating on building and sustaining a small group of grantees, through commitments of long-term core operating grants.
  • Unlike most foundations, these conservative foundations are confident and aggressive in making grants available to nonprofits that will actively lobby lawmakers, challenge laws and regulations in the courts, and broadcast conservative ideas and ideologies.
  • A core group of foundation and grantee leaders serve on several foundation and grantee boards of directors, and contribute millions of dollars to Republican candidates for public office.

NCRP’s Cohen added, "We cannot applaud the political ideas these conservative foundations promote, but the successes of these foundations are remarkable, as they continue to frame the policy agenda and pose a challenge to progressives around the nation about how to energize and capitalize public policy addressing social justice concerns." 

A summary of the report will be available for free on the NCRP's website the week of March 15th. A hard copy of the complete report can be ordered by 3/25 for $25.

If you would like to be notified by e-mail when the report is available or if you have any other questions, please e-mail Taha Nasar at taha@ncrp.org or call (202) 387-9177 ext. 20, and leave your name, telephone number, e-mail address, organization’s name and organizational title.

If you would like copies of NCRP’s original 1997 report on conservative philanthropy, e-mail Taha Nasar to request a PDF(2MB) or place an order in the publications section of our website.

(http://ncrp.org/PDF/AxisofIdeology-ExecutiveSummary.pdf)

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AFFLUENT DONATE LOWER PERCENTAGE OF WEALTH, STUDY SHOWS

According to a report from the NewTithing Group (http://newtithing.org/), a nonprofit research group based in San Francisco, individual charitable contributions would have been $41.6 billion higher in 2001 if tax filers with adjusted gross incomes of $200,000 to $10 million had donated as high a percentage of their investment asset wealth to charity as did everyone else.

Using 2001 tax data, the report shows that if filers with incomes of $200,000 to $10 million and average assets of $1.7 million to $46 million had donated as high a percentage of their asset wealth to charity as did lower wealth groups, total individual giving would have been 23 percent, or roughly $41.6 billion, higher. The most pronounced difference in giving was between filers with adjusted gross incomes in the $75,000 to $100,000 range, who donated 0.96 percent of their investment asset wealth to charity, and their counterparts in the $200,000 to $500,000 range, who donated 0.46 percent. NewTithing argues that measuring charitable donations as a proportion of investment assets rather than income is a more meaningful gauge of the giving capacity of the wealthy, whose investment assets generally dwarf their income.

The study also found that if tax filers who earned at least $1 million in income had donated appreciated assets, rather than cash, they would have avoided capital gains taxes of about $659 million in 2001, money they could have used to augment their charitable donations.

"A lot of people, when they think about how much they are donating or want to donate to charity, aren't really thinking of the big picture of all their wealth," Claude Rosenberg, a retired money manager who founded and is chairman of NewTithing, told the Wall Street Journal.

The study and its supporting data are available at the NewTithing Web site:

http://newtithing.org/frames/richpoorgenerosity.html

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NEWS 

NEWS CORPORATION ELECTS TWO NEW DIRECTORS

Resignation Of Graham Kraehe Becomes Effective

NEW YORK, NY, April 16, 2004 - News Corporation today announced that Peter Barnes, the former president of Philip Morris Asia, Inc., and Viet Dinh, professor of law at Georgetown University, have been elected to the company’s Board of Directors. The appointments are effective immediately. The elections of Mr. Barnes and Professor Dinh, and the resignation of Mr. Kraehe, increase the number of News Corporation’s directors to 14.

News Corp. also announced that the resignation from the board of Graham Kraehe became effective today. Mr. Kraehe foreshadowed his resignation after his recent appointment as chairman of the National Australia Bank.

News Corp. chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch praised Mr. Kraehe, who joined the board in January 2001 and was chairman of the Company’s audit committee.

