OCA - Orange County Chapter

Hello Everyone,

I just want to start by saying what a pleasure it has been being your vice president of OCA-OC. I am new to OCA and new to the Asian American organization community. Prior to OCA, I could not have imagined how much could be accomplished by organizations. Since my involvement, I’ve met so many wonderful people and learn many life lessons. It has truly been unique experience. I mention this because I know many people are looking to get more involved in the community and perhaps the Asian community and I just want to note how rewarding it is. I encourage all of you who have thought about becoming more involved to talk to us officers and ask about our experiences and what we have been able to take away from it all. I personally would be more than happy to share my story of OCA and hope that you all would consider becoming more involved. Truly, by working together, we can make a difference in the Asian American community.

I’d like to also remind everyone about our next upcoming event, Bowers Museum to see the Terra Cotta warriors. Our plans previously mentioned dinner at Parrot Cafe afterwards but we recently found out that the restaurant is closed. We will find a new location shortly. The event will take place on September 5, roughly a week and a half from now. For more information, see below or email any one of us officers. We hope to see you all out there.

Yao Lee
OCA-OC Vice President

Note: If you or your organization would like an event posted on our newsletter, please contact me at yaolee@gmail.com. Also, if any of you have news that you think would be beneficial or interesting to OCA-OC members, feel free to email me that as well. All requests will be reviewed before being posted. As a kind reminder to our members, OCA-OC officers are here to help you so feel free to contact us anytime. I am easily accessible through e-mail at yaolee@gmail.com. As you can see, the newsletter is constantly changing and always a work in progress. I am open to hearing from you regarding any topic: from our website and newsletters to suggestions you may have for our organization to how you can get more involved with OCA-OC. We are always looking for energetic individuals to help achieve our mission in empowering the Asian American voice in the Orange County and national community. The information found on this newsletter can also be found on our website here.
Upcoming OCA-OC Events
OCA-OC presents
Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor
at Bowers Museum

Bowers Museum Picture
September 5, 2008
4pm, 5pm, 6pm
Bowers Museum
2002 N Main Street, Santa Ana CA

The Bowers Museum offers free admissions on Friday nights for up to 100 visitors per hour at 4, 5, and 6pm. For a limited time only, Bowers Museum presents the largest exhibit of Emperor Qin’s Terracotta Army ever seen outside of China. This Terracotta army of soldiers, servants, musicians, acrobats, and animals silently remained underground for two thousand years. Until, in 1974, Chinese farmers digging a well made the startling discovery of a terracotta head.

Now is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the 20th century’s greatest archaeological finds, often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World.

For additional information, please contact Betty Chu at BettyC@oca-oc.org
Community News
Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Announces Mike Honda Fellowship

Los Angeles, CA - The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) seeks applications for the 2008-2009 Mike Honda Fellowship Program. This new fellowship will be focused on JACL’s advocacy and public policy awareness/programming, education and work on projects associated with the JACL National Youth Student Council. The fellowship is named for the Honorable Congressman Mike Honda in recognition of his lifelong commitment to public service and extensive history in working with the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The fellowship serves to honor Congressman Honda’s commitment to Civil Rights for all Asian Pacific Americans.

The Mike Honda Fellowship is funded by a generous $25,000 grant from Southern California Edison. Edison has an extensive history of financial and volunteer support for the API community. Floyd Mori, National Director of the JACL states, “We are extremely fortunate to be partnering with SoCal Edison, a company that is sensitive to the needs of our community and understands the challenges we face.”

“We are very pleased to have this opportunity to support JACL and this fellowship program to promote civic engagement and leadership development for the Japanese American community”, said Wes Tanaka, SCE Public Affairs Director. ” And, in naming the fellowship in honor of Congressman Honda, it is a fitting tribute in recognition of his ongoing and steadfast commitment to promote a strong voice for the API community” he said.

The Mike Honda Fellowship will be in the Los Angeles office of the JACL. The term of the fellowship will be for a 10 month period and will begin in September of 2008.

