August 2012 - WE Blog @ AABANY

August 31, 2012December 4, 2018

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More than 100 AABANY members and friends registered for the End of Summer Happy Hour on August 29 at Tavern 29 (on 29th and Park Avenue South) and from about 6 pm to 9 pm, it seemed like everyone who signed up showed up to join AABANY to bid a fond farewell to summer 2012. Attorneys, law students, in-house counsel, members and non-members met, mingled and caught up with each other over drinks and munchies. We took over the second floor, and for those who wanted some fresh air, they could take their networking to the outdoor rooftop space.

About an hour into the event, President Jean Lee stood on a chair and at the top of her voice encouraged everyone to sign up for the Fall Conference. For those who didn’t hear everything she said, Fall Conference brochures were available for everyone to take with them. Thanks to all for coming and making this our biggest End of Summer Happy Hour yet. We wish everyone a happy, safe and fun Labor Day Weekend.

August 31, 2012

Press Release: NYC Council Unity Map Released

From our friends at AALDEF:

Civil Rights Groups Announce Unity Map for NYC Council Redistricting and 9/4 Press Conference

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), LatinoJustice PRLDEF, National Institute for Latino Policy (NILP), and the Center for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ) of Medgar Evers College have released the NYC Council Unity Map, a joint proposal for new City Council districts that reflects New York City’s changing demographics and protects the voting rights of Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans.

AALDEF, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, NILP, and CLSJ will hold a joint press conference on the Unity Map on Tuesday, September 4 at 12 noon on the steps of City Hall. Please RSVP to [email protected] or 212.966.5932 ex.217.

To read more and see the maps, go to http://bit.ly/unitymaps.

August 30, 2012

Important Information – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

From NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I’m sure you’ve heard about President Obama’s new program for undocumented youth, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The following message and attached documents outline vital information about this new initiative.

Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a new federal immigration process that allows certain undocumented young people to request temporary deportation relief and work authorization from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The City estimates that 50,000 to 60,000 New Yorkers may be able to request deferred action.

In order to show that they meet the criteria, Deferred Action applicants will need to submit verifiable documentation to the federal government with their applications. They may be able to get some of the documents they need from City agencies. Attached is a one-page flyer that highlights the types of documents the City can provide to individuals who have records on file, along with instructions on how to access those documents. I have also attached flyers in English and Spanish created by USCIS to show the eligibility criteria and application process.

Please note: unlike the DREAM Act, Deferred Action is not legal status, and it does not provide a pathway to obtaining a green card or citizenship. For more information about Deferred Action, including where to find free legal assistance and how to avoid and report immigration scams, please call 311 or visit NYC.gov.

All the best,

Sarah

Sarah Flatto | One NYC One Nation Coordinator | NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs

212-341-9075 | 646-409-3116 |nyc.gov/immigrants | *[email protected]

August 27, 2012

Call for Senate Hearing on Hate Crimes

NAPABA Policy Director Emily Chatterjee passes along this request from Rajdeep Singh of the Sikh Coalition calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the proliferation of hate crimes and hate groups in this country:

Dear Colleagues:

Please find attached our group letter here, urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings next month on hate crimes. A grand total of 154 organizations endorsed the letter. Thank you for your tireless efforts to spread the word about this letter through your networks!

During the next few days, as the Judiciary Committee reviews our letter, please consider taking the additional steps:

1. Contact the Senate Judiciary Committee directly and urge them to prioritize hearings.
2. Ask your members to contact the offices of Judiciary Committee members by phone and email.
3. Create awareness about this issue through community advisories, blog posts, Facebook, and Twitter.
4. Issue press releases to your media contacts to generate public awareness about this issue.
5. Write op/eds about the need for increased focus by policymakers on hate crimes in America

Let’s hope for the best. Again, we are grateful for your support and look forward to working with you again soon.

Best regards,
Raj

–
Rajdeep Singh
Director of Law and Policy
The Sikh Coalition
Phone: (202) 747-4944
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sikhcoalition.org
Donate: www.sikhdonate.org

August 27, 2012

Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service’s Application Period is Closing

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

A quick reminder: The application period for the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service closes at noon EST on Wednesday, August 29.

The Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service is a prestigious leadership program for a diverse group of early-career professionals working full-time in public service in New York City. Through sessions twice each month from November 2012 through May 2013, Fellows will enhance their leadership knowledge and skills, deepen their understanding of the public service landscape, hear from top leaders in the field, receive ongoing mentorship from Alumni and Career Guides, engage in strategic career planning, and build a cross-sector network of people committed to public service.

