NCVA REPORTER - December 14, 2004

In this NCVA Reporter:

Events

• Proposal Writing Seminar – Jan 28, 2005
• Academy Offers Blueprint for Community Building and Rural Development – Jan 5-27, 2005

Funding Opportunities

• Healthy Lifestyle Programs for Youth Supported
• Funds for Golf Programs for Youth and the Disabled
• Program Provides Interns for Grassroots Environmental Organizations
• Support for Education, Health and the Environment
• Funds for Habitat Restoration Projects
• Grants Supports the Exchange of Art and Artifacts Between Museums
• Volvo for Life Award Nominations

Jobs/Internships

• AALDEF Spring Internships 2005
• Joseph Santos Ileto Fellow
• OCAPICA Afterschool Program Tutor/Mentor
• State Farm Agency Opportunity
• APIAHF Policy Analyst

Legislation

• Congress Approves Davis Legislation Aiding Vietnamese Refugees

News

• A Step Backward for Vietnam (Wall Street Journal)
• Alleged Leaders Are Charged in Marriage Scam (Seattle Times)
• Immigrant Integration Project Shows Promising Results (Press Release)
• Hunter killings heighten racial tensions (Associated Press)
• Growing Group Changes Bay Area (Mercury News)
• Parents’ Emphasis on Schooling Cited as Students Outperform Their Peers (Mercury News)

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EVENTS

PROPOSAL WRITING SEMINAR

Center for Nonprofit Management: Proposal Writing

The Center for Nonprofit Management is offering a proposal writing seminar on January 28, 2005, in Los Angeles, CA. This full-day seminar focuses on developing a logical program design as the basis for a successful proposal. The seminar gives participants the basic format and essential elements for writing successful proposals when seeking funding through lecture, small group discussion, and examples. Topics include making the case for support, basic "do's" and "don'ts," program evaluation, and budget preparation. Visit the above website for more information, or to register.

(http://www.cnmsocal.org/Services/s_proposalwriting.html)

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ACADEMY OFFERS BLUEPRINT FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Home Town Competitiveness: A Blueprint for Community Builders

Home Town Competitiveness, presented by the Heartland Center for Leadership Development in partnership with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship and the Nebraska Community Foundation, is a train-the-trainers academy that offers a blueprint for community building and rural development. The academy focuses on mobilizing local leaders, energizing entrepreneurs, engaging and attracting young people, and capturing wealth transfer. The academy will take place January 25-27, 2005, in Omaha, NE.

(http://www.heartlandcenter.info/htc.htm)

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH SUPPORTED

National 4-H Council Grant Program: Healthy Lifestyles Grants

The National 4-H Council, with funding provided by Kraft Foods, Inc. and Cargill, is offering grants to help communities create educational programs and public awareness that will confront the climbing trends of obesity. Grants of $7,500 are available to develop or expand innovative and fun community-based programs that partner youth ages 5-12 with adults in order to reverse the trends of obesity through outreach efforts, educational programming and content. Programs requesting funding should include information on nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle choices. 4-H and Cooperative Extension organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories are eligible to apply. The application deadline is January 14, 2005.

(http://www.fourhcouncil.edu/pGrntHealthyLS.aspx)

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FUNDS FOR GOLF PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AND THE DISABLED

"United States Golf Association Foundation

The grant program of the United States Golf Association Foundation focuses on positively impacting economically disadvantaged youth and individuals with disabilities through instructional programming and golf facility construction projects. Additionally, the Foundation supports the introduction of youth to the game and to the golf industry through caddying and other work-based programs. The Foundation considers funding requests for golf course and practice range access; golf instruction; golf equipment, including adaptive golf equipment for individuals with disabilities; transportation; and construction costs for alternative, beginner-friendly golf courses and golf facilities in areas where there are obstacles to affordable access to the game. The next application deadline is January 18, 2005. Nonprofit organizations, government entities, and public schools throughout the U.S. are eligible to apply.

(http://www.usga.org/grants/index.html)

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PROGRAM PROVIDES INTERNS FOR GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

The Environmental Careers Organization Community Intern Program

The Community Intern Program, funded by the Office of Environmental Justice at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a cooperative agreement with the nonprofit Environmental Careers Organization (ECO), provides an opportunity for students to intern directly with community organizations and experience environmental issues at a grassroots level. The program places students in summer internships at local, grassroots, nonprofit community organizations throughout the country. Community organizations focused on addressing the environmental and/or public health problems of the residents of the affected community are eligible to apply for an intern. Organizations must submit projects designed to develop research or projects of a research nature that will be used to expand scientific knowledge or understanding of the subject studied. Interns must be college or university students, and must apply through ECO to be considered for the program. After the January 31, 2005 deadline, a panel will review the applications and select the 30 community organizations that will receive a summer intern, free of charge, from ECO. Each ECO Community Intern will receive a stipend of $450 a week, and $500 for relocation or project travel. Organizations interested in requesting an intern must submit applications by January 31, 2005.

(http://www.eco.org/epa/Communityinternprogram/main.html)

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SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT

ExxonMobil Foundation

The ExxonMobil Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that contribute to the well-being of the communities where the company operates worldwide. The Foundation's three priority areas of interest are education, health, and the environment. Support is also provided for public policy research, civic and community services, and arts and culture. Preference is given to nonprofit organizations in local communities where ExxonMobil has a strong presence. Nonprofit organizations with national or international scope are also eligible to apply. Applications from U.S. organizations are accepted throughout the year.

(http://www.exxonmobil.com/corporate/Citizenship/Corp_citizenship_Com_foundation.asp)

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FUNDS FOR HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Five-Star Restoration Matching Grants Program

The Five-Star Restoration Program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, supports community-based wetland, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration projects throughout the U.S. that build diverse partnerships and foster local natural resource stewardship through education, outreach and training activities. Projects must involve partnerships of five organizations that contribute funding, land, technical assistance, workforce support, and/or other in-kind services. Project partners should include schools or youth organizations, local or tribal government, local business or corporations, conservation organizations or local citizen groups, state and federal resource management agencies, and foundations or other funders. The application deadline is March 1, 2005.

