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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Condemns Roanoke Mayor’s References to Japanese American Internment
For Immediate Release
Nov. 19, 2015
For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
[email protected], 202-775-9555
NAPABA Condemns Roanoke Mayor’s References to the Japanese American Internment to Justify Suspension of Aid to Syrian Refugees
WASHINGTON — We are outraged by Mayor David Bowers’ disgraceful comments about his decision to suspend assistance from both government and nongovernmental agencies to Syrian refugees in Roanoke, Virginia. His inflammatory remarks invoke the distrust and xenophobia that led to the unjustifiable internment of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II. This is unacceptable and such intolerance has no place in our country.
As Asian Pacific Americans, we are shocked that Mayor Bowers would justify his actions by referring to one of the darkest chapters in American history, when an entire community was unjustly held in suspicion, taken away from their homes and livelihoods, and interned because of their ethnicity. Instead, we must learn from that tragic time and refuse to demonize Muslims, Syrians, and others seeking safe haven in America, as many of our forebears once did.
Earlier this week, President Obama announced that Minoru Yasui, an internee who challenged the internment of Japanese Americans in the U.S. Supreme Court, would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The U.S. Congress apologized for internment in 1988. Sadly, Mayor Bowers has shown that many of the same prejudices Mr. Yasui faced in 1942 still exist today and, unfortunately, he is not alone in promoting this intolerance. More than half of the nation’s governors, members of Congress, and state and local lawmakers around the country have echoed this xenophobia, which vilifies entire communities.
We must recognize the humanitarian needs of refugee populations and we must refuse to act based on fear and intolerance. As history has shown, such actions do not make our country safer and rejects the basic tenants of what it means to be an American and betrays our deepest values.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of approximately 50,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.
NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).
Press Release: New York Asian American Law Students Excel at National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Convention in New Orleans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2015
Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director
(718) 228-7206
NEW YORK – November 18, 2015 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to congratulate Christina Nguyen and Azizah Ahmad on their recent honors from the NAPABA Law Foundation (“NLF”), which were presented on November 7, 2015 at the NAPABA Rising Convention at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in New Orleans, Louisiana. NAPABA is the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and it established the NLF in 1994. The NLF awards scholarships on a nationwide basis to law students who demonstrate a commitment to serve or contribute to the Asian Pacific American community as future leaders. We also congratulate Katherine Zhang, who was elected as Northeast Regional Director of the National Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (“NAPALSA”) at the NAPABA Rising Convention.
Christina Nguyen, a third-year law student at St. John’s University School of Law and former AABANY Legal Intern, received one of the two UPS/NLF Gold Mountain Scholarships for $5,000, awarded to law students in the Asian Pacific American community who are the first in their family to go to law school. Azizah Ahmad, first-year law student at Brooklyn Law School and former Senior Programs Associate for NAPABA, received one of two Anheuser-Busch/NLF Presidential Scholarships of $7,500, awarded to the law students who demonstrate particularly outstanding leadership potential to serve the Asian Pacific American community, as selected from all of the scholarship applicants by the NLF in consultation with the President of NAPABA. Katherine Zhang, who was elected as the Northeast Regional Director of NAPALSA, is a second-year law student and the President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (“APALSA”) at Brooklyn Law School.
“We at AABANY are proud of Christina and Azizah to have their achievements and leadership potential recognized by the NLF with well-deserved scholarships,” said Yang Chen, Executive Director of AABANY. “We also congratulate Katherine for her election to Northeast Regional Director of NAPALSA. All three students exhibit traits that will serve them well as future leaders in the legal profession, both within the Asian Pacific American community and beyond. Congratulations to Christina, Katherine and Azizah.”
For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].
Correction: A previous version of this press release erroneously identified the scholarship that Christina Nguyen won as the $2,000 NLF Scholarship. This was incorrect. She received one of the two $5,000 UPS/NLF Gold Mountain Scholarships.
The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).
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Introducing the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program, Inc.
New York, New York – November 16, 2015 – Representatives from the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor High School Judicial Internship Program (“SCS HSJIP”) and The Joint Minority Bar Judicial Internship Program (“JMB JIP”) merged this Summer to form the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program, Inc.
The SCS HSJIP was founded in 2014 by Celina Cabán as part of her work with the Ms. JD Fellowship Program. The mission of the program is to encourage diverse high school students from underserved communities to pursue careers in the law. With the guidance of Second Circuit Judge Denny Chin and support of the Justice Resource Center, the program hosted seventeen students its first year and more than doubled in size its second year.
