AABANY Goes to the Movies: Gold Open Screening of “Parasite”

Last week, AABANY received an invitation to participate in a gold open screening of the critically acclaimed new Korean film, “Parasite.” After a few quick exchanges of emails, we settled on the Sunday, Oct. 27, 1:30 pm showing taking place at AMC25 in Times Square. A block of tickets was announced on Friday morning, October 25. In less than 10 minutes that entire block was snapped up. Chris Kwok, who was handling the screening for AABANY, asked for more tickets and got them. Ultimately, 60 people showed up on a rainy Sunday to catch the show.

Whether or not you made the screening, here are some interesting facts about “Parasite”:

Parasite explores greed and class discrimination, portraying a newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan. Director Bong Joon-ho, 49, best known for daring arthouse hits including Okja and Snowpiercer, was awarded the top honor at the Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d’Or, the first time a Korean director has won the award in its 72-year history. It has been incredible to witness our community rallying together for this film across the country; besides completely selling out New York’s opening weekend screenings, the #GoldOpen movement has already helped Parasite garner the following accolades

  • Highest foreign language per-screen average of all time
  • Highest per-screen average of 2019
  • Highest per-screen average since the opening of LA LA LAND in December of 2016
  • Top 18 per-screen average of all time

We thank Gold House, the non-profit collective that organizes #GoldOpen screenings, for inviting AABANY to take part in the effort to generate excitement and buzz for films featuring Asians and Asian Americans. AABANY recently participated in a screening of “The Farewell,” starring Awkwafina, and last year, in the screening of “Crazy Rich Asians.” We hope there are more opportunities in the near future for us to support and celebrate films with, by, and about Asians and Asian Americans. Thanks to Chris Kwok for organizing the “Parasite” screening and for all the AABANY members and friends who came out to see it.

AABANY Visits the High School of American Studies

On October 21, AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen and Board Director Chris Kwok visited the High School of American Studies on the campus of Lehman College of the City University of New York, in the Bronx. The trip was arranged through Jonathan Halabi, a teacher at the school, and was done as part of the New York State Bar Association’s request to bar leaders to visit local high schools to speak about the Constitution and Citizenship as part of this year’s Constitution Day, which was marked on September 17.

Mr. Halabi gave Chris and Yang a tour of the school, which has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the number 6 high school in New York. He also introduced Chris and Yang to a number of the school’s faculty. Chris and Yang spoke to two classes of seniors about Korematsu v. United States to teach about the Constitution and Citizenship. Both classes had heard the name Korematsu and knew the basic facts and context of the case. Chris and Yang provided additional details about how Fred Korematsu fought for justice and ultimately had his wrongful conviction overturned. The students engaged Chris and Yang in thoughtful and well-informed discussion about Korematsu’s case and how it relates to the Constitution, citizenship and current issues facing immigrants and the nation.

The visit concluded with Chris and Yang being called into the principal’s office to meet with the school’s principal, Alessandro Weiss. Principal Weiss thanked Chris and Yang for coming in and speaking with the students. They talked about the possibility of returning to the High School of American Studies for future visits on other topics of interest to the students. AABANY looks forward to meeting again with teachers and students at the High School of Asian Studies, and we thank the school for its warm hospitality on the occasion of this first visit. (Thanks to Mr. Halabi for the photos.)

AABANY Members Learn about Going In-House at AmEx

From Henry Chen, In-House Counsel at Amex:

As a member of Amex’s legal team, I was happy to welcome AABANY members for an information session held on October 22, 2019. The event started with a panel that included General Counsel Laureen Seeger and other Amex managing counsel discussing their experiences working as in-house counsel. Afterwards, AABANY attendees networked with members of various practice groups on Amex’s legal team. The event was very well-attended and offered a unique opportunity to learn what it’s like to work as in-house counsel at Amex. I certainly appreciate the impact of the information session because I attended the same event last year as an AABANY member. It gave me first-hand insight into working on Amex’s legal team and I had a great experience meeting everyone at Amex. So when an opportunity opened up afterwards to join the legal team, I already knew that I wanted to apply. And a few months later, I joined the Amex legal team! We hope everyone enjoyed the event this year, and we look forward to hosting this event again in the future.