(http://www.nfwf.org/programs/5star-rfp.htm)

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GRANTS SUPPORT THE EXCHANGE OF ART AND ARTIFACTS BETWEEN MUSEUMS

Museum Loan Network

The Museum Loan Network (MLN) enables museums to better serve their communities by making art and objects of cultural heritage more accessible to U.S. institutions. MLN provides grants to facilitate and fund the development of long-term programming and the loan of art and objects of cultural heritage. Travel grants are available for museums that are interested in borrowing objects to send personnel to prospective lending institutions to research possible long-term loans and to initiate loan negotiations. Survey grants are available for lending institutions to identify stored and underutilized objects that are both suitable and available for future long-term loans and that can be included in the Museum Loan Network Directory; to consult with potential borrowers in order to identify the type of objects they would be interested in borrowing; or to consult with members of the community to document histories and stories associated with objects. Nonprofit organizations and government agencies throughout the U.S. are eligible to apply. The deadline for letters of intent is February 18, 2005 and the application deadline is March 18, 2005.

(http://loanet.mit.edu/)

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VOLVO FOR LIFE AWARD NOMINATIONS

The Volvo for Life Awards is a program designed by Volvo Cars of North America to honor American heroes, ordinary people who act with conscience, care and character to help others in need. All U.S. citizens or legal residents of the U.S. of any age, including U.S. citizens living abroad, are eligible. The Awards recognize and reward heroes across America for their contributions in three areas reflecting Volvo’s core values: Safety, Quality of Life and Environment. Nominations are due January 10, 2005.

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

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JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

AALDEF SPRING INTERNSHIPS 2005
Undergraduate, Graduate, and Law School

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, is the first organization on the East Coast to protect and promote the legal rights of Asian Americans through litigation, legal advocacy and community education.  Current program priorities include economic justice for workers, immigrants\' rights, voting rights and civic participation, language rights, affirmative action, the elimination of anti-Asian violence and police brutality, youth rights and educational equity, and the assistance of low-income Chinatown residents and workers affected by 9-11. For more information about AALDEF, visit our website at www.aaldef.org. Spring internships are available for the following:

* Economic Justice for Workers: primarily working on litigation on behalf of garment, restaurant, and other low wage workers,
* Immigrants' Rights: community outreach, education, and legal services post 9-11, advocacy on immigration reform proposals, special registration, INS/police collaboration, and detention of South Asian, Arab, Muslim, Indonesian, and Filipino men swept up in the government's investigations.
* Voting Rights: legal research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, expanding bilingual ballots, and counting votes cast by Asian Americans; advocacy on state and local election reform; produce reports and organize forums on the Asian American vote.
* Educational Equity and Youth Rights: casework, community education, and potential litigation on educational equity, juvenile justice, and post 9/11 hate violence and racial targeting.
* Korean Workers Project:  direct legal services on employment-related claims to Korean immigrant workers, as well as community education and advocacy in collaboration with YKASEC - Empowering the Korean American Community.
* 9-11 Relief: assist Lower Manhattan residents secure benefits and advocate for the inclusion of Chinatown residents in the World Trade Center rebuilding efforts.
* Language Rights: including access to health care and other social services.
* Anti-Asian Violence: hate crimes, police misconduct, and racial profiling issues involving South Asians, Arabs, Muslims, and Filipinos after 9-11.
* Participatory Planning and Community Based Research: develop strategic research and data analysis to support organizing and advocacy efforts.

Description of Spring Internships.
Interns are supervised by staff in specific program areas.  Legal interns work primarily on legal research and writing, legal and policy advocacy, community outreach and education, and client intakes.  Undergraduate interns work on policy advocacy, community outreach and organizing, and some client intakes.  Graduate interns work on policy advocacy, research methodology, statistical analysis, and GIS mapping.  Each program area differs in emphasis.  These internships are not paid positions, but academic credit can be arranged.  Interns work anywhere between 8 to 25 hours per week.  The internship usually commences with the start of classes or at mid/late January through late April/early May.

To Apply:
Any bilingual ability should be stated in the resume.  Bilingual ability is helpful but not required. Applications should also state the number of hours the intern is able to work per week.  Send a resume and cover letter to:

Spring Intern Search
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor, New York, New York 10013-2815
Fax: 212-966-4303
Email: info@aaldef.org

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or jweng@aaldef.org.

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JOSEPH SANTOS ILETO FELLOW

Immediate Need

Job Summary:
The Hate Crimes Unit is dedicated to addressing anti-Asian violence and the underlying social causes through victim assistance, education, and advocacy. Under the supervision of the Project Director, the Ileto Fellow will help outreach to and educate the public, liaison with ally organizations, and provide general support for the Hate Crimes Unit. The major focus of the Ileto Fellowship is to promote greater public understanding through an annual Speaker Event and other outreach efforts. The fellow will gain exposure to working with hate crime victims and advocates, the media,
and policymakers.

Position:
Part-time fellowship; minimum 20 hours/week.  February 2005 – October 2005.

Qualifications:
Demonstrated ability to organize and coordinate events and projects. Strong presentation and communication skills. Background in issues of racial justice, inter-group relations, and hate crimes. Familiarity with Asian Pacific American community. Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and the Internet. Must have driver's license and access to car.

Compensation: $500 / month.

Application Process:
Interested applicants should send a resume with one supervisor's reference,
a cover letter, and a writing sample.  Applications due: January 10, 2004.

Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Kathay Feng
Project Director, Hate Crimes Unit
1145 Wilshire Blvd., Second Floor / Los Angeles, CA 90017
 (213) 977-7500 x 212 [phone]; (213) 977-7595 [fax]

Questions: Daniel Huang (213) 977-7500 x 237 / Kathay Feng (213) 977-7500 x212

Founded in 1983, Asian Pacific American Legal Center is an equal employment opportunity employer and a private, non-profit organization providing legal services, community education and civil rights advocacy on behalf of low income and Asian Pacific Islander communities.

Kathay Feng
Asian Pacific American Legal Center
1145 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 977-7500
www.apalc.org

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OCAPICA AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM TUTOR/MENTOR

Love working with junior high and high school students?
Looking for a great volunteer opportunity to put on your resume?
Need Internship Credit for your major?

The Orange County Asian & Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) needs interns/volunteers to tutor and help develop activities/workshops for our Afterschool Program. This program will be providing youth with a safe environment to receive mentorship and academic advising. The mission is to provide opportunities for academic and character maturity. Funding generously provided by Orange County’s United Way.

Sample activities:
* College Application Essay workshops
* Movie nights
* Field trips
* Financial Aid workshops for students and parents
* Free SAT classes
* Scholarship Application Preparation
* Writing contest, etc.

