In this NCVA Reporter:

Events

Funding Opportunities

Tips

Jobs/Internships

News

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Events

100^th Day Memorial Vigil for Cau Tran & Grand Jury Information

This event will be held on Monday October 20, 2003

5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

San Jose City Hall, East Lawn

801 North First Street, San Jose, CA  95110.

Please come and join us as we pay our respects to Ms. Tran.

Together, We must advocate for Justice!

Grand Jury Information

The Grand Jury proceedings begin on Tuesday October 21 at 9:00 am at 190 W. Hedding Street, San Jose, CA  95110.  Court Room 31.  Please try to arrive early (8:00 am)!

The dates of the Grand Jury are:  10-21, 10-22, 12-23, 10-24, 10-27, 10-28, 10-29, 10-30

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Immigrant Empowerment Council (IEC) Candidates Forum

Oct 23, 2003, Thursday, 7 to 10 PM

Mason District Governmental Center

6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA

Refreshments and light dinner will be served!

THIS PUBLIC SERVICE IS PROVIDED BY

AADAMIGA USA

Alliance Democracy of Vietnam

Batman Corporation

 Ethnic Coalition of Virginia (ECVA)

The House of Iran (HOI)

Immigrant Empowerment Council (IEC)

Korean American Coalition – DC (KAC-DC)

Korean American Sharing Movement (KASM)

League of Korean Americans, USA (LOKA-USA)

National Congress of Vietnamese Americans (NCVA)

Solutions Linx, Inc.

Vietnamese American Voters Association (VAVA)

WorldView Communications

For More Information Call:

Jackie Bong-Wright at (703) 536-3186 or Stefani at 703-481-4062

Vote on November 4, 2003

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Building on the Strengths of America’s Youth: 2^nd National Youth Summit

Sponsored by the Family and Youth Services Bureau

November 6-8, 2003

Washington, D.C.

The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) is pleased to host the Second National Youth Summit on November 6-8, 2003, in Washington, D.C. The theme of the Summit is "Building on the Strengths of America's Youth."

The Second National Youth Summit promises to be an exciting event that brings together young people who are active in their communities; national, State, and local policymakers and community leaders; youth service providers from faith- and community-based organizations; and nationally acclaimed experts in the field of Positive Youth Development. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on effective practices in youth development; hear from youth about contributions they have made to their communities; and build and strengthen relationships with young people and colleagues from around the country.

At each workshop session, participants will receive a Toolkit of "how-to" information on starting or enhancing existing programs, strengthening or building new collaborations, and engaging youth in Positive Youth Development programs. Each Toolkit will contain valuable resources and practical materials for participants to use in their own communities when they return home. In addition, during the Summit, youth will have the opportunity to take part in a special, interactive Town Hall meeting.

(http://conferences.jbs.biz/ncfy/index.php)

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Funding Opportunities

Support for Community Education (Intel)

Intel Corporate Contributions Program

(http://www.intel.com/community/grant.htm)

Intel Corporation is committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in the communities in the ten states where the company has a major presence. Intel's primary giving focus is education. The company is especially interested in supporting K-12 education, higher education, and community programs that deliver educational opportunities allowing students to prepare themselves to succeed in the 21st century. Programs that advance science, math and technology education, particularly for women and underserved populations, are of special interest. Intel also considers requests for funding for environmental programs and other programs that improve the quality of life in its site communities. Applications are accepted year-round via email. For more information, please visit the above website.

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Grants to Connect Religious Leaders and Religious Academics
Louisville Institute General Grants Program

(http://www.louisville-institute.org/)

The fundamental mission of the Louisville Institute is to enrich the religious life of American Christians and to encourage the revitalization of Christian institutions by bringing together those who lead religious institutions with those who study them. The Institute's interests include Protestantism, Catholicism, the historic African-American churches, and the Hispanic religious experience. The General Grant Program supports a limited number of individual and collaborative projects related to the priorities of the Louisville Institute, especially projects that bring pastors and academics together. Letters of inquiry are accepted year-round. For more information, please visit the above website.

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Support for K-12 Urban Public Education
Broad Foundation

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

The Broad Foundation's mission is to dramatically improve K-12 urban public education through better governance, management and labor relations. The Foundation reviews requests from nonprofit organizations that provide programs that address the Foundation's focus in eligible urban school districts throughout the United States. (A list of eligible districts is available on the Foundation's website.) In addition, the Foundation offers a number of special initiatives to further its mission. Interested applicants may submit a concept paper to the Foundation year round. For more details, please visit the above website.

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Grants for Kids' Gardening Projects
National Gardening Association: Grants Program

(http://www.kidsgardening.com/grants.asp)

The National Gardening Association provides various grants to support gardening projects for kids. Nonprofit organizations and schools across the nation with gardening programs for youth between the ages of 3 and 18 are eligible to apply. Support is provided for child-centered outdoor gardens, programs that use the garden to teach about nutrition and hunger, and programs that emphasize youth learning and working in a greenhouse environment. Application deadlines vary by program. Visit the above website for more information.