CACAGNY Presents Third Mid-Autumn Film Festival Oct. 26-27

Come out to the Mid-Autumn Film Festival presented by Chinese American Citizens Alliance of Greater New York on October 26 and 27. The festival will be held at 21 Pell Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown to celebrate Chinese American filmmakers and Chinese American stories in film.

11 films and 3 shorts will be presented. Discussions will be held with filmmakers, and you will have an opportunity to see Frank Chen, Curtis Chin, Baldwin Chiu, Leslie Li, Rick Quan, Peter Rosen, Lan Trinh, Miao Wang, and more.

Films by or about Chinese Americans will include TyrusMaineland, and, in commemoration of I.M. Pei (1917-2019), First Person Singular: I.M. Pei.

To see a trailer for Tyrus, click on the following link:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tyrus+trailer&view=detail&mid=959F6E1555A8D71B2115959F6E1555A8D71B2115&FORM=VIRE

To see a trailer for Maineland, click on the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7pCyLeeyd8

In addition to the screenings, you will also have an opportunity to see bodybuilder/Bruce Lee mentor, first Chinese American mayor of a major city, only Taiwanese NY Yankee, Chinese Ginger Rogers, Chinese Andrews Sisters, a dramatization of a civil rights incident and more, followed by conversations with the filmmakers. A reception will be held on Saturday night, October 26th.

For more information, click on the following links:
https://twitter.com/filmautumn
https://www.facebook.com/CACAGNYMidAutumnFilmFestival/

To learn more about the program and to purchase tickets, click on the following link: http://www.cacagny.org/upcoming-events.html

Reduced prices are available.

Congratulations to Karen Yau

On Thursday, Oct. 17, at the 40th anniversary gala for Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) Brooklyn Community Services, held at Affable Eatery in Brooklyn, Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair Karen Yau was honored for her work in support of the community. Many AABANY members and leaders came out to celebrate with Karen, including Pro Bono Committee Co-Chairs Pauline Yeung-Ha and Asako Aiba, Government Service and Public Interest Committee Co-Chair Kevin Hsi, AABANY Director of Technology and Professional Development Committee Co-Chair Francis Chin and Executive Director Yang Chen. Karen’s family, including her parents, were also in attendance.

AABANY also congratulates the other honorees at the gala dinner:

  • Dr. Gabriel Rincon, DDS
    Board of Trustees Chairman, The Family Health Centers at NYU Langone
  • Elizabeth Culkin, Principal, PS 176K
  • Hewett Chiu, Executive Director, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
    President and CEO, Academy of Medical and Public Health Services

Karen, in her acceptance speech, accepted the award on behalf of the Pro Bono Clinic, which has grown in number of clients served and number of volunteers participating, and which started serving clients in Brooklyn last month, in September. The next Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic will take place on November 21. Please help us spread the word. More details here: https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1291193 If you are able to volunteer there, contact Asako Aiba at asako.aiba@aabany.org.

Institute for Retired Professionals Admissions Information Session

From Rica Fujihara, Institute of Retired Professionals:

ARE YOU RETIRED OR NEAR RETIREMENT?  Do you enjoy stimulating discussions? Exploring new creative and intellectual interests?

Join us at the Institute for Retired Professionals at The New School.  Become part of a peer-learning community; enroll in study groups focused on history, literature, science, writing and the arts.  Lead a study group on topics that interest you.  We are members from a wide range of careers who share the excitement of learning together.  We welcome different voices which reflect the racial and ethnic tapestry of our beloved city. Our next Admissions Information Session will take place on November 4 at 3:30pm, followed by refreshments.  It will be held at 6 E. 16th Street (between Union Square West and Fifth Avenue.)

AABANY members who are interested in attending can register by sending an email to fujir480@newschool.edu.

To learn more about the Institute for Retired Professionals, click here.

To see a Fox 5 New York segment on the Institute for Retired Professionals, click here.