Our afterschool program runs Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3-6PM. Commitment is for 10 weeks (40 hours minimum).

Mandatory Volunteer Informational Training
Please RSVP to one of six meetings:

1. Tuesday, January 11^th 6:30PM-8:00PM
2. Wednesday, January 12^th 6:30PM-8:00PM
3. Thursday, January 13^th 6:30PM-8:00PM
4. Tuesday, February 1^st 6:30PM-8:00PM
5. Wednesday, February 2^nd 6:30PM-8:00PM
6. Thursday, February 3^rd 6:30PM-8:00PM

All trainings will be at the OCAPICA conference room
OCAPICA’s conference room
12900 Garden Grove Blvd. #240A
Garden Grove, CA 92843

To RSVP or for more information please contact:
Jennifer Kuo jkuo@ocapica.org
Jason Lacsamana jjlacs@ocapica.org
(714) 636-9095
www.ocapica.org

For application
(http://www.ocapica.org/documents/Volunteer-InternRecruitmentFlier_Winter2005_PR2.pdf)

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STATE FARM AGENCY OPPORTUNITY

If you're seriously thinking about a new direction for your career, take a good look at being a State Farm agent.  Few jobs offer more variety and opportunity.  Working face to face with people in your community, seeing people in their homes and places of business, making connections with community groups, helping people plan their lives - in short, being a good neighbor.  That's the life of a State Farm Insurance agent.

As the number one insurer of automobiles and homes in the United States, State Farm Insurance provides peace of mind for many people. Our agents are located throughout the United States and Canada and work within their communities to market only State Farm products.

Their responsibilities include:

* Marketing all lines of insurance and financial products to policyholders and members of the community.
* Providing professional insurance counseling to ensure policyholders have appropriate coverage.
* Being a "Good Neighbor" and active in the community.
* Providing professional service to policyholders.

At State Farm, we are proud of our 80 years of service to our policyholders.  Our mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. Our success is built on a foundation of shared values - quality service and relationships, mutual trust, integrity and financial strength.  Our vision for the future is to be the customer's first and best choice in the products and services we provide.  Our turnover rate in our Agency force is among the lowest in the industry.  If you would like to take a closer look at this opportunity, please give me a call or send me an email.

Thanks and have a great day!

Eva Chung, SPHR
State Farm Insurance Companies
Talent Acquisition - Agency
301- 622-7355
eva.m.chung.cqxx@statefarm.com

Become a State Farm Agent http://www.statefarm.com/agents/agents.htm

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APIAHF POLICY ANALYST

Organizational Description:
The Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) is a national advocacy organization whose mission is to enable Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to achieve the highest level of health and well-being. The Policy Division works to ensure that federal and California state policies are meet the needs of AAPIs.

Position: Policy Analyst

Salary Range: Competitive, excellent fringe benefits

Job Summary:
The Policy Analyst will work with other APIAHF Policy Division staff, including the CEO, Policy Director, and the Policy Committee of the Board of Directors. The Policy Division works to ensure that federal and California state policies are meet the needs of AAPIs. The Policy Analyst will focus primarily on California health policy issues and assist in federal health policy issues as appropriate. Primary focus areas include:

* Expanding access to health care;
* Improving quality of health care by promoting cultural and linguistic competency;
* Ensuring a diverse and culturally competent health care workforce;
* Increasing research on and improving data collection
* Increase investment in community-based health promotion/disease prevention programs.

The APIAHF will reach its goals through three core strategies which are as follows:
a) To create and build a movement to work toward a progressive health agenda;
b) To influence the health agenda; and
c) To build the internal capacity to maintain its activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:
* Conduct policy analysis on California and federal health policy issues affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
* Assist in the writing of Division policy briefs, reports and publications.
* Maintain relationships and communication with legislative and administrative policymakers
* Maintain relationships and communication with Asian American and Pacific Islander policy partners, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and constituencies, and other health policy advocates.
* Plan and coordinate meetings, trainings and conferences on health policy issues affecting California's Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
* Participate in Division and organization planning and evaluation.
* Attend and assist with all Division and organization meetings, events and functions as required (This includes Voices from the Community)
* Perform other duties as assigned by Policy Division Director.

Required Qualifications:
*·Master's degree or equivalent in health, public policy or related field;
* Three years experience in public policy and advocacy, especially health policy;
* Demonstrated knowledge of AAPI health issues
*·Demonstrated effective written and oral communication skills;
* Demonstrated experience in interacting professionally with diverse individuals and organizations;
* Strong motivation and adaptability, including ability to work under pressure and with little supervision;
* Demonstrated ability to work as a team member;
* Demonstrated proficiency with personal computers, including Windows-based word processing and database applications;
* Demonstrated experience with electronic communications, including internet applications;
* Ability to travel as part of work responsibilities.

Desired Qualifications:
* Bilingual/biliterate in an Asian or Pacific Islander language;
* Demonstrated interest or experience working with Asian and Pacific Islander communities;
* Experience in meeting and event planning.
* Experience in media advocacy.

If interested, please apply to:

APIAHF
Attn: Human Resources
450 Sutter St., Ste. 600
San Francisco, CA 94108
Or Fax: 415-954-9999
E-mail: spadua@apiahf.org

(www.apiahf.org)

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LEGISLATION

CONGRESS APPROVES DAVIS LEGISLATION AIDING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

December 07, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA) is pleased to announce that the FY2005 omnibus appropriations package approved by Congress today includes the text of H.R. 2792, Davis' legislation reauthorizing refugee eligibility for children of Vietnamese re-education camp survivors. It now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.

Up until April 1, 1995, refugees accepted for resettlement in the U.S. were allowed to bring their children, even those above the age of 21, so long as they lived with their parents and had never married. On April 1, 1995, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) changed its interpretation of the law to exclude children who were over 21, even if they were unmarried and members of the refugee parent's household.

This change was particularly harsh for the families of South Vietnamese combat veterans and others who had spent long periods in "re-education camps" because of their wartime associations with the United States. The children of the detainees had already been without their fathers throughout that parent's duration in re-education camps sometimes as much as 15 years. Communist authorities marked these children as members of a "counterrevolutionary family" and denied them basic educational and employment opportunities.

"The refugees faced an unenviable choice: live forever under a Communist dictatorship or leave their children behind," Davis said. "That's not an acceptable choice for our government to be forcing upon these families."