The JMB JIP was founded in 2009 by Linda S. Lin, Senior Counsel, Senior Complex Claims Director at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, when the Association of Judges of Hispanic Heritage (“AJHH”), the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”), the Asian American Law Fund of New York (“AALFNY”), the Metropolitan Black Bar Association (“MBBA”), the New York Women’s Bar Association Foundation, Inc. (“NYWBAF”), the Puerto Rican Bar Association (“PRBA”), and the South Asian Bar Association of New York (“SABANY”) joined together to offer law students who have completed at least one year of law school the opportunity to enhance and complement their legal education as summer judicial interns in New York metropolitan area courthouses. Since 2009, JMB JIP grew from a nine intern program to an over 30 intern program.
SCS HSJIP’s Founder Celina Cabán is “particularly excited about the ability to provide additional resources and mentorship to underserved high school youth.”
JMB JIP’s Founder Linda S. Lin is “thrilled and honored to be joining forces with SCS HSJIP and developing a deeper pipeline program.”
The Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program seeks to increase diversity in the legal profession by educating and empowering students from underserved communities and diverse backgrounds. The Program exposes high school students to legal careers through judicial internships in state and federal courts, educational workshops, and mentorship opportunities. The Program also places law school students in judicial internships to introduce them to the state and federal judicial systems and sharpen their legal research and writing skills.
Our goal is simple, to educate and empower our students.
Applications for 2016 summer internships are now available at www.scsjip.org.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program, Inc.
Rosevelie Márquez Morales, President at [email protected].
70+ Asian Pacific American, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Organizations Urge U.S. Attorney General to Investigate Possible Profiling of Asian American Scientists
For Immediate Release
Nov. 16, 2015
For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
[email protected], 202-775-9555
70+ Asian Pacific American, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Organizations Urge U.S. Attorney General to Investigate Possible Profiling of Asian American Scientists
“We firmly believe that otherwise innocent actions by Americans must not become suspicious simply because of the person’s ethnic surname or perceived national origin.”
WASHINGTON — The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) are joined by 70 organizations in sending a letter today to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch seeking an independent investigation into what appears to be a trend of Asian American scientists being suspected of economic espionage, indicted and arrested, without the full support of the facts.
Science magazine has reported that in the past year alone, charges have been dropped against five Chinese-born scientists accused of crimes related to trade secrets theft or economic spying. The most recent cases of potential profiling involve U.S. citizens Dr. Xiaoxing Xi, chair of Temple University’s physics department, and Sherry Chen, a hydrologist and employee of the National Weather Service. All charges against both were dropped — but not before wreaking irreparable damage to their lives, careers, and reputations.
“We are deeply concerned at the prospect of anyone being targeted for their race, ethnicity, or national origin,” said NCAPA National Director Christopher Kang. “Two is a coincidence, and three is a trend. It is time for a full and independent investigation into the cases of Dr. Xi and Ms. Chen, so there is not even an appearance of profiling in cases moving forward.”
“We thank the more than 70 organizations in our growing coalition — from 16 NCAPA organizations and the NAACP to the ACLU and People For the American Way,” Kang continued. “This is not a Chinese American issue or an Asian American issue. It is an American issue — to preserve our fundamental values of fairness and due process and to protect our civil rights and civil liberties.”
“Americans across the country are very concerned that individuals appear to be targeted for investigations based on their perceived race, ethnicity, or national origin,” said NAPABA President Jin Y. Hwang. “Attorney General Lynch must lead a thorough and independent investigation to assure the American public that the protections afforded by the Constitution and enshrined in Department policy prohibiting profiling are being followed. The broad and diverse coalition of more than 70 civil rights and legal organizations calling for this investigation highlights the importance of a fair and unbiased legal system to our country.”
Dr. Xiaoxing Xi and Sherry Chen will join a Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) press conference Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 9:30 a.m. EST in the Capitol (H-137) with Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Ted Lieu (CA-33).
Earlier this month in a letter led by Representatives Ted Lieu, Judy Chu and Keith Ellison, 42 members of Congress called upon Attorney General Lynch to lead the Department of Justice in an independent investigation.
Learn more in NCAPA’s one-pager on this issue.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of approximately 50,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.
NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).
Join the American Bar Association for Free Using the NAPABA Code!
The American Bar Association is offering NAPABA Members a free membership including one free section. If you didn’t get a chance to stop by the ABA booth at the NAPABA Rising Convention in New Orleans, you can still take advantage of this offer:
- Visit: http://www.americanbar.org/join or call (800) 285-2221.
- Use the offer code: NAPABA16
Membership with the American Bar Association has a lot to offer, including up to 18 hours of free CLE, the ABA Journal, opportunities to enrich your career, sharpen your practice, and more. For more information about the American Bar Association, click here. Be sure to use the code by November 24, 2015.