Congratulations to Poonam Gupta on Being Selected to Receive The Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Publico Award

Please join us in congratulating Poonam Gupta, AABANY Immigration Committee Co-Chair and Counsel and Director of Immigration Services at White & Case LLP, on being selected to receive The Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Publico Award.

Every year, The Legal Aid Society recognizes the outstanding work of volunteer lawyers, law firms, corporations, and other professionals who have volunteered their time and talent to provide exceptional legal services to low-income New Yorkers.

Poonam will be presented the award on Monday, October 28, 2019 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Prince George Ballroom, 15 East 27th Street, New York, NY.

2019 NAPABA Convention | Luncheon Plenaries

Every year NAPABA at its national convention, strives to bring to the forefront vital issues of importance to the Asian Pacific American legal community. This year, NAPABA will feature two luncheon plenaries, a reenactment of Fred Korematsu’s fight for justice, and a panel discussion on the current issues facing the LGBTQ community in light of the ongoing debates in Texas and before the Supreme Court. Join us at the 2019 NAPABA Convention in Austin, TX as we explore these issues and many more.   

Luncheon plenaries are included in the Convention registration fee. You must be registered for the 2019 NAPABA Convention to attend these events. 

AABANY is excited to announce that it will be presenting the lunch plenary session at the NAPABA Convention on Friday, November 8, 2019. See details below.

Friday, Nov. 8 | 12 – 1:15 p.m. | Fred Korematsu’s Fight for Justice: A Reenactment of Korematsu v. United States.

Over seventy-five years ago, on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, uprooting some 120,000 Japanese-Americans—two-thirds of them American citizens—from their homes on the West Coast and forcing them into concentration camps.

Although the rest of his family reported as ordered, Fred Korematsu refused to go. He was arrested, and convicted of violating the Executive Order and related military proclamations. He appealed his conviction first to the Ninth Circuit and then to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court affirmed his conviction as well as the convictions of Minoru Yasui and Gordon Hirabayashi, upholding the Executive Order.

In 1983, some forty years later, the federal court in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction after evidence was uncovered showing that the government had suppressed evidence that undermined its assertions in the cases before the Supreme Court that the relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II without individualized consideration of loyalty was a matter of military necessity. Fred Korematsu spent the rest of his life teaching the lessons of his case. As he put it, “No one should ever be locked away simply because they share the same race, ethnicity, or religion as a spy or terrorist.”

This program will tell the story of Fred Korematsu and his fight for justice through narration, reenactment of court proceedings, and historic documents and photographs. This is the eleventh of a series of historic reenactments presented by the Asian American Bar Association of New York.

Generously supported by Google

Featuring the AABANY Reenactment Team and special guests:

Judge Edward Chen
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Judge Denny Chin
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 

Kathy Hirata Chin
Crowell & Morning

Karen Korematsu
Fred T. Korematsu Institute

Dale Minami
Minami Tamaki LLP 

Peggy Nagae
White Men as Full Diversity Partners

Karen Narasaki
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Judge Marilyn Hall Patel
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (ret.)

Don Tamaki
Minami Tamaki LLP

Interested in continuing the discussion?
Join us for a special session in which our distinguished panel, including members of the coram nobis legal team and the judge who overturned Fred Korematsu’s conviction, will discuss Korematsu and its legacy from their own perspectives:

Session 308 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m. | Fred Korematsu and His Fight for Justice: A Panel Discussion
The reenactment performed during Friday’s plenary session tells the story of Fred Korematsu and his fight for justice through narration, reenactment of court proceedings, and historic documents and photographs. Included in the cast are several individuals who play themselves, as well as others who lived through the proceedings as coram nobis team members. This program will build on the themes explored in the case reenactment and explore how the reversal came to be, how race and xenophobia and national security continue to impact our laws, and how we can use the lessons of the past to inform our actions today.

AABANY is also excited to announce that Glenn Magpantay, AABANY LGBT Committee Co-Chair, is slated as a speaker at the lunch plenary session on Saturday, November 9, 2019. See details below.

