OCA - Orange County Chapter

—— Forwarded Message
From: “Don T. Nakanishi”

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center, as an official U.S. Census
Information Center in partnership with the National Coalition for
Asian Pacific Community Development, is pleased to assist the U.S.
Census Bureau in announcing the release on February 15 of three
informative reports on Asian Americans, Black Americans, and Hispanic
Americans based on the 2004 American Community Survey. Each report
can be downloaded.

The American Community: 2004 — Feb. 15 — These three reports
present a portrait of racial and ethnic population groups in the
United States based on data from the 2004 American Community Survey.
Each report provides information on a number of characteristics
(e.g., education, household
type, income, commuting, etc.). Data are presented in tables,
figures, and maps. In addition, the Asian and Hispanic reports
present data for selected detailed groups (Asian Indian, Chinese,
Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese for Asians; Guatemalans,
Hondurans, Salvadorans, Colombians, Ecuadorians, and Peruvians for
Hispanics). Two additional reports on the Native Hawaiian and Other
Pacific Islander population and the American Indian and Alaska Native
population will be released later this year. Internet address:

The American Community — Asians: 2004
http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/acs-05.pdf

The American Community — Hispanics: 2004
http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/acs-03.pdf

The American Community — Blacks: 2004
http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/acs-04.pdf
–
Don T. Nakanishi, Ph.D.
Director and Professor
UCLA Asian American Studies Center
3230 Campbell Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1546
phone:310.825.2974
fax:310.206.9844
e-mail:dtn@ucla.edu
web site for Center: http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/default.asp No comments

OCA-OC Visits the Bowers Museum; Special Lunch with Author Oliver Chin
Sunday, March 4, 2007
11 am: Museum and Festival Opens
1 pm: OCA-OC Lunch with Author Oliver Chin
Bowers Museum of Cultural Art
2002 North Main Street
Santa Ana, CA 92706
Cost: See below
RSVP: rsvp@oca-oc.org

Join OCA-OC as we spend a day at the Bowers Museum. There’s something
for everyone that day!  Meet in the courtyard for the festival at 11
am, and then meet at Tangata (the restaurant) at 1 pm for lunch!

1) Chinese New Year Family Festival (Location: Bowers Museum Courtyard)
“Begin the morning with Oliver Chin, Harvard graduate, super Dad and
children’s author from San Francisco, as he reads from his delightful
books. Take part in the bountiful art activities and learn how to make
Chinese knots and paper cuts and watch how paper lanterns are made.
Enjoy a tea demonstration. View performers in a Chinese dance and
listen to Chinese music. Celebrate the Year of the Pig!” Admission to
festival: Free; nominal fee for art projects.

3) Lunch with author Oliver Chin (meet at the Bowers Museum
restaurant, Tangata, at 1 pm)
Just for OCA-OC, we’re having lunch with visiting author Oliver Chin.
In the midst of a tour to promote his new children’s book, “The Year
of the Pig,” Oliver will talk about his experiences as an artist and
author, and working in the publishing business. In addition to his
children’s books, Oliver is the author of “The Tao of Yao: Insights
from Basketball’s Brightest Big Man,” and the graphic novel “9 of 1: A
Window to the World,”  and has worked for Simon & Schuster, Viz
Communications (a publisher of Japanese comics) and International Data
Group. Lunch with Oliver Chin: Pay for what you eat.

3) Visit the Bowers’ newest special exhibit: “Treasures from Shanghai:
5000 Years of Chinese Art and Culture.” This features 77 sets of
objects from Neolithic times (circa 3000 B.C.) to the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911 A.D.).  This incredible collection portrays the evolution
of Chinese technology, art and culture utilizing the finest examples
of bronze vessels, oracle bones, polychrome potteries, sculptures,
porcelains, paintings, jade/bamboo carvings and lacquer works in the
new state-of-the-art Dorothy and Donald Kennedy Wing. Admission: $19
adults, $14 students.

eNewsletters Online - email newsletters made easy - www.enewslettersonline.com
The First 300 Guests Will Receive A Free Round-trip Ticket to Chinatown in Los Angeles

ORANGE  To celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is extending a special holiday greeting to the Asian-American community for the first time by offering free tickets on Metrolink trains on Saturday, Feb. 24.