Mr. Murdoch said: “We will miss Graham’s extremely valuable contribution to the board and his tireless efforts as chairman of the Audit Committee. Graham has been an outstanding independent director who has earned the highest respect of all our directors and senior executives. We wish him every success at his new endeavors.”

In a statement today, Mr. Kraehe said: “I have enjoyed my time on the News Corporation board and believe that the business is poised for an exciting period of continued strong growth.”

Mr. Kraehe added: “I fully support the proposed restructuring of News Corporation and the dual listing in North America, which I think will be to the benefit of all shareholders.

Announcing the elections of Mr. Barnes and Professor Dinh, Mr. Murdoch said: “Peter Barnes and Viet Dinh share an extraordinary breadth of experience that will complement the world-class slate of outside directors already on the News Corp. board.

“Peter has had a long and distinguished career in consumer marketing at the very highest levels around the world. At the Philip Morris Group, Peter was a senior executive in virtually all of the key markets in which News Corp. operates.

“Viet Dinh has had a remarkable career that has earned him the respect and admiration of legal scholars, politicians and business leaders. Having arrived in America as a Vietnamese refugee at age 10, Viet’s academic brilliance and sheer hard work have propelled him to the very top of his field. His work as a key advisor to the Bush Administration in the war on terror has been invaluable to the security of the American people.”

Mr. Barnes, who lives in Sydney, Australia, said: “I look forward to joining the distinguished members of the News Corp. board at an exciting time in the Company’s history.“

Mr. Dinh said: “I am honored to join the company of this distinguished board and am excited at the prospects of the News Corporation.“

Peter Barnes, 61, had a long career with the Philip Morris Group (now Altria Group), one of the world's leading consumer marketing organizations. His experience with Philip Morris was gained across a number of its wine and tobacco businesses in the USA, the UK and Asia. Prior to his retirement from Philip Morris, Mr. Barnes was president of Philip Morris Asia. He is a director of Ansell Limited, Metcash Trading Limited and chairman of Samuel Smith & Son Pty Ltd. Mr. Barnes is also chairman of Intermilling Limited (Malaysia). Mr. Barnes is president of the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, the peak industry body representing Australian wineries

Viet Dinh, 36, is professor of law and director of the Asian Law and Policy Studies Program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. After law school, where he was a class marshal and an Olin research fellow in law and economics, Professor Dinh served as a law clerk to Judge Laurence H. Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. He also served as counsel to the Special Master mediating a number of lawsuits by Holocaust victims against German and Austrian financial institutions. Most recently, Professor Dinh served as Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy in the U.S. Department of Justice.

The News Corporation Limited (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NCP, NCPDP) had total assets as of December 31, 2003 of approximately US$52 billion and total annual revenues of approximately US$19 billion. News Corporation is a diversified international media and entertainment company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct broadcast satellite television; magazines and inserts; newspapers; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corporation are conducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and the Pacific Basin.

For more information about News Corporation, please visit www.newscorp.com.

Contact:

Andrew Butcher  212 852 7070

(http://www.newscorp.com/news/news_208.html)

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DC ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL – CALL FOR FILMS

CALL FOR FILMS ANNOUNCEMENT

DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, Oct. 7-16, 2004 in Washington, DC.

Early Deadline: May 15, Late Deadline June 1 (postmarked).

The fest's mission is to bring attention to the creative output from APA communities & encourage the artistic development of APA films in the greater Washington DC metropolitan region. The screenings are held at the Smithsonian Institution's Freer & Sackler Galleries of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, the Canadian Embassy, and other museums. Founded: 2000. Cats: feature, doc, short, experimental, animation. Formats: 16mm, 35mm, Betacam. Preview on VHS (NTSC). Entry Fees: $10 (early); $20 (late).

Contact: Festival, P.O. Box 18405, Washington, DC 20036; gene@apafilm.org;

www.apafilm.org.