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Grants for Research to Improve Depression Treatment
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Depression in Primary Care: Linking Clinical and System Strategies

(http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/dppc/value_callfor.htm)

The Depression in Primary Care: Linking Clinical and System Strategies, a five-year national program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, aims to increase the use of effective treatment models for depression in primary care settings. The Value Research Grants component of this program promotes investigations to improve the quality of depression treatment in primary care. Small grants of up to $100,000 and larger grants of $100,000 to $300,000 are available. Researchers or practitioners from managed care organizations, office practices or delivery systems, employers, academic institutions, or research organizations are eligible to apply. The deadline for letters of intent for larger grants is November 3, 2003; the deadline for smaller grants is November 17. This is the final request for proposals for this program. Visit the above website for more information and application procedures.

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Calling All Heroes, Volvo for Life Awards

Do you know a hero? If you do, consider nominating your hero for the Volvo   for Life Awards, the nation’s largest annual search for and celebration of everyday heroes, with more than $1 million in financial contributions. Now in its second year, the Volvo for Life Awards honors individuals making outstanding contributions in the area of safety, environment or quality of life. For example, people who have accomplished things such as opening a community center for needy kids, developing recycling programs for their schools, or helping save the life of a perfect stranger. Think you know someone who fits this description? If so, beginning Sept. 16, 2003, go to www.volvoforlifeawards.com to nominate a hero. Volvo just might feature your nomination on the site and in the media. You have until Jan. 16, 2004, to submit a nomination.   To learn more and to nominate a hero, visit www.volvoforlifeawards.com .

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Prudential Spirit of Community Awards to Honor Youth Volunteers

The ninth annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (http://www.principals.org/), honor outstanding community service by young people in grades 5 through 12. Deadline:   October 31, 2003 Contact: Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Tel: (888) 450-9961 or http://www.prudential.com/spirit or http://www.principals.org/awards/prudential.cfm

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Good Neighbor Service-Learning Awards Available

Youth Service America and State Farm are proud to present one hundred grants of $1,000 to provide resources for teachers/professors, youth (ages 5-25), and school-based service-learning coordinators to implement service-learning projects for National Youth Service Day 2004, April 16-18. To apply, take advantage of the new online application by visiting http://www.ysa.org/awards/profile/login_parent.cfm .   Completed applications must be postmarked or submitted online by December 8, 2003 . To learn more about this grant, visit  http://www.ysa.org/nysd/ .

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Grants to help children and youth

Jenesis Group Grant -This Foundation awards grants on a national level to nonprofit organizations with annual budgets below $500,000. Support is primarily offered to results-oriented organizations which help children and youth by: building self-esteem and fostering self-reliance; emphasizing literacy and academic excellence; offering leadership training and development; utilizing mentoring strategies; teaching career readiness and/or "life" skills; preventing juvenile delinquency; and/or developing entrepreneurial skills.   For grant information, visit http://www.schoolfundingservices.org/newsViewer.asp?docId=2546

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Tips

How to Apply for a HHS Grant

(http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/roadmap/index.html )

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has approximately 300 grant programs, most of which are administered in a decentralized manner by several agencies. Each agency is responsible for publishing and distributing announcements to the public about the availability of funding for its grant programs. These program announcements, except for those prepared by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and some discretionary grant programs administered by the Health Resources amd Services Administration (HRSA), are published in the Federal Register. Due to the specialized nature of NIH's applicant community and its large volume of announcements, the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts is the vehicle used to announce its funding opportunities. HRSA relies on its Preview guide to profile many of its discretionary grant programs rather than publishing individual program announcements in the Federal Register. The Preview guide is, however, published in the Federal Register, as well as being available in hardcopy and electronic formats and provides contacts for more detailed information about individual grant programs and application kits.

The Federal Register and NIH Guide are published respectively, on a daily and weekly basis in electronic formats. The HRSA Preview is published periodically during the year. Electronic access to the NIH Guide, and the HRSA Preview guide are available on-line through the GrantsNet (see: "Search for Funding Opportunities" at http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/searchfunding.htm).

Prospective applicants should consult these publications for finding information on grant program availability and the deadlines for submitting applications to the sponsoring Federal agency. Each grant program announcement lists a specific contact within the grant-making agency. This person or office can answer any questions about the program, as well as provide application forms.