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

110th Congress Congressman Michael M. Honda, Chair

For Immediate Release Contact: Gloria Chan - 202.225.2631

February 7, 2007 gloria.chan@mail.house.gov

Bush’s Budget Will Hurt Middle Class and Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Mike Honda (CA-15), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued the following statement regarding President Bush’s FY2008 budget, which was announced earlier this week:

“The Bush budget ignores the challenges of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and middle class families that are struggling to achieve financial security. The budget fails to create jobs, creates record deficits, and shortchanges health care, education, veterans’ benefits, small businesses, and seniors.

“The President’s budget fails to make healthcare affordable for AAPI families. The rate of uninsured in the Asian American community in the United States increased to 17.9% in 2005 from 16.5% in 2004, and 21.8% of Pacific Islanders are currently uninsured. Over 2.3 million AAPIs are without health insurance, and millions more can barely afford to pay their premiums. The Bush budget does nothing to decrease costs, and instead cuts funding for critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid. There would also be a tax increase for millions of middle class Americans, whose employee health benefits would for the first time be subject to income and payroll taxes.

“The Bush budget breaks the promise of a better education for our children. According to the 2000 Census, over 370,000 AAPI children live below the poverty level, that is, 14.3% of Asian American children, and 22.7% of Pacific Islander children. Bush’s budget does little to ensure adequate resources for these and other children living in poverty, as it cuts funding for Head Start and critical after-school programs. No Child Left Behind would also remain about $15 billion below the level promised when the bill was signed into law. Finally, although Pell Grants would be increased, the budget proposes recalling all Perkins Loan funds and eliminating nine other higher education assistance programs, affecting the 37% of Asian Americans and 36.2% of Pacific Islanders who access student loans.

“The Bush budget leaves veterans behind. There are approximately 328,000 veterans of AAPI descent, and 62,378 AAPIs who are currently on active duty in the military. Once again, the Bush budget raises health care costs for hundreds of thousands of veterans, including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan this year. The budget imposes new co-payments on prescription drugs and enrollment fees that will cost veterans $4.9 billion over ten years. The budget also increases TRICARE health care premiums for the nation’s military retirees.

“The Bush budget fails to support small businesses. With over 220,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders looking for work, the Bush budget does nothing to create good-paying jobs here at home, and instead provides additional tax cuts for the wealthy. The Census reported 1.1 million small businesses owned by Asian Americans that employed over 2.2 million individuals in the U.S. in 2002. Bush’s budget cuts funding for the Small Business Administration (SBA), which disproportionately supports women- and minority-owned small businesses. The proposal eliminates all funding for the Microloan Program and Microloan Technical Assistance and provides no new funding for the Disaster Loan Program. The proposed FY2008 budget for the SBA represents a 45% cut since the beginning of the Bush administration in 2001.

“Jeopardizing the livelihood of AAPI seniors, the Bush budget revives his privatization plan for Social Security. Social Security plays a vital role in the AAPI community, as AAPIs tend to have higher life expectancies than the majority of the population. In 2004, Social Security constituted 90% or more of total income for 31% of elderly married couples and 50% of elderly unmarried persons of AAPI descent. The President’s budget reiterates his plan to privatize Social Security by 2012, jeopardizing retirement security for over 785,000 AAPI seniors and other Americans.”

###

The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is comprised of Members of Congress of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and members who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Since 1994, CAPAC has been addressing the needs of the APIA community in all areas of American life. For more information on CAPAC, please call (202) 225-2631 or visit http://www.honda.house.gov/capac.