Submission forms are available for download at our website (www.apafilm.org) or directly at the following URLs:

Adobe Acrobat PDF: http://apafilm.org/APAEntryForm2004.pdf

Microsoft Word:   http://apafilm.org/APAEntryForm2004.doc

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April 21, 2004

Los Angeles Daily News

STUDY: NONWHITES NOT AS INVOLVED IN POLITICS

By Justin Pritchard
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- It's not just Election Day. Nonwhite Californians are underrepresented in nearly every phase of the daily civic-political process, from attending rallies to writing campaign checks, a sweeping new study reports.

As a result, the disproportionate political influence white Californians wield in a state where they are no longer a majority is unlikely to change for a generation, according to researchers at the San Francisco-based Public Policy Institute of California.

"The situation already involves significant racial inequality," said Karthick Ramakrishnan, lead author of the study on public participation released Wednesday. "What's significant about this report is that we can see these trends persisting."

Historically, whites have been more likely to vote than nonwhites. That has held in recent years, when about 60 percent of white adult Californians say they vote, while it's closer to 50 percent of blacks and 40 percent of Hispanics or Asians, according to the study.

But the disparities went beyond voting. The study used a survey of more than 5,000 Californians to highlight stark differences by race in a range of grass-roots activities.

Whites were up to twice as likely as Hispanics, blacks or Asians to sign petitions, write elected officials, contribute to a campaign, attend a rally or volunteer for a political party. Whites also were almost twice as likely to volunteer for nonpolitical organizations as Asians or Latinos -- though their rate was only 30 percent.

Though whites make up less than 50 percent of the state population, they represented 63 percent of California's total adult citizens in 2002. Even so, they accounted for roughly 70 percent of all the political activity the study measured.

The consequences go beyond egalitarian ideals. Whites often set the political table in California and may decide "what are legitimate issues, and what are not legitimate issues," said Harry Pachon, president of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute.

On the flip side were Hispanics, the state's second-largest group but one that hasn't yet asserted political clout commensurate with its numbers. Though Hispanics were more likely than any group -- including whites -- to attend meetings on local or school issues, they were less likely to participate in every other aspect of the democratic process.

The study's broad findings roughly track what's known nationally about civic-political participation rates among nonwhites. But in California, the issue is even more significant because of how heavily the state relies on ballot initiatives to craft public policy, Ramakrishnan said.

While Hispanics will rally against a perceived injustice such as the denial of benefits or driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, they are not proactively crafting an agenda, according to Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuez, D-Los Angeles.

"We know very clearly what we're against; I think we have a much more difficult time defining what we're in favor of," Nuez said. "Obviously, we need to do a better job to encourage young people to be involved."

(http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2097069,00.html?search=filter)

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April 22, 2004

NEW PROGRAM IN VIETNAMESE GIVES LESSONS ON CITY SERVICES

By HongDao Nguyen
Mercury News

When Hai Vu visited a San Jose fire station for the first time a couple of weeks ago, the alarm sounded and the firefighters were off.

She chuckled as she recalled the flurry of activity. It was exciting, she said.

Vu, 57, was part of the first San Jose Neighborhood Academy offered to Vietnamese-language speakers. It was a four-week pilot program to introduce Vietnamese-speaking residents to city services and teach them how to look for resources online.

City staff members and residents say that such training is long overdue.

``There's a lot of people who don't know where to get their questions answered,'' Vu said in Vietnamese. And many Vietnamese residents, she said, can't speak English very well.

The Neighborhood Academy, put on by the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services department, has offered the free course in English and Spanish for almost a decade.

Though there's always been a need to offer it in Vietnamese too, the resources weren't available to do it, said Shirley Mata, the community services supervisor for the parks and recreation department.

So they teamed up with the city's Strong Neighborhoods Initiative areas that have the staff with Vietnamese language skills. Hung Nguyen, a community activity worker in the Parks and Recreation Department, has helped teach or translate classes.

Targeting a largely Vietnamese-speaking area, they met in the Tully/Senter SNI area at the Santee Action Center, at 1313 Audubon Drive, each Tuesday. The trip to the fire station was a field trip with the program.