The Department of Agriculture maintains an Internet site linked to announcements for funding opportunities published in the Federal Register, relating to programs that focus on rural areas. This site, "Notice of Funding Availability" can be accessed via GrantsNet, under the section "Search for Funding" or directly at the following Internet address:

http://ocd.usda.gov/nofa.htm

One may also wish to search the electronic version of the Federal Register to locate specific program announcements for those funding areas of interest. The Internet address for accessing the electronic version of the Federal Register is as follows:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html

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Nuts and Bolts of Grant Writing

(Taken from PEN) Funders are looking for proposals that reflect tough thinking and concrete plans. Here are step-by-step strategies and suggestions from seasoned grantmaker Hayes Mizell to help make that happen.

http://www.nsdc.org/library/jsd/mizell243.pdf

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A Toolkit for Funding

Want to build a playground for your local school or maybe start an after-school program? Good ideas need funding to become reality. Connect for Kids has a toolkit to help you get started.

http://www.connectforkids.org/resources3139/resources_show.htm?doc_id=45947

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Jobs/Internships

Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice

Families USA is proud to announce the creation of the Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice to honor the late Senator Paul D. Wellstone of Minnesota. Throughout his Senate career, Paul Wellstone built a reputation as an advocate for social justice and as an outspoken champion for those who lacked a voice in the national arena. The Wellstone Fellowship provides a unique opportunity to honor Senator Wellstone's memory by promoting equity in health care.

The Wellstone Fellowship is a year-long, full-time, salaried position that will begin in September 2004. The fellow will be engaged in health care advocacy work in Families USA's office in Washington, D.C., where he or she will learn about Medicare, Medicaid, efforts to achieve universal coverage, and other important health policy issues. Specifically, the fellow will be engaged in Families USA's outreach to and mobilization of communities of color. Through this work, the fellow will also learn about conducting health care campaigns, and part of his or her time will be spent working with state-based health care advocacy organizations.

For instructions on how to apply and a copy of the application form, click here. The deadline for applications is February 6, 2004.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in social justice work and working with communities or color. Additionally, we are looking for an individual who displays the potential to continue to contribute to social justice work after their year of hands-on experience as a fellow. There is no bias in favor of any academic discipline, though we prefer that the fellow have a college degree as of September 2004.

Please forward this announcement to others who would be interested in this opportunity.

To join the Health Action Network, click here.

(http://www.familiesusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Wellstone_Fellowship_index)

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Miscellaneous Congressional Jobs

Opportunities on the Hill

A. Press Secretary: liberal California Democrat. Must have press experience either within the media (especially print) or on Capitol Hill. Bilingual skills preferred, but not essential. Typical duties will include writing speeches, op-eds, daily press releases, weekend news advisories, grant announcements, blurbs for local community newsletters. The best candidates will possess savvy political instincts, good writing style, ability to work under pressure. They will know how to create press/news as well as manage it when it happens. This Member wants coverage at home, thank you, and is not particularly interested in appearing on the Sunday morning news shows every week! Persons familiar with West Coast news outlets are encouraged to apply. Salary negotiable. Please fax cover letter with salary requirements, resume, and writing sample to Chief of Staff at 202-225-6791. No calls and no visits, please!

B. Sen. Santorum seeks a Press Secretary to be assigned to his personal staff and work primarily on state press. Must have at least 3 years of press experience, as well as excellent writing and editing skills. Current or prior residency in the state of Pennsylvania is a prerequisite. Familiarity with PA press corps and media markets is a real plus. Please fax resumes to (202) 228-4808--no calls, please.

C. Sen. Hutchison is looking for a Press Secretary to work primarily on Texas press. Must have at least 3 years of press experience, great attention to detail, and excellent writing skills. Prior Capitol Hill experience and Texas residency strongly preferred. Please send resumes to the attention of Kevin Schweers - at (202) 228-3960 (fax) or kevin_schweers@hutchison.senate.gov.

D. Press Secretary - Office of Congressman Dave Camp (R-Michigan). Looking for a press secretary with Washington and Michigan media experience. Michigan ties greatly preferred. Responsibilities also include speech writing, newsletters and some web page management. Please send resumes and a writing samples to Jim.Brandell@mail.house.gov. No phone calls please.

E. Congressman Scott Garrett (NJ-5) - Press Secretary - New Jersey Republican seeks a press secretary to handle his day-to-day media operation. Qualified candidates must have political and government communications experience. They must also be well organized and have excellent writing skills. Responsibilities include drafting press releases, op-eds, speeches and newsletters, developing an aggressive earned media strategy and advancing radio and television appearances. Please fax cover letter and resume to Chief of Staff at (202)225-9048 or email to Evan.Kozlow@mail.house.gov.

F. Press Secretary. Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX) seeks an aggressive press secretary with government/political communications experience. Fax resumes to 202-225-5683. No phone calls please.

G. Biggert - Press Secretary/Communications Director - Seek experienced individual to direct all press and communications efforts in DC and the district office. If you are a news junkie and an excellent writer with at least two years' Hill experience, fax your resume and writing samples to Jeff at 202-226-7276.

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September 25, 2003

Bilingual Education Lags for Vietnamese

By Lena Warmack

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

ARLINGTON - Understanding the chronology of events of World War I can be daunting for most high school students, but for those with limited English skills, it can be nearly impossible.

