******************
Events
Fundraising
Dinner for Victims of Communism Memorial
December 26, 2003
7 pm – 9 pm
Lucky Three Restaurant (formerly
Maxim Palace)
5900 Leesburg Pike,
Falls Church, VA
22041
Dinner Tickets $25 per person
The Vietnamese
American community is hosting a fundraising dinner. All proceeds from the
dinner will be donated to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. The
foundation is established by authorization of congressional resolution HR 3000
and presidential approval to remember over 100 millions victims of communism,
including Vietnamese and other Southeast Asians.
All money raised
by December 31, 2003 will be matched dollar to dollar. The memorial
will be dedicated in October 2004 in
Washington, DC.
VOCMF is a 501(c)3 organization any contribution will be tax deductible. If you
would like to make a donation, please make check payable to VOCMF and send to:
P.O. Box 8171
Falls
Church,
VA
22041-8171
About the Foundation
HR 3000,
sponsored by Representative Dana Rohrabacher and Senator Claiborne Pell, became
Section 905 of Public Law 103-199, which passed unanimously
December 17, 1993, signed by President Clinton, Speaker Foley,
and President pro tem of the Senate, Robert Byrd. It subsequently has been
renewed through Section 326 of PL 105-277, approved
October 21, 1998, until
December 17, 2007.
The Public Law
authorized The National Captive Nations Committee, Inc. to construct, maintain,
and operate in the District of Columbia an appropriate international memorial to
honor victims of communism, tragically numbering more than 100 million, struck
down in an unprecedented imperial communist holocaust through conquests,
revolutions, civil wars, purges, wars by proxy, and other violent means.
Totalitarian terror countenanced no challenge, from individuals, institutions,
political parties, or faiths. Instead, it set out the “big lie” that a classless
utopian society with human dignity for all was its goal, then cynically produced
exactly the opposite in nation after nation which succumbed to its armed might,
shameless intrigues, and hypocrisy. Communism’s collapse, accelerated by heroes
within and outside captive nations, came only following a tragedy of lost
generations. That they are lost must not mean that they are forgotten, nor that
those whose free will remains prisoner to this day may be put from our minds.
This memorial will assure that they are, instead, remembered forever and that
the history of communist tyranny will be taught to future generations. The
National Captive Nations Committee was encouraged by PL 103-199 to create an
independent entity to perform this function. The independent entity created is
The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.
(http://www.victimsofcommunism.org/)
******************
ASIAN LAW
ALLIANCE 27TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER 2004
The
Asian Law Alliance
will be hosting its 27th Anniversary Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel, 170 S. Market
St., San Jose on
Friday, March 5, 2004 -
6:00pm cocktails,
7:00 dinner, and
8:00 program.
This year's honorees are as following:
Legal Impact Honoree:
Banafsheh Akhlaghi, Immigration Attorney & Civil Rights Activist
Business Impact Honoree:
Ajay Shah, General Partner of Shah Management, LLC
Community Impact Honoree:
Pete McHugh,
Santa Clara
County Board of Supervisors
Legal Co-Chair:
Melvin D. Chan, Townsend and Townsend and Crew
Business Co-Chair:
Tak S. Chang, Korean American Chamber of Commerce of
Silicon Valley
Community Co-Chair:
Wiggsy Sivertsen,
San Jose State
University
Keynote Speaker:
Dorothy Ehrlich, Executive Director ACLU of
Northern
California
Emcee:
THUY VU, ABC 7 News Anchor and Reporter
Please Reserve:
___ Individual tickets at $125 each, for a total of $______Table(s)
at $1250 each, for a total of $_____
The per person cost above $55.00 is tax deductible to the extent
permitted by law.
To ensure excellent service, please provide the following
information.
Name: ____________________________
Organization: ________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________
City:
______________________
State: ____ Zip Code:_________
Business Phone: _______________ Home Phone: _____________
E-mail: _____________________________
Sorry, I cannot attend. However, I would like to commit a donation
of $ _______
For event information, please contact us at (408) 287-9710 or
sccala@pacbell.net. If you are interested, please respond before Friday,
February 27 to ensure preferred seating. All tickets will be held at the door.
Make check payable to
Asian Law Alliance
184 Jackson Street, San Jose, CA 95112.
(http://www.asianlawalliance.org)
******************
Conference Targets Fundraising
Issues
Association of Fundraising Professionals: International Conference on
Fundraising
(http://www.afpnet.org/tier3_cd.cfm?folder_id=946&content_item_id=1146)
The Association
of Fundraising Professionals International Conference on Fundraising offers
fundraisers the opportunity to network, learn, and discover new products and
services. The conference provides nearly 200 educational sessions addressing a
wide variety of fundraising issues that offer the opportunity to learn from
practitioners about the latest trends and future challenges. The conference also
includes presentations by leaders in philanthropy and the Exposition on
Fundraising and Philanthropy, introducing new products and services. The
conference will take place March 14-17, 2004, in Seattle, WA. Visit the above
website for more information, or to register online.
******************
Funding Opportunities
Youth Violence
and Community Change Research Funding
(http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-29895.htm)
Federal
Register: December 2, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 231, Pages 67450-67455)
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Youth Violence Prevention Through Community-Level Change
Funding Opportunity Number: 04054
Letter of Intent Deadline: January 2, 2004
Application Deadline: February 17, 2004
Funding Opportunity Description
This program is authorized under section 391(a) of the Public Health Service
Act, [42 U.S.C. section 280b(a), as amended].
The purpose of the program is to announce the availability of fiscal year (FY)
2004 funds for a cooperative agreement program for the evaluation of
community-level interventions to reduce youth violence.
This program addresses the "Healthy People 2010'' focus area Injury and Violence
Prevention.
Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the following
performance goal for the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC):
Conduct a targeted program of research to reduce injury-related death and
disability.
Research Objectives
Youth violence has been linked to a variety of factors, including individual,
family, community, and societal characteristics. While much research has been
conducted on interventions with individuals and families, less often have
interventions focused on variables at the broader community level.
There are a number of characteristics of communities that increase the
probability of violence. Rates of violence are high in areas that have large
concentrations of poor and unemployed people, crowded housing, residential
instability, family disruption, illegal drug distribution and sales, diminished
private economic activity, and limited positive opportunities for youths and
adults (Reiss & Roth, 1993; Sampson & Lauritsen, 1994). Rates of violence are
also high in neighborhoods where there is low community participation,
disorganization, and a lack of cohesion. People living in these types of
communities tend to be socially isolated and exhibit lower levels of attachment
to the community -- factors that also limit their ability to supervise and
control adolescent peer groups, especially gangs (Sampson & Lauritsen, 1994).
Research funded under this announcement is expected to address this important
gap in the prevention literature (i.e., the implementation and evaluation of
interventions that are designed to modify the above types of community
characteristics). The ultimate aim of such an approach is to assess whether
interventions designed to change community structures and social processes can
reduce rates of youth violence in communities.
At a minimum, competitive applicants will provide theoretical rationale and
empirical evidence in support of the specific intervention proposed, and will
conduct a rigorous evaluation of the intervention.
Contacts
For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical Information
Management Section, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road,
Atlanta, GA 30341,Telephone: 770-488-2700.
For scientific/research program technical assistance, contact:Jennifer Wyatt,
Behavioral Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford
Highway, NE, MS K-60, Atlanta, Georgia 30341,Telephone: 770-488-4058, E-mail:
ANU1@cdc.gov.
For questions about peer review, contact: Gwendolyn Cattledge, Scientific Review
Administrator, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway,
NE, MS K-02, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, Telephone: 770-488-1430, E-mail:
gxc8@cdc.gov.
For budget assistance, contact: Nancy Pillar, Grants Management Specialist, CDC
Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341,
Telephone: 770-488-2721, E-mail:
nfp6@cdc.gov.
For more information on this grant, please
click here to read the complete Federal Register notice.
******************
DC: The John Edward
Fowler Memorial Foundation
(http://fdncenter.org/grantmaker/fowler/)
Nonprofits
in the greater Washington, D.C., area that serve at-risk children and youth can
seek funding from the
John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation.
The foundation also funds programs working on a variety of other social-services
issues, including homelessness, hunger, adult literacy, senior issues, and job
training. About $1.2 million is awarded annually, with most grants under
$10,000.
For more information, contact Richard Lee, President, John Edward Fowler
Memorial Foundation, 1725 K St., N.W., Washington, DC 20006; 202-728-9080.
******************
Fieldstone Foundation
Fights Community Violence
(http://www.fieldstone-homes.com/foundation/)
The
Fieldstone Foundation awards grants to nonprofits in Salt Lake City, Utah,
and Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino, and San Diego counties in California.
Among the foundation's grantmaking interests are preventing community violence
and child/domestic abuse, children and family services, child care, and positive
alternatives for youth. Applications for funding should be submitted between
Jan. 1 and April 30.