Victoria Tung

Executive Director | Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Congressman Michael M. Honda

1713 Longworth HOB | Washington, D.C. 20515 | (w) 202-225-2631/ (f) 202-225-2699

http://www.honda.house.gov/CAPAC

The Orange County Youth Center offers young people the opportunity to develop career interests, receive academic support, gain valuable work experience, and achieve their career/educational goals. Our services are available to eligible youth, ages 16-21, in North and West Orange County. There are four Youth Center locations:

ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH CENTERS
Orange County Youth Center
Administrative Office
1811 W. La Habra Blvd.
La Habra, CA 90631
(562) 905-7076
Open M-TH 8:00am-5:00pm / F 8:00am-4:00pm

Orange County Youth Center
Satellite Location
1561 E. Orangethorpe Ave. Ste. 210
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 441-3040
Open M-TH 8:00am-5:00pm / F 8:00am-4:00pm

Orange County Youth Center
One Stop
5405 Garden Grove Blvd.
Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 241-4900
Open M-TH 8:00am-5:00pm / F 8:00am-4:00pm

Orange County Youth Center
Youth Cafe
11277 Garden Grove Blvd., Ste. 101-A
Garden Grove, CA 92843
(714) 741-6123
Open M-TH 8:00am-5:00pm / F 8:00am-4:00pm

At each youth center, participants can:
Learn how to design a resume
Learn interviewing skills
Explore career paths
Gain work experience
Gain employment
The Youth Center is funded through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Funding is administered by the Orange County Workforce Investment Board (OCWIB) through a competitive process. The following federal eligibility requirements are necessary for participation in our program:
Youth ages 16-21
Low Income (as determined by the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines)
And one of the following:
Deficient in basic skills such as reading and math;
A school dropout;
Homeless, a runaway, or a foster child;
Pregnant or a parent;
An offender
Reside in North Orange County (Fullerton, Buena Park, Brea, La Habra, Placentia, Yorba Linda, La Palma) or West Orange County (Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Cypress, Stanton, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach)
Contact Phi Chi Do, Case Manager-Vietnamese, at Phid@OCYouthcenter.org or 714-741-6127 for more information.

12900 Garden Grove Blvd. Suite 214A, Garden Grove, CA 92843
http://www.ocapica.org (714) 636-9095 ph
(714) 636-8828 fax

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:

February 7, 2007 Jennifer
Kuo jkuo@ocapica.org

OCAPICA

(714) 636-9095 x204

OCAPICA PRESENTS FREE FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS

Garden Grove - The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Alliance (OCAPICA) SOAR Afterschool Program will present a free
financial aid workshop for parents in Vietnamese. A guest speaker from
UC Irvine Financial Aid and Scholarships office will be presenting. The
workshop will help and explain Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA), grants, and loans.

Though mistakenly labeled as the model minority, many Asian American and
Pacific Islander students are underserved and have difficulty accessing
academic resources. According to the APALC Demographic report, only 21%
of Vietnamese in Orange County 25 years and older have a bachelor’s
degree or higher, this is well below the county average of 31%. Many of
our current students indicate that the cost of college is one of the
reasons, they do not apply. The average median household income of
Vietnamese in Orange County is lower than the county median.

“Our last workshop was a great success and we were so happy to see a
large turnout of not only youth but their parents, which is why we are
doing another workshop just for parents. Many were not aware of FAFSA
and would not have realized this as an opportunity to fund for college.
For many families, this is their first child applying to college and
filling out a FAFSA form can be a very intimidating experience.
Hopefully this workshop will help our families,” said Jennifer Kuo,
program coordinator.

The workshop is entirely free of charge and will be held at the OCAPICA
Conference room at 12900 Garden Grove Boulevard, Suite 240A in Garden
Grove on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 from 6:30PM-8:00PM. Please RSVP as
soon as possible to reserve a spot since participation will be
guaranteed to the first thirty that register. To RSVP or for more
information, participants are encouraged to call either (714) 530-2323
for Vietnamese or (714) 636-9095 for English. Workshop will be
presented in Vietnamese. Participants are highly encouraged but not
required to bring both youth and parents’ income and tax information.

Established in 1997, OCAPICA is a non-profit organization whose mission
is to build a healthier and stronger community by enhancing the
well-being of Asians and Pacific Islanders through inclusive
partnerships in the areas of service, education, advocacy, organizing,
and research.

The Irvine Sister Cities Foundation is seeking students enrolled in eighth grade to participate in an exchange program with students from Tsukuba, Japan, this summer. The three-week program will focus on building relationships and understanding with other cultures.
About 10 Irvine students will be selected to travel to Tsukuba from July 23 through Aug. 1, before hosting their Japanese counterpart Aug. 1-10 in Irvine
An informational meeting to discuss the annual cultural exchange program is at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Irvine Civic Center.
Information: Ann Sebek at 949-679-8989 or asebek@ci.irvine.ca.us.