"Sometimes I cannot understand what he's saying, and sometimes I don't know how to ask questions," said Thuy Cao about his teacher. The 16-year-old junior at Arlington High School said he takes meticulous notes but still can't keep up.

"My English is not good enough," he said.

While there is an abundance of bilingual classes for Spanish-speaking students in public schools, many school districts across the country cannot find teachers who can communicate with Asian immigrants who speak languages such as Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai or Hindi.

Asian-Americans are the second-fastest growing population in the United States, according to the 2000 Census. And some educators say these immigrant students could be left behind.

Delia Pompa, executive director of the National Association for Bilingual Education, said that while Spanish-speaking students clearly outnumber those who speak an Asian language, there is a clear need for bilingual classes for Asian students.

"It's important that the school districts look at their own figures and also not lump the Asian-American communities into one homogeneous group," Pompa said. "School districts need to teach each language and culture as an entity in itself."

Texas requires school districts to offer bilingual instruction when 20 or more students in an elementary grade level speak the same language and have limited English-speaking skills. But districts find this a challenge when the language isn't Spanish.

In Tarrant County, the three school districts with significant numbers of Asian immigrant students routinely seek exemptions from the requirement.

For the past five years, the Arlington district has sought exemptions from offering Vietnamese and Arabic bilingual classes. The Fort Worth district has filed for an exemption for Vietnamese classes for the past four years and plans to do the same this year, said Margaret Balandran, the district's bilingual education director. The Birdville district is seeking its second consecutive exemption for Vietnamese classes.

With the 15th-largest Vietnamese community in the country, Arlington is home to nearly half of Tarrant County's Asian residents. Vietnamese are the largest Asian group in Tarrant County, with a population of 19,396. Arlington has 9,606 Vietnamese residents, according to the 2000 Census.

In 2002, the Arlington district had 62,500 students, with 800 Vietnamese-speaking students out of 4,200 Asian-American students.

Although translators are available to students enrolled in the Newcomer Center, a transitional school that students attend for up to two years before transferring to neighborhood schools, district officials haven't been able to hire instructors to teach bilingual classes in other schools.

"We have not recruited very successfully," said Gilda Evans, the district's bilingual education director.

Evans said the district has had difficulty finding instructors who are fluent in both English and Vietnamese as well as those who speak Arabic.

Eve Motamed, the district's bilingual/English as a second language recruiter, said that in the past two years the district has relied on word of mouth to find bilingual teachers.

The Texas Education Agency requires districts to submit an action plan showing what school officials will do to avoid filing another exemption. However, there is no law limiting the number of times that a district can seek a bilingual exemption.

Evans said part of the problem is that not enough Vietnamese-speaking candidates apply.

"Many of them have their oral language very well developed in both languages, but they might not have the reading and writing skills," she said. "They may be fluent in speech, but they may not have the written skills."

Evans said the Arlington district offers a bonus for bilingual teachers in their first year of teaching.

But some say the monetary incentive is not there.

"Everybody reaches for where they'll find the money," said 27-year-old Xuan Nguyen, a second-grade teacher at Atherton Elementary School and one of the district's three Vietnamese-American educators. However, they do not teach bilingual courses. 

Nguyen said an expectation to excel in a high-paying job -- not community service -- is the driving force for the children of Vietnamese refugees.

"I'm kind of the odd one," said 35-year-old Duyen Hoang, a second-grade teacher at Webb Elementary School in Arlington. Her sisters pursued professions in business and science.

Asian parents "want their kids to be a lawyer, doctor, or engineer; they don't really talk about their kids being a teacher or a good school administrator," said Keo Bradley, principal at Bebensee Elementary School and the only Asian-American administrator in the Arlington district.

Bradley said many Asian-Americans want to run their own businesses rather than work for others. 

Some educators say services should be extended outside of the classroom to help the students learn English.

"Where I really see a need is working with these students outside of the classroom with tutorial studies," said Jana White, principal of the Newcomer Center.

Part of the process means working with the students' parents, most of whom do not speak English.

"It's a necessity for the schools to have them [Vietnamese-speaking teachers and translators] for the children like my son and to help interpret for the parents," Van Do said through a translator. Do's son Chau attends the Newcomer Center.

The Arlington district's Web site offers the Student Code of Conduct and school calendar in Vietnamese.

Although Tarrant County districts haven't had much success recruiting teachers, the Houston school district has hired some bilingual Vietnamese teachers.

Houston schools have 212,000 students who speak 72 different languages. More than 6,000 students ( 2.9 percent of the student population) are Asian, and 429 teachers (3.2 percent of the instructors) are Asian-American, said Adriana Villarreal, a district spokeswoman.

There are 54,075 students in the district's bilingual classes, she said. And some of the classes are instructed in Vietnamese.