Vu said the course answered her questions on how to use 911. She got a tip to tack emergency numbers and insurance information to her apartment wall for easy access.

The program, which began March 30 and ended this week, also taught students how to use the Internet to tap into city services. It was a skill many residents were eager to learn, Mata said.

About 20 older Vietnamese-American people have come for the workshops, and Mata said the department plans to hold another series in the future.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED

For more information about the Neighborhood Academy, call the city's neighborhood development center at (408) 392-6771, or Vietnamese speakers can reach Nguyen at (408) 277-2982. 

Contact HongDao Nguyen at hnguyen@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5651.

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April 24, 2004

U.S. STOPS COMMUNIST STOPOVER IN LITTLE SAIGON

By Mai Tran, Times Staff Writer

The State Department on Friday canceled a weekend visit to Little Saigon by Vietnamese Communist Party leaders after Westminster officials said they could not guarantee their safety.

The trip to the largest Vietnamese community in the United States was planned by the Vietnamese government and intended as a gesture of goodwill to improve relations with expatriates who fled or emigrated.

The delegation, which will visit Los Angeles today and San Francisco, New York City and Washington in the days ahead, planned to tour the Little Saigon business and shopping district by motorcade, escorted by California Highway Patrol officers.

But anti-communist activists in Little Saigon said the visitors would be unwelcome. Protesters had planned to line Bolsa Avenue and demonstrate, wave South Vietnamese flags and even toss eggs when the motorcade drove by.

"It's like taking Fidel Castro down to Little Havana in Miami," Westminster Councilman Andy Quach said of the delegation's plans.

Many immigrants who fled their homeland when South Vietnam fell in 1975 remain firmly anti-communist. Before fleeing, many were imprisoned in so-called reeducation camps where they said they were beaten, tortured and starved.

The fact that the visit would come just days before the commemoration of the fall of Saigon stirred even more anger.

The former premier of South Vietnam, however, described the canceled visit as a missed opportunity. "It's time to sit and talk with them," said Nguyen Cao Ky, a Hacienda Heights resident who returned to Vietnam this year for the first time since Saigon fell. "Whether it's here or in Vietnam, it's the right thing to do."

Support for bilateral trade relations with Vietnam has increased in recent years in Little Saigon, but proponents keep quiet for fear of reprisals. Ky's return to Vietnam, which angered many of his countrymen, also was seen as an encouraging sign to free-trade advocates.

The State Department said the visit, which began Thursday and ends April 30, was requested by Vietnamese officials.

Thanh Phuc Nguyen, vice president of the Vietnam National Assembly and chairman of the assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs, is leading the six-person delegation. Nguyen is scheduled to meet next week with John R. Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, to discuss security issues.

"The government of Vietnam has been making a lot of effort to reach out to the Vietnamese community overseas," said Chien Ngoc Bach, a spokesman for the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington.

The Little Saigon stop was canceled Friday afternoon after two police departments warned federal officials that the group's safety could not be guaranteed.

"We just wanted to make the State Department aware of the contentious feeling of the Vietnamese community in this area regarding someone of his affiliation," said Westminster Police Capt. Mitch Waller, referring to Nguyen. "It would be very difficult for us to guarantee his safety if he comes to our city, having experienced what happened in 1999."

Little Saigon was rocked in 1999 when 15,000 demonstrators rallied for 53 days in front of a video store on Bolsa Avenue after its owner hung a picture of communist leader Ho Chi Minh and the communist flag.

"The anti-communist sentiments among members of this community are as strong, if not stronger, than anywhere else in the world," Garden Grove Police Chief Joseph Polisar wrote in a letter Friday to Special Agent Henry Jenkins.

"I urge you in the strongest possible terms to avoid bringing representatives of the government of Vietnam to the Little Saigon area. … The public safety risks for both the delegation and the community are enormous," Polisar wrote.

