AALDEF Archives - Page 6 of 10

November 6, 2013

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Fall Internships

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans through litigation, legal advocacy and community education. Founded in 1974, AALDEF focuses on critical issues affecting Asian Americans, including economic justice for workers, immigrant rights, anti-trafficking, educational equity and youth rights, voting rights and redistricting, post-9/11 civil liberties issues, housing and environmental justice, and other major civil rights issues affecting Asian American communities.

Communications Internship

Central to AALDEF’s initiatives is educating Asian Americans, policymakers, and the general public about the legal rights of Asian Americans, litigating cases that have a major impact, providing legal resources to community-based organizations, and facilitating grassroots community organizing efforts.

AALDEF’s Communications Internship offers students the opportunity to develop skills in media outreach, public policy, communications, and databasing. The internship is unpaid, but receiving academic credit for the semester is possible.

Specifically, the Communications Intern will gain hands-on experience in:

Researching news coverage of pending policy issues or legal challenges;
Updating a reporter database encompassing print, TV, radio, and online media;
Tracking and archiving AALDEF media appearances;
Researching strategic possibilities for targeting new audiences;
Assisting with press outreach for press conferences or public events (briefings, town hall meetings, rallies, etc.); and
Drafting press advisories and press releases (dependent on experience) and other outreach materials.

Requirements: The time commitment is 5-10 hours a week in our New York City office. Interns must commit to a minimum of 15 weeks.

To apply: Please submit the application by Tuesday, November 26, 2013. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt until the deadline. Interviewing will take place on a rolling basis. Only applicants who have been granted interviews will be notified of their advancement in the application process.

Please submit the application to:
Jennifer Weng
Spring Communications Internship
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor
New York , New York 10013
fax: 212.966.4303
email: info@aaldef.org

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or jweng@aaldef.org.

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AALDEF Seeks a Social Media Intern!

AALDEF’s Social Media Internship offers the opportunity to develop skills in social media, writing, advocacy, social justice, education, public policy, and media outreach.

Central to AALDEF’s initiatives is educating Asian Americans, policymakers, and the general public about our community’s legal rights, providing resources to community-based organizations, and facilitating grassroots organizing efforts.

AALDEF has an engaged and growing social media audience. The AALDEF social media intern will introduce broader audiences to civil rights and racial justice issues daily. For a small time commitment, the AALDEF social media intern will gain exposure to social justice advocacy, journalism, and progressive communications, and work with an inspiring group of progressive thinkers.

The ideal candidate is an avid news readers, well-versed in current events (from politics to pop culture), creative, committed to AALDEF’s mission, and experienced using social media including Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.

The internship is unpaid, but receiving academic credit for the semester is possible for students.

Requirements: The time commitment is relatively small (5-10 hours a week). We are looking for a commitment of six months but can be flexible on duration. This is a remote position that can be done from any location.

To apply: Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter, and anyTwitter account(s) you use; any Facebook pages you’ve had the opportunity to run for schools, publications, companies, etc.; and/or any Tumblr(s) or blogs.

Please submit the application by Tuesday, November 26, 2013. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt until the deadline. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis. Only applicants who have been granted interviews will be notified of their advancement in the application process. Please submit the application to:

Jennifer Weng
Subject: AALDEF Social Media Internship
Email: info@aaldef.org

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or jweng@aaldef.org.

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Special Events Internship

The position will involve in the planning, preparation and execution of our 40th anniversary dinner gala and silent auction in March 2014.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Assisting with sponsorship development and outreach, writing materials, managing and following up