Villarreal said principals, teachers, librarians and staff hold regular meetings to discuss the needs of the increasing Vietnamese population and network in the community to bring Vietnamese-speaking teachers to their classrooms.

Parent orientations are held exclusively for Vietnamese families and in the Vietnamese language. When necessary, the school contracts out for translators. The district has three Vietnamese-speaking translators.

Villarreal said the district actively recruits teachers from the University of Houston and the University of Texas at Austin, but it relies primarily on an alternative certification program, which allows people from professional fields to come and teach in the schools while earning credits and taking exams with the intention of becoming an educator in the district.

In California, the Westminster school district has 3,300 Asian-American students, mostly Vietnamese, out of 10,000 students, spokeswoman Trish Montgomery said.

However, the state has English-only classes because of Proposition 227. The 1998 voter initiative mandates English instruction statewide and puts sharp limits on bilingual education.

"Our Vietnamese population is our highest-scoring population," Montgomery said of the English and language-arts scores on the Standardized Testing and Reporting program.

But in Arlington, schools are still grappling with the communication barrier.

"Our children need more Asian role models in their schools," said Bradley, the principal at Bebensee Elementary.

Lena Warmack, (817) 548-5514 lwarmack@star-telegram.com

(http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/6857170.htm)

[Note: According to the 2000 census, Asian-Americans are the second-fastest growing population in the United States. However, Lena Warmack reports in the Star-Telegram that, while bilingual education for Spanish-speakers is abundant, for Asian students the same is not true. This is happening because school districts face the following problems:

(1) they cannot find teachers who can speak languages such as Hindi, Cambodian, Thai or Vietnamese; (2) they do not have enough bilingual candidates applying for teaching positions; and (3) those candidates that do apply have bilingual oral skills, but lack reading and writing skills.

In Texas, the results are that, even though school districts are required to offer bilingual instruction when elementary grade-level classes have 20 or more students that are English-language learners and speak the same language, many of the school districts are forced to seek exemption from this requirement on a near yearly basis.]

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News

Language Use and English-Speaking Ability: 2000

(http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-29.pdf)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2003

Mike Bergman CB03-157

Public Information Office (301) 763-3030/457-3670 (fax) (301) 457-1037 (TDD)

e-mail: pio@census.gov

Nearly 1-in-5 Speak a Foreign Language at Home; Most Also Speak English 'Very Well,' Census Bureau Reports

Nearly 1-in-5 people, or 47 million U.S. residents age 5 and older, spoke a language other than English at home in 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau said today. That was an increase of 15 million people since 1990. The report, Language Use and English-Speaking Ability: 2000, [PDF] said 55 percent of the people who spoke a language other than English at home also reported they spoke English "very well." Combined with those who spoke only English at home, 92 percent of the population age 5 and over had no difficulty speaking English. Among those who spoke a language other than English at home were almost 11 million additional Spanish speakers. According to the report, Spanish speakers increased from 17.3 million in 1990 to 28.1 million in 2000, a 62 percent rise. Just over half the Spanish speakers reported speaking English "very well."

The report found that more than 9-in-10 people age 5 and older spoke a language other than English at home in Hialeah, Fla., and Laredo, Texas, the highest such proportion among U.S. places of 100,000 population or more. The 10 places with the highest proportions included four in Texas and three in California. (See Table 1.) The West was home to more than one-third (37 percent) of all those who spoke a language other than English at home, the highest proportion of any region. California led the states (39 percent), followed by New Mexico (37 percent) and Texas (31 percent). (See Table 2.) The number of people who spoke a non-English language at home at least doubled in six states between 1990 and 2000, with the largest percentage increase in Nevada (193 percent). Georgia's residents who spoke a non-English language at home increased by 164 percent, followed by North Carolina (151 percent). After English (215.4 million) and Spanish (28.1 million), Chinese (2 million) was the language most commonly spoken at home, eclipsing French, German and Italian over the decade of the 90s. (See Table 3.) 

Other highlights:

- Of the 20 non-English languages spoken most widely at home, the largest proportional increase in the 1990s was Russian. Speakers of this language nearly tripled, from 242,000 to 706,000. The second largest increase was among French Creole speakers (including Haitian Creoles), whose numbers more than doubled, from 188,000 to 453,000.

- The West and South combined had about three times the number of Spanish speakers (21 million) as the Northeast and Midwest combined (7 million).

- More than 80 percent of the population spoke a non-English language in seven Texas counties -- Maverick, Webb, Starr, Kenedy, Zavala, Presidio and Hidalgo.

The data are based on the responses from a sample of households who received the census long form. Nationally, about 1-in-6 households were included in the sample. Estimates in the report are subject to sampling and nonsampling error.

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October 15, 2003

Activists claim bias in S.J. police probe

By John Woolfolk
Mercury News

Outraged over the fatal shooting of a petite mother by a policeman, Vietnamese community leaders gathered Wednesday in front of the Hall of Justice and accused San Jose police and the Santa Clara County coroner of a biased investigation.