Saturday, Nov. 9 | 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. | Beyond Marriage Equality: The Next Stage of Inclusion

Lawrence v. Texas opened the door for inclusion for diverse communities, including laying the groundwork for marriage equality to become a right across the country. However, true inclusion is still a work in progress. Federal protections are incomplete. Some states are passing laws that discriminate against LGBTQ individuals, while others expand protections. And others try to find laws that take into account an individual’s and an organization’s religious beliefs. This session will connect the current issues faced by the LGBTQ community to the lived experience of community members and the on-the-ground debates going on in Texas and what attorneys can do in support of inclusion.

Generously supported by Paul Weiss

Moderator:

Angela G. Lim 
Grasshopper Ventures, Group, Inc. and Viz.ai, Inc. 

Speakers:

Alexander L. Chen 
National Center for Lesbian Rights and Harvard Law School

Associate Justice Sabrina Shizue McKenna
Supreme Court of the State of Hawai’i

Glenn Magpantay
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance

John Nechman
Katine & Nechman, LLP and South Texas College of Law Houston

Have you registered for the NAPABA Convention? The advance rate deadline is just around the corner! Save up to $150 when you register in advance. Advance rates will only be available until Oct. 28 at 11:59 p.m. CT.

For more information and to register, click here.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS HOSTS FREE HEALTH INSURANCE WORKSHOPS FOR UPCOMING OPEN-ENROLLMENT PERIODS

On October 16, 2019, NYC Health + Hospitals issued a Press Release announcing a series of free health insurance workshops to prepare New Yorkers for the upcoming open-enrollment periods.

Workshops are open to the public to help residents understand the best health plan options for individuals and families. For people with Medicare, open enrollment begins October 15 and ends December 7, 2019. This is the seventh consecutive year NYC Health + Hospitals and CMS are partnering to bring free workshops to communities across New York City.

Collaborating with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the workshops will help community partners, faith-based organizations, caregivers, and community members understand health insurance options available to them as they prepare for the open-enrollment periods for Medicare and New York State of Health, the State’s official online marketplace. This is the seventh consecutive year NYC Health + Hospitals and CMS are partnering to bring free workshops to communities across New York City. The collaboration with CMS builds on the City’s commitment of Guaranteed Care, ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to affordable, high-quality care.

“You can only make the right decisions on health insurance for you and your family if you have all the information,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals. “There are many factors that one should consider before selecting health insurance, from family needs to individual health needs, so I encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of this free information. For those looking to apply for health insurance, our staff can help you get connected with information, and for those not eligible for coverage or unable to afford it, we can help you get enrolled in NYC Care or NYC Health + Hospitals’ Options.”

“With open enrollment coming up, training our community partners and community members about Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance is as important as it has ever been,” said Frank Winter, Partnership Manager, CMS New York Regional External Affairs Office. “Medicare Advantage premiums in New York are down by an average of more than $2 a month, and with improved tools on medicare.gov to help beneficiaries compare coverage options, it’s a great time to shop around.  Our workshops help explain what’s out there and we provide tools and resources to resolve issues that come up relating to health insurance coverage going into Medicare open enrollment and open enrollment for the New York State of Health.”

“Health insurance is complicated and it can be difficult to know which plan you need,” said Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried.  “These workshops will be helpful for New Yorkers trying to understand their options during the open enrollment period, and I applaud NYC Health + Hospitals, CMS, and their community partners for organizing these events.”

“Every New Yorker who is eligible for insurance needs to know the options that are available to them, and I want to thank NYC Health + Hospitals for hosting these free workshops. Having medical experts and community organizers available to assist individuals and answer questions about different insurance options, particularly regarding Medicare and Medicaid, will go a long way towards demystifying what can be a very confusing process for many,” said Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Hospitals.

Health insurance specialists from CMS will provide updates on Medicare parts A, B, C, and D, Medicaid basics, preventive services, enrollment assistance and resources for the uninsured, and more. Workshops are open to community partners, faith-based organizations, caregivers, community members, and NYC Health + Hospitals’ staff.