In 1996, Congress responded to the inequity of the INS change by adopting the "McCain Amendment," which changed the INS interpretation of the law so re-education camps survivors could be accompanied by their unmarried sons and daughters. The third reauthorization of the McCain amendment expired on September 30, 2001.

On October 30, 2001, Davis introduced H.R. 1840, legislation which reauthorized the McCain amendment for an additional two years and addressed several technical problems of the old legislation. The original language did not apply to children who were mistakenly rejected before April 1, 1995, for reasons other than age. Even if new evidence surfaced that showed someone rejected before 1995 was actually the child of a refugee, families had no recourse to challenge the decision. The original language also excluded refugee sons and daughters who were denied access to an INS interview by corrupt and/or vindictive Communist officials who often serve as gatekeepers for the U.S. refugee program. The Davis bill fixed these problems. In addition, the legislation permits unmarried children over the age of 21 to immigrate to the U.S. even if the surviving parent is currently living in the United States.

Congressman Davis introduced H.R. 2792 during the 108th Congress to reauthorize this language for an additional two years. With the help of Senator John McCain (R-AZ), H.R. 2792 was attached to the FY2005 omnibus appropriations package approved by Congress today.

"This bill continues to provide the much-needed relief to a small and carefully defined group of people," Davis said. "This is a matter of fairness, not one of opening up the floodgates to uncontrolled immigration. INS has the authority, skills, and resources it needs to prevent the provision from being taken advantage of by undeserving applicants. H.R. 2792 will bring families together again families who, like all Americans, want to live in freedom, and have earned the right to do so."

(http://tomdavis.house.gov/cgi-data/news/files/141.shtml)

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NEWS

December 8, 2004

A STEP BACKWARD FOR VIETNAM

By Loretta Sanchez

Last week, the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam formally denied my request to travel there on official government business for the U.S. House of Representatives. I was authorized to travel on behalf of the House Homeland Security Committee to discuss regional security initiatives, defense issues, trade, and human rights.

The official reason given by the Vietnamese National Assembly was that my visit would not "serve U.S.-Vietnam relations." The real reason? The Vietnamese government was afraid that my visit would shed light on a growing cancer within Vietnam that threatens to undermine the U.S.-Vietnam relationship: its systemic persecution of certain ethnic and religious groups, and its blatant refusal to afford universal human and religious rights to the people of Vietnam.

When the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement was signed in 2001, U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Zoellick called it "an important step forward in bringing economic freedom and opportunity to Vietnam." Sadly, freedom and opportunity for Vietnamese citizens have actually faded in the years since.

In September, the U.S. State Department released its sixth annual Report on International Religious Freedom, adding Vietnam to a growing list of countries known as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), or governments that engage in or tolerate gross infringements of religious freedom. This is not a designation that the State Department makes lightly. The only other countries that share this label are Burma, Sudan, North Korea, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, and Eritrea -- a club of the world's most egregious human rights violators.

As the Congressional representative for the 47th district of California, home to one of the world's largest Vietnamese communities outside Vietnam, I co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam with the intention of raising awareness about the very issues that led to Vietnam's designation as a CPC.

Unlike most of the countries on the CPC list, Vietnam's economy is growing, and it is aggressively working toward becoming a fully integrated member of the global economy. It has taken steps toward market liberalization; its trade surplus with the U.S. is growing ($3.2 billion in 2003, up from $1.8 billion in 2002) and, just last month, Vietnam signed a bilateral World Trade Organization agreement with the European Union.

Yet, as the Vietnamese government has loosened its stranglehold on the economy, it has tightened its grip on political power, denying basic political freedoms and human rights to the Vietnamese people.

Democracy and human rights advocates have suffered the most. In late December 2003, writer Nguyen Vu Binh was sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by three years of house arrest, because he had "written and exchanged, with various opportunist elements in the country, information and materials that distorted the party and state policies." He was also accused of communicating with "reactionary organizations" abroad after he submitted testimony in July of 2002 to a joint Congressional Human Rights Caucus/Congressional Dialogue on Vietnam, a hearing that examined freedom of expression in Vietnam. Since when did the U.S. Congress become a reactionary organization?

On April 10 of this year, in what became know as the "Easter Crackdown," the Vietnamese government harshly responded to ethnic minority protests in the Central Highlands. Over the holiday, thousands of Montagnards gathered to protest ongoing religious repression and confiscation of tribal lands. Vietnamese government officials responded with force. Conservative reports indicate that a considerable number of people were imprisoned and hundreds were injured. And this was not the first time. Vietnam orchestrated a similar crackdown in December 2001, which ultimately led to the resettlement of 900 Montagnard refugees in the United States.

On November 12, 2004, the Vietnamese Government sentenced Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang, a human rights lawyer and democracy activist, to three years in prison for "resisting officers of the law while doing their duty." In truth, he had simply defended impoverished farmers in land-confiscation cases.

Unfortunately, the list goes on. The Vietnamese government continues to detain Catholic priest Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, sentenced to 15 years in prison for his peaceful advocacy of religious freedom, this in the face of a U.S. Congressional resolution -- which I co-sponsored with Rep. Christopher Smith -- that called for Father Ly's immediate release. The resolution passed by a vote of 424-1. Furthermore, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has found that Father Ly is being held in violation of international law. Still, he remains in prison.

And so does prominent democracy advocate Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison for "abusing democratic rights" after sending information critical of the Vietnamese government to his brother in the U.S. from an Internet café.

The Vietnamese government stated that my visit would not serve U.S.-Vietnam relations, but I disagree. My goal is to establish a mature bilateral relationship that goes beyond trade to encompass a free and open dialogue on a range of issues. The United States should stand for transparency, the rule of law, and basic human rights in Vietnam. If the Vietnamese government disagrees with the points that I have raised, it should have jumped at the opportunity to welcome me to Vietnam to prove that things are, in fact, different. Unfortunately, its denial of my visa request reveals a portrait of a closed and repressive society, sketched by the examples I have given above -- a society that belongs in the CPC club, and not in international organizations like the WTO.

By denying a visa to a member of the United States Congress, Vietnam has demonstrated that it is not ready for a mature bilateral relationship, and is not ready to assume the position in the international community to which it aspires. I regret we have not progressed to this point. But relations between our two countries will never be close and completely normalized until the Vietnamese government joins the growing ranks of democratic nations that fully respect the fundamental human rights and religious liberties of its own people.

