******************
EVENTS
WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE ON ASIAN AMERICANS & PACIFIC ISLANDERS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY NAIL SALON BOOKLET ROLL-OUT
On May 13, 2004, President Bush signed a new Executive Order entitled
"Increasing Economic Opportunity And Business Participation Of Asian
Americans And Pacific Islanders." This Executive Order renewed the
President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,
and also the Office of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders, housed at the Department of Commerce, Minority Business
Development Agency. Additionally, the President has appointed Eddy R.
Badrina as the new Director of the Initiative and fourteen (14) new members
to serve on the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders. The Commission will advise the President on ways to
provide equal economic opportunities for full participation of Asian
American and Pacific Islander businesses in our free market economy where
they may be underserved.
In 2001, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated the Nail
Salon project in Houston in response to concerns raised by Asian American
communities regarding the potential health, safety, and environmental issues
facing workers, the community, and the environment. This project has
received strong supports from many federal, state, local government
agencies, and non-profit organizations in the Houston area and nationwide.
This summer, EPA has released a booklet titled Pollution Prevention
Practices for Nail Salons - A Guide to Protect the Health of Nail Salon
Workers and their Working Environment. This document, available in both
English and Vietnamese, provides information on chemicals found in nail
products and their potential health effects and recommends best shop
practices that nail salon owners and workers should adopt for a better and
safer work place.
You're invited to attend the roll-out of the EPA's Nail salon booklet and to
meet Mr. Eddy Badrina, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and some Commissioners on the
President's Advisory Commission on AAPI at
Ocean Palace Restaurant
11215 Bellaire Boulevard
281-988-8898
Wednesday, August 4, 2004
7:00 p.m.
RSVP by August 1 to Lisa Pham at 214-665-8326 or e-mail to
pham.lisa@epa.gov
******************
Wellstone Action Fund in partnership with People for the America Way
Foundation
CAMP WELLSTONE IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA!
You are invited to attend the upcoming Camp Wellstone non-profit
training program in Tallahassee, Florida the weekend of August 13 -15, 2004.
This Camp Wellstone training is designed specifically for individuals and
non-profit organizations interested in non-partisan voter registration,
education and mobilization, as well as protecting the voting rights of
citizens.
The late Senator Paul Wellstone was deeply committed to citizen
activism and engagement in the political process. He believed that ordinary
people need to organize and to develop the skills necessary to be effective
participants in the life of their community and nation. This training
program draws heavily from the lessons passed on to us from Paul Wellstone.
The training program will cover the following:
* Voter Registration: Effectively reaching and registering
new voters.
* Voter Education: Educating people about voting rights and
responsibilities, as well as educating public officials about issues.
* Voter Mobilization: Moving constituents into action,
including how to carry out an effective get-out-the-vote effort.
* Election Protection: Insuring the rights of citizens to
vote through education, information and legal support.
To sign up online, click on the link below, or visit
www.wellstone.org.
Camp
Wellstone - Tallahassee: August 13-15, 2004
(https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/114501c3)
If you have questions about the training, contact Amber Goodwin
at
amber@grassrootssolutions.com, or call 202.546.6752.
We are expecting the Camp to fill quickly, so save your spot today!
******************
FDIC MONEY SMART
TRAIN THE TRAINER WORKSHOP
The workshop will be held on Thursday, August 26, 2004, from 9 am to 4 pm
FDIC Seidman Training Center
3501 Fairfax Drive, Room 211, Arlington, Virginia
(Metro Orange line, Virginia Square/GMU stop. The building is right across
the Metro entrance. We have constructions going on in front of the
building.)
The workshop is free and is open to volunteers who would be instructors/
trainers to deliver the FDIC Money Smart financial education program to
their community.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) developed a financial
literacy curriculum called Money Smart. It contains 10 modules covering
basic banking and financial management. The education program is designed to
help adults outside the financial mainstream enhance their money skills and
create positive banking relationships. The curriculum is available in five
different languages including three Asian ones: English, Spanish, Chinese,
Korean, and Vietnamese. Here are the links to Money Smart information on our
web site.
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/index.html
Money Smart program is a helpful tool to increase the financial literacy of
everyone. An educated customer is a better customer for financial products
and services. Delivering financial literacy to people in need of financial
literacy knowledge may also help fulfill a financial institution's
obligation to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).
The Money Smart Train the Trainer workshop introduces the participants to
the Money Smart financial literacy education program, including its
structure, organization and content. The training session includes a "model"
class during which part of a Money Smart training module is presented.
Participants will learn teaching tips and best practices for delivering
Money Smart seminars, and the session contains interactive exercises and
group activities to prepare participants as instructors for Money Smart
classes in their community. Here is a sample agenda:
I. Welcoming Remarks including Icebreakers
II. Overview of FDIC Money Smart Education Program
III. Break
IV. Modeling: "To Your Credit" - how to order your credit report, what is in
it, how to read it...etc
V. Money Smart Training Tips
VI. Lunch
VII. Learning Style Assessment
VIII. Role Playing including Break
IX. Concluding Remarks
Please register early due to limited space availability. Please
bring a photo ID with you as it is required for entrance to the building.
Thank you for your interest in the FDIC Money Smart Program.
Joan M. Lok
Community Affairs Specialist
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
New York Region - Baltimore Field Office
8825 Stanford Boulevard, Suite 210
Columbia, MD 21045
Direct Line: 410-953-0451
Main Line: 410-872-9024
Fax: 410-953-0465
E-mail:
jlok@fdic.gov
(http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/index.html)
******************
(NOTE: This conference is a great opportunity for Asian American and
Pacific Islander businesses to learn, network, and meet with federal
contractors and private sector suppliers.)
Join Us!
At the largest federally sponsored event held on behalf of minority
businesses.
NATIONAL MED WEEK 2004
SEPTEMBER 7-10, 2004
OMNI SHOREHAM HOTEL
WASHINGTON, D.C.
To be successful in today's business world, you must obtain reliable
information, recognize opportunity, and forge ahead with the changing times.
If you want to become a major player in today's high-paced world-wide
economy, don't miss this year’s National Minority Enterprise Development
(MED) Week Conference (http://www.medweek.gov).
