Month: October 2012

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The NYIC is Postponing Events Scheduled for This Week

Dear friends,

We hope this e-mail finds you well; our thoughts are with everyone who experienced Hurricane Sandy and are dealing with its impact.

Given current conditions throughout the area, including lack of email and phone service at the NYIC, we are postponing NYIC events scheduled for the next few days, including:

TRAINING on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status—scheduled for Wednesday, October 31, 2012 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm: postponed till further notice

TRAINING on Battered Spouse Waivers & VAWA Self-Petitions —scheduled for Thursday, November 1, 2012 from 10:00am – 1:00pm: postponed till further notice

TRAINING on Immigration Consequences of Criminal Dispositions —scheduled for Friday, November 2, 2012 from 2:00pm – 5:00pm: postponed till further notice

DACA Clinic: Scheduled for November 1st, 6PM: postponed till further notice

MEXICAN Consulate ID Event: Scheduled for October 31 to November 4th, 9am to 2pm at PS 24 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn: The start date is postponed; we will know in the next day or two whether or not it will happen at all at this time or whether it will be postponed entirely to a later date.

While our lack of phone and email service makes communication difficult, we do have an email address that you can write to us to for urgent matters: [email protected]. We will check this address two to three times a day until our regular email service is up and running.

If you sent an email to NYIC staff anytime after 7 p.m. Monday, October 29th, we likely did not receive it. If it is urgent, you can forward it to the gmail address above. Otherwise, we will send out a notification once we’re back online and have full communications capacity again.

Thank you; and again, our best wishes to everyone as we recover from this storm.

Chung-Wha Hong
Executive Director
The New York Immigration Coalition

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WSJ: Rise of the Tiger Nation

WSJ: Rise of the Tiger Nation

WSJ: Rise of the Tiger Nation

On Saturday, Oct. 27, the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled, “Rise of the Tiger Nation.” (Click on the link in the title to read the full article.) It adopted wholesale the conclusions and statistics from this summer’s Pew Research Center survey of Asian Americans.  In fact, the author wrote at the start of the article:

No one would dispute the opening paragraph of the Pew Research Center’s massive study of Asian-Americans, released over the summer: “Asian-Americans are the highest-income, best-educated and fastest-growing racial group in the United States. They are more satisfied than the general public with their lives, finances and the direction of the country, and they place more value than other Americans do on marriage, parenthood, hard work and career success.”

Actually, this past summer, many APA groups came forward with strong criticisms of the Pew Research Center’s study, pointing out its oversimplification of the lives and experiences of the diverse community represented by APAs.  Like the Pew Research Center report, this article perpetuates the model minority myth, painting a far rosier picture than actual circumstances would support.  In the legal profession, APAs continue to be under-represented at the upper ranks of law firms, corporations, government, academia and the judiciary.

A search on this blog under “Pew Research Center” will call up the reactions we were able to collect this summer to that report.  Take a look for yourself.  Contrary to the WSJ article, many would dispute the opening paragraph of the Pew Research Center study.  About the only statement that would not be disputed is the fact that APAs are the fastest growing racial group in the United States.  But the growth of the APA population alone does not signify that all APAs are doing well and succeeding across the board.

What do you think of the WSJ article?  Is there a “Tiger Nation” and is it on the rise?

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On Saturday, October 27, AABANY held its 4th annual Upstate Roadshow at Syracuse Law School.  Organized by the Student Outreach Committee, co-chairs Irene Tan and Ben Chan brought the downstate contingent that included Amy Ngai, Amy Luo, Thomas Hou, Board member Francis Chin and Executive Director Yang Chen.  They were met upstate by Louis Jim, associate at Bond, Schoeneck & King, Tiffany Lee, Assistant US Attorney in the Western District of New York, Mary Traynor, attorney at the Advocacy Group, and Shelly Tsai, attorney at Legal Services of Central New York.

Law students from the law schools at Syracuse, Buffalo and Albany spent the afternoon learning about AABANY, its mission and activities, engaged in an interactive networking workshop and participated in panel discussions about resume writing, interviewing and career paths in the law.

After the panels concluded, panelists and law students headed to Dinosaur Barbecue where they continued to chat and connect over pulled pork sandwiches, mac and cheese, caesar salad and other delectable fare.

Thanks to everyone who attended, and we look forward to strengthening our connections with our friends and members upstate. If you wish to contact the Student Outreach Committee co-chairs, Ben and Irene, send email to [email protected].

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Rutgers-Newark APALSA held its 11th anniversary Mela at the law school on Thursday night, October 25.  Mela is the Sanskrit word for “gathering,” and this annual event celebrates various Asian cultures and honors the achievements of Asian Americans in the legal community. 