More than two dozen protesters, joined by the slain woman's boyfriend and two young children, said that the San Jose officers who investigated the July 13 shooting also had shot people in the past, and questioned the coroner's credibility.

``The main thing people want to see is that this whole incident is treated fairly,'' said Sam Ho, a local community college administrator who participated in the demonstration, less than a week before a criminal grand jury begins a rare open public hearing into the shooting.

Deputy District Attorney Daniel Nishigaya, who is handling the case, said his office has been independently investigating the shooting of 25-year-old Bich Cau Thi Tran and urged the public to reserve judgment.

``I hope the community will approach the case the same way they asked us to approach the case -- keeping an open mind until all of the evidence is presented,'' Nishigaya said.

San Jose police officer Catherine Unger said the department will say nothing further about the case before the grand jury hearing.

`Very objective'

Administrative Coroner Diana Hunter defended the medical examiner's handling of the case.

``I believe it was certainly very objective,'' Hunter said. ``We are an independent investigative agency. We look at a case from all sides.''

Officers went to Tran's East Taylor Street duplex to check on a report of a toddler wandering alone on the street. Officer Chad Marshall encountered Tran in her kitchen, and shot her once when she allegedly threatened him with a vegetable peeler he apparently thought was a cleaver. Tran's boyfriend, Dang Bui, who was home during the shooting, has told the Mercury News she didn't threaten the officer. He said Tran had called police earlier in the evening in frustration after locking herself out of a bedroom.

The shooting has outraged San Jose's Vietnamese community, with critics arguing the officer had no reason to fear Tran -- who was less than 5 feet tall and 100 pounds -- and saying that police incorrectly described the peeler she was holding as a cleaver.

Carrying signs reading, ``SJPD: Stop Killing Innocent Women,'' protesters said it was disturbing that the two lead San Jose police investigators on the case had been involved in shootings themselves.

Detective Sgt. Rob Millard was among four officers involved in the 1991 fatal shooting of a disturbed war veteran who rushed at them clutching a hand grenade that turned out to have been disabled.

Detective Sgt. Ed Zarate was among five officers involved in the 1993 fatal shooting of an armed fugitive suspected of killing his girlfriend and her son when she ended the relationship.

Millard and Zarate were cleared in the shootings. But demonstrators also said Zarate was among four officers sued in 1997 by a woman who accused them of getting her drunk at a picnic and allegedly having sex with her. Zarate settled the case for $5,000 the following year.

Using Ho as an interpreter, Bui said he was ``very concerned justice is not going to be accomplished'' because of the investigators' backgrounds.

Report criticized

Protesters also criticized the coroner's report by chief medical examiner Gregory Schmunk, saying that he was put on paid leave earlier this month following questions about a 3-year-old arrest warrant accusing him of stealing books from his former employer.

``We are very concerned he may be biased in favor of the police because of his legal troubles,'' said Richard Konda, who led the protesters.

Contact John Woolfolk at jwoolfolk@mercurynews.com or (408) 278-3410.

(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/7025536.htm)

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October 15, 2003

What's next? Redistricting

By Ann E. Marimow
Mercury News Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO - Emboldened by the success of his recall initiative, anti-tax crusader Ted Costa said Tuesday he plans to go back to the voters with a ballot measure to break incumbents' grip on California's Legislature and congressional delegation.

Proponents of redrawing the state's political map have tried before to overhaul the redistricting process, which is controlled by the Legislature and in 2001 protected its Democratic majority and incumbent Republicans.

But Costa, a Republican, is hoping for a boost from Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, who campaigned to remove reapportionment from the whim of the Legislature and put it into the hands of a panel of retired judges.

``If I were in this business, I would strike right now,'' said Tim Hodson, director of the Center for California Studies at California State University-Sacramento. ``This was a political earthquake and people are upset with the status quo.''

The move could be part of a broader Republican desire to capitalize on the recall victory. Once the election results are officially tallied, many Democrats in the Legislature may find themselves representing regions of the state that voted heavily in favor of the recall and to elect Schwarzenegger.

Costa, the father of the petition drive to oust Gov. Gray Davis, is collaborating with incoming Republican Assembly Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, to put an initiative on the ballot in November 2004.

Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the planned initiative, but included ``fair redistricting'' in his government reform package unveiled last month in Sacramento.

The problem, according to proponents, is that general elections have largely become irrelevant because the majority of legislative and congressional districts were designed to favor either Democrats or Republicans. The result is the type of partisan gridlock that led to a monthlong budget stalemate this year.

``The fate of elections is decided when the party bosses get together,'' Costa said. ``We thought it would be nice if the people had something to say about it.''

But Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, said initiative backers were motivated by ``Republican partisan purposes'' rather than ``good government.''