Interested applicants should download the application form www.jacl.org, or www.jaclpsw.org and submit it along with a resume, cover letter, and writing sample by September 15, 2008. For questions or further information contact Craig Ishii at the JACL Pacific Southwest District Office: 213-626-4471 or email psw@jacl.org.
Representative David Wu Ensures Longevity Of Historic Program For Asian American And Pacific Islander Students

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the final version of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, H.R. 4137, which incorporates Congressman David Wu’s historic program to increase college opportunities and services for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. Congressman Wu first shepherded the program into law in September 2007 and has now extended and expanded it through this legislation.
The Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program provides grants to eligible colleges and universities that serve large numbers of low-income and AAPI students to help the schools improve and expand their services.
“For six years I have worked to see that colleges and universities across the country better assist underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who are pursuing a college education,” said Congressman Wu. “This program, created last year and expanded today, does just that. Eligible schools will now be able to provide a variety of targeted services, helping AAPI students overcome barriers to a college degree and putting them on the path to success.” Services that may be funded under the program include:

* Curriculum development and academic instruction, including instruction in disciplines in which Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are underrepresented;
* Tutoring, counseling, and other student support services, including financial counseling designed to improve the financial literacy of students and families;
* Research and data collection for Asian American and Pacific Islander populations and subpopulations;
* Community outreach programs that will encourage elementary and secondary school students to develop the academic skills and the interest to pursue postsecondary education;
* Establishment of partnerships with community-based organizations serving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders;
* Purchase of scientific or laboratory equipment, library books, and other educational materials; and
* Renovation and improvement of classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities.

The AANAPISI program was created last September with $10 million in funding to be used during fiscal years 2008-2012. The program has now been integrated into the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which authorizes the program through fiscal year 2013 and increases the allowable funding to $30 million each year.
Overall, the Higher Education Opportunity Act would:

* Encourage colleges to rein in price increases and provide students and families with helpful information, such as tuition prices, graduation rates, and popular majors;
* Restore integrity and accountability to the student loan programs;
* Simplify the federal student aid application process;
* Make textbook costs more manageable;
* Expand college access and support for low-income and minority students;
* Increase college aid and support for veterans and military families;
* Ensure equal college opportunities for students with disabilities;
* Boost campus safety and disaster readiness plans;
* Encourage colleges to adopt sustainable and energy-efficient practices; and
* Strengthen our workforce and our competitiveness.

H.R. 4137 is a compromise between the House and the Senate higher education bills; it is expected to be passed by the Senate this week and go to the president for his signature.
Congressman Wu is a member of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee and the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus’ Education Taskforce.
The Coolie Trade: The Traffic in Chinese Laborers to Latin America 1847-1874
by Arnold J Meagher PhD

A thorough study of the roots of modern human trafficking and Chinese emigration. Against the backdrop of China’s rapid advance to the forefront of the world economy and sharp scrutiny over global trends in human trafficking, Meagher’s exhaustive survey of Chinese indentured labor is a richly informative, timely release. His volume, much broader in scope than the Latin America in his subtitle indicates, is a careful examination of cultural, political and socioeconomic factors that contributed to this phenomenon. Meagher argues that the termination of the African slave trade, an urgent need for laborers in the West and a deteriorating Chinese economy conspired to spawn the emigration of more than a quarter million Chinese laborers to Latin America in the span of 28 years. Beginning in 1847, Chinese emigration quickly evolved into a prosperous black market cottage industry that, alongside the illicit opium trade, attracted enterprising, often dubious characters. These overlords relentlessly plundered China’s human resources to satisfy a labor vacuum in the West. Scheming brokers often used any means available - false promises, deceit and fraud - to lure prey aboard ships. Victims of kidnapping account for more than a quarter of the human cargo, while appalling prisonlike conditions, mutinies and disease resulted in a 12 percent mortality rate during the nine-month voyage. Great Britain and the United States abandoned the coolie trade in the mid 1860s after much public outcry. Trafficking, however, continued to flourish until 1874 aboard other ships sailing for Latin America, often destined for Cuba and Peru, where booming sugar, guano and mining industries demanded a steady flow of fresh workers. This authoritative account is acutely critical of the coolie trade as a means by which the slave trade continued in the West, but suggests it did have its advantages: challenging draconian Chinese taboos that once forbade emigration and introducing Chinese culture to Western society. The author’s fluid, conversational style elevates Meagher’s work from the weight that often bogs down other academic texts.
For more information, Xlibris offers a more thorough description and provides a method to purchase this book here.
Upcoming Community Events
TAP
TAP Annual Banquet & Casino Night
Date: Saturday, September 13
Time: 6PM
Location: Kyoto Grand Hotel & Gardens
120 S. Los Angeles, St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Price:
Presale - $50/$55 (Members/Non-members)
Regular - $60/$65 (Members/Non-members)
Casino Only - $30 (no dinner)