Ms. Sanchez is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110245738215993644,00.html)

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December 9, 2004

ALLEGED LEADERS ARE CHARGED IN MARRIAGE SCAM

By Maureen O'Hagan
Seattle Times staff reporter

A free trip to Vietnam and about a thousand bucks was all it took to convince a number of local casino employees to pretend to be married to Vietnamese immigrants, according to a federal indictment.

Four alleged ringleaders of the scheme were charged yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle with conspiracy to commit visa fraud.

The indictment alleges the four, plus two others still at large, helped bring Vietnamese nationals to the U.S. by falsely claiming they were engaged to Americans. They recruited the American "spouses" among their colleagues at local casinos and elsewhere, prosecutors said.

All told, as many as 130 Americans agreed to be part of the scheme, according to the indictment.

"The lure of easy money and overseas travel was too great and the organization capitalized on that," said Mike McCool, the assistant special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Seattle.

For the Vietnamese brides- and grooms-to-be, the deal was much more costly, running $20,000 to $30,000 for a phony visa.

The scheme came to light because of an anonymous tip to the State Department, according to Thomas K. Depenbrock, special agent in charge of the department's San Francisco field office.

Arraigned yesterday were Phuoc Huu Nguyen of Vancouver, Wash. and Monica Nguyen, Amanda Nguyen and Everett Ledbetter of Lynnwood. Loc Huu Nguyen of Vancouver, Wash. and Richard E. Anderson of Seattle remain at large.

The alleged ringleaders took care of all the details. According to court documents, they arranged for the Americans' passports, accompanied them to Vietnam and introduced them to their "spouses."

They also asked the Americans to write letters to their spouses-to-be showing their affection, and took them to tourist spots for photos together. That's because U.S. authorities require evidence that a marriage isn't a sham before they issue a visa to a fiancé.

But they were still concerned, according to court documents.

"The problem lies with proof," Phuoc Huu Nguyen wrote in an e-mail to a co-conspirator, noting that the would-be spouses were barely able to speak English and converse with their alleged fiancés.

Some of the American recruits backed out along the way and say they were threatened, court papers say.

In other cases, sham marriages were performed in Washington, although it's unclear how many. Officials are still trying to determine the extent of the scheme, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas B. Whalley, who said that the evidence is "a prosecutor's dream." That's because the federal government has records of passport activity and visa applications, he said.

Those records are being combed for evidence of other participants, but so far, they've identified 130 possible suspects.

"I suspect that when words get out, there are going to be 130 people who are really nervous," Whalley said.

So far, none of the recruits has been charged. The Vietnamese who came to the U.S. under false pretenses are subject to deportation.

The six alleged ringleaders are facing up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

(http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002113751_marriage09m.html)

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December 9, 2004

For Immediate Release

IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION PROJECT SHOWS PROMISING RESULTS

Building the New American Community Initiative wraps up 3-year project

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Conventional wisdom says large cities have all the experience receiving immigrants to the United States, but a unique pilot project conducted in Americas small and medium-sized cities shows that broad-based community coalitions can proactively integrate the newcomers who are increasingly transforming Main St., USA.

In the Building the New American Community Initiative (BNAC), the first project of its kind, a consortium of leading organizations in three mid-sized metropolitan areas undertook inclusive community-building through such efforts as immigrant voter education, recertification for foreign-trained professionals, leadership training and youth development.

"This is the story of how immigrants and refugees in the United States struggle to become not just guests, but leaders in their communities and society as a whole," said Max Niedzwiecki, executive director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center. "With the right forethought, resources and cooperation between groups and sectors, America's small and medium-sized cities can integrate immigrants every bit as well as cities the size of New York or Los Angeles."

BNAC's final report, available at www.migrationpolicy.org, contains valuable project findings for policymakers, funders and organizations collectively approaching the challenge of helping newcomers adapt to their new communities and local communities welcome newcomers.

"Immigrant integration is not just a one-way process," said Ann Morse, BNAC program manager.  "What this project proved is that integration is a complex, multifaceted, long-term process that involves an entire community -- including employers, schools, neighborhoods, places of worship, government agencies, etc."

The project was conducted at three demonstration sites -- Lowell, Massachusetts; Nashville, Tennessee; and Portland, Oregon.  Each site was required to establish a coalition of integration partners and to develop an integration plan.  The coalitions included public-private partnerships that reached across levels of government and included a broad array of non-governmental organizations.  The integration agendas focused on youth and adult education, workforce and business development, neighborhood socio-economic development and civic engagement.

"BNAC was an experiment in how governments and civil society can cooperate to achieve the positive integration of refugees and immigrants," said Demetrios Papademetriou, president of the Migration Policy Institute. "Smaller cities are discovering that these public-private partnerships are vital to integrating increasing numbers of immigrants."

The integration coalitions in Lowell, Nashville and Portland had to adapt to changing environments during the course of the three-year project, including the challenges new Americans faced in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

The report notes that new settlers must make many adjustments as they try to live the American dream, include adapting to a changing economy and political climate, and ensuring positive development for their children.

According to the report, "The BNAC Initiative highlights the range of social and economic conditions that influence integration opportunities across the country: If the federal government is to embark on a broad integration program, one of the most salient lessons to be drawn from the BNAC experiment is how the 'uneven geography' of refugee and immigrant settlement, as well as the availability and quality of resources within each city, requires innovation in integration policy development and delivery."

One of the most successful aspects of the Initiative was in the area of civic engagement.

"Newcomers learned not only about the American electoral system and the importance of voting, but also about participating as partners with public agencies in the coalitions," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum.  "Policymakers also gained a better understanding of newcomer communities, challenges facing refugee/immigrant families as they become Americans, and how public policies facilitate or impede productive integration."

The BNAC Initiative is a joint project of five national organizations - the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Urban Institute, the National Immigration Forum, the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, and the Migration Policy Institute.  It was primarily funded by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement.  The report was prepared by the Migration Policy Institute.

The report is available online now at www.migrationpolicy.org.

PROMISING PRACTICES FROM BNAC COMMUNITIES

As the demonstration sites developed their own integration goals and plans, all three sites recognized the importance of the civic component, and included it as a key goal.

Some promising practices:
* Portland's coalition members participated in a budget consultation process with county and school officials identifying ways to improve services for youth in Multnomah County.

* Nashville addressed challenges facing foreign-trained professionals in gaining U.S. certification both through a taskforce that catalogued barriers and by bringing the issue to the attention of state legislators and governor's staff.