This year, Rutgers-Newark APALSA honored the Hon. David F. Bauman, Presiding Judge, Civil Division, Superior Court of New Jersey, Monmouth County.  Judge Bauman is the first Asian American judge in Monmouth Vicinage.

Also honored was our very own Jean Lee, President of AABANY and VP and Assistant General Counsel at JP Morgan Chase & Co.  After accepting her award, Jean delivered an impassioned and inspiring speech about her path to career success, overcoming significant struggles and hurdles along the way.  “Don’t say no to yourself before someone else does,” she advised the students, sharing the wisdom of a friend and mentor.

The evening also featured a dance performance by Rutgers SAPA (South Asian Performing Artists), delicious Pan-Asian buffet, open bar and dancing.  Congratulations to the honorees and to Rutgers-Newark APALSA on a great Mela!

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ELECTION DAY 2012: AALDEF YPC Viewing Party

ELECTION DAY 2012: VIEWING PARTY!

AALDEF’s Young Professionals Committee Is Hosting an Election Day Viewing Party at Manhattan Proper!

Come join us as we witness history and watch the election results unfold.

Past and present AALDEF election protection volunteers, meet your fellow volunteers and celebrate your efforts at the polls with AALDEF friends, supporters, and staff!

DETAILS:

November 6, 2012, from 7pm…until the next president is announced!

Manhattan Proper (6 Murray Street between Broadway and Church)

Specials: $4 Drafts All Night, $5 House Wines and $6 Well Drinks (until 9pm)

Questions? Email [email protected]

RSVP on Facebook or to [email protected]

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Vinoo Varghese Authors Amici Brief Quoted in NYT

Vinoo Varghese Authors Amici Brief Quoted in NYT

Board member Vinoo Varghese, principal at Varghese & Associates PC, submitted a brief for amici curiae National Legal Aid & Defenders Association (NLADA) and the Bronx Defenders in the case of United States v. Rajaratnam, pending in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  The brief was quoted in the October 23 New York Times article, “Appeal in Insider Trading Case Centers on Wiretap.”

A group of defense lawyers said that upholding the use of wiretaps in this case would “eviscerate the integrity of the criminal justice system.”

To read the article, click on the title.  To read the brief, go to http://bit.ly/rajaratnam_vpv.

Great work, Vinoo! Congrats!

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MinKwon Center GOTV & Voter Protection

Join the MinKwon Center for some Exciting GOTV & Voter Protection
Activities!

Hi all,
 
 With less than 3 weeks left until the General Elections on Tuesday, November 6th, we are gearing up for our final push to get out the vote!  Come join us in door knocking or phone banking at any of the following times and locations through to the day of the Elections.  A few hours of your time and enthusiasm can make a tremendous difference for our communities:  For the first time ever, we are voting for our state and federal offices in newly drawn districts.  Now more than ever, it is critical that we have a large presence at the elections. 
 
Phone Banking
Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, 6:00PM
Thursday, Oct. 25th, 6:00PM
Tuesday, Oct. 30th  6:00PM
Thursday, Nov. 1st, 6:00PM
Monday, Nov. 5th, 6:00PM
 


Door Knocking

Wednesday, Oct. 24th, 6:00PM
Monday, Oct. 29th, 6:00PM
Wednesday, Oct. 31st  6:00PM
Sunday, Nov. 4th, 4:00PM
 

Exit Polling

Tuesday, Nov. 6th – All day!

 

If You are Interested, Please Contact Us:

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Training for Election Voter Hotline

As you know election day, Tuesday, November 6, 2012, is fast approaching and the Metropolitan Black Bar Association’s Civil Rights Committee (MBBA-CRC) is working hard to ensure that everyone who desires to vote is armed with the correct information to make their vote count!

As attorneys, we are well equipped to answer voters’ questions and it is incumbent upon us to protect the right to vote. Our vote is a vote that many fought long and hard to be counted. We are asking our members to stand up and donate their legal minds to ensure that all who desire to vote in this historical election will have the opportunity to vote.

Please joing MBBA and The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law to educate voters via the Election Protection hotline on Monday, November 5, 2012 and Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

We will train for the hotline on Thursday, October 25, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Proskauer Rose LLP, Eleven Times Square, New York, NY. If this date is not suitable for your schedule, we will have other training dates. However, we strongly urge you to train on that date so that we can train as a collective.

Please register for the training at http://signup.lawyerscommittee.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/index.sjs?event_KEY=59351 Once you have registered for the training, we ask that you email Cenceria Edwards- Chair MBBA-CRC at [email protected] confirming your attendance.

Upon completion of the training, you will be able to register with the MBBA team for the hotline shifts for November 5, 2012 and November 6, 2012. The shifts are between 3-5 hours.

If you should have any questions regarding this training, please email Cenceria Edwards at [email protected].

Help the MBBA make a difference and protect this constitutional right. Protect the vote!

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