Below is the schedule of workshops:

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 from 8:30AM – 1:00PM
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Cumberland
100 N. Portland Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Register Here

Tuesday, October 29, 2019 from 8:30AM – 1:00PM
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
79-01 Broadway
Elmhurst, NY 11373
Register Here

Thursday, November 7, 2019 from 8:30AM – 1:00PM
NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
234 E. 149th Street
Bronx, NY 10451
Register Here

Thursday, November 14, 2019 from 8:30AM – 1:00PM
NYC Health + Hospitals/Carter
1752 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10035
Register Here

With the exception of people with Medicare, the next open enrollment period for New York State of Health, when residents will be able to either change their insurance plan, or enroll in health insurance for the first time, will start on November 1, 2019. For people with Medicare, the annual enrollment period began as of October 15, 2019, and ends December 7, 2019. During this time, people with Medicare can select a Medicare Advantage plan or prescription drug plan. They can also switch plans if they are already enrolled.

Registration is free and required in advance of the event. Light refreshments will be served, and attendees will have the chance to win a fitness tracker. Participants may also register by calling: 212-788-3450.

About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=95fbe379-c9affa05-95fbd246-0cc47adc5fa2-b04c5509b05543c4&u=http://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/ and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthandHospitals or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.

About The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS is the federal agency which administers Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and parts of the Affordable Care Act. CMS provides information for health professionals, local governments, consumers and other stakeholders. For more information about CMS, visit www.cms.gov. For more information about the CMS, visit www.cms.gov.  For more information on the New York State of health visit www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov.

Visit https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=d1f09a0e-8da48372-d1f0ab31-0cc47adc5fa2-9e706981f2732716&u=http://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/

Thank you to our October Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

October’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic, held on Wednesday, October 9 at 33 Bowery Street in Confucius Plaza, brought out 30 volunteers who volunteered their time to help 41 clients.

We are asking every member to actively support AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic by making donations that are vital to its continuing operation. In a few short years, with the tireless and generous assistance of our volunteers, we have helped hundreds of low-income clients with free legal advice and referrals to high-quality, culturally sensitive, and linguistically competent legal services. Together we have helped expand access to justice for underserved Asian American New Yorkers.

To make it easier for our members and our community to donate to the Pro Bono Clinic, we have set up a page on Give Lively where you can make a donation by texting APAPROBONO  to 44321. It takes seconds to donate, and we hope you will take a moment today to support the Pro Bono Clinic and help it meet its fundraising goals. Please donate today!

If you know family members, friends, or businesses, such as your firm, who would like to support the Clinic, please help us connect with them by contacting Karen Yau at karen.yau@aabany.org.

Or please urge them to make a donation directly. They can visit the website of Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s 501(c)(3) affiliate: https://www.asianamericanlawfund.org/donate/

AALFNY is accepting charitable donations on the Clinic’s behalf and can issue any donor a tax receipt. Any contribution, large or small, would help. Please be sure to indicate in the memo field that the donation is intended for the Pro Bono Clinic.

Thank you to all of the September Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

Lawyers: 

Yan Sin
Eun Hye (Grace) Lee
Annie Tsao
Kevin Hsi
Jen Rasay
Sylvia Chin
Bart Wu
Yifei He
Simon Lee
Helen Lee

Interpreters: 

Weixi He
Vivian Chen
Alicia Chan
Xin Zhou
Masako Catalina
Ami Ishida
Xiaoxiao Pan
Alex Hwang

Special thanks to Coordinator Henry Man, Coordinator Go-eun Son, Coordinator Nicholas Loh, Coordinator Renuka Vipat, Vice Chair Kwok Kei Ng, and Vice Chair Zhixian Liu for coordinating the clinic, and the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-Chairs Pauline Yeung-Ha, Karen Kithan Yau, Asako Aiba, and Judy Lee for their leadership. AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic occurs every second Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The next clinic will take place on November 13, 2019. If you are interested in volunteering at future Pro Bono Clinics, please contact Asako Aiba at asako.aiba@aabany.org.