First Asian Coach Goes to the Super Bowl - NAM
EDITOR’S NOTE: Bears Coach Lloyd Lee is the game’s first Asian American coach in the Super Bowl. There are many reasons he’s a rarity, writes NAM editor Pueng Vongs.

SAN FRANCISCO — Lost in the celebration of the first black head coaches to reach the Super Bowl is that the first Asian American coach wll be pacing the sidelines in the Big One.
Super Bowl
When the Chicago Bears meet the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, on the sidelines with Bears head coach Lovie Smith, who gave the Windy City back its strut, will be Lloyd Lee, assistant coach on defense. He’s a rare sight, one of the few Asian American coaches in the NFL.

It’s not surprising to me that there are very few Asian coaches in the NFL. My Asian parents and most others I know want their children to be brain surgeons, engineers, harpists. The last thing they want is their kid getting speared by a helmet in the neck or coaching jr. high football for $28,000 a year, where many NFL coaches get their start.

Invitations, eCards, Party Ideas, Party Themes from Evite
Yamashiro Restaurant is considered a magical “Mountain Palace”, located high in the Hollywood Hills is surrounded by lush landscaped gardens (including a 600 year old pagoda) and enjoys magnificent vistas of Hollywood and Los Angeles.

Come join us at our 1st APEX Professional Networking Mixer in 2007 to network and learn more about the community! During each APEX professional networking mixer will be highlighting various community/professional organizations for our community to learn more about and potentially volunteer with. There will be a brief program to introduce each highlighted organization as well as their leadership. Please remember to bring ample business cards!

EMILIA LECHUGA-BASS CIVIL RIGHTS INTERNSHIP

Sponsored by LITT, ESTUAR, HARRISON & KITSON, LLP

Litt, Estuar, Harrison & Kitson, LLP, a private civil rights law firm, announces its first annual civil rights internship for recent college graduates. The internship is intended to provide one year of experience working in a civil rights/ public interest law firm before attending law school.

This internship is named for Emilia Lechuga-Bass. Emilia was a young woman planning to attend law school with the hope of practicing civil rights law. She was going to work at the firm prior to attending law school. Emilia, who came from a politically active family in Los Angeles, was to work on a range of issues to introduce her to the world of civil rights law. She was to more closely link the firm’s civil rights impact work with the goals and needs of Los Angeles communities by partnering with community organizations. Tragically, Emilia was killed in a car accident just before beginning her work at the firm.

So that others may reach their goals, the firm has created an annual internship in Emilia’s name to provide experience for young people hoping to attend law school with the goal of practicing civil rights and public interest law. The internship will provide an introduction into these areas by gaining real world experiences in a civil rights/public interest law firm.

Applicants for the Internship must meet the following criteria:

Have graduated from undergraduate college within two years of the commencement of the internship.
Intend to attend law school and to ultimately practice civil rights/public interest law.
A history of community service or political activity.
Skills in the use of Microsoft Office applications.
Completion of the Internship Application.
Factors to be considered by the firm choosing each year’s civil rights intern will include academic performance, community and political experience, work experience, writing skills, and references. Experience in the Los Angeles area working with communities of color, and fluent bilingual skills, are considered a plus. California Assemblymember Karen Bass, Professor Gary Blasi of the UCLA School of Law, and firm partner Barry Litt will serve on the committee to choose the intern. Compensation for the intern in 2007-8 is set at $16/hour, plus health and dental benefits.

Applications (one is attached) may be obtained by visiting the website of Assemblymember Karen Bass [ democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a47/] or the Litt, Estuar website [www.littlaw.com], or by calling the firm at 213-386-3114 and speaking with Leticia Moreno to request an application. The application indicates the materials to be provided when applying.

Applications are due annually by April 1. A decision will be made by May 15. The internship will last from July 1 to June 30, year-to-year.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NETWORKS

< > < >
Paul J. Estuar
Litt, Estuar, Harrison, Miller & Kitson LLP
1055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1880
Los Angeles, CA 90017
213.386-3114 x210, fax: 213.380-4585
pestuar@littlaw.com