In Sacramento, Democrats hold a 48-32 majority in the Assembly and a 25-15 advantage in the Senate. Out of 120 seats, fewer than 10 are considered competitive districts.

University of San Francisco Law School Professor Paul McKaskle was chief counsel to a special panel of judges assigned to redraw district boundaries after reapportionment disputes in the Legislature in 1973 and 1991.

He described the 2001 reapportionment plan as a Faustian bargain worked out among the Democratic and Republican leadership. ``We'll protect our guys and you protect your guys,'' he said.

The details of Costa's 2004 initiative are still under discussion, but in general, he said it would take the redistricting process out of the hands of party leaders. Instead, all legislators and outside interest groups, such as the League of Conservation Voters, would be invited to submit redistricting plans to a panel of retired judges appointed by a court yet to be determined. The judges would choose the best plan based on a new set of guidelines designed to discourage gerrymandering.

Nunes insisted that the effort was not about ``what party gets what. It's about people's votes really counting.''

But he acknowledged that ``there would be enough seats in play that Republicans could have close to a chance of having a majority in both houses.''

Still, history has shown that the involvement of the courts doesn't always lead to more balanced representation. During redistricting fights in 1973 and 1991, Democrats came out ahead even though the lines were drawn by a panel appointed by the state Supreme Court.

Contact Ann E. Marimow at amarimow@sjmercury.com or (916) 325-4315.

(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/recall/7017910.htm)

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October 17, 2003

Stereotypes cited in police slaying
LAWYER FOR BEREAVED FAMILY BLAMES RACE

By Cecilia Kang
Mercury News

An attorney who represents the family of a Vietnamese woman fatally shot by police says racial stereotypes and insensitivities might have played a role in the killing, and Asian-American advocates agree.

Felicita Ngo, the lead attorney for the family of Bich Cau Thi Tran, said that if the victim had been white, police officer Chad Marshall might not have fired at the 25-year-old mother of two. And if Marshall had known the difference between the vegetable peeler Tran was holding -- which is commonly used in Southeast Asia -- and a cleaver, which police say the peeler appeared to be, she wouldn't be dead.

``Race has played a part in this because the officer didn't know what the peeler was,'' said Ngo, who is representing Tran's boyfriend, her two young children and father. ``If she was white, he wouldn't have done it because there is a stereotype of her being a foreigner and threatening.''

Ngo made her remarks Thursday in a speech hosted by the Asian Law Alliance in Menlo Park. The grand jury is scheduled to begin its hearing on the case Oct. 21.

Tran was killed July 13 after officers responded to a call that a child was wandering unattended in the neighborhood. When the officers encountered Tran in her kitchen, she was holding a vegetable peeler commonly used in Southeast Asia, which police said appeared to be a cleaver. Police said that Tran threatened officers with the object, called a dao bao, which has a six-inch blade. Marshall then fired at Tran with a single gunshot that pierced her chest. Tran's boyfriend, Dang Bui, has told the Mercury News that she didn't threaten the officer.

The shooting has sparked outrage from the Vietnamese community, with demonstrations at City Hall this week and critics accusing the police department and county coroner's office of an unfair investigation. They question how the 4-foot-11-inch, 90-pound woman could have threatened the officer.

San Jose police have responded by reaching out to the Vietnamese-American community through neighborhood meetings and a radio campaign expressing sympathy and regret.

Advocates at the speech Thursday added another layer of complexity to the case with questions of whether Tran's ethnicity played a role in the shooting.

``The way I see it, if she spoke English well and if she lived in a different neighborhood, maybe the outcome would have been different,'' said Richard Konda, executive director of the Asian Law Alliance.

At the gathering hosted by the Asian Law Alliance, Cynthia Lee, an author of a book on how racial stereotypes can play a role in police use of deadly force, said racial images can affect a police officer's action on a subconscious level.

Among other examples, Lee mentioned the 1997 shooting of a Taiwanese-American man in Rohnert Park, who was killed in front of his home by police responding to neighbors' 911 calls. Police say Kuan Chung Kao was drunk, making martial-arts poses and hit a police car with a 6-foot-long stick before being shot. Asian-American leaders criticized police for jumping to racial stereotypes that all Asian men are proficient in martial arts. The family filed a suit against the city for wrongful death and reached a settlement of $1 million in 2001.

Contact Cecilia Kang at ckang@sjmercury.com or (408) 920-5066.

(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/7035852.htm)

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October 9, 2003

For 130, It's Not Whether You Win or Lose
Candidates beyond the top five received less than 3% of the vote. Name similarities may have helped a few.

By James Rainey and Allison Hoffman, Times Staff Writers

In Orange County, radio talk-show host Van Vo — sometimes called the Rush Limbaugh of Little Saigon — garnered so many votes from the Vietnamese community that he outpolled another Orange County resident, Peter V. Ueberroth, among local voters. That helped Vo finish 15th statewide with 5,795 votes.