For more information, contact Janine Mason Barone, Executive Director, The
Fieldstone Foundation, 14 Corporate Plaza, Newport Beach, CA 92660;
949-640-9090.
******************
Grants Available for N.J.
Health Needs
(http://www.rwjf.org/applying/cfpDetail.jsp?cfpCode=NJH&emailid=1110+000002+12022003)
The Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation (RWJF), which is based in New Jersey, is accepting
applications for grants under its New Jersey Health Initiative Program.
The New Jersey Health Initiatives Program is designed to improve health and
healthcare in
New Jersey
communities.
Up to eight projects will be funded in this grant round. Grants will range from
$50,000 to $400,000 for projects from two to four years in length.
The deadline for brief proposals is Jan. 27, 2004.
Program guidelines and application information are available online at the
foundation's
website.
******************
Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) Microenterprise Development Program: 2004 Grant
(http://grants.hp.com/us/programs/micro_index.html)
Application Deadline: Proposals must be submitted online
between
December 15, 2003 and
January 23, 2004, no later than
January 23, 2004 at
5:00 pm Pacific
Time.
Summary: HP is requesting proposals for participation
in the Microenterprise Development Program, a grant initiative targeting
nonprofit microenterprise development agencies that serve clients in low-income
communities in the
United States.
The goal of the program is to accelerate the ability of nonprofit
microenterprise development agencies to advance economic growth in diverse,
low-income communities by 1) making the agencies more efficient and effective
through the integration of technology into their core operations and 2)
assisting them in providing their clients with access to technology and
associated training to optimize its use. HP seeks to build long-term capacity in
these organizations and the communities they serve. HP also seeks to assist the
microenterprise industry in the U.S. through supporting best practices in the
use of technology for microenterprise development.
Eligibility: HP will support nonprofit agencies that have a
primary focus on providing microenterprise development programs and services in
underserved communities.
Funding: Each grant award will have a total list price
value of $150,000 to $250,000 in equipment, cash, services and support. In
addition, recipients will receive a travel grant to participate in a symposium
to share learnings, address common challenges and provide information that will
serve to educate and inform the microenterprise development industry.
Contact information:
H. Camilla Nelson
Program Manager
Philanthropy and Education
Hewlett Packard Company
3000 Hanover Street MS 1029
Palo Alto, California 94304
Phone: 650-857-2820
Fax: 650-857-4598
e-mail:
camilla.nelson@hp.com
Additional information: To learn more about the HP
Microenterprise Development Program and view a complete copy of the Request for
Proposals, please visit:
http://grants.hp.com/us/programs/micro_index.html
******************
CDC Youth
Violence-Prevention Research Grants
(http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/04054.htm)
The federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will award two $500,000 grants to
nonprofits or public agencies to evaluate community-led interventions to reduce
youth violence.
Applications for the
Youth Violence Prevention through Community-Level Change grants are due Feb.
17, 2004.
For more information, call 301-435-0714.
******************
Ford Supports Education, Environment, Community Development, and More
Ford Motor Company Fund
(http://www.ford.com/en/goodWorks/fundingAndGrants/fordMotorCompanyFund/default.htm)
The Ford Motor
Company Fund supports a variety of nonprofit organizations across the nation
that strive to make the world a better place. Support is provided for programs
targeting education at all levels, the environment, youth, community
development, diversity education, conflict resolution, and touring art and
cultural exhibitions. Additionally, the Fund provides support to programs and
organizations that address specific needs and enhance the quality of life in
company communities throughout the country. Applications are accepted
year-round. To access the funding guidelines on the Fund's website, click on
"View the 2002 Report" and then on "Contributions Guidelines."
******************
Support for Health, Education, Arts and Culture and Civic Programs
Abbott Laboratories Fund
(http://www.abbott.com/citizenship/fund/fund.shtml)
The Abbott
Laboratories Fund provides support to organizations in the areas of health and
welfare, education, culture, art, and civic and public policy. Priority is given
to organizations that serve Abbott communities located in Arizona, California,
Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. Educational support is provided to
institutions whose programs and services have the potential to provide short to
long-term benefits to the health care industry and its employees. In the areas
of culture, art and civic activities, the Fund considers support for specific
projects, including community cultural enrichment programs and agencies involved
in the administration of justice, public service, social policy and the
environment. The Fund primarily supports health and welfare through federated or
community drives in Abbott communities. Applications are accepted year-round.
Visit the above website for application instructions.
******************
Grants Support Math, Science and Technology Education for Girls and Women
American Association of University Women Educational Foundation
(http://www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/index.cfm)
The American
Association of University Women Educational Foundation provides funds to advance
education, research, and self-development for women and girls and to foster
equity and positive societal change. The two-year Community Action Grants
provide seed money to individual women, AAUW branches and state organizations,
and community-based nonprofit organizations for long-term programs and projects
focused on K-14 girls' achievement in math, science, and/or technology. The
Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Fellowships are designed to provide professional
development opportunities for women public school teachers; improve girls'
learning opportunities, especially in math, science, and technology; and promote
equity and long-term change in classrooms, schools, and school systems.
Applications are due January 10, 2004, for the Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Fellowships and
January 15, 2004, for the Community Action Grants. Visit the
above website for more information on these programs, as well as other programs
the Foundation offers.
******************
DuPont Supports
Education and Community Programs
DuPont Community Involvement Program
(http://www1.dupont.com/NASApp/dupontglobal/corp/index.jsp?page=/content/US/en_US/social/outreach/index.html)
DuPont is
committed to improving the quality of life and enhancing the vitality of the
communities in which the company operates throughout the world. For a list of
major U.S. facilities go to
http://www.dupont.com/corp/overview/worldwide/us_alabama.html. Funding areas
of interest include educational programs, arts and culture, environmental
initiatives, human and health service organizations, and civic and community
activities. Additionally, DuPont supports education through partnerships with
colleges and universities, as well as K-12 education institutions. Support is
provided for programs and initiatives in mathematics, science, and technology
education. There are no deadlines for submitting applications; requests are
reviewed in the spring and fall. Visit the above website for more information,
or to access the application guidelines for both community and education
programs.
******************
Grants Support Public
Television Outreach
National Center for Outreach: Connector Grants
(http://www.nationaloutreach.org/)
The goal of the
National Center for Outreach (NCO) is to assist public television stations to
provide outreach to local communities. In 2004, NCO is offering two rounds of
Connector Grants to help stations build strategically on their outreach
successes and pursue sustainable outreach projects. These $12,000 grants are
designed to help stations build an outreach strand around a particular issue,
theme or audience, bridging multiple seasons. The grants work to facilitate
long-term initiatives centered around local community issues; build station
outreach impact and visibility over time; foster sustainable long-term
partnerships and build audiences; and maximize efforts and resources, linking
several activities over a period of time. Projects should use three or more
broadcasts, at least two of which are national. Applications are due February 20
and July 20, 2004. Visit the above website for more information,
or to access application guidelines and forms.
******************
Northwest Health Foundation Grants
(http://www.nwhf.org/apply.htm#COMMUNITY)
Programs
providing health services in
Oregon
or southwestern Washington may apply for funding through the community grants
program of the
Northwest Health Foundation.
The foundation's funding interests include health protection; quality of health
care; access to health care; basic and applied biomedical, health, and
socio-behavioral research; education for health professionals and consumers; and
mental health.
Interested nonprofits, educational organizations, and government agencies should
submit a letter of inquiry to the foundation no later than
April 9, 2004. For more information on applying, see the
foundation's
website.
******************
IL: Chicago Youth Service Grants
(http://www.chicagokidstart.org/home)
The Chicago
Department of Human Services will award grants to nonprofits that provide
outreach services to at-risk youth in the Chicago public-school system.
The
KidStart YouthNet program is aimed at helping youths ages 6 to 18 in Chicago
schools. Grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded.
Application deadline is Dec. 19.
For more information, contact Renae Ogletree at 312-746-7090.
******************
Engagement Innovation Test Fund Offers Support for New Outreach Techniques
(http://www.commonassets.org/0.2.html)
Deadline:
January 7, 2004
The Common Assets Defense Fund (
http://www.commonassets.org/), a multi-disciplinary organization that seeks
to educate the American public about rapidly diminishing public assets and
defend those assets from misuse, privatization, and destruction, and the General
Service Foundation, which supports grantmaking programs in international
peace/human rights, reproductive health and rights, and western water, have
joined to establish the Engagement Innovation Test Fund.
The fund is seeking proposals for creative efforts to engage or
recruit new members and activists in the work of a public interest organization
while educating the public about the organization's mission. The fund will test
a number of recruiting techniques from a variety of different organizations and
movements and share the lessons learned. The goal is to use a limited investment
in a six-month test effort to guide foundations and nonprofits in their
investments in engagement activities.
Grants of between $3,000 and $6,000 for a short-term project (six
months or less) are competitively available to public charities that qualify
under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and wish to undertake a
project with replicable results.