Delegation officials declined to comment.

The visit was to include a drive through Garden Grove and Westminster's Little Saigon, the commercial and cultural hub of the Vietnamese American community. The visitors also planned to stop at the Vietnam War Memorial in Westminster, where a statue of a South Vietnamese and an American soldier depicts friendship between the United States and the former South Vietnam.

"They're on our soil, and we just want to send them a clear message that they're not welcome here," Councilman Quach said.

"This is a victory for us," said Lac Nguyen, 59, of Garden Grove, a director for the nonprofit Vietnamese Community of Southern California in Westminster. "This was our strong warning that it would only be an inconvenience for them to come here because anything could happen."

Though Vietnamese government officials have visited Orange County in the past, their trips were largely kept secret.

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-visit24apr24,1,5663677.story)

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April 26, 2004

PROTEST, DOCUMENTARY PROMPT VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS TO RE-EXAMINE THEIR ROOTS 29 YEARS AFTER THE FALL OF SAIGON

By MARY VUONG
Houston Chronicle

When two Los Angeles filmmakers saw Asian-American faces on the news in early 1999, they paused. When they learned it was because of political protests, they knew they had to check it out.

The result is Saigon, USA, a documentary exploring why thousands of Vietnamese-Americans, first in Southern California's Little Saigon and then in other cities including Houston, were enraged after a business owner, another refugee, hung a poster of Ho Chi Minh and a communist flag in his video shop.

Director-producers Lindsey Jang and Robert C. Winn illustrate the opposing sensibilities within the community about Truong Van Tran, the shop owner many accused of being a communist sympathizer. 

The 57-minute documentary, which will be screened today and May 16 in Houston, was to be just eight minutes long. But as the filmmakers delved into the question, "Hey, why were you so upset?" Jang says they found a "deeper story about why there was so much emotional angst associated with this, and it had to do with the history of the community."

Across the nation it prompted younger Vietnamese-Americans to re-examine their identity, and brought together generations to work toward improving life for the people of Vietnam.

Journalist Andrew Lam explains it best in the film: "The only place that, in fact, Tran Truong could have an effect was in Little Saigon -- you know, the way I imagine if someone who wants attention to himself could put up a picture of Fidel Castro in Little Havana. ... People have lost family, people have lost homes, and all of that they attributed to the fact that it was (the) communist takeover, and Ho Chi Minh was the leader who started the whole chain of events."

Friday marks the 29th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, which saw a mass exodus of Vietnamese to countries including the United States. Nearly 64,000 have settled in the Houston area, making it the third-largest population after Southern and Northern California.

Roy Vu, president of the Vietnamese Studies Organization at the University of Houston, hopes fellow Vietnamese who watch Saigon, USA will gain "a better sense of who we are and where we're at right now, and what we can do to improve the community." Others can learn more about the social and political issues, adds Vu, a UH instructor and doctoral student in history.

Among the Vietnamese there are varying levels of assimilation into American culture and different degrees of pain experienced surrounding the Vietnam War. The film reveals the roles they played during the 52 days of protests.

"My parents' arguments were that he shouldn't put up the picture of Ho Chi Minh and the flag," says college student Bao Nguyen. "My argument was that he had a right to do that."

Violence erupted on several occasions, and Tran was attacked at least twice. Police escorted him to his store to rehang the poster and flag after a judge reversed her earlier order that he remove them. (Tran later spent three months in jail and two-plus years on probation for video piracy.)

"Some people's husbands died in the prison camps so they feel like the communists come to kill us again," says Thi Ha Pham, whose husband at the time was imprisoned for 10 years.

The heated gatherings evolved into candlelight vigils in Vietnamese-American enclaves, including Houston, that became less focused on Tran and more on human rights in Vietnam. They also galvanized the younger generation -- some of whom tried desperately to distance themselves from their roots growing up -- to become more involved.