EMPOWERING MINORITY ENTERPRISES TO SUCCEED
The theme for National MED Week 2004 is "Forward to the Future,
Minority Business Enterprise: The National Priority.”
This year’s Conference features speakers from the U.S. business community,
discussing the ways in which minority business enterprises can participate
in the world-wide economy more effectively and in greater numbers. The
substance of the Conference will provide critical information for the
minority business community, and for corporate America, which increasingly
recognizes that minorities are the fastest growing segment of the Nation’s
population, and a significant economic force.
Many important decision-makers from various business sectors interested in
minority business development and the world-wide economy will attend. Find
out more by visiting
http://www.medweek.gov.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
- Minority entrepreneurs determined to develop successful businesses;
- Public and private-sector officials seeking qualified and successful
minority suppliers;
- Corporate and government administrators addressing ways to develop more
effective minority business purchasing programs;
- Anyone interested in minority business development and strengthening the
U.S. economy.
REACH A CRITICAL AUDIENCE. BECOME A NATIONAL MED WEEK 2004 EXHIBITOR
The National MED Week 2004 Business Expo is an unparalleled opportunity for
minority business enterprises and government and corporate exhibitors to
network with potential business partners.
Participants will share information on their goods and services, and define
their procurement needs.
REGISTER NOW
http://www.medweek.gov
National MED Week 2004 is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s
Minority Business Development Agency, in collaboration with the U.S. Small
Business Administration’s Office of Government Contracting and Business
Development and their public and private sector partners.
(www.medweek.gov)
(www.mbda.gov)
******************
NAVASA BUILDS COMMUNITY LEADERS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN HOUSTON
Washington D.C.—The National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service
Agencies (NAVASA) will host its annual National Conference to honor
Vietnamese American community leaders and develop future leaders in the
nonprofit sector. The Conference will be held from September 30 to October
2, 2004 at the DoubleTree Hotel Allen Center in Houston, Texas.
The national conference, with “Building a Community of Leaders” as its
theme, will highlight different leadership styles, recognize leaders and
their contributions to the community, and promote young Vietnamese American
leaders. The three-days event will feature training workshops and seminars
to a diverse audience that includes current and potential leaders, as well
as activists and staff members from the ethnic community-based and
faith-based organizations across the country.
“After a series of conferences in the West Coast and East Coast, we felt a
tremendous demand to organize one in Texas, where the second largest
Vietnamese Americans population resides,” said NAVASA’s Executive Director,
Huy Bui. This will mark the first time NAVASA conducts its national
conference in the South.
In addition to the training workshops, NAVASA will nationally recognize
pioneers and emerging leaders from the Vietnamese American community at the
Recognition Banquet.
Among notable conference partners are the Southeast Resource Action Center,
Vietnamese Culture and Science Association, Research and Development
Institute, United Refugee and Community Services, Alliance of Multicultural
Community Services, Linh Son Buddhist Temple, and Our Lady of Lourdes
Church.
The annual conference and the featured banquet are supported by federal
agencies as well as national and local partners. The Office of Refugee
Resettlement (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services) and the Substance
Abuse of Mental Health Services Administration are the primary funders of
the three-days training workshops that provide in-depth technical assistance
to ethnic CBOs and FBOs.
“Our staff is thrilled with the overwhelming support from organizations and
individuals and we look forward to working with our partners in making this
conference another memorable and successful one,” Mr. Bui said.
Further information on conference registration and banquet sponsorship can
be obtained from
www.navasa.org.
***
NAVASA is a national advocacy agency currently comprised of 37 ethnic
community-based organizations. Since its incorporation in 1995 as a
non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, NAVASA has promoted economic
self-sufficiency and active citizenship for Vietnamese-Americans through
full participation in the socio-political system. Located in metropolitan
Washington D.C., NAVASA is fully committed to assisting its affiliate
organizations to address the civic, economic, linguistic, and social needs
facing community members in their specific localities.
NAVASA
1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 310, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: 301/587-2781* Fax: 301-587-2783
Email:
navasa@navasa.org
******************
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
MINI-GRANTS TO ENCOURAGE LITERACY AND CREATIVITY IN CHILDREN
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation: Mini-Grants Program
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers mini-grants of $350 to school
and public libraries for programs that encourage literacy and creativity in
children. Mini-grants have been used in a number of successful programs,
including: programs featuring guest authors/illustrators or storytellers;
activity programs, including bookmaking, quilt-making, and painting;
presenting a puppet show or play based on a favorite book; displays of
children’s book illustrations from galleries or museums; parents as partners
workshops; and other programs. Programs relating to the work of Ezra Jack
Keats are welcome, but not required. Public libraries and public school
libraries across the country are eligible to apply. The application deadline
is September 15, 2004. Visit the above website for more information.
(http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/programs/minigrants.htm)
******************
FUNDS TO PROTECT WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS INTERNATIONALLY
Urgent Action Fund
Urgent Action Fund (UAF) provides small grants to women's human rights
organizations worldwide in support of strategic interventions. The Fund
supports opportunities that arise when an unexpected event, positive or
negative, creates a situation in which rapid intervention can have a
significant impact. Grants are made in the following categories: response to
situations of armed conflict, escalating violence or politically volatile
environments; protection of women human rights defenders; and
precedent-setting legal or legislative actions. All project proposals must
demonstrate that the group is supported, sustainable, strategic and that the
proposed action is in response to unanticipated events and must be carried
out immediately in order to be effective. UAF does not provide humanitarian
or development aid and cannot support organizations that are not led by
women. Please visit the above website for eligibility requirements. The Fund
responds to most urgent requests within 72 hours.
(http://www.urgentactionfund.org/)
******************
SUPPORT FOR COMPANY
COMMUNITIES
U.S. Bancorp Foundation
The U.S. Bancorp Foundation seeks to build strong partnerships in
communities with a U.S. Bank office by supporting organizations that improve
the educational and economic opportunities of low- and moderate-income
individuals and families and enhance the cultural and artistic life of
communities. Grants are made in the areas of economic opportunity, including
affordable housing, self-sufficiency, and economic development; education,
including financial literacy programs and programs to help low-income and
at-risk students succeed in school; cultural and artistic enrichment; and
human services. Nonprofit organizations in communities with U.S. Bank
offices in the 23 states served by the bank are eligible to apply.
Application deadlines vary by geographic region. Visit the above website for
more information.