For complete program information and application guide- lines, see
the Common Assets Web site.
******************
Jobs/Internships
Google 2004 Anita Borg
Scholarships
(http://www.google.com/anitaborg)
Google is pleased to announce two $10,000 scholarships for female
students in the computer sciences during the 2004-2005 academic year. One will
be awarded to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate (master's level)
degree candidate. Selection will be based on the strength of academic
background, responses to short essay questions, letters of recommendation and
financial need. Complete applications must be received by
Friday, January 30, 2004. Finalists will be notified by
March 1, 2004 and recipients will be announced on
Monday, March 22, 2004.
Eligibility
Requirements
Undergraduate
Scholarship ($10,000)
* Students must be entering their senior year in the 2004 academic year and
majoring in computer science, computer engineering or related field
* Must be enrolled in full-time study
* Cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or 4.4 on a 5.0 scale
* Must be attending university in the
US
Graduate
Scholarship ($10,000)
* First year master's level students in computer science, computer engineering
or related field.
* Must be enrolled in full-time study
* Cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or 4.4 on a 5.0 scale
* Must be attending university in the
US
How to Apply
Please send a complete application packet with the following:
* Transcripts: A copy of your current academic record
* Recommendation Letters: Two referral letters from professors or academic
advisors
* Resume including current email, school address and phone number, permanent
address and phone number, major and expected date of graduation.
* Responses to the following essay questions (no more than half a page each):
Describe a class programming project where you felt you did an
exceptional job. Describe the overall project, key technical challenges and how
you addressed them. If this was a team effort, describe your contribution.
Describe a programming project you completed outside of class for
fun. Describe the problem, technical challenges and your solutions. If you have
not completed such a project, describe a program you would like to write, the
problem it would solve, and the approach you would use.
Describe a special talent, ability or quality you possess and how
it has helped you in your accomplishments.
Describe how you are currently funding your education.
Send your
completed application to:
The Google 2004 Anita Borg Scholarship
Google, Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View,
CA
94043
******************
Vision New
America's 2004 Public Policy Internship Program
(www.visionnewamerica.org)
Vision New
America invites and challenges APA Youth to apply for our Leadership Development
Program: A 2004 Public Policy Internship
Vision New America is a non-partisan, non-profit, grassroots organization
established in Silicon Valley in 1996 to promote the civic participation of
underrepresented ethnic groups, starting with the APA community. As a way of
developing youth leadership and increasing representation, we offer APA high
school and college students, a Summer Public Policy Internship.
Through this program, we recruit, train, and place high school and college
students in government offices to provide our youth with an opportunity to gain
insight and exposure to governmental affairs and public policy; to build bridges
between the APA community and public officials; and to encourage more APAs to
participate in mainstream politics and community service.
In the past four years, we have placed nearly 100 high school students at the
state, county and city levels of government in California, including members of
the California State Legislature, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and
San Jose City Council. We also placed almost 20 students in internships at our
nation's capital in Washington, D.C.
Vision New America invites and challenges APA high school students in
Santa
Clara County and
college students nationwide to apply. We encourage you to represent our
APA community and see how our government really works.
Comments from past interns:
"I [worked] on a project for the APA Voter Project for teens. I needed to
prepare to make a 3 minute speech and in front of about 65 teens and a 2 minute
presentation with the staff about the importance of registering to vote…Overall,
my experience will always be valued and remembered. I learned many things I
would never gain in school or at home…I was able to gain knowledge in areas such
as communication, community outreach, and the inner-workings of the government."
- Kristina Lee, Summer 2003 intern for Secretary of State Kevin Shelley
"The Vision New America Public Policy internship presented an exciting and
multifaceted opportunity for me. It was my chance to observe firsthand the
political process that occurs at the federal level....D.C. created an
environment that is comparable to one found at a university campus. Everyday, I
was constantly thinking, reading, listening, reflecting and learning something
new." - Huong Q. Hoang, Summer 2003 intern for
U.S. Dept.
of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration
The time to apply is now! The application deadline for high school students is
January 16, 2004 and for college students: February 1, 2004.
For more information about our organization or programs, or to download your
application, visit our website at:
www.VisionNewAmerica.org.
If you have any questions, email
JGoltiao@VisionNewAmerica.org, ATTN: Jenelle Goltiao, or call us at (408)
941-0888.
******************
Culture, Art, Trauma, Survival, Development: Vietnamese Contexts
The William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences
University of Massachusetts Boston
This project is the collaborative effort of the University of Massachusetts
Boston's William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences, the
Asian American Studies Program, the East Asian Studies Program, and the
Institute of Asian American Studies. This project will expand on the work of a
previous cycle of fellowships "(Re)constructing Identity and Place in the
Vietnamese Diaspora," seeking to examine the roles culture and art have played
in the contexts of postwar experiences of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people.
Work may focus on both
Vietnam
and the Diaspora.
The project aims
to engage scholars, activists, and community leaders whose work, both practical
and theoretical, seeks to address the issues of culture, art, war, trauma,
survival, and development. As an acknowledgement of the diverse situations of
scholars, artists, and activists in the Vietnamese community, the project will
support fellowships with flexible community requirements.
Fellows will make
presentations on their research on campus and within the community and will
interact with other fellows on campus as part of other institutes' programs as
well as the many visiting writers and scholars who take part in other Joiner
Center and University Programs. Fellows will receive full university
affiliation, including office, library privileges, copy and computing
facilities, and telephone, fax and email services. A letter of intent describing
the project may be sent prior to December 1st.
Applications
include: 1) a ten page essay describing the research project and its relation to
other research in the field; 2) a work plan for the proposed project; 3) three
letters of recommendation, reviewing the proposed project and the candidate's
qualifications; 4) an up-to-date curriculum vitae.
Researchers could submit applications and projects in English or Vietnamese.
Application Deadline: January 31, 2004. Contact: Kevin Bowen/Nguyen Ba Chung,
William
Joiner Center, Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA
02125-3393, 617-287-5850, fax 617-287-5855, email
chung.nguyen@umb.edu,
www.joinercenter.umb.edu.
******************
POLICY DIRECTOR
(full-time
position, available immediately)
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Washington,
D.C.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) seeks
an experienced individual to serve full-time as its Policy Director in
Washington, D.C.,
to coordinate legislative and policy initiatives of the organization. The Policy
Director will work under the supervision of NAPABA’s Executive Director, who is
based in
Los Angeles,
California.
NAPABA is the national association of Asian Pacific American
attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents over
40,000 attorneys in 45 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its
members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel,
legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of
government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues
confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of
committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased
diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in
the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and
promotes the professional development of minorities in the legal profession.
The Policy
Director’s responsibilities will include:
§ Working with the Executive Director and the NAPABA Board of
Governors in setting and implementing policy and program initiatives;
§ Meeting with policymakers to address issues of interest to the
Asian Pacific American community;
§ Meeting and coordinating with local NAPABA chapters and other
Asian Pacific American and nonprofit organizations to promote initiatives and
responses on issues of common concern;
§ Working with the Executive Director in responding to membership
concerns and requests for action; and
§ Assisting the Executive Director and the NAPABA Board with
fundraising and other general office management duties.
Qualifications: Law degree and/or Capitol Hill experience
strongly preferred. Must possess self-initiative and an ability to work with a
wide variety of different people and organizations. Leadership, communication
and management skills essential. Understanding of the Asian Pacific American
community necessary – experience working with national Asian Pacific American
organizations and/or legal communities preferred. Some travel required.
Salary: Commensurate with experience.
Interested candidates should send or email a cover letter and
resume to either:
Michael P. Chu
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
NBC
Tower, Suite 3600
455 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive
Chicago,
Illinois 60611-5599
Email:
mchu@brinkshofer.com
John C. Yang
Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP
1776 K Street, N.W.
Washington,
D.C. 20006
Email:
jyang@wrf.com
******************
Do you
want to empower the next generation of women leaders?
Girls For A Change is entering its second year of empowering girls
to be social change agents in their own neighborhoods.
This past year, girls across
Silicon Valley
have been busy making change by developing the only school recycling program in
their school district and creating and leading youth forums for students to
speak out. They have also implemented a community health and self-esteem
conferences that addressed the issues facing young women today.
The program partners 1,000 urban girls with 200 professional women
in Silicon Valley who break into teams of 10 girls and two women
coaches. With guidance from the women, over the course of a year, the girl teams
identify an issue that needs to change in their community.
Girls then come up with a solution to institute that change and
design, lead, fund and implement a project that will solve the issue they
identified. The program not only helps girls learn the skills they need to be
successful decision makers of the future, but also allows them to network with
professional women and politicians throughout
Silicon Valley.
Girls For A Change provides the tools, resources and support girls need to move
from being spectators to being leaders
We are looking forward to continuing the tide of social change and
are looking for women volunteers and girls in middle school and high school
interested in joining Girls For A Change. We have several volunteer
positions open and are looking for women coaches to work with the girls directly
over the course of a year. Please see the application attached to this email.