RSVP: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/KQPYXTWIVDSFNABBFDET/casinonight9.13

Please join TAP for our biggest event of the year, the 4th Annual Banquet & Casino Night extravaganza! This event brings our community to network, celebrate our past year, highlight individuals who have made a difference, and have fun! This year features live performances, poker room, 20 Casino night tables, DJ, dancing, silent auction, hosted bar, and more! Join hundreds of other young professionals for a night of celebration and fun with new and old friends!

Location Info: http://www.kyotograndhotel.com/

Attire: Semi-Formal
Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Poker, PaiGow, etc!
Prizes include hotel packages, certificates to top LA restaurants, Disneyland tickets, massage packages, club passes, Wii, and MUCH MORE!!!
OPEN BAR courtesy of Courvoisier!
Live Music Performer: Diana Li!
Featured Honorees:
SINGER-SONGWRITER VIENNA TENG
She shares her name with the Austrian home of Mozart and Beethoven. And she herself studied classical piano from the age of five. But there’s nothing old-world about the music of Vienna Teng, whose music brings to mind artists as diverse as Tori Amos, Simon & Garfunkel and Radiohead. A former Stanford computer science grad, and software engineer in Silicon Valley, she gave all that up to pursue her musical passions - a risky career move that has paid off. She has 3 critically acclaimed albums: 2002’s Waking Hour, 2004’s Warm Strangers, and 2006’s Dreaming Through the Noise. They have landed on three Billboard album charts and reached #2 on Amazon’s best-seller list. She’s appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman and toured widely, opening for such artists as Shawn Colvin, Joan Osborne, Patty Griffin, Joan Baez and the Indigo Girls.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER TED LIEU
Represents the 53rd Assembly District covering the South Bay. Prior to his Assembly election in 2005, Lieu served on the Torrance City Council, as well as the City’s Environmental Quality 7 Energy Conservation Commission. He worked tirelessly on issues that he continues as an Assemblymember - education, public safety, the environment and transportation. Dedicated to his country, Lieu currently holds the rank of Major in the US Air Force Reserves, and served on active duty for 4 years as a member of the JAG Corps. He is Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus, and was honored at the 2007 APALS Reception as a keynote speaker.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS:http://tapcasino.eventbrite.com/

Questions? Email Pai.Hung@tacl.org, Social Projects Chair, or President Ben.Ling@tacl.org.
Annual Pacific Southwest 12th Annual Awards Dinner
PSW’s Heroes of Redress: 20 Years of a Living Legacy
Date: September 13th, 2008
Location: Grand Events Center
4101 E Willow St
Long Beach, CA 90815

The dinner will include a live band, silent auction and awards for those outstanding Pacific Southwest members who made such a large impact during Redress.

The annual dinner is the districts’ largest fundraiser, funding district youth programs, such as Project: Community! - a high school youth advocacy program, and Campus Leadership - a collegiate leadership training. Aside from these programs, the annual dinner will help support district initiatives on public policies and advocacy work as well.

For more information, please contact the district office at 213-626-4471 or email at psw@jacl.org.

Southern California Edison Presents
The 2nd Annual Harvest Moon Mixer
Date: September 16, 2008
Time: 5:30PM - 8:30PM
Location: The Villa
15081 Beach Blvd
Westminster, CA 82683

You are cordially invited to:

* Learn about energy savings programs
* Participate in business-to-business networking
* Celebrate the delights of the holiday with delicious Chinese cuisine and door prize

You will be able to meet Frank Quevedo, Vice President, Equal Opportunity and Erwin Furukawa, Vice President, Customer Program & Services, and SCE representatives from Supplier Diversity, Customer Services, and Public Affairs organizations at Edison.

It will be a true business-to-business networking event where you will make new business contacts, learn the latest energy saving programs for small businesses, enjoy the festivities and great food too!