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-losers9oct09,1,4319593.story)

[Note: Professor Viet Dinh, who returned to Georgetown University as a law professor in May, was named as a member of California Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger's transition team.]

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October 13, 2003

Stranded Vietnamese: Ray of Hope
There's a shift in fortunes for about 1,400 still in the Philippines after 14 years, and Little Saigon plays a role.

By Mai Tran and Mike Anton, Times Staff Writers

They have been adrift on a sea of uncertainty for 14 years, the last of the Vietnamese boat people still searching for a legal home. Now, the odyssey for some of the 2,000 Vietnamese refugees who are stuck stateless in the Philippines may be nearing an end.

The State Department, under prodding from lawmakers and legal advocates, is considering allowing some of those refugees to come to the United States, a move that would mark the final chapter in the nearly 30-year-old saga of Vietnam's boat people.

"They're stranded and have no place to go," said Lan Quoc Nguyen, a Westminster attorney and Garden Grove Unified School District board member. "We feel a lot of sympathy for them. If they come to the United States, at least they will have a chance like we all did."

Nguyen is among those in the Vietnamese American communities of Orange County and Virginia who have raised money to support the Philippine refugees and lobbied U.S. officials to allow them to immigrate here.

Today, Nguyen will join a small group of Little Saigon professionals who will travel to the Philippines, in a journey of hope, to provide legal advice, translation services and conduct mock interviews they hope will help the refugees get ready for the day they might meet with U.S. officials.

More than 1.5 million boat people escaped Vietnam after the war in a series of waves. The roughly 2,000 that remain in the Philippines were among the last to leave, beginning in 1989. They quickly found themselves ensnared in a bureaucratic web.

Many were rejected as political refugees by the Philippine immigration system. Because of that, U.S. officials could not consider them for resettlement under an international agreement to deal with the Vietnamese refugee crisis.

Another effort to resettle all remaining boat people in 1996 presented the refugees with what they saw as an unacceptable mandate: Go back to Vietnam, where they feared persecution, in order to be considered by U.S. immigration officials for resettlement.

When Philippine authorities tried to forceably fly the Vietnamese back, the refugees rioted at the airport. Catholic Church officials stepped in and successfully pressured the government to allow the Vietnamese refugees to remain indefinitely — but with no legal status and no place to go.

"There's an impression that these people are already settled in the Philippines," said Thang Nguyen, executive director of the Virginia-based group Boat People SOS. "Even among Vietnamese Americans, a lot of them wrongly believe that they have legal status. But that's not the case at all. They cannot get legal employment. They cannot legally own a business. They cannot own a house."

Attorney Hoi Trinh understands their plight. "I could've easily been one of them," he said.

Trinh, 33, is a Vietnamese attorney who fled Vietnam and resettled in Australia. In 1997, he gave up a job at a large law firm and moved to Manila to help the largely forgotten boat people, opening an office in a bedroom of his apartment where he prepares immigration appeals and lives on donations.

Trinh also has traveled repeatedly to Washington, where he lobbies government officials on behalf of the refugees. Some U.S. officials privately credit him — and his passion — with keeping their story alive.

"This is about seeing so much suffering and injustice and not being able to walk away from it," Trinh said in an interview from Manila.

The last time Hong Pham saw her younger sister, she was handing her a bag of sugar, lemon drops and shredded chicken. It was 1989, and Tuyet Pham, her husband and two children were boarding a rickety fishing boat with more than 120 others to begin a risky escape from Vietnam.

Hong Pham, who would come to the United States under a humanitarian release five years later, assumed she would never see her sister again.

"I had to accept that she was dead," Pham, who lives in Westminster, said as tears ran down her face. "It was difficult, but we took any opportunity for freedom."

Today, Pham will be among those traveling to the Philippines. She will see her sister for the first time in 14 years and, she hopes, to smooth the way for her immigration to the United States.

"I'm going to cry," she said. "I can only imagine what the reunion would be like. I've wished for this day long ago, but it has always been like a dream."

Tuyet Pham, now 51, and her family spent seven days at sea and eventually were sent to a Manila refugee camp. Today, they still live on society's margins, selling perfume, soap and other toiletries on the street and subsisting on vegetables they grow themselves.

"They're surviving day by day," Hong Pham said. "We send them money to help out."

A State Department official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the issue of the Philippine Vietnamese is being looked at, but there's no timetable for a decision or a specific plan.

Of the 2,000 people that Vietnamese advocates are helping to get resettled, only about 1,400 are qualified for entry into the United States, the official said.

"The question is: Can we find a humane solution for this population?" she said.

In recent weeks, hope has run high in the Vietnamese American community — and among the refugees themselves — that a solution is near.

Tuyet Pham recently wrote her sister that she's optimistic at getting another chance to interview with immigration officials: "The pain and suffering will be over soon."

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-refugees13oct13,1,2735285.story)

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