(http://www.usbank.com/about/community_relations/charit_giving.html)
******************
FUNDS TO
IMPLEMENT TOBACCO POLICY INITIATIVES
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Tobacco Policy Change
Tobacco Policy Change: A Collaborative for Healthier Communities and States
is a national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that provides
resources and technical assistance for local, regional and nationally-based
organizations and tribal groups to implement effective tobacco prevention
and cessation policy initiatives. Emphasis is given to proposals that focus
on people living in communities most affected by tobacco-related disease and
exposure, including communities with low-socioeconomic status, communities
of color, and other groups that suffer disproportionately from
tobacco-related diseases. Selected applicants will have demonstrated success
in policy advocacy and grassroots organizing to promote positive social
change. Nonprofit organizations and tribal groups recognized by municipal,
state, or federal government entities are eligible to apply. The application
deadline is September 1, 2004. Visit the above website for more information.
(http://www.rwjf.org/programs/npoDetail.jsp?id=PAD)
******************
RADIOSHACK
NEIGHBORHOOD ANSWERS GRANT PROGRAM
RadioShack Corporation is the nation's most trusted consumer electronics
specialty retailer. We are dedicated to strengthening the American way of
life by helping families protect their children from abduction, violence and
abuse. Through the power of prevention education and the use of technology,
RadioShack helps improve the quality of life for America's families.
The RadioShack Neighborhood Answers Grant program is designed
to offer answers – answers that bring community impact through programs or
projects conducted by local nonprofit organizations. Our program currently
focuses on two areas: prevention of family violence/abuse and/or child
abduction.
(http://www.radioshackcorporation.com/cc/contributions.html)
******************
AMERICORPS
PROFESSIONAL CORPS GRANTS
The federal
Corporation for National Service will award $2.9 million in grants to
nonprofits and other groups that tap professionals as volunteers to meet
critical community needs.
Up to 60 AmeriCorps Professional Corps grants, ranging from $30,000 to
$100,000, will be awarded to groups that engage professionals to address
health, public safety, homeland security, education, and human services
needs in underserved communities. Nonprofits, schools, and government
entities that operate in two or more states may apply for funding.
Employers must pay Professional Corps members' salary and benefits; grant
applicants can seek up to $1,000 per full-time AmeriCorps member for program
and administration costs. AmeriCorps education awards of $4,725 for members
who successfully complete their full term of service will also be supported.
Awards will cover a period of up to three years.
Application deadline is Aug. 17
For more information, see the
AmeriCorps website.
(http://www.cns.gov/)
(http://nationalservice.org/whatshot/notices.html)
******************
BANK OF
AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE
The Neighborhood Excellence initiative
consists of three distinct programs in select markets: Neighborhood
Builders, Local Heroes, and Student Leaders.
View a list of select markets
Neighborhood Builders. The Neighborhood Builders program is
designed to strengthen the capacity and infrastructure of select nonprofit
groups and to promote the professional development of their leaders.
In addition to $200,000 in grant funding for operational support—$100,000
annually over two years—each selected organization will be invited to send
its senior executive and one of its emerging leaders to participate in
specially designed leadership development program. Senior executives will
gather for three 3-day workshops focusing on topics such as strategic
thinking and business planning, leadership development and succession
planning, leading high performing organizations and building a diverse
funding base. Emerging leaders will gather for two 3-day workshops focusing
on topics such as developing organizational management skills, managing
strategic opportunities, forging alliances and building communities.
Local Heroes. Every neighborhood has its heroes—people who make a
remarkable difference in their communities by serving neighborhood needs.
We want to honor the contributions of these heroes, celebrate them as role
models for others, and urge people to follow in their path. Bank of America
will recognize these role models and their efforts by making a $5,000
contribution in their name to an eligible nonprofit organization of their
choice. Outstanding community leaders selected as Local Heroes will
be recognized at a public ceremony.
Student Leaders. Bank of America is committed to supporting the
development of the next generation of neighborhood leaders. We believe
investing in and cultivating future leaders is a crucial part of supporting
and sustaining the growth of vibrant neighborhoods.
As part of our Student Leaders program, we will arrange paid summer
internships with community organizations and nonprofits to experience
first-hand how they can help shape their communities—now and in the future.
To maximize the experience for participants, each student will be assigned a
mentor from Bank of America who will provide guidance and support over the
course of the program.
(www.bankofamerica.com/foundation)
******************
BLAKEMORE FOUNDATION
ASIAN ART GRANTS
Deadline: November 1, 2004
Established by Thomas and Frances Blakemore in 1990 to encourage the
advanced study of Asian languages and to improve the understanding of Asian
fine arts in the United States, the Seattle-based Blakemore Foundation (
http://www.blakemorefoundation.org/ ) is currently accepting
applications for its Frances Blakemore Asian Art Grants program.
Grants will be made only to tax-exempt organizations in the United States
such as museums, universities, and other educational or art-related
institutions for programs, exhibits, or publications that improve the
understanding of Asian fine arts in the U.S.
For the purposes of the program, Asia is limited to the countries of China,
Japan, Korea, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam,
Philippines, Mongolia, and Tibet. The term "fine arts" refers to paintings,
graphic arts, ceramics, sculpture, and textiles.
(http://www.blakemorefoundation.org/art.htm)
******************
NICKELODEON LET’S
JUST PLAY GRANTS PROGRAM
Deadline: November 1, 2004
Cable television channel Nickelodeon has announced the first call for
entries for its Let's Just Play grants program. The program will offer
awards to schools and after-school programs to help provide resources to
create and expand opportunities for physical play.
Elementary schools, middle schools, and after-school programs across the
United States are eligible to enter the program by participating in the
Worldwide Day of Play, October 2, 2004, which Nickelodeon has designated a
day to draw attention to the importance of play. An organization's day of
play can be anything from an hour of games in the gym to a school-wide field
day to a city-wide play day in the park.
Approximately twenty-five to fifty grants will be distributed by the program
annually, with grant awards ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
Public and not-for-profit private elementary and middle schools (grades K
through 9) and after-school community- based organizations with 501(c)(3)
status are eligible to apply. However, grant applications will not be
considered unless the applicant institution participates in a Worldwide Day
of Play activity and provides tangible documentation of the activity
undertaken.