For more information about volunteering or joining our program,
please contact, Carrie Ellett, Director of Program and Recruitment, 408-515-8148
or
carrie@girlsforachange.org OR visit our website at
www.girlsforachange.org
Carrie Ellett
Girls For A Change
Director of Program and Recruitment
408.515.8148
650.752.5745, fax
395 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto,
CA 94306
www.girlsforachange.org
******************
Do Something Brick Awards
(http://www.dosomething.org/)
The
youth-leadership group
Do Something is seeking applicants for its annual Brick Awards, which honors
under-18s for their work in the areas of community building, health, and the
environment.
Each 2004 Do Something Brick Award winner will receive a $5,000 higher-education
grant, a $5,000 award to continue their community work, and other support. Six
winners will be selected.
Deadline for applications is April 8, 2004. For an application or more
information, see the
Do Something website.
******************
Economic Policy/Federal Budget Internship
OMB Watch Federal
Budget group is seeking a full or part time graduate or undergraduate intern to
assist researches with a wide range of activities including federal tax and
budget analysis. Inquire
jsirons@ombwatch.org or visit
http://www.ombwatch.org for additional information.
(www.ombwatch.org)
******************
LEAP Leadership in
Action Summer Internship Program
This is an 8-week
program designed to develop emerging leaders by providing college students with
opportunities to gain hands-on experience working in Asian Pacific American
community-based nonprofit organizations in Southern California. For more
information, contact Grant Sunoo at
gsunoo@leap.org, (213) -485-1422, ext. 4107.
(www.leap.org)
******************
Council on Foundations Offers Emerging Philanthropic Leaders Fellowship Program
Deadline:
December 31, 2003
The Emerging Philanthropic Leaders Fellowship program, an
initiative of the Council on Foundations (
http://www.cof.org/ ), is designed to increase the number of individuals
from diverse communities who have the understanding and skills they need to
support the work of foundation management. The Council welcomes suggestions for
fellowship candidates through both nominations and applications.
Two individuals are selected each year to receive a two-year
fellowship. Fellowships are determined through a selective process. The Council
considers nominees and applicants with the following qualifications: 1) the
nominee or applicant must have at least two years' experience in the
philanthropic arena, with at least one year in a leadership position; and 2) the
nominee or applicant's organization must have a focus on increasing and
expanding philanthropic programs within communities that are historically
under-represented in institutional philanthropy. Nominees or applicants must be
associated with a Council on Foundations member or member-eligible organization.
Each fellow receives regular telephone and e-mail communi- cation
with a mentor who is a committed senior executive in philanthropy; support to
attend two CoF-sponsored conferences over the two years of the fellowship under
the guidance of their mentor; travel costs to tour the mentor's organization and
observe the daily grantmaking and operational functions of traditional
foundations; assistance with organizational development through a site visit to
the fellow's organization by either the mentor or an approved management
consultant; and support to purchase personal growth and organizational
development books and other resources.
For further information on the program and application procedures,
see the Council's Web site.
(http://www.cof.org/index.cfm?containerid=65&menuContainerID=0&crumb=2&navID=0)
******************
Nominations Invited for Jonathan Mann Award Honoring Work in International
Health and Human Rights
(http://www.globalhealth.org/view_top.php3?id=238)
Deadline:
February 3, 2004
The Association François-Xavier Bagnoud, Doctors of the World, and
the Global Health Council have partnered to support the Jonathan Mann Award in
international health and human rights. The award is presented annually to a
leading practitioner in health and human rights, be it an individual or
organization, and is designed to allow its recipients a measure of financial
freedom to pursue their work in the area of global health and human rights.
Nominations of an individual or individuals may be submitted by
anyone from any country.
In reviewing the nominees, the following criteria will be
considered and evaluated: evidence of practical work in the field and in
difficult circumstances; actual rele- vance to the linkage of health with human
rights; evidence of the nominee's activities taking place predominately in
developing countries and with marginalized people; evidence of a serious,
long-term commitment by the nominee; poten- tial for the award to strengthen the
nominee's work; potential for receipt of the award to raise the profile of the
award itself; potential of the award to enhance the visibility and public
awareness of the issue or project the nominee is addressing; and potential for
attracting additional resources toward resolution of the issue.
Individuals and organizations working at the grassroots level will
be given the same attention and opportunities as those operating at the national
or international level. For nomination guidelines and background information on
the award, see the Global Health Council's Web site.
******************
Tips
A Fundraiser's Newsyletter
November 2003
Visit Simone
online!
Joyaux Associates' new website includes resources on philanthropy and
fundraising, information on training and workshops, details on the firm's
services and capabilities, and, of course, back issues of the Newsyletter. Check
it out at
www.simonejoyaux.com. Also, for tips on improving your communications, see
the website of Ahern Ink:
www.aherncomm.com.
Adhere to Simone's basic principles of fund development:
[Source:
"Caring for Your Donor File is Caring for Your Donors," Randy Brewer, Today's
Fundraiser, September 5, 2003.
www.onphilanthropy.com]
Are you reaching out to older Americans and ethnic communities to recruit
volunteers? 90% of African-Americans over age 45 volunteer, a far higher
percentage than among white Americans. And Hispanic volunteers give the most
hours -- an average of 22 hours a month. Yet Latinos and African-Americans are
asked less frequently than whites to volunteer or donate money.
Overall, 86% of Americans over age 45 volunteer. 30% say the 9/11 terrorist
attacks made them more willing to give their time.
Working seniors could become the most generous donors over the next decade. Many
baby boomers, now turning 50, are college grads, volunteered in their youth, and
grew up in homes where parents volunteered. And in the next 10 years, the
over-50 population will increase by 18.3 million people.
For more information, see the American Association of Retired People (AARP)'s
"Multicultural Study 2003: Time and Money: An In-Depth Look at 45-
Plus Volunteers and Donors"; the executive summary can be
downloaded free online.
Also, see "Experience at Work: Volunteering and Giving Among Americans 50 and
Older," a study by AARP and Independent Sector, also available
online.
[Source: AARP press release, September 14, 2003; and Independent Sector press
release, November 4, 2003.]
Target smaller donations. 86% of Americans are still donating to charity.
But they're giving smaller gifts.
In 2003, 14% of donors gave gifts of $500 or more. That's down from 24% in 2001.
For more information, see the report, "Vertis Customer Focus 2003: Direct
Marketing for the Nonprofit Sector," available free from Scott Marden, Director
of Market Research, Vertis, 250 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21201;
978-388-2492.
[Source: "Donors are Giving Less Than in 2001, Poll Finds," Matt Murray, The
Chronicle of Philanthropy, October 16, 2003. P.O. Box 1989, Marion, OH
43305; 800-728-2819.]
Check your mailing list to determine which of your donors would like to
receive information via e-mail. Then start an electronic newsletter to
cultivate and nurture donors.
An e-newsletter can keep you in regular contact with supporters. It provides a
forum to promote your purpose and services. It gives you a platform to
demonstrate your successes and provide important and interesting information.
And when archived online, the newsletter can be a valuable resource for members
or donors.
E-newsletters are cheaper, faster, and more environmentally friendly than paper
publications. They also can be tracked more efficiently, so you'll know if they
have been received by the recipient, which articles were read, and what links
were clicked on. This information can be used to better tailor your publications
and appeals to match the interests of your supporters.
E-mailed publications also can include easy-to-use registration forms for
upcoming events or training classes offered to supporters; interactive polls and
surveys that can provide instant feedback on issues; and forms for updating
contact information. And, of course, your e-newsletter always should include a
call for donations, linked to an easy online mechanism for giving.
[Source: "A Good e-Newsletter Can Work Wonders for Your Nonprofit," Chris
Donald,
Philanthropy News Network Online, November 12, 2003.]
Companies crave recognition when partnering with nonprofits. Recognition
programs add credibility to corporate philanthropy, raise awareness of the issue
supported, and are plain old good public relations for the firm.
Recognition programs can include presenting an award to your corporate partner,
issuing press releases promoting your relationship, and holding a joint press
conference that positions the company as an expert on your issues. You can even
feature the company's logo on your website and link to their corporate site.
Joint press releases should include a quote from a prominent company official, a
brief description of the business, and a short explanation of the connection
between the firm and the issue it is supporting. When companies make in-kind
donations, mention the specific brand names of the products being donated.
Nonprofits may consider using the media and public-relations expertise and staff
of their corporate partner to promote the relationship. But be sure to establish
a clear understanding of each party's role in the recognition program. And
remember: It is totally appropriate for your group to state up front what you
will or will not do to promote your partner.
[Source: "Using Recognition to Build Corporate Partnerships," Connette Gayle,
Inside Corporate Philanthropy, July 18, 2003.
www.onphilanthropy.com.]