"The young folks, when given a chance, want to understand their parents' point of view," Jang says. That includes a longing to return to Vietnam, even to overthrow the communist government.

"It is very difficult for me to realize that we can't win the country back in the foreseeable future," Le Khac Ly, a former colonel, says in the film.

But Vu Nguyen, a 20-something journalist, sees it differently: "The Vietnam that my parents taught me about is dead. ... But we've kind of transferred it and brought it here. "

The story of these refugees is a "contemporary version of the classic American story," Winn says.

"It's the continuation of the legacy of the Vietnam War; it didn't stop when the helicopters left," Jang adds. "Now their history is being woven into ours."

(http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/ae/movies/2530546)

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April 27, 2004

VIETNAMESE GOVERNOR QUESTIONS U.S. GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROTESTS

MARGIE MASON, Associated Press Writer

BUON MA THUOT, Vietnam (AP) -- A Vietnamese governor on Tuesday hinted strongly that the U.S. government had played a role in igniting mass protests that turned violent in the Central Highlands two weeks ago.

During Easter weekend, thousands of ethnic minority Christian villagers in three provinces poured into the streets demanding religious freedoms, return of ancestral lands and the establishment of an independent state.

That same weekend, a two-man team from the U.S. embassy and consulate traveling to the area were forced to turn back by local police, who blocked roads into the Daklak capital of Buon Ma Thuot.

Nguyen Van Lang, chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said he questioned the U.S. representatives, who returned on Monday, about the purpose of their original visit on April 10, which he called "a very strange coincidence."

Lang said that one day before the protests, an exiled ethnic minority group based in the United States posted a message on its Web site saying 150,000 ethnic minorities -- collectively called Montagnards -- were expected to participate in prayer protests over Easter weekend.

Lang also said that villagers were told by protest organizers to march in the streets and the United States and United Nations would send planes for them to be resettled in another country. He said a UNESCO delegation had also planned to visit the Central Highlands during that time.

"Behind the unrest, there must be some directing hands and some plans. If there were no plans, why would people post on their Web site April 9 that there would be some unrest?," Lang said Tuesday. "And if there were no plans, why were there rumors among the people that there would be such delegations going there, and there really were delegations going at that exact time?"

U.S. Embassy spokesman Tom Carmichael on Tuesday denied the accusations, saying the April 10 visit was a routine trip that had been planned in advance and approved by government officials.

The governor said U.S. representatives on Monday denied any connection to the protests or the South Carolina-based Montagnard Foundation, which Vietnam accuses of instigating the protests.

The foundation's leader, Kok Ksor, has ties with America that stretch back to the Vietnam War when anti-communist Montagnards allied themselves with the United States. Lang said Vietnam considers him a terrorist.

Vietnam has been criticized for refusing to allow foreign journalists and international observers into the Central Highlands to assess the situation. A handful of journalists were allowed into the area for a three-day trip this week, but they are being closely followed and not allowed to report freely.

New York-based Human Rights Watch has said it received eyewitness reports of police and security forces killing at least 10 protesters, but Vietnam has said only two people died during the unrest and not at the hands of police.

Lang said about 2,500 people protested in his province and about 60-70 people were injured in Daklak and neighboring Gia Lai province during the demonstrations.

Similar protests broke out in the Central Highlands three years ago over the same issues, with a mass exodus to Cambodia and about 1,000 Montagnards being resettled in the United States. 

(http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/04/27/state0923EDT0044.DTL)

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April 27, 2004

SHOULD NONCITIZENS VOTE?

By Alexandra Marks

Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

NEW YORK – In the shadow of 9/11, with a palpable disquiet running through immigrant communities nationwide, a grass-roots movement to give legal immigrants the right to vote in local elections is gaining a foothold from New York to Chicago to San Francisco.

The goal is to counter the increasing sense of alienation among America's newcomers, and replace it with community involvement and civic activism.