(http://www.everythingnick.com/)
******************
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
CONGRESSIONAL INTERNSHIP
Congressman Mike Turner (OH-3) is seeking unpaid interns. Interns
will be responsible for a variety of duties including but not limited to
research, general office administrative duties, giving tours of the Capitol,
and responding to constituent concerns. Applicants must possess excellent
communication skills and present a polished and professional appearance.
Ohio ties preferred but not mandatory.
Fax completed attached application, school transcript, and letters of
recommendation to Vinh Nguyen at (202) 225-6754. If mailing documents,
please allow for delay in mail being delivered: Office of Congressman Mike
Turner, Attn: Intern Coordinator, 1740 Longworth Building, Washington, D.C.
20515.
******************
ROCKEFELLER BROTHERS FUND FELLOWSHIP IN NONPROFIT LAW
Deadline: December 3, 2004
Funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (
http://www.rbf.org/ ) and administered by the National Center on
Philanthropy and the Law at New York University School of Law (
http://www.law.nyu.edu/ncpl/ ), the Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship
in Nonprofit Law selects one fellow annually to spend a year in residence at
the Vera Institute of Justice (
http://www.vera.org/ ), a nonprofit organization dedicated to making
government policies and practices more fair, humane, and efficient for all
people.
The fellowship at Vera is designed to provide a law school graduate with
exposure to a wide variety of legal and organizational issues encountered by
nonprofit organizations. The fellowship also provides the opportunity to
identify an emerging or changing area of law with particular significance
for nonprofits, and to explore that area in depth, examining it in the
real-life context of a complex, legally sophisticated organization.
The fellowship is awarded annually to a law school graduate. Fellows are
selected for their scholarship, leadership, and commitment to practicing in
the field of nonprofit law.
The 2005 fellow will receive a salary of $43,300 plus benefits.
(http://www.law.nyu.edu/ncpl/carrframe.html)
******************
NEWS
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 17, 2004
CAPTIVE NATIONS WEEK, 2004
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Each year during Captive Nations Week, the United States reaffirms our
commitment to building a world where human rights, democracy, and freedom
are respected and protected by the rule of law. As Americans, we believe the
nonnegotiable demands of human dignity must be upheld without regard to
race, gender, creed, or nationality. We stand in solidarity with those
living under repressive regimes who seek democracy and peaceful changes in
their homelands.
Throughout our Nation's history, our brave men and women in uniform have
fought for the freedom of those suffering under authoritarian governments.
From Nazi Germany to Bosnia, and Afghanistan to Iraq, American service
members have fought to remove brutal leaders. The American people and their
generous contributions have helped to rebuild traumatized nations and given
the oppressed hope for the future. More than a year ago, American service
members and our coalition partners freed the Iraqi people from a
dictatorship that routinely tortured and executed innocent civilians. Since
then, Americans have helped the Iraqi people establish institutions for the
protection of human rights, based on democratic principles, to ensure that
freedom will endure in the new Iraq.
Earlier this summer, as our Nation paid respect to President Ronald Reagan,
we recognized his contributions to ending the Cold War and advancing freedom
around the world. In his first Inaugural Address, President Reagan said:
"Above all, we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of
the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and
women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have. It is a
weapon that we as Americans do have." These words carry forward today as we
continue to push for democratic freedoms and human rights around the world.
The Congress, by Joint Resolution approved July 17, 1959 (73 Stat. 212), has
authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating
the third week in July of each year as "Captive Nations Week."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim July 18 through July 24, 2004, as Captive
Nations Week. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this
week with appropriate ceremonies and activities and to reaffirm their
commitment to all those seeking liberty, justice, and self-determination.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of July,
in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/07/20040717-2.html)
******************
July 19, 2004
US HOUSE OKS
LINKING VIETNAM AID TO HUMAN RIGHTS
By Jim Abrams
WASHINGTON (Associated Press)--The House voted Monday to restrict U.S. aid
to Vietnam if that country fails to improve what lawmakers said was a
deplorable human rights record.
"Vietnam needs to come out of the dark ages of repression, brutality and
abuse and embrace freedom, the rule of law and respect for fundamental human
rights," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., sponsor of the legislation that
passed 323-45.
Under the measure, U.S. nonhumanitarian aid to Vietnam would be capped at
levels of the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, unless the president
certified substantial progress by Vietnam in releasing political and
religious prisoners and respecting religious freedom. Certification would be
renewable annually.
Total U.S. aid to Vietnam in 2004 is almost $40 million, with money going to
projects including removal of land mines left from the Vietnam War, disaster
relief and food and health programs.
The bill also approved money for nongovernmental organizations that promote
democracy in Vietnam and for work toward overcoming Vietnamese jamming of
Radio Free Asia.
The House approved a similar Vietnam human rights bill in 2001, coinciding
with passage of legislation promoting trade with the communist nation. The
Senate never voted on the human rights bill.
Rep. Lane Evans, D-Ill., said he opposed Smith's bill because it "will only
embolden hard-liners within Vietnam."
He said Vietnam has cooperated fully toward recovering soldiers' remains
from the war and is working hard to protect intellectual property rights
better. He noted President Bush also named Vietnam last month as a focus
country for the U.S. HIV/AIDS initiative. These efforts, he said, "would be
endangered by the shift in relations under this legislation."
Smith said money to fight AIDS in Vietnam would not be reduced by the
legislation.
The bill is H.R. 1587.
On the Net: Congress:
http://thomas.loc.gov/
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62596-2004Jul19.html)
******************
July 25, 2004
VIETNAM CAN’T ESCAPE
CHINA’S LARGE SHADOW
TRADE HEALS WOUNDS BETWEEN FORMER ENEMIES
By Daniel Sneider
LANG SON, Vietnam - If you want to get the measure of how large
China is looming over the rest of Asia these days, there's no better place
to visit than Vietnam. The Vietnamese have been living uneasily in the
shadow of their giant neighbor to the north for centuries.
The best window into how these two Asian nations get along is at
their border, in the picturesque limestone mountains of Lang Son province.
Back in 1979 things weren't too friendly here. This was the main front in a
brief but bloody border war sparked by the Chinese.