RSVP by September 11, 2008 to Liz Cañadas at (626) 302-1156 or Elizabeth.Canadas@sce.com

Although this is a FREE event that is open to the public, space is limited and walk-ins will not be allowed. All attendees MUST RSVP except for our VIP guests.
APEX_Logo
15th Annual APEX Awards Gala:
Aspire to Inspire
Date: Septemper 27, 2008
Time: 6PM - 7PM (Reception) / 7PM - 9PM (Dinner)
Location: Omni Hotel - Downtown Los Angeles
251 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

For the past fifteen years, APEX has strived to be the premier membership organization for Asian Pacific Islander Americans in Southern California. Deeply committed to excellence in professional development, community service, and cultural awareness, the APEX Board and its members have had a lasting positive impact on the community through its programs and events. As an all-volunteer organization, APEX has seen many dedicated people contribute to its success since 1993, and in September 2008, APEX will pay tribute to them at the 15th Annual APEX Awards Gala: Aspire to Inspire.

On September 27, 2008, the APIA community will come together to celebrate the 15th Annual APEX Awards Gala. Presented at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, the Awards Gala recognizes and honors prominent APIAs who are opening doors for more APIAs to rise as leaders in the community. Celebrating APEX’s 15th Year Anniversary, the Gala is not only a celebration of APEX and the communities’ current accomplishments, but it is a reflection of what the organization has meant to the lives of many in the Southern California region.

Awards:
* APEX Award for Excellence in Community Service
* APEX Award for Excellence in Corporate Leadership
* APEX Award for Excellence in Arts & Entertainment

APEX will also be celebrating the 2008 Youth in Leadership Excellence Award Winners!
Along with the Grand Prize and 3 Runner-ups, top art award submissions will be exhibited!

Attire: Black Tie Optional

BUY TICKETS HERE:
http://apexgala2008.eventbrite.com/
Tickets will sell out so Reserve Your Seat Today!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
http://apex.org/awards
OCA GLA Awards Dinner
OCA-GLA 17th Annual Image Awards
October 3rd, 2008
Omni Hotel, Lost Angeles

Additional information to come in the near future…
Check for updates here.
Irvine Global Village Festival
Irvine Global Village Festival
Date: October 4rd, 2008
Time: 10AM - 6PM
Location: Bill Barber Park
4 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA 92606
Price: Free

Make plans to travel the world at the City of Irvine’s Annual Global Village Festival on Saturday, October 4, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Bill Barber Park. Boasting artistic cultural performances on three stages, the Festival’s live entertainment is a mosaic of music and dance representing more than 50 cultures from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Immerse yourself in cultural displays, world religion and demonstrations, indulge in international cuisine, explore our world marketplace and keep the little ones in motion with hands-on art projects, games and activities in a giant, interactive Kids Village.

Festival admission and parking are free. Food court tasting tickets are available for purchase at the event. Bill Barber Park is located adjacent to the Irvine Civic Center on Harvard between Barranca and Alton.

Additional information can be found at their website: http://www.irvinefestival.org
For question, email festival@ci.irvine.ca.us.

2008 Asian Global Sourcing & Procurement Conference
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: The Paradise Pier Hotel
1717 So Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, CA 92802
TAKEAWAYS
* A Unique Look at Sourcing in China, India, Korea, Philippines, & Vietnam
* Asia Trends, Risks & Opportunities
* Real-World Case Studies in Global Goods & Services
* Interactive & Compelling Sessions
* Procurement Opportunities

GLOBAL SOURCING
Asian Global Sourcing, targeting buyers and sellers of goods & services from China, India, Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam. Diverse industry expert panel speakers who are directly engaged in the Asian markets are invited to share ideas on real-world issues and experiences dealing with these Asian markets.

PROCUREMENT
The Procurement segment of the conference is designed to provide large corporations, small businesses, government agencies, and the business community, the opportunity to network & access available procurement resources on contracting, purchasing, distribution, and supplier development relationships with Asian-owned businesses and other diverse companies currently dealing with Asian and/or US markets.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Enterprises with an interest in China, India, Korea, Philippines, & Vietnam.
Service companies in the global transportation, financial, legal & trade insurance sectors.
Corporations with an Asia strategy.
Companies interested in selling to our line-up of corporations.
Networking for professionals.