* Lowell's Campaign for Voter Vitality, created to encourage voter education and registration, engaged 40 non-profits and city leadership, and convened a multilingual rally at city hall with 250 attendees and 14 speakers representing seven countries.

* A "Board Bank" initiative prepared refugee and immigrant leaders to become full and effective participants on boards and commissions of local government institutions and non-profit organizations (both Nashville and Lowell.)

* Portland's "small grants" program encouraged civic participation and community engagement between newcomer and receiving communities through cooperation in neighborhood projects such as a community garden, a forum with state legislators and participation in local business district and transportation plans.

For interviews or for more information, please contact any of the partner organizations:

Migration Policy Institute
Contact: Colleen Coffey
202/266-1910

National Conference of State Legislatures
Contact: Bill Wyatt
202/266-1910

National Immigration Forum
Contact: Douglas Rivlin
202/266-1910

Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
Contact: Max Niedzwiecki
202/266-1910

The Urban Institute
Contact:  Michael Fix
202/266-1910

(www.migrationpolicy.org)

(www.searac.org)

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December 12, 2004

HUNTER KILLINGS HEIGHTEN RACIAL TENSIONS

By Robert Imrie
Associated Press

HAYWARD, Wis. - The fatal shootings of six white deer hunters by a Hmong man in northern Wisconsin last month have fueled racial animosity against the growing immigrant population, according to Hmong community leaders.

Hmong residents have reported receiving threatening letters and being taunted with ethnic slurs. At a community prayer service in Rice Lake, the area where the six slain hunters lived, one woman said she saw a bumper sticker that read: "Save a deer, shoot a Hmong."

"It is like boiling water again. Hopefully, in a few years, the water will probably cool down again," said Cheu Lee, owner of the Hmong Times newspaper in St. Paul, Minn., home of the country's largest Hmong community.

Chai Soua Vang, who lives in St. Paul, faces six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder for allegedly gunning down eight hunters after a trespassing dispute on some of the victims' land. Vang said the men fired on him first and used racial slurs; the two survivors said Vang shot them first.

Many Hmong, who began arriving in the United States from Southeast Asia 25 years ago, said they have experienced prejudice before. But some said feelings have become particularly hardened since the shootings in Wisconsin, home to 46,000 Hmong.

Police recently arrested a white man and cited him for misdemeanor property damage for painting the word "killer" on two trailer homes and a truck owned by Hmong neighbors.

Joe Bee Xiong, executive director of the Eau Claire Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, said his organization received an unsigned letter urging the Hmong to go back "where they belonged."

The Wausau Area Hmong Mutual Association said it has received calls from people making inappropriate comments about the Hmong. Ker Vang, executive director of the Hmong Association of Green Bay, said a Hmong woman there reported being called derogatory names.

The tension has also caused other Asian ethnic groups to take notice.

Tan Phan, a Vietnamese businessman who owns manicure salons in Eau Claire and Janesville, said he warned his wife that people may think she's Hmong and not Vietnamese. "Maybe some people may want to take revenge," he said.

Joe Bee Xiong, who is president of an umbrella group of 17 Hmong associations in Wisconsin, blames the media for exacerbating racial tensions because of the focus on Vang as a Hmong immigrant while ignoring his American citizenship.

"I personally worry that we are divided, and things will be getting worse, from both sides," he said.

Nathan Hecker, a white logger and hunter in Hayward, agreed. He said some people in northern Wisconsin dislike Hmong immigrants, citing the common perception that Hmong hunters "tend to shoot everything that moves and take it home - squirrels, birds, rabbits."

"There can be good and bad people wherever. But some people feel that way. That's not going to help matters," he said.

The feelings come at a time when authorities are trying to resettle an expected influx of nearly 3,200 Hmong refugees in the state. The refugees are among more than 15,000 Hmong leaving Thailand for the U.S. in coming months.

So far, leaders of Catholic Charities for the Dioceses of La Crosse and Green Bay, the agencies in charge of resettlements in northeast and western Wisconsin, have reported no major problems because of the shootings.

"The majority of our people are trying very hard to understand this is not a race thing. This is about hunters. It is a hunting incident," said Kaying Xiong, who leads a task force advising the governor on the resettlement.

"It is not about the Hmong. It is not about immigrants. It is not about refugees."

(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/10401541.htm)

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December 12, 2004

GROWING GROUP CHANGES BAY AREA

By Tracey Kaplan
Mercury News

Hong Vuong spent her last five gold bars to flee Vietnam in a crowded fishing boat, eventually arriving in San Jose so broke that she couldn't afford to buy her hungry daughter a snack at the airport. Twenty-two years later, Vuong owns a restaurant in downtown San Jose and both of her daughters have graduated from college.

Anil Godhwani's parents pulled him out of private school in India two decades ago to finish his education in the United States. Today, the profits he made from his Sunnyvale start-up have allowed him to become a millionaire philanthropist for the Bay Area Indian community.

As different as their experiences have been, Vuong and Godhwani are both part of a powerful trend. A mere 40 years after the United States reopened its doors to widespread immigration from Asia, natives of that continent and their families are changing the face of the Bay Area and upending traditional notions of what it means to be an immigrant.

Now home to the single largest concentration of people of Asian descent in the continental United States, the Bay Area is a place where these new residents are achieving the American dream in record time and eclipsing more established immigrant groups. The pattern is even more striking because until 1956, nearly all Asian immigrants were not allowed to own land in California.

A Mercury News/Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation poll of Asian adults in the nine-county Bay Area offers a detailed picture of why they came, what they think of life here and how they feel about their success, which 81 percent of those polled say they have found to varying degrees. The poll also illustrates the complexities of a community drawn from countries as diverse as largely Hindu India to the predominantly Catholic Philippines with much more variations than the word Asian suggests.

Conducted in Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and English, the poll reveals a common element behind their achievements -- a passion for education -- as well as sharp contrasts in attitudes and preferences among the region's four largest Asian subgroups: Chinese, Filipinos, Indians and Vietnamese. Together, they make up 84 percent of the Bay Area's Asian population, according to the 2000 census.

``In the rest of California, Latinos grew very fast, but in the Bay Area it's a different story -- it's Asians,'' said L. Ling-chi Wang, professor of Asian-American studies at the University of California-Berkeley. ``Even though most of the anti-Asian legislation in the past began here, the Bay Area is still known in Asia as the land of opportunity because of our historical roots here, the weather, the universities and the new Gold Rush in high tech.''

Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed were born overseas. The desire to do better economically or get an education were the top reasons they cited for coming to the United States. And though most Asian immigrants maintain close ties to their native countries, the majority view the United States as their true home and have no intention of returning to live in Asia.

Deeper look
• Effects are felt throughout region
Even this poll -- one of the most comprehensive of its kind -- offers only a glimpse of the impact that the Bay Area's 1.3 million Asians have had on neighborhoods, schools and businesses. The fuller picture, depicted in census data and academic studies, is stunning.

From assemblers to engineers, nearly 40 percent of all high-tech workers in the region were Asian, according to the 2000 census. While many were concentrated in production or mid-level jobs, high-profile Silicon Valley companies such as Yahoo, BEA Systems, Informatica, Cirrus Logic, Webex Communications, Juniper Networks and Nvidia were all founded or co-founded by Asians.

The Bay Area's KTSF-TV is the only station in the country that broadcasts nightly news programs in Cantonese and Mandarin, as well as entertainment shows in 12 other Asian languages.

In Fremont, home to the largest Indo-American festival in the nation, the nation's first multi-cultural cineplex -- the Naz 8 -- shows only films from Asia. In Cupertino, a Chinese immigrant is rehabilitating the struggling Vallco Fashion Park into an internationally themed mall including a 1,000-seat Chinese restaurant. And from Daly City to East San Jose, more than 200 organizations offer Filipinos everything from social clubs based on hometown affiliation to San Jose's annual Filipino Heritage Festival.

The result, according to Henry Yu, professor of Asian-American history at the University of California-Los Angeles, is that ``San Francisco looks a lot like Los Angeles, Vancouver, Shanghai and Taipei, where a lot of people are comfortable being with other types of people,'' he said.

The Bay Area has had a relatively substantial Asian population since the mid-19th century, when railroad construction and the Gold Rush drew Chinese immigrant laborers. But those newcomers quickly faced withering discrimination and exclusionary laws, which all but banned further immigration and, eventually, citizenship.

It was not until 1965, when the United States reopened its borders to extensive immigration from Asia for the first time in nearly half a century, that the Bay Area's transformation truly began to take shape.

Initially, only small numbers of immigrants from Asia were allowed. As recently as 1980, there were slightly more than 400,000 Asians in the Bay Area -- 8 percent of the total population. Since then, the number has tripled to account for about 20 percent of the region's population, a remarkable figure considering Asians make up just 4 percent of the nation's population and 11 percent of the state's.

In a mere two decades, the ethnic composition and demographic geography of the Bay Area's Asian population was entirely reshaped. Today, one of five Bay Area residents is Asian, a higher proportion than in either Los Angeles or Orange counties.

With new immigrants from throughout Asia, the region's once-robust Japanese population fell to the fifth-largest group of Asians, just ahead of Koreans. But the Bay Area's Chinese community remains one of the largest in the nation and its Filipino and Indian populations are larger than those of either Los Angeles or Orange counties.

The growth of the Asian population has had a profound demographic impact on San Francisco. Though it remains an important center of Asian culture, only 20 percent of Bay Area Asians now live in San Francisco. Just 20 years ago, one third of Asians lived there.

The ``capitals'' of the Filipino community are Daly City, Milpitas and Union City, where residents line up at a branch of the Philippine National Bank to send money home. Fremont and Milpitas are important centers for Indians. And 70 percent of the region's Vietnamese live in Santa Clara County, where a Vietnamese mall on Story Road replaced a former Price Club.

San Francisco's Asian Art Museum recognized the magnitude of the demographic shift when it began raising money in the 1990s for a major expansion. The panel turned to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs for funds, including the lead benefactor, Korean-born Portola Valley resident Chong-Moon Lee, for whom the museum is now named.

Favored place
• With limits lifted, movement begins
Asians, who now make up roughly the same percentage of the Bay Area's population as Latinos, became the region's fastest-growing minority group for three main reasons once immigration caps were lifted.

The high-tech industry was a major draw, particularly for educated professionals. So were ties to family members who had settled here. And the liberal Bay Area's reputation for racial tolerance became a third lure, one that has grown even stronger as the number and diversity of immigrants have increased.

The majority of Bay Area Asians were born overseas, according to the poll, with Vietnamese and Indians far more likely to be foreign-born than Chinese and Filipinos, whose communities have a longer history in the Bay Area. Most foreign-born Asians have already become citizens. The majority are bilingual, and about eight in 10 surveyed say they speak English very well -- something most Asians think is important to succeeding here.

The reasons Asians left their countries of origin vary by ethnic group, as does the timing of their arrival and their experiences here. After 1965, nurses and other professionals from the Philippines fled dictator Ferdinand Marcos' government seeking better economic opportunities. They joined other Filipinos, mostly working-class immigrants, who arrived years earlier. The fall of Saigon in 1975 drove many Vietnamese to flee their homeland, often with little money or possessions. In contrast, many Chinese came to the United States on student visas or to work in high tech, as did Indians, the area's newest group.

Those varied experiences help explain why most of those surveyed prefer to identify themselves by country of origin rather than as Asians or Asian-Americans. In fact, the differences are so sharp that just about half of those polled say discrimination by Asians against other Asians from different countries is a problem.

One of the most striking findings of the poll is the degree of success and acceptance these immigrants have found in so short a time. Nearly three-fourths said Asian immigrants are more likely to succeed in the Bay Area than other immigrants. Seventy-eight percent of non-Asians agree.

But not all Asians feel equally successful. Indians are most likely to say they've been successful (96 percent), followed by Filipinos (83 percent), Chinese (73 percent) and Vietnamese (68 percent).

Those perceptions are reflected in census data, with one exception: Despite the existence of an urban underclass in San Francisco, Chinese rank second, not third, in terms of per capita income. Indians, with a per capita income of $35,385, were the most successful; Vietnamese, with a per capita income of $19,044, were fourth, though the figures do not take into account the underground cash economies common in immigrant communities.

Dennis Arguelles, of the Asian American Studies Center at the University of California-Los Angeles, notes that Asians have ``battled against the concept of being the model minority -- that all Asians are doing well and advancing. But what people fail to understand is that the Asian community in the Bay Area is bifurcated with a large number of folks who are educated and doing well and a large segment that is disadvantaged.''