Less than two years after the war officially ended, Vietnamese
officials had escorted me here, eager to show evidence of the depredations
of the Chinese. The provincial capital was still heavily damaged from the
Chinese army's advance, finally halted at that city. At the borderline, the
Vietnamese army jeep I was riding in had to be hidden for fear of drawing
Chinese fire from positions seized along the ridgeline above.
Now, returning to the same spots more than two decades later, I
found a very different scene. Lang Son is bustling, no sign of its
battlefront past, not even a monument. Up on the border, the Chinese are no
longer lobbing mortar rounds.
Instead the Chinese are dropping DVD players, bedding and jugs of
soy sauce into the hot hands of Vietnamese consumers. Traders lug huge loads
in carts through the border crossing, the passage anchored on both ends by
sprawling markets. Vietnamese ship fruit to China while the endless output
of Chinese factories stacks up in warehouses on the Vietnamese side.
Vietnamese officials claim to be happy with the current state of
affairs. ``Vietnam-China relations are at a time of fine development,''
Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien told me in a written response to my
questions. He cited the recent settlement of longstanding border problems,
annual meetings between Vietnamese and Chinese leaders and booming trade, up
40 percent in the last year alone.
Privately, though, everything is not all kisses and flowers.
Vietnamese fume at the growing arrogance displayed by the Chinese. And the
Chinese sometimes do little to conceal it.
A Western diplomat in Hanoi tells of Chinese colleagues who openly
disdain the Vietnamese as unreliable and inefficient. Vietnamese officials
bristle at any suggestion that their economy is modeled on China's market
reforms. And the Vietnamese complain, as do others in Southeast Asia, about
the trading practices of the Chinese. The lowest quality, cheapest goods are
flooding into Vietnam, making it hard for local producers to compete. In
Thailand, farmers are up in arms about cheap fruit and garlic dumped into
their market.
But in numerous conversations I had in Vietnam and earlier in
Thailand, the message was that even though they are uncomfortable with
China's rise, they have no alternative but to accommodate to it.
``We cannot export ourselves, so we have to live with China,'' Ton
Nu Thi Ninh, the head of the Vietnamese National Assembly's foreign
relations committee, told me in Hanoi.
``China is already a regional superpower, and it is in the process
of becoming a world power,'' she explained. In the face of that reality,
Vietnam must ``be realistic and be prepared.''
Opinion in Thailand, a country that has kept its independence by
being sensitive to the way the wind is blowing, is similar. ``Countries in
this region are wary of China in the long run,'' Dr. Kusuma Snitwongse, a
leading Thai security expert, said. ``But we don't want to be put in the
situation where we have to chose between the U.S. and China.''
Talk that was fashionable a few years ago in Washington about
creating an alliance to counter China's rise seems hopelessly dated now.
``We've never bought the idea `Let's line up with the Americans in
order to contain the Chinese,' '' says Ninh. For Vietnam the lesson of the
collapse of the Soviet Union is ``don't put all your eggs in one basket,''
Ninh, a former senior foreign ministry official, explains. ``It's a
balancing act.''
True enough. Only these days the balance is clearly shifted over in
the direction of the country that seems to be on the rise -- and it isn't
us.
DANIEL SNEIDER is foreign affairs columnist for the Mercury News.
His column appears on Sunday and Thursday. You can contact him at
dsneider@mercurynews.com.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/columnists/daniel_sneider/9239192.htm)
******************
Election 2004: The Latino
and Asian Vote
(Data at a Glance)
Author(s): Jeffrey S. Passel
Published: July 27, 2004
The nonpartisan Urban Institute publishes studies, reports, and
books on timely topics worthy of public consideration. The views expressed
are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban
Institute, its trustees, or its funders.
------------------------------------
As election 2004 approaches, impact at the voting booth of the
nation's two largest immigrant-dominated populations-Latinos and Asians-is
increasing. But, Urban Institute analysis underscores that voting levels
among Latinos and Asians lag well behind the groups' population growth,
largely because many new immigrants are not yet citizens and their children
are still too young to vote. As a result, the full political force of
ongoing demographic change will be felt over decades, not years.
DEMOGRAPHICS
a. Latino and Asian vote is rising. While the number of votes
cast by whites in the presidential election rose by only 4.3 percent between
1996 and 2000,1 the number of Asian votes rose by 22 percent. Hispanic votes
increased by 19 percent.
The Asian and Latino populations are heavily dominated by
immigrants: 64 percent of Asians are foreign-born as are 40 percent of
Latinos. In contrast, only 3 percent of whites are immigrants.
b. Latino and Asian vote is not proportional to population.
Latinos represented 12.6 percent of the total U.S. population in 2000, but
only 5.3 percent of the votes cast. Asians were 4.2 percent of the
population versus 1.9 percent of votes. In contrast, whites accounted for 70
percent of the population, but over 81 percent of all votes.
In 2004, the Latino share of votes could increase to 6.1 percent
solely because of population growth (i.e., with no changes in registration
or turnout). For Asians, population growth could increase their share to 2.4
percent.
c. Demographic factors dilute Latino and Asian vote. About 62
percent of Latinos could not register to vote in 2000 because they were
either too young or not U.S. citizens; 59 percent of Asians could not
register. In contrast, only 35 percent of blacks and 25 percent of whites
could not register to vote for demographic reasons.
POLITICAL
FACTORS
a. Naturalization remains a key factor. Legal Latino immigrants
are much less likely to become U.S. citizens than other immigrants; only 38
percent had done so by 2000 versus almost 60 percent of other immigrants. If
Latinos had naturalized at the same rate as other immigrants, approximately
700,000 additional Latino votes would have been cast in 2000. Another one
million Latino votes could be added in 2004, if the naturalization rate were
on par with other immigrants.
b. Voter registration lags at every age. Latino and Asian
citizens are considerably less likely to register to vote than whites and
blacks, at every age. If Latinos had registered at the same rate as white
citizens, the result would have been approximately one million more Latino
votes cast in 2000. Asians would have 500,000 additional voters if they had
registered at the same rate as white citizens.
c. Lower turnout also translates into loss of potential votes.
Latino citizens who register are less likely to vote than whites. If Latinos
had turned out to vote at the same rate as white citizens, the result would
have been almost 700,000 more Latino votes cast in 2000. Asian turnout
levels are higher, but turnout as high as whites would still have added
about 200,000 new Asian voters.
d. Targeting implications. For Hispanics, large and roughly equal
payoffs can be expected from expanding naturalization, increasing voter
registration, and increasing turnout. For Asians, the main strategic
opportunity to increase their presence in the electorate is increasing
relatively low registration levels.