GLOBAL SOURCING DETAILS: Quanta Consulting, Inc. www.QuantaCo.com/seminars.html Seminars@QuantaCo.com

ONLINE REGISTRATION: www.abaoc.org
APALC
Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California Presents
25th Anniversary Dinner
Date: October 21st, 2008
Time: 5:30 pm Reception and Silent Auction
7 pm Program and Dinner
Location: The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
404 S. Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Black Tie Optional

Come join APALC as they recognize over 50 individuals, corporations, law firms and foundations that have supported the Asian Pacific American Legal Center over the years. The event will be held at the magnificent Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites.
The event will feature a silent auction where you will be able to bid on items and gift bags generously donated to support APALC. Click here if you are interested in making a donation to the auction. Silent auction and gift bag donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law
The silent auction will be followed by the program and dinner. Reserve your seat today!

Tickets - Individual tickets will be available for purchase soon.

For information on Table sponsorhips, please visit here. Sponsorship forms are available here.

The Asian Pacific American Legal Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Contributions over the fair-market value are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. The fair-market value of each dinner admission ticket is $60.

For more information on the 25th Anniversary Dinner, please contact Clayton Yeung, Director of Special Events & Corporate Relations at (213) 977-7500 ext. 201.
Click here to learn more about the Asian Pacific American Legal Center.
Additional Opportunities
eMAPA
University of Texas Health Study on Physical Activity Attitudes
Project Website: http://mapa.nur.utexas.edu

Eun-Ok Im, PhD, MPH, RN, CNS, FAAN, School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin and her colleagues are conducting a study to explore ethnic differences in midlife women’s attitudes toward physical activity.

The changing racial and ethnic makeup of the U.S. will require health professionals to practice with cultural competence in areas such as promotion of physical activity, where cultural beliefs may mediate health promotion behaviors.

You are eligible to participate in this study if you are a midlife women aged 40 to 60 years old who do not have any mobility problems; who can read and write English; who are online; and whose self-reported ethnic identity is Hispanic, non-Hispanic (N-H) White, N-H African American, or N-H Asian.

Data will be collected through the Internet from Feb. 1, 2008 to May 31, 2011. Methods for the data collection include an Internet survey among 500 midlife women in the U.S. on the Internet and four ethnic-specific online forum discussions among about 30 midlife women per ethnic group recruited among the Internet survey participants.

Your involvement will consist of the following: (a) about 30 minutes are usually needed to complete the Internet survey questionnaire; and (b) the online forums will be conducted for 6 months, should you agree to participate in the additional online forum discussion. Your participation is asynchronous (you can visit the online forum site and read and post messages at your convenience).

You will receive a gift certificate of 10 dollars for filling out the Internet survey, and an additional gift certificate of 50 dollars for participating in the additional online forum (only those who participate in the additional online forum for 6 months will be provided with this additional gift certificate). To get reimbursed for the online forums, you have to post at least one message per topic. For more information, please visit at our website (http://mapa.nur.utexas.edu/a>) and/or contact us.

Contact Information:
Ken-Li Chang
Undergraduate Research Assistant
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin
1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701
E-mail: kchang@mail.utexas.edu
ViFF Logo
ViFF 2009
The Fourth Edition of the biennial Vietnamese International Film Festival

PRODUCTIONS ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION: Feature-length and short productions of any content (not necessarily related to Vietnam or Vietnamese) by persons of Vietnamese descent living anywhere around the world or productions about Vietnamese people or culture in the following categories:

* Narrative
* Documentary
* Experimental
* Animation

NO ENTRY FEE!

ENTRY DEADLINE: Entries MUST BE POSTMARKED no later than December 31, 2008. We will announce the final selection at the end of February 2008.

Download ViFF 2009 Entry Form (Word format)

For more information and a PDF of our entry form, please visit www.VietFilmFest.com. Please email vietfilmfest@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

ViFF’s mission is to support, celebrate, and project a diversity of visions and voices from filmmakers of Vietnamese descent and films by, for, and about the Vietnamese people and culture.

The Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF) is an eight-day event uniquely showcasing films made by Vietnamese and Vietnamese diasporic filmmakers. Presented biennially since 2003 by the two non-profit organizations Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) and Vietnamese Language & Culture (VNLC), ViFF has featured films from all over the world, including but not limited to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Poland, United States, and Vietnam.

ViFF is held mainly at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), with some screenings at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Westminster, Southern California. Each edition, ViFF attracts around 4,000 people coming from all over the world.