Nevertheless, census data shows that all four of the largest Asian groups outpaced Latinos. But none was on par with the per capita income of whites.

``There's no ocean to cross for Latino immigrants, so more low-skilled immigrants can come here,'' said Manuel Pastor, director of the Center for Justice, Tolerance and Community at the University of California-Santa Cruz. ``If China was next door, we'd get a different kind of immigrant from China.''

Political front
• Some victories at ballot box
Translating economic success into significant political muscle has been a challenge, though Asians have made some strides locally in recent years. Ethnic fragmentation is one impediment: While about half of Asians surveyed say they'd be more likely to vote for an Asian candidate than a non-Asian with the same qualifications, about half said they would choose a candidate from their native country over another Asian.

In addition, Asians compete with California's less fragmented Latino community -- particularly in San Jose, where redistricting wiped out a potentially Asian seat in the state Legislature. By 2020, the growth of the Bay Area's Latino population is expected to exceed the Asian population, principally because of higher birth rates. That suggests that Asians will have to work even harder to gain political power.

The poll did not pick up much overt racial tension between Asians and non-Asians. Just 13 percent of Asians surveyed said discrimination is a major problem preventing Asians from succeeding in the United States. But about half said they have less opportunity in life than whites and slightly more than half of Asians believe their achievements are underrated.

Most of those surveyed said Asians have had a positive impact on the region, from enhancing the high-tech industry to improving the economy, public schools and property values. But most non-Asians, while acknowledging the contribution Asians have made to high tech, said Asians have had no impact on schools or property values.

One possible explanation for the difference in perceptions is that there is still relatively little mixing between non-Asians and the mostly foreign-born Asian population in the Bay Area. Fifty-five percent of Asians said all or most of their friends are Asian, and about one in four of those employed said all or most of the people they associate with at work are Asian. However, Asian parents said their children's friends are mostly non-Asian, a sign that this next generation is mingling more. That's been typical of most immigrant groups: Each successive generation assimilates and the culture of native countries becomes diluted.

Mercury News Database Editor Griff Palmer and Staff Writer Cecilia Kang contributed to this report. Contact Tracey Kaplan at tkaplan@mercurynews.com or (408) 278-3482.

(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/10399441.htm)

Related Story:
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/asian_impact/10399468.htm)

Kaiser Family Foundation Report
(http://www.kff.org/newsmedia/pomr121204pkg.cfm)

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December 13, 2004

Lifting test scores in one San Jose district
PARENTS' EMPHASIS ON SCHOOLING CITED AS STUDENTS OUTPERFORM THEIR PEERS

By Cecilia Kang
Mercury News

By most measures, the Franklin-McKinley Elementary School District is struggling to get by. But on closer inspection, it's also the site of a success story in which one segment of students is defying the odds in the working-class central San Jose district.

Vietnamese-American students -- most of whom are the children of refugees -- are placing at the top of their classes and performing on par with children in affluent communities such as Palo Alto and Burlingame, according to state test scores. But unlike high-performing students in affluent districts, most of these students have none of the advantages of higher-income, higher-educated families. In many cases, these children will be the first to go to college, and in some families, the first to finish elementary school.

There are numerous theories about the academic achievements of Vietnamese-American students, including cultural values and the desire to escape the economic hardships of being a refugee.

``You find this same phenomena wherever there is a large and tight Vietnamese community,'' said Min Zhou, a professor at the University of California-Los Angeles who has studied the academic performance of Vietnamese students in New Orleans. ``It's not any one thing, but all the influences that come together with the clear vision that education is the only way up the social ladder.''

Certainly there are Vietnamese children struggling academically. But at Franklin-McKinley the test scores of Vietnamese-Americans -- who make up 28 percent of the student population in the district and 6 percent of Santa Clara County's -- are helping to lift the district's performance.

Ten of the 14 elementary and middle schools in the San Jose district, which is wedged between highways 101, 87 and Interstate 280, failed to meet state testing targets. Four scored so poorly on the Academic Performance Index that the federal government has threatened to take them over unless they improve.

But throughout the district, the largely Vietnamese population of Asian-American students is scoring at least 100 points higher than other students. At Hellyer Elementary, which has the highest overall test scores in the district and the largest number of Vietnamese students, API scores among Asians average 822 on a scale of 1,000. At Stonegate Elementary, Asian students scored 852, one point below Juana Briones Elementary in Palo Alto.

Zhou credits the availability of affordable tutoring centers and the Vietnamese community's emphasis on education for some of the success. At the Khai Tri tutoring center in San Jose, the two-story building of classes is packed with Vietnamese students on a Wednesday evening. Parents rely on high school and college-age tutors to guide their children through an educational system they often do not understand.

``My mom is always saying don't waste the opportunities we have here,'' said Tina Huynh, a tutor at Khai Tri and a senior at Andrew Hill High School. ``I went to tutoring centers when I was young and now I'm helping younger kids in the same way.''

Though many parents do not participate in school activities, they put their faith in the schools and teachers to lift the entire family. Such sentiment is reflected in an expression heard in many Vietnamese-American homes: ``nhat su nhi phu'' (first teacher, second father).

Franklin-McKinley's students continue to do well after elementary and middle school: Every 2004 valedictorian at nearby Oak Grove, Yerba Buena and Andrew Hill high schools was Vietnamese-American.

More remarkably, the students are performing well even though their parents tend to have less education -- which experts say is one of the biggest predictors of student performance. Just 33 percent of Vietnamese said they or their spouse had a college or postgraduate degree, the lowest of the four major Asian subgroups in the Bay Area, according to a Mercury News/Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation poll. In contrast, 89 percent of Indians said they or their spouse have a college or postgraduate degree.

At Hellyer, for example, 20 percent of parents have college degrees and 20 percent did not complete high school. At the state's top-ranked school, Faria Elementary in Cupertino, nearly every parent has a college degree and more than eight in 10 have graduate degrees.

But like parents in more affluent districts, Franklin-McKinley parents place a high value on education. They emphasize studying and going to college as a means to getting professional jobs that will help the whole family, said Madison Nguyen, a member of the Franklin-McKinley board.

``If you've seen hardship as some of these families have trying to come over here, then when you come here it will be very clear to you what you have to do to get ahead,'' said Nguyen, a De Anza College professor whose parents did not attend college. ``And the answer is clear to everyone: education.''

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

(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/10404921.htm)

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