To advocates, it's a restoration of a right that was taken for granted in Colonial times and as the country expanded westward.

But to opponents, this renewed effort to enfranchise immigrants is a misguided shortcut that will undermine the process and importance of becoming a full American citizen.

The whole debate "gets to the value and importance of the right to vote," says Rob Richie, executive director of the Center for Voting and Democracy in Takoma Park, Md. "I don't think as a nation we take it seriously enough."

Augusto Peña has lived in this country for more than 30 years. During that time, he's been a community activist, organizing his neighbors in New York City to take a stand at City Hall on education reform, traveling toAlbany to lobby Gov. George Pataki for a fair share of funding, and trying to convince Education Secretary Rod Paige about the importance of early education.

But there is one thing this longtime Bronx building superintendent from the Dominican Republican can not do - vote. He's not a citizen, even though he began the process of applying back in 1986. So he's taking up a new cause: Enfranchising legal immigrants. "It's important for us to have a voice in our communities, to let us vote for people who have good ideas for our kids in school," he says. "It will give us a voice before we become citizens: It's a step in the process."

Across the country, 20 million legal immigrants like Mr. Peña work, pay taxes, and serve in the military. Their kids go to local schools, and many own neighborhood businesses. In a handful of places, like Takoma Park, they are already allowed to pull the lever in local elections.

In New York, they could vote in school board races and even serve on the board until two years ago, when the system was reorganized. This spring, the City Council will hold hearings on whether the 1.3 million legal immigrants that live here should have the right to vote for all local offices.

"Since 9/11 there has been a great fear amongst new immigrants at all levels, but particularly about issues that are important to them," says Gouri Sadhwani, executive director of the New York Civic Participation Project. "In a very practical way, allowing them to vote will connect them with the long history of new immigrants in this country and give them the opportunity to participate in the most fundamental way in our democracy."

But to opponents - which includes this city's mayor - enfranchising immigrants will only dilute the nation's democracy. They think of it as the equivalent of two people living together without making the formal commitment of marriage with all of the responsibilities it entails.

"There have been an awful lot of people over the years that have fought and died for the right to vote," the mayor, Michael Bloomberg, said at a press conference earlier this month. "If you want to have full rights, and voting is a very big part of full rights, become a citizen."

But historically, citizenship has not be a requirement for voting. When the nation was first founded, a man just needed to be a property owner to cast a ballot. As an incentive to settle the West, many states and territories required people to simply be a "resident" for one to two years.

Granting voting rights was seen as a way to get newcomers engaged in the civic process. In 1848, Wisconsin established a model that other states soon followed. It simply required residents to declare their intention of becoming citizens before being allowed to vote. Up until the 1920s, when a powerful, anti-immigrant backlash swept the country, 22 states and territories allowed legal immigrants to vote in local elections.

"It was a proven pathway to civic education, political education, and citizenship by giving people a stake in their communities," says Ron Hayduk, a political scientist at the Borough of Manhattan Community College.

But opponents are unimpressed with the historical analogy. They note that as the nation has expanded voting rights to more and more people, it's also worked to formalize its electoral process. "Things were done in a much more laid-back and informal fashion in the past," says Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a nonprofit think tank that favors tighter controls on immigration. "We've made the system much more consistent and predictable, and part of that consistency is an insistence on naturalization before being granted the right to vote."

Advocates say that it can take up to 10 years for full citizenship to be granted, in part because of a backlog and red tape. And during that time, they argue, legal immigrants are being subjected to taxation without representation - the battle cry of pre-revolutionary America.

Mr. Krikorian disputes that it takes that long to take the oath, but agrees the country should make it easier for immigrants like Peña to become full citizens.

But for Peña, who had some tax problems that complicated his application, voting is not an end in itself. It's a step that will help immigrants become more educated and involved. "It will make them want to become citizens more," he says. "It will help them understand the importance of participation."

(http://csmonitor.com/2004/0427/p01s04-uspo.html)

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