Board turnover is inevitable. Keep transitions smooth. Start by using a
board-service form to gauge each new board candidate's commitment. Ask what
issues interest the candidate the most, how much time they have to contribute,
what they want to gain from service, and what skills they bring to the job. The
form should spell out the board member's expected annual time commitment,
meeting attendance, and fund-raising role.
The executive director should write a letter to each new board member welcoming
them to the job and suggesting a visit or tour. Departing board members should
be asked to attend a transitional interview with the new member.
Reinforce the importance of the board member's role by formally administering an
oath of office. Give new board members a chance to mingle with their peers by
setting up a dinner or some other informal event.
Finally, give the new board member meaningful work. And conduct a follow-up
orientation after a few months to answer questions and address issues not
tackled during the first interview.
[Source: "Make for a Smooth Changing of the Board Guard When Transition Occurs,"
Board & Administrator for Administrators Only, March 2003. Aspen
Publishers, 7201 McKinney Circle, Frederick, MD 21704; 800-638-8437.]
Ensure that your board members understand their fiscal responsibilities.
Nonprofit boards set financial policy for the organization. They determine how
money will be spent. They help develop and approve the annual budget, but
delegate implementation of fiscal policies to the chief financial officer.
Board members also are responsible for monitoring financial outcomes to ensure
that the organization is solvent, on target with planned expenses and revenues,
and has income to meet future expenses.
To fulfill these responsibilities, board members should be provided with a basic
financial statement, bottom-line figures on revenues and expenditures, and
historical fiscal data for comparison.
[Source: "Understanding Your Financial Responsibility," Board & Administrator
for Board Members, March 2003. Aspen Publishers, 7201 McKinney Circle,
Frederick, MD 21704; 800-638-8437.]
Internet ...
Campbell
Research recently surveyed nonprofit employees about their favorite fundraising
software. Among the best-rated were:
Donor2 from Systems Support Services
Raiser's Edge from Blackbaud
ResultsPlus from Metafile Information Systems
Matchmaker 2000
eTapestry
[Source: "Charity Fund Raisers Rate Software in Online Survey," Nicole Wallace,
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, February 2, 2003. P.O. Box 1989, Marion,
OH 43305; 800-728-2819.]
Resources ...
"These are
the books and articles that have made the biggest difference in my life in
philanthropy," says Simone:
Robin Hood Was Right: A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change by
Chuck Collins and Pam Rogers. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Built to Last by James C. and Jerry I. Porras. New York: HarperCollins
Publishers, 1994.
"The Living Company," by Arie De Geus. Harvard Business Review,
March-April 1997.
"The Greatest Leadership Challenge: Renewing our Belief in Democracy and
Political Advocacy," by Scott Harshbarger. The Nonprofit Quarterly,
Summer 2003.
"The Commons: Our Mission If We Choose to Accept It," by Roger Lohmann. The
Nonprofit Quarterly, Summer 2003.
"Who's Promoting the General Welfare?" by Jeff Madrick. The Nonprofit
Quarterly, Summer 2003
Clicks and Mortar by David S. Pottruckand Terry Pearce. Jossey-Bass
Publishers, Inc., San Francisco, 2000.
The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of a Learning Organization by
Peter M. Senge. New York: Doubleday, 1990.
******************
Charities Can Lobby,
Despite Misconceptions
Not only are
nonprofit groups allowed to lobby, a little-known 1976 law gives them more
ability to do so than is commonly recognized, the
Washington Post reported Nov. 30.
Many nonprofit leaders either don't understand how federal tax laws work
regarding lobbying by tax-deductible groups or let the fear of an IRS audit
dissuade them from exercising their rights under the law. A Washington Post
survey of 1,700 nonprofit groups found that most needlessly limit their advocacy
efforts.
"We found that the typical executive director of a 501(c)(3) has little
understanding of what the law says," according to the article by Jeffrey M.
Berry (jeffrey.berry@tufts.edu),
a political-science professor at Tufts University. "Almost half of those
surveyed are so ignorant of the law that they don't even believe their
organization has the right to take a stand on federal legislation (perfectly
permissible), while 45 percent believe they are not allowed to sponsor a debate
featuring candidates running for public office (they can't support a candidate,
but a candidate forum is just fine)."
Part of the problem is a confusing set of regulations. Section 501(c)(3) of the
IRS code, for example, says nonprofits can't lobby to any "substantial" degree,
but the IRS has refused to clarify what is meant by "substantial." On the other
hand, nonprofits are allowed to "educate" lawmakers without constraint. "For
political scientists, this is a preposterous distinction," wrote Berry. "To
educate lawmakers is to lobby."
The good news is that a 1976 law provides some clear-cut guidance to nonprofits.
By choosing what's known as the
"H election" when filing their tax returns, nonprofits can easily spend as
much as 20 percent of their annual budgets on lobbying without running afoul of
the IRS. The only catch is that nonprofits have to keep track of and report
their (rather narrowly defined) spending on lobbying activities.
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20633-2003Nov29.html)
(http://www.allianceforjustice.org/foundation/technical_resources/501h_election/)
******************
Making Media Partnerships
(http://www.kintera.com)
Nonprofit groups
and media companies are partnering for cause-related marketing efforts that
generate exposure for charities and goodwill for broadcasters, newspapers, and
magazines.
The Philanthropy News Network reported Dec. 3 that the
Kintera Media Network is helping to bring nonprofits and media firms
together. The online firm has more than 30 media partners nationally who use
Kintera's web-based software to provide online publicity, collect registrations
and donations online, and otherwise support joint-marketing campaigns for
charity.
"By partnering with Kintera, we have been able to reach out to the nonprofit
community, provide a valuable value-ad resource calendar for our readers, and
launch a new annual Social Datebook in which we were able to capture additional
advertising sponsorships and generate local community support," said Kevin Dunn
of Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine.
Added Larissa Roman of the National MS Society's San Diego chapter: "Through the
Kintera Media Network, out print ad promoting the Union Bank of California MS
Dinner Auction greatly helped to broaden our reach and boost our fundraising and
awareness-building efforts."
******************
News
November 26,
2003
Immigrants who exit
U.S. may need re-entry permit
By Jessie Mangaliman and Edwin Garcia
Mercury News
With the arrival
of the holiday travel season, officials of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services are reminding immigrants to obtain important travel documents before
leaving the country for travel abroad.
Leaving the
United States without advanced parole, form I-131, may hinder the applications
of some immigrants who have applied for green cards.
``These
requirements must be met before leaving and are imperative for return to the
U.S.,'' CIS Director Eduardo Aguirre said in a recent news release, part of the
agency's efforts to improve customer service.
Bay Area
immigration lawyers issued a similar caution. A 1996 immigration law bars U.S.
re-entry to people who were undocumented or overstayed their visas some time in
their past, even though they have pending applications to change their
immigration status.
For example, a
high-tech worker whose H-1B visa expired -- even if the person was unable to
renew it because he could not find a new employer -- would be considered out of
status. After traveling abroad, that person could be denied re-entry into the
United States, said Kirsten Schlenger, an immigration lawyer from San Francisco.
Under the Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, a person who is
living in the
United States
illegally for about six months can be barred from the country for three years.
Those who are living illegally for a year or more can be barred for 10 years.
The law, and its
penalties, are triggered when an immigrant who has a pending application for a
green card leaves the United States.
``People should
assess their cases very carefully because the penalties are very harsh,'' said
Beverly Byrd, an immigration lawyer in San Jose.
The CIS may
unwittingly issue an immigrant advanced parole, not realizing that the person's
visa had once expired. The problem often arises at the port of entry, lawyers
said, when immigration inspectors discover the lapse.
For people
holding valid visas, lawyers say, it's a good idea to plan ahead when applying
for advanced parole.
Immigrants with
pending green card applications who want to travel abroad should call the
National Customer Service Center, (800) 375-5283 or check the CIS Web site,
www.uscis.gov.
Immigrants should
consult an immigration attorney or a non-profit organization accredited by the
Board of Immigration Appeals.
Refugee documents
Refugees, people
granted asylum and permanent residents in the United States who don't have
passports from their native countries will be issued new travel documents.
A light green,
passport-size document replaces the existing re-entry permit that many refugees
use when traveling abroad, said Chris Bentley, a spokesman for CIS in
Washington, D.C.
The new documents
have digital photographs and other hidden security features that make it
difficult to counterfeit, Bentley said.
Send your
questions to immigration@ mercurynews.com or fax us at (408) 288-8060. You can
also write to us at Immigrant Experience, San Jose Mercury News, Newsroom,
750 Ridder Park Drive,
San Jose, Calif. 95190.
(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/7354066.htm)
******************
November 30,
2003
Hope for the forgotten
Stuck in
Philippines for 14 years, Vietnamese refugees may finally make it to U.S.
By TOM BERG
The Orange
County Register
PALAWAN,
PHILIPPINES - There is no sign. No indication anymore of the significance of
this abandoned refugee camp that once changed thousands of lives.