FUTURE TRENDS
a. Geographic distribution of Latino and Asian voters will play a
role in 2004. Latinos account for about 7.8 percent of potential voters
nationwide, but more than 5 percent of potential voters in only 15 states.2
The most heavily Hispanic state, New Mexico (40 percent) was extraordinarily
close in 2000. In Texas (25 percent) and California (19 percent), Latinos
are unlikely to make a difference since Bush and Kerry, respectively, are
prohibitive favorites. However, in potential swing states, such as Ohio or
Wisconsin, even the 1-2 percent of potential voters who are Latino could
play a critical role.
Asians are an even smaller share of potential voters-3.1 percent.
Asians are two-thirds of the electorate in Hawaii, but are more than 5
percent only in California (11 percent), Nevada (6 percent), and Washington
(5 percent).
b. Latino and Asian voters will play a much larger role in future
elections. Both Latino and Asian populations are projected to grow rapidly
in the future, reaching about 25 percent and 10 percent of the population,
respectively, in 2050. The aging of these groups and the increasing share of
natives among them will strengthen the presence of Latinos and Asians in the
pool of potential voters.
Currently, only 40 percent of each group is eligible to vote. By
about 2025, about 50 percent of each will be eligible to vote. This date
could be speeded up through increased rates of naturalization.
Methodological note:
The data on registration and voting come from the November 2000 Current
Population Survey (CPS). These data identify naturalized citizens but do
make the distinctions among non-citizens as legal permanent, legal
temporary, and unauthorized residents necessary to compute naturalization
rates and other figures used in this brief. Naturalization rates and the
like are obtained using techniques developed by the Urban Institute to
assign legal status to foreign-born individuals in the March Supplements to
the CPS. Data from the March 2000 and November 2000 CPS are then combined to
compute turnout, participation, and naturalization rates.
NOTES
1. Throughout, all racial designations refer only to non-Hispanics.
2. Based on 2003 data.
(http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/900723.pdf)
******************
July 28, 2004
PROGRAM TEACHES YOUNG ASIAN-AMERICANS ABOUT CULTURE, STRUGGLES
INSTITUTE AIMS TO EXPAND STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVES BY BLENDING
EDUCATION WITH EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC SERVICE
By Katherine Corcoran
Mercury News
Bryant Chen didn't know that in the late 1800s, Chinese immigrants
were crucial to building California's roads and railroads, or that San Jose
had four Chinatowns, two of which were burned in anti-Asian violence.
``They never mention that in the textbooks,'' said the Lynbrook
High School senior, whose parents emigrated from Taiwan.
Verity Pang didn't know that two white auto workers, upset by
Japanese competition in the 1980s, fatally beat Chinese-American Vincent
Chin -- and were sentenced to probation.
Bryant, Pang and 37 other students from Silicon Valley have spent
the past four weeks in the Asian Pacific Leadership Institute, a summer
program designed to expose young Asian-Americans to their history, their
culture and the importance of public service.
Many of the students, who graduate from the institute Thursday,
confessed to leading ``sheltered'' suburban lives without knowing the
struggles of their forebears. Now they speak ebulliently about how their
perspectives have changed.
``Before, when Asia Pacific Americans were involved in activism or
protests, I didn't know what they were up to, I didn't know what was at
stake. I thought it was kind of silly,'' said Pang, a San Jose State
engineering student. Now, ``I know and understand how activism gives you a
voice, and what can happen if you don't have a voice.''
The institute, known as APALI, is offered through De Anza College
in Cupertino and open to high school juniors and seniors, as well as college
students, from anywhere in California.
Michael Chang, former Cupertino mayor and De Anza's chair of Asian
and Asian American Studies, founded the institute in 1997 to train future
leaders, starting with the youth program in 1999. He plans to expand in the
next two years to include programs for young professionals and elected
officials.
While Asians make up about 28 percent of Santa Clara County
residents, second only to whites, they make up a much smaller percentage of
business, non-profit and government leaders.
Chang said many Asians in the area are well-educated and willing to
serve their community.
``They love America and want to be part of America and the
future,'' he said. ``Our mission is to give them the training and start the
dialogue with mainstream society.''
In four weeks of field trips, class work and service projects,
APALI students looked at local attitudes toward Asian-Americans, as well as
gender issues and their own encounters with stereotypes.
``People say, `You're so white' because I play football, and I
don't get the best grades,'' Bryant said.
They heard from a long list of professionals, including Assemblyman
Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto; union organizer Irene Hsu; and Santa Clara County
Superior Court Judge Erica Yew.
Tuesday, they conducted a voter-registration drive, experiencing
that special repulsion afforded people who carry clipboards in shopping
malls and outside grocery stores.
``I'm getting no love here,'' complained De Anza College student
Carolyn Yeh, after failing to get even one person to stop and hear her
pitch.
Although the institute's mission is to promote community
involvement, students say they value most what they have learned about
themselves.
Christine Tsay, a senior at Mission San Jose High School in
Fremont, said she became more tolerant of others.
``Learning that our Asian culture had gone through so much
suffering made me feel that I wouldn't want any other culture to go through
torment either,'' she wrote in a journal exercise.
Deborah Wu, a Lynbrook senior, became more accepting of her
heritage. ``Sometimes I despised being Asian,'' she wrote. `` . . . I now
know where I fit into my culture and to this society. I know that I am an
Asian-American, and I am proud of it.''
Chang is not surprised.
``Very few students in the class have been given the space, time
and permission to explore who they are, their identity, the existential
questions,'' he said.
Past graduates of the institute also say the lessons stick. Vincent
Tayaotao, who enrolled in De Anza to become an auto mechanic, took the class
in 2002 as a general education requirement, then changed his major to
philosophy. He returned this session as an APALI intern and will transfer to
San Diego State University in the fall.
``It changed my perspective,'' he said, ``on what was possible.''
Contact Katherine Corcoran at
kcorcoran@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5330.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/9260834.htm)
******************
[Note: Khoa Nguyen is the co-captain of the U.S. Olympic Table
Tennis team. His website is
http://www.khoa.us.]