The fellowship is sponsored by the Research Center for Leadership in Action at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. To be eligible, applicants must work full-time in public service in the New York City area; may not currently be engaged in another significant fellowship; and must commit to attending all fellowship sessions, including a day-long Orientation on November 10, 2012. The program fee is $500.

More information and the application are available here: http://wagner.nyu.edu/felps

For questions, please email [email protected]. Thank you.

August 27, 2012December 4, 2018

August 27, 2012

MinKwon Center for Community Action hosts Exciting GOTV Activities

Hi all,

MinKwon Center needs your help! With less than 3 weeks left until the State Primary Elections on Thursday, September 13^th, we are gearing up for our GOTV work to conduct phone banking and door knocking. For the first time ever, we are voting for our next State Senators and Assembly members in newly drawn districts. Now more than ever, it is critical that we have a large Asian American presence at the elections. Here is what you can do:

Join the MinKwon Center for Community Action for some Exciting GOTV Activities!

Phone Banking

Wednesday, Aug. 29^th, 6:00PM MinKwon Center
Tuesday, Sept. 4^th, 6:00PM MinKwon Center
Thursday, Sept. 6^th 6:00PM MinKwon Center
Monday, Sept. 10^th, 6:00PM MinKwon Center
Wednesday, Sept. 12th, 6:00PM MinKwon Center

Door Knocking

Thursday, Aug. 30^th, 6:00PM Meet at MinKwon Center
Wednesday, Sept. 5^th, 6:00PMMeet at MinKwon Center
Sunday, Sept. 9^th, 4:00PMMeet at MinKwon Center
Tuesday, Sept. 11^th, 6:00PMMeet at MinKwon Center

If you are interested in volunteering, please let us know today! Dinner will be provided as well as community service credit if applicable. Please forward this email to anyone who would like to get involved and gain important electoral experience. Don’t miss your chance to make a difference in these historic elections!

If You are Interested, Please Contact:
[email protected] or 1 (718) 460-5600

August 22, 2012

KALCA Voting Initiatives

KALCA is pleased to announce the kick-off to a series of voting initiatives beginning this month until November 6, Election Day!

We will be collaborating with the MinKwon Center to coordinate activities such as registering voters, phone banking, door knocking, and conducting voter education workshops, and we need your help. If you are able to volunteer a few hours of your time during the duration of now until November, we need people to assist us with calling registered voters and going door-to-door to remind them to vote. We will also need volunteers to help us with setting up and organizing our outreach programs and workshops during which we hope to educate people about the voter registration process and the importance of casting their ballot.

If you are a high school student, you may be eligible to receive community service credit as a volunteer. This is a great way to gain hands-on experience in the political process while learning key communication and organizational skills.

Whether you are a working professional, a college student or a high school student, your help will be invaluable in getting more Asian American votes out this election year. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to [email protected].

SAVE THE DATE
Volunteer opportunities (you do not have to participate in all events)

Door knocking in Flushing, Queens with MinKwon Center- Thursday, 8/30 from 6-9PM;Wednesday, 9/5 from 6-9PM;Sunday, 9/9 from 4-8PM and Tuesday, 9/11 from 6-9PM

Wednesday, September 12, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm – Phone banking to Get out the Vote, location will be in Manhattan

Tuesday, September 18, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm – Voter outreach/workshop for volunteers and community members, location will be in Manhattan

Saturday, October 27, time TBA, Door knocking in Flushing, Queens

KALCA 2012 Voter Engagement Interns/Coordinators: Hannah Kang, 2010 College Internship Program Alumna and Angela Choi, 2011 Civic Leadership Program Alumna

_____________________________________________________________

Message from the

On Thursday, September 13, New York will hold primary elections for state Senate, Assembly, and other state offices. We know you’re a registered voter. But what about your friends? In June’s Congressional primary elections, fewer than 10 percent of eligible New Yorkers voted. That means nine out of ten potential voters stayed home.

They say turnout will be low again in September, but we know that New Yorkers can do better!

You can help. Please forward this email to your friends and encourage them to register and vote! Voter registration formscan be downloaded from our website. New Yorkers may also visit their local libraries or post offices to pick up a form. Not sure if you are registered to vote? Use the NYS BOE voter look-up to find out!

August 20, 2012December 4, 2018

August 20, 2012December 4, 2018