But a few
miles from Puerto Princesa Airport on the island of Palawan, past endless rows
of bamboo huts and cinderblock shacks, past a sign that reads "Puerto Princesa -
the cleanest and greenest in the Philippines," comes the turnoff.
Down this
overgrown dirt road are the last of the last. The squatters of old Palawan Camp,
known officially as The Philippine First Asylum Camp.
Inside these
bamboo shacks, Vietnamese who once risked their lives to escape communism eat
three-day-old fish from a tin pot, cook with stagnant rainwater from a concrete
cistern, and climb a homemade ladder to a wall-less bathroom in a rear shack. To
flush, they carry a bucket of water up the ladder.
"I left
Vietnam to find freedom, to find a better place," says Thuong Thi Nguyen, 54,
offering her best chair - a worn stool - to a visitor and turning on an old fan
that takes a full minute to begin spinning. Here in Palawan, everything moves
slowly. Even the electricity.
"I didn't
expect to be stuck in the Philippines, in this condition," says the mother of
one, who tried to flee Vietnam 10 times before finally escaping in 1992. "I
worry that I might die here and leave my son alone. In the United States, I
could die in peace."
Dreams of
reaching America - vanquished 14 years ago on this island - began resurfacing
last month with news that the United States is considering taking this final,
forgotten group of some 1,500 Vietnamese boat people to close the books, once
and for all, on the Vietnam War.
Thuong Thi
Nguyen dreams of reuniting with a cousin in Costa Mesa.
"If I saw
him again," she says, "I couldn't say a word. I'd just cry."
She grows
quiet. The only sound is from the cheap fan carving the Philippine humidity. The
only movement is from three brown dogs - Minnow, Bo and an unnamed puppy -
lolling on a concrete floor beneath a coconut- leaf roof.
It's quiet
now, but these 25 acres bustled with activity from 1979 to 1996, when an
estimated 350,000 Vietnamese boat people passed through the Philippines seeking
freedom. In those days, some shacks housed 26 people at a time, but no one
cared. Life was bursting with promise. With hope. With an image of America.
Thuong Thi
Nguyen's older cousin, Xuan Nguyen, is one of the lucky ones who made it to
America. The Costa Mesa parts assembler hasn't seen Thuong Thi Nguyen since 1980
but writes often and sends money when he can.
"I would be
happy to sponsor her," he says through an interpreter. "I would take care of
her. I would drive her around to do all her paperwork. I would introduce her to
life here."
But that
might never happen. Life changed for Vietnam's boat people on March 24, 1989,
when the world community decided that those fleeing Vietnam were no longer
escaping political persecution but rather a bad economy. They were no longer
considered automatic refugees.
In 1996,
refugee camps in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong returned their boat
people. The Philippines tried. But the Catholic Church interceded. The boat
people protested. The world watched. And the Philippines relented after one
plane load.
Since then,
an estimated 1,500 Vietnamese have been stranded throughout the Philippines.
Most are not as poor as those on Palawan. Still, they have no rights to own
property or to hold jobs, no police protection, no chance to settle elsewhere
and no desire to return to Vietnam. They are forgotten. Stateless. Abandoned.
"This is my
life, whether I like it or not," says Thuong's son Niem Hoa Quy, 17, who strums
"Hotel California," on a discarded guitar. "This is my life. And I wonder, 'Is
there a better life?' "
Each evening
under dim light, he studies English from five tattered books before retiring to
his cot, where he dreams of becoming an engineer or lawyer - or, on some magical
nights, of becoming the president of Vietnam.
"I feel free
as a child who can study or play here," he says, "but if you look at my future,
I cannot become what I dream of. I cannot be a lawyer or an engineer, but just a
tricycle (taxi) driver."
Today, 14
years after many of these boat people first landed in the Philippines, their
fate remains unknown. And disputed.
Today, their
lives rest in the hands of two opposing forces - one a demure, aging nun; the
other a gregarious young attorney - locked in a battle of immense consequence to
Thuong Thi Nguyen and her son.
The nun,
many here say, once held the answer. But the young attorney - a refugee himself,
who grew up in Australia and sounds like Crocodile Dundee - offers something
they haven't felt in an eternity: Hope.
In the six
years since Melbourne's Hoi Trinh, 33, began volunteering to resettle the boat
people, he's persuaded Australia to accept 258 of them. And now he's persuaded
20 U.S. senators and representatives to urge the State Department to accept most
of the rest. Trinh spent the last two weeks in Washington, D.C., talking with
officials at the State Department and a special assistant to President George W.
Bush.
"The State
Department told me that a decision is imminent," he says by phone. "We are very,
very close to a decision."
On Palawan,
such news tastes like a slice of heaven.
"If I have a
chance to go to the United States, I will get a second life - again," says Mai
Tuyet Thi Pham, 44, squatting in a rented shack in a back alley of downtown
Puerto Princesa - a half-world away from her sister's impeccable home in
Westminster. It took her 12 years to escape Vietnam. To get here. A cockroach
scurries across the floor of the home she shares with her husband and three
children. A home where the beds have no mattresses, the back entrance no door,
and some windows no glass. Mosquitoes, on this island known for malaria, buzz
everywhere. She is squatting to demonstrate how she rode for seven days and
nights with 111 people on a 40-foot boat to escape Vietnam. "You couldn't move
at all," she says, through a translator.
"We did not
eat anything because of all the waves," she says. "We just drank water and
lemon."
How much
water?
"It's really
hard to describe," she says, "but it's very, very little."
She is asked
to try, and she points to a tiny bottle of water, maybe eight ounces.
"That's it?"
she is asked. "A cup?"
She takes
the bottle and opens it. Carefully, not to spill any, she tips a few drops into
the cap. Less than half-full.
"Very
little," she repeats. "Very, very little." Mai Pham left with the second of
three waves of refugees that fled after the Vietnam War, according to the
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center in Washington, D.C. The number of
Vietnamese refugees and their American-born children now living in the U.S. is
close to 1 million.
The first
wave of more than 130,000 came with the fall of Saigon in April 1975, their fate
indelibly burned in the American psyche by TV news footage of those who clung to
overcrowded helicopters.
The second
wave became known as the "boat people," for that is how more than 1 million
escaped from the late 1970s through the 1980s. Many were ex-soldiers, teachers
and intellectuals associated with the South Vietnamese Army who lost jobs and
homes before being sent to "re-education camps," and then new economic work
zones. Families often tried and failed at dozens of escapes over more than a
decade, intentionally splitting family members to increase the odds of at least
some succeeding.
The third
wave came in response to piracy and drowning at sea (which some estimates put at
more than 50 percent) when the United Nations arranged for nearly half a million
political prisoners, their dependents and others to leave Vietnam.
The largest
number of Vietnamese refugees now live in Southern California, like Mai Pham's
oldest sister, Lan Thi Pham, 66, of Westminster.
Lan Thi
Pham, her husband and five children all were boat people. They arrived in
America in 1979 with $26, scrubbed floors and cleaned toilets until they learned
English and could take better jobs. Today, their children are engineers and
lawyers and businessmen. Life is good.
Lan Pham
stares at recent photos of her sister's family and weeps. Her hands rush to her
to face. She leans in close, speaking to herself in Vietnamese between sniffles.
"Very harsh conditions," she whispers, her tears nearly enough to fill the
bottle cap her sister held just days earlier.
"It really
hurts me," Lan Pham says. "I still wait for the day when we can be reunited
again, but it's been so long. I used to have really high hopes, but now it's
been such a long time."
Then she
sees a picture of her sister's children and smiles. One boy holds a sign,
hand-written in English, that reads: "Welcome lawyer hero Trinh Hoi."
She
recognizes the name. Many Vietnamese-Americans in Orange County know it.
"They tell
me," Lan Pham says, crying, in her well- appointed home of polished furniture
and plants, "he will try very hard to get them permission."
Hoi Trinh
says he is close. Others agree, including Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, one
of Trinh's earliest supporters.
"We've been
working on this for almost three years," says Sanchez. "A State Department
attorney said, 'Yes, we decided to grant them refugee status.' So supposedly the
State Department has agreed. Now, have we seen movement of that process? Not
yet." She, Hoi Trinh and many Vietnamese-Americans in Orange County await a
formal decision, which must come from the State Department. Meanwhile, half a
world away, Sister Pascale Le Thi Triu, a Vietnamese Daughter of Charity of St.
Vincent de Paul, is petitioning the Philippines Senate to take action that could
undermine Trinh's efforts in the United States.
The sister
has long sought permanent residence for the boat people stuck in the
Philippines. And now she is pushing the Senate to pass such a bill before it
ends its session in December. Passage would likely thwart any chance of the
Untied States considering the boat people refugees.