July 28, 2004
TRAINING TABLES
TAKE A LESSON FROM LOCAL ATHLETES WHEN IT'S TIME FOR GO-POWER
By Sheila Himmel
Mercury News
Olympians eat, just like you and me. And those who train in the South Bay
have favorite foods ranging from Vietnamese beef noodle soup to chocolate
bars. But given the demands they place on performance, we know they have to
pay close attention to what they eat.
Back when they still had time to talk, we asked a handful of world-class
athletes about their diets and how they prepare for competition, whether the
Olympic trials or the Games themselves, which begin Aug. 13. Three are going
on to the Games in Athens; three didn't make it into the top three spots
needed to qualify. . The runners didn't make it. We picked sports -- table
tennis, running and swimming -- that ordinary people do.
Given the deluge of information about health, weight and nutrition, we
wondered how the best athletic performers sort it all out. Our basic
question was: How do you fuel up so that we mortals who watch the games on
television can sit and wonder, ``How do they do that?''
Each Olympic hopeful has her or his own way. It turns out there is no magic
diet, except for this: Nobody counts calories. They eat a balanced diet that
includes protein, fruits and vegetables, and yes, carbs. They follow many of
the rules your mother probably told you when you were growing up. But they
just do it.
Khoa Nguyen
Nguyen is a software engineer at Neoforma in San Jose and lives near his
favorite beef noodle soup restaurant, Pho Kim Long on Capitol Avenue.
Next month, he will be competing in his second Olympics. Nguyen was born in
Nha Trang, Vietnam. His family fled Vietnam in 1976. Now he hopes to win the
United States' first medal in table tennis.
Nguyen skips breakfast and goes directly to the gym for weight training or
aerobics early in the morning. Afterward, he'll have fruit. He likes bananas
and watermelon and finds them easy to digest. Lunch is usually a noodle or
rice dish. He avoids fast foods such as pizza or burgers and anything fried.
And, like most athletes, he does watch when he eats. ``I have to eat
at least an hour before training,'' he says. Afternoon practice involves
sprints, lower-body squats, and working on his serve and return. He does
footwork drills with his coach, who machine-hits balls at him. For dinner, a
Vietnamese caterer brings soup, salad and a main dish to his house every
day.
During competitions held around the world, he can't control his meals as
well. ``The day before, I eat light. The day of, I may just have Power Bars
all day.'' He drinks water and, sometimes, Gatorade. The big meal of the day
comes after competition.
When we talked, Nguyen had just returned from competing in China. ``The food
was great in China, though I did lose weight,'' he said. ``I could eat as
much as I wanted.''
He also loves sushi. ``I just have to stay away from ice cream,'' Nguyen
says.
Sonja and Bianca van der Velden
Twin synchronized swimmers Bianca and Sonja van der Velden train with the
Santa Clara Aquamaids, based at the Santa Clara International Swim Center,
from September through April. They won team and duet gold medals at the U.S.
National Synchronized Swimming Championships this year with the Aquamaids,
and Bianca took third place in solo swimming. During the past three summers
they have trained at the Independence High School Fiscalini Aquatic Center.
The van der Veldens are closely supervised in the water and at the table by
their coach, Nathalie Bartleson, an Olympian at the '96 games in Atlanta.
Bartleson, a fitness instructor and personal trainer in San Jose, is
accompanying the twins to Athens. They are competing for the Netherlands.
``I've tried all the stupid diets myself,'' Bartleson says. ``And I'm not
into deprivation.''
When she became their coach, the basic changes she made in their diet was to
have them eat a little throughout the day, often a hard-boiled egg or a
chicken breast.
She explained in an e-mail later: ``As is common in aesthetic sports, when
athletes are trying to lose weight or keep their weight down they try to not
eat too much or wait until they are hungry. Sonja and Bianca tended to eat
this way or sporadically.''
Now, on competition days, they'll have Power Gels 30 to 40 minutes before
their event. (Made by Power Bar, these are flavored packets of jelled
carbohydrates. ``Think of it as a 110-calorie tailwind,'' says a Web ad for
the product.)
``The problem is, hunger isn't a good indicator (for an athlete),''
Bartleson says. Besides, if the twins wait till they're hungry, they crave
chocolate. Which Bartleson says is OK within reason, but never after 6 p.m.
She tries to keep the rules reasonable.
``If I tell them they can't have this and that, it's just too much. They
aren't robots.''
The twins also have become fans of Diet Coke. ``They probably do have a
little caffeine addiction,'' Bartleson says. ``But now's not the time to put
them in rehab.''
Michael Stember
Stanford graduate and 2000 Olympian Michael Stember would like to open a
restaurant when he's done running. That's how much he loves to talk about
food.
``The same things apply whether you're trying to lose 10 pounds or get in
general shape,'' said Stember in late spring, just after taping a cooking
show for NBC.
A few of his favorite things: Eat often instead of having huge meals. Get
some color on your plate -- and not just red peppers. Go for variety.
``There are toxins in every food, so mix it around.'' Spinach one day, chard
the next.
Stember, who just missed going to Athens, cooks for six other
track-and-field athletes. When they come home from practice, tired, just
like you and me coming home from work, Stember says, ``Your first impulse is
just to go out.''
To avoid this, his kitchen is ready to go at all times. Stember, who runs 75
miles a week, has a system. He shops on Sundays, making a sweep of Mountain
View from the Milk Pail to Trader Joe's to Costco. He cuts everything that
can be cut (broccoli, cabbage), then cooks lentils, brown rice and sweet
yellow potatoes (not yams). Flank steak or salmon marinate. Dessert is
always fruit. On Thursday, he shops again.
``Hummus is one of the easiest snacks to make. You need a can of garbanzo
beans, olive oil, lime squeeze, salt,'' he says. ``No one likes garbanzo
beans but everyone loves hummus.''
What about the problem of wilting produce? ``When you shop at cheap places,
you don't worry. So you pay $1 for a bunch of fresh cilantro, and throw it
out.''
Stember learned to make the cupboard stretch from his mother, who fed six
children. And he remembers how everyone responded when he made quesadillas
for a sixth-grade class project.