Senate
President Pro-tem Juan M. Flavier has asked the bill be deferred until the
United States makes a decision, vowing, "I will delay." Flavier is backed by the
boat people themselves, who now live throughout the Philippines, but whose jobs
are limited to taxi driving and selling small items door to door. Many show up
each day at the Senate to see which way their fate will turn. They want to go to
the United States. Only should that fail do they want Sister Pascale's bill to
go forward. Not until then.
"If we do
not try to catch this chance," says Tranh The Ha, president of the Vietnamese
Community in the Philippines, representing the boat people, "we might never get
it again."
It is that
one final chance that former refugee Hoi Trinh is trying to catch. When he first
started lobbying the State Department three years ago, a midlevel bureaucrat
told him, "Hoi, none of them are dying."
"I remember
thinking, 'Man, if you're going to wait till they die, I don't need you. I need
coffin makers.' "
"In
Washington," he adds, "you don't hear people crying."
In Palawan,
you do.
It is dark
now in Puerto Princesa. The mosquitoes are out. Over in the old Palawan Camp,
Niem Hoa Quy, 17, is dreaming of becoming an engineer or lawyer or president of
Vietnam.
A few miles
away Hong Thi Tran, 43, sits barefoot for hours waiting to talk to a visitor
from the United States. Silent. Stoic. Strong. She has been waiting 14 years for
this moment. Since she and 42 people rode a boat for 15 days to escape Vietnam
in February 1989. On day 10, they ran out of food and water. To survive, they
had to drink their own urine. For five days. Her brother eventually made it to
Montana. Her cousin made it to Garden Grove. She shows pictures of both.
"The cost of
freedom is so high," she says. "Fifteen days on that boat, 14 years in Palawan -
that's how much you pay for freedom."
She fights
tears to get out the words that have stuck in her throat all these years.
"It isn't
fair," she says, calmly folding her hands. "It isn't fair. I know that freedom
costs a lot. If you want to have freedom, you have to sacrifice. The thought of
freedom is what helped me overcome the pain."
Finally, she
cannot hold back. Tears roll down her cheeks.
"I always
pray to God, 'Please, help my family get to the United States,' " she says.
"Because we have paid a heavy price."
It is late.
Time for the boat people of the Philippines to scatter. Hoping their fate is not
forgotten like the cockroaches on the floors of Palawan.
-------------------------
Register
reporter Anh Do and researchers Michael Doss and Khanh Nguyen contributed to
this report.
******************
PRESS
RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
KaYing Yang, Executive Director
December 2, 2003 202-667-4690
or
kaying@searac.org
SEARAC SELECTS NEW CHAIR OF
THE BOARD
Washington, DC - The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) announces
the election of Bouy Te as its Chair of the Board of Directors for fiscal years
2004 and 2005. At its annual board meeting in November, the Board of Directors
also completed a strategic plan to guide the organization for the next five
years. SEARAC remains committed to serve as a national voice for Southeast Asian
Americans throughout the United States. According to the Census 2000, there are
more than 1.8 million Southeast Asian Americans, making up 14% of the total
Asian American community.
Chair Emeritus Philip Tuong Duy Nguyen stated, "Bouy has been an invaluable
board member, bringing many years of expertise in education issues and
experience working in federal government. We are pleased to see him at the helm
of this fine organization."
During a year-long strategic planning process, the Board discussed the changing
needs of Southeast Asian Americans, and finalized a plan to strengthen the
capacity and sustainability of the oldest and only national organization that
serves that community. The year 2004 also marks the 25th Anniversary
of SEARAC. The new chair and strategic plan will enhance SEARAC's ability to
lead a strong Southeast Asian American community into the 21st Century.
"SEARAC's long history was built on humanitarian concerns for the lives of
Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese refugees after the end of the Vietnam War and
genocide in Cambodia. SEARAC's future is focused on the leadership of Southeast
Asian Americans living in the United States who want to ensure that our future
is filled with peace, freedom, civil rights and equal opportunity to quality
public education for every child. We will continue the legacy of our founders to
protect the rights all who share our vision. I look forward to working with the
staff, Board of Directors and other partners to meet this goal," said Bouy Te.
KaYing Yang, SEARAC's Executive Director, added, "The effective leadership of
the Board of Directors is key to any organization's success. Bouy Te and the
other board members bring diverse expertise, ranging from grassroots community
organizing, advocacy, to philanthropy. SEARAC continues to advocate for critical
policies including quality education, improved healthcare, protecting immigrant
rights, gaining economic self-reliance, language access, and ending racial
profiling. "
____________________________
Bouy Te is the immediate-past President of the National Association for the
Education and Advancement of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans (NAFEA),
and currently the Director of the Department of School System Capacity of the
National Education Association (NEA). Before taking the position at NEA, he
served as the Deputy Director of the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority
Language Affairs (OBEMLA) of the US Department of Education. Mr. Te has
extensive experience in designing and implementing educational programs and
policies targeting Southeast Asian American and language minority students, and
in advocacy on these issues.
For more
information about the Board of Directors and SEARAC's programs, please visit our
website at
www.searac.org.
KaYing Yang
Executive Director
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
1628 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-667-4690
202-667-6449 fax
******************
Children Raised Bilingually
May Be Smarter
Source: Red Nova
Scientists
continue to unravel the mystery of the brain's role in the development of
language skills -- and with some provocative results. One new study in this
area, for example, reveals that children raised bilingually may actually be
"smarter" than their monolingual peers. Other studies show how two computer
learning programs potentially help children overcome reading and speech problems
-- results that offer hope to families who have children with learning
disabilities. Dyslexia alone affects one in five school-aged children.
In addition, researchers have recently discovered an unlikely site for some
speech and language processing -- the cerebellum, once thought to be involved
only in the control of movement. Yet another new study has found that the
hormone estrogen has a positive influence on language skills. Both these
findings may one day lead to more effective therapies for children and adults
with speech and language disorders.
At Dartmouth College, researchers report that bilingual children may be
"smarter" than their monolingual peers. These findings add weight to the
bilingual side of the long-running argument about whether children who grow up
bilingual are at an advantage compared to those who learn only one language.
To read the entire article, visit:
(http://www.rednova.com/news/stories/2/2003/11/13/story005.html)
******************
December 3, 2003
S.J. decision on expansion of police auditor job put off to April
By Mike Zapler
Mercury News
San Jose City Council members on Tuesday
postponed until April a decision on whether to dramatically expand the powers of
the city's independent police auditor to review police shootings.
Mayor Ron Gonzales said he wants to wait until
a new police chief is in place before acting. And council member David Cortese
said that waiting until April 27 to vote on the issue would give the auditor and
police officials time to hash out a compromise.
The issue comes amid community outrage about
the fatal shooting by a police officer of Bich Cau Thi Tran, a 25-year-old
mother, in July. Although a grand jury cleared the officer, members of the
Vietnamese community and other citizens are demanding more accountability of
police. Several of them addressed the council Tuesday.
``You guys represent the people,'' said
The-Vu Nguyen, president of the Vietnamese American
Community Action Team. ``I'm asking you, from your heart, please consider the
recommendations for the better of society.... This will bring justice to
everyone.''
Independent Police Auditor Teresa
Guerrero-Daley wants the council to allow her office to accompany investigators
to the scene of shootings by police, interview witnesses and police officers,
and monitor official investigations of police shootings as they unfold.
Guerrero-Daley said she lacks those powers in
cases involving shootings by police unless a citizen files a formal complaint,
which she said is rare. Her role is mostly limited to sitting on a review panel
that examines whether the police department went far enough to prevent shootings
through training and other prevention measures, she said.
But police officials oppose Guerrero-Daley's
proposals, saying they would needlessly complicate their work. They say the
investigations that internal affairs officers and district attorneys conduct are
thorough and adequate.
The council stayed out of the debate Tuesday,
instead hearing from four supporters of Guerrero-Daley's proposals and one
opponent. The council did adopt -- pending the appointment of a new police
chief, probably in January -- less controversial measures that call for
expanding public access and information in the wake of a shooting by police.
Contact Mike Zapler at
mzapler@mercurynews.com or (408) 275-0140.
(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/7402100.htm)
******************
December 4,
2003
Nonprofits sue
governor to restore CalWORKS benefits
Two
nonprofit legal advocacy groups filed suit against Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger Tuesday to force him to honor an agreement between his Republican
predecessor Governor Pete Wilson and the Democrat-controlled legislature to
trigger cost-of-living increases for Cal WORKS recipients when the state's
vehicle license fee is reduced. Schwarzenegger is sponsoring legislation to end
the link between the car tax and welfare payments that was incorporated in a
1999 change in the state's Welfare and Institutions Code. If enacted, the bill
would result in a total CalWORKS savings of $139.1 million in 2003-04 and $303.6
million in 2004-05. The sponsors of the class action suit - Western Center on
Law and Poverty (www.wclp.org)
and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights (www.lccr.com)
- argue that "since 1990, welfare grants have been cut five times and frozen
twice. Families desperately need the $25 per month the COLA will provide."