``When I don't cook for a week, I get agitated,'' Stember says. ``When I'm
in a restaurant, I usually pull the waiter aside and say, `Bear with me, I'm
going to ask for changes.' '' (Olive oil instead of butter, steamed
vegetables only, olive oil and vinegar on the side instead of salad
dressing.)
``Potato chips are about as evil as I get.''
If all this sounds impossibly virtuous, keep in mind that Stember's flank
steak isn't the size of a deck of cards, and dessert is more than one plum.
He figures he eats about twice as much as any non-athlete.
Stember says it's still uncommon for athletes to take on the responsibility
of preparing their own meals. Recently, he was host to a visiting Olympic
medalist who said he wanted to ``eat healthy -- like Arby's.'' ``This guy is
at the top of his game, but how much better could he be (if he ate
healthfully)?''
As for supplements? ``I'm on fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and flax.
Vitamins C, E, zinc and iron, and that's it. To me the whole
performance-enhancing drug is so contrary to what I'm trying to accomplish,
which is to see how far I can go. It creates the accomplishment, not you.''
Andrew Neugebauer
Tall and lean, Nike Farm Team member Neugebauer cooks for himself. Breakfast
is whole-grain oatmeal with cooked egg whites, a grapefruit or an orange and
black tea.
Two hours later, around 10 a.m., he'll have a ``whole foods'' shake. (A
liquid meal replacement often made of soy, almonds and organic oats.)
Lunch often is a skinless chicken breast on whole-wheat bread, accompanied
by steamed vegetables and a mixed green salad.
At 3 p.m., an hour before practice, he has half a bagel with peanut butter.
After practice, another shake, often made of Opti-Pro protein powder.
Dinner often is pasta, lean meat and a vegetable. For dessert, fruit and
yogurt.
``Throughout the day I have to drink half my body weight in ounces of
water,'' he says. (That's 80 ounces) ``But I don't count calories. I just
stay where I never get hungry. Once I start to get hungry, my muscles
tighten up.''
Neugebauer, who didn't finish among the top three at the track-and-field
trials this month, works with Lance Armstrong's coach, Chris Carmichael.
When not in training, he keeps to the same plan. ``If I don't, I get
irritable and can't sleep.''
Chantee Earl
``I can't keep weight on,'' says Chantee Earl before practice at Stanford
with Frank Gagliano. Her sharp cheekbones confirm it.
She has given up coffee. Now she has cereal or waffles with fruit and juice
for breakfast. Lunch is a turkey or tuna sandwich with fruit and water.
Earl is not a snacker: ``I'm pretty good at waiting for dinner.'' But she
drinks a lot of water, four or five 12-ounce bottles a day, and after
practice she gets extra carbohydrates from Accelerate and R4 drinks.
For dinner, she often slaps beef or chicken on her George Foreman grill and
eats that with rice and a vegetable.
On a competition day, Earl eats no less than five hours before. ``This gives
me long enough to digest. If I eat too late, it's all over the track.''
Otherwise, she is not a doctrinaire person. ``I pretty much do anything I
want. Every now and then I'll eat at McDonald's.''
And she loves to bake. ``I'm good at baking cakes. But I'll eat one piece
and tell my husband, `You have to take this to work.' ''
Among 27 starters, Earl finished in sixth place at the Olympic
track-and-field trials.
Contact Sheila Himmel at
shimmel@mercurynews.com
or (408) 920-5926. Fax (408) 271-3786.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/columnists/sheila_himmel/9260892.htm)
******************
July 29, 2004
CLOSER LOOK AT CARE FOR ASIANS
Survey will take the pulse of a large local population who are
otherwise often overlooked
By Justin Gest
Houston
Chronicle
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
For more information on the study, or to view results which will be
made available between October and December, visit
www.mdanderson.org/crmh or call 713-563-2726.
Addressing a significant void in knowledge about Asian-American
health issues, researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center are administering what they say is the first-ever telephone survey to
assess common ailments affecting Houston's Chinese and Vietnamese
populations.
"We are trying to establish a Asian-American treatment center,"
said Dr. Beverly Gor, a principal investigator in the study.
"But there's no data as to direct need. Basically, I think people
feel that there's not that many Asian-Americans, so they feel like they just
don't matter as much," Gor said. "But now our population is growing so
rapidly that it's hard to ignore the numbers."
The Houston metropolitan area contains the greatest number of
Asian-Americans in Texas, and Texas has the fourth-largest population of
Asian-Americans (562,319 according to the U.S. Census Bureau) in the nation.
"For so long, Asian-Americans have been clumped together (in
surveys) with 'White,' 'Other,' or they are not included at all," said
Rogene Calvert, the mayor's Director of Personnel and Volunteer Initiative
Program.
"We have not had the kind of cumulative data to show the needs for
particular services. And there are still some states that have not singled
Asian-Americans out."
Researchers plan to collect responses to a two-page questionnaire
from 400 Chinese and 400 Vietnamese people from randomly selected households
in Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Galveston counties.
"The survey will identify pressing health risks and provide the
data needed for funding culturally sensitive health programs in this
community," Gor said.
Officials from M.D. Anderson's Center for Research on Minority
Health say in addition to identifying illnesses that commonly plague the
specific population sector, they will poll respondents to determine their
awareness about certain diseases.
"Southeast Asians have a variety of needs that other Asian groups
don't have," said Calvert, who also is on the board of the Asian-American
Health Coalition in San Francisco. "When we are consolidated, the nuances
are lost. We have probably missed out on a good amount of funding because of
the inability to assess our needs."
The M.D. Anderson Center reports that some of the most significant
health issues affecting Asian-Americans are cervical cancer rates among
Vietnamese women that are five times the national average, Hepatitis B rates
higher than any other ethnic group and a recent increase in reported cases
of diabetes.
"Even from the cancer perspective, the Texas Cancer Registry does
not record data on Asian-Americans," said Gor, who is Chinese-American.
Researchers think that because of cultural and language barriers,
Asian-Americans often are unable to access or understand health education
resources and health care services.
For this reason, the survey, which began July 6, in being conducted
in Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
(http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2707244)
******************
About NCVA
Founded in 1986,
the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community
advocacy organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese Americans in a
plural but united America – e pluribus unum – by participating actively
and fully as civic minded citizens engaged in the areas of education, culture
and civil liberties.
Visit us at
www.ncvaonline.org.