Source:
California Association of Nonprofits (CAN)
For more
information about CAN, please visit
http://www.CAnonprofits.org.
******************
FOUR VIETNAMESE GENERATIONS: SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY AND MARKET ECONOMY
By NHU-NGOC T. ONG
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF DEMOCRACY
UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA,
IRVINE
3151 SOCIAL
SCIENCE PLAZA
IRVINE,
CA
92697-5100
Abstract
Vietnam
is a young country with more than half of the population born after 1975. Using
data from the World Values Survey conducted in Vietnam in 2001, the current
research explores the differences in political and economic values across four
Vietnamese generations and between North and South Vietnamese, given their
distinct historical experiences. The Vietnamese people show overwhelming support
for democracy and the market. Support for market economy is in the high range
with variations across four generations, and support for democracy is near
ubiquitous although North-South differences persist. As socialization theory
predicts, distinct influences of each historical period can be traced through
measurement of orientations toward democracy and market economy across the
generational units: regional differences defined by historical events help mark
the context of democratic support, whereas age associated with each period of
history turns influential as a marker of support for the market. North-South and
generational differences, however, are bound to be eliminated as Vietnam
undertakes its political and economic transformations. More liberal politics and
economics will diversify Vietnamese interests and broaden the spectrum of their
social and cultural values. Vietnamese of the new generation will indeed “do
better” than their parents and grandparents.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nhu-Ngoc T. Ong
Democracy Fellow
Center for the Study of Democracy
University of
California,
Irvine
http://www.democ.uci.edu/archive/vietnam.htm
(http://www.democ.uci.edu/democ/papers/generations.pdf)
******************
For Immediate Release
Friday, December
5, 2003
Contact: Gem P. Daus
(202) 466-7772 gdaus@apiahf.org
Statement on Medicare
On
Monday, December
8, 2003, President Bush is expected to sign the Medicare Prescription
Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (H.R. 1) into law. This
legislation promises to significantly undermine Medicare for all Americans-but
not because of generous prescription drug benefits. The legislation makes
changes beyond Medicare that are likely to double insurance premiums for
employer-based private plans. The most significant changes to Medicare will
take effect after 2010, just as the baby boomer generation turns 65. Poor and
disabled seniors on Medicare now will soon lose benefits. And public programs
that discriminate based on immigration status will continue to do so. APIAHF is
extremely disappointed, to say the least, that the elderly, poor and disabled
are so mistreated, legally.
ASIAN AMERICANS,
PACIFIC ISLANDERS AND MEDICARE
A large number of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), age
65 and older, rely on Medicare and Medicaid to keep themselves healthy. In
fact, two-thirds of elderly AAPI are on Medicare. Most of the rest have no
insurance. Immigrants who have been in the country less than 5 years cannot buy
into Medicare, nor are they eligible for Medicaid. And they usually cannot get
private insurance because the elderly as a rule are high risk (which is why a
public program such as Medicare is necessary in the first place).
Census 2000 revealed that 12.3% of elderly AAPI are living below
the Federal poverty line. However there are large regional differences; for
example, 1 in 4 elderly Asian Americans in
New York City
live in poverty compared to 18% of the general elderly population. There are
also extreme differences by ethnic population: 34% of Hmong and 25% of Cambodian
elders in California live in poverty. Asian households where the householder is
65 years or older are more likely than the general population to be earning less
than $10,000 (19.4% vs. 15%).
Depending on ethnicity, 44% to 77% of AAPI are limited English
proficient.
MEDICARE
PRESCRIPTION DRUG, IMPROVEMENT AND MODERNIZATION ACT
This act offers a small prescription drug benefit with no guarantee
of cost containment for beneficiaries or for the Medicare program itself. Thus
the cost of health care will rise for all Americans for generations to come.
* The cost of prescription drugs is the leading cause of the rise
in health care costs. However, this act prohibits the government from using its
superior purchasing power to negotiate drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries
that are lower than private plans. The Department of Veterans Affairs and
Medicaid can and do negotiate better prices for its beneficiaries.
* Private plans that contract with the Medicare program will
provide the new prescription drug benefit. However, private plans will be able
to charge different premiums, different co-payments, and will not have to cover
all drugs. Benefits will vary by region.
* Extremely poor or disabled seniors are eligible for both Medicare
and Medicaid (dual-eligible). For these 6 million people, Medicaid pays for
services and benefits for dual-eligibles that aren't provided by Medicare
including medication (this is called a "wrap-around" benefit). This will no
longer be the case. States will now be prohibited from using Medicaid funds to
pay for medications and other costs that aren't provided by Medicare. This
leaves the poorest and sickest seniors worse off than before.
* This act creates a new class of tax-free Health Savings
Accounts. Healthier, more affluent workers will have a strong incentive to
choose these accounts over their employer's more comprehensive health insurance
plans. As a result, the pool of people left in the comprehensive plans will be
older and sicker thereby driving up insurance premiums in the long run.
* This act denies health care benefits to legal immigrant pregnant
women and children. The Senate Medicare bill would have lifted the 5-year
waiting period for immigrants. By refusing to keep this provision, the Medicare
bill denies 155,000 children and 60,000 pregnant women health coverage. Legal
immigrants pay taxes, serve in the military, and have the same social
obligations as
United States
citizens. However, unlike other American families, when basic medical care is
needed, legal immigrants are forced to forgo such coverage and risk adverse
health outcomes.
Gem P.
Daus,
MA
Director of Policy
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 835
Washington,
DC 20036
Ph: (202) 466-7772
Fax: (202) 466-6444
www.apiahf.org
******************
For Immediate Release
Contact: Thanh Tran
301-587-2781
thanh.tran@navasa.org
December 8, 2003
Second Year
Awardees Selected for
Capacity Building
Grant
Washington
D.C.—The
National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies (NAVASA) announces its
second annual sub-funding to eleven affiliate members on December 1, 2003. This sub-funding is made possible through the Office of Refugee
Resettlement (ORR) under Standing Announcement for Services to Recently Arrived
Refugees: Category 4—Ethnic Community Self Help.
This year sub-funding is the second year of the three years funding
cycle for NAVASA from ORR. The purpose of this sub-funding is for NAVASA’ s
member organizations, new emerging community-based (CBOs) and faith-based
organizations (FBOs) to work toward capacity and coalition building. Fiscal year
2004 sub- funding will also focus on leadership empowerment and professional
development for community members and organizations.
The eleven affiliate-members receiving funding are: Asian Family &
Community Empowerment Center, Inc (AFACE), St. Petersburg, FL; Bach Viet
Association, Inc. (BVA), Sacramento, CA; Economic & Employment Development
Center (EEDC), Alhambra, CA; International Children Assistance Network, Inc. (ICAN),
San Jose, CA; Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association (IMAA), Rochester, MN;
Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association, Inc. (MVMA), Wheaton, MD; United Refugee
& Community Services (URCS), Houston, TX; Vietnamese-American Community of
Southern California (VACSC), Westminster, CA; Vietnamese Association of Illinois
(VAI), Chicago, IL; Vietnamese Friendship Association (VFA), Seattle, WA; and
Wichita Indo-Chinese Center (WIC), Wichita, KS.
Funding amount ranges from $5,000 to $30,000. Of the eleven, three
well-established organizations (budget over $1 million) will provide
comprehensive technical assistance and mentorship to local CBOs and FBOs towards
capacity building.
Application for next year sub-grant will be available early Fall
2004. All applicants must meet all eligibility criteria set by NAVASA in order
to apply. Interested organization must be a non-profit agency with 501 (c) (3)
status, has at least one year in operation, and is an affiliate member of NAVASA.
To become a member of NAVASA, please visit
www.navasa.org for further information or contact the office.
+++++
NAVASA is a national advocacy agency currently comprised of 36
mutual assistance associations (MAAs).
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
DC, 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.
National
Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies
1010 Wayne
Avenue, Suite 310, Silver Spring, MD. 20910
Tel:
301/587-2781 * Fax: 301/587-2783
Email:
navasa@navasa.org
******************
December 9, 2003
E-Grants Unveiled
WHO: Organizations interested in federal funding
WHAT:
www.grants.gov. A single comprehensive Web site that will contain
information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs.
Grants.gov is a key element of President Bush's E-Gov Initiative, which aims at
harnessing Internet-based technology to make it easy for citizens and businesses
to interact with the government, save taxpayer dollars and streamline
citizen-to-government communications. The Web site now has information about
more than 800 available grant programs involving all 26 federal grant-making
agencies. The site provides information in a standardized format across the
agencies and includes a "Federal Grant Opportunities" feature to help applicants
find potential funding opportunities. The site also contains an "Apply for
Grants" feature that greatly simplifies the application process by allowing
applicants to download, complete, and submit applications for specific grant
opportunities from any federal grant-making agency.
CONTACT: Head to the Web site at
www.grants.gov. For the complete press release, head to
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20031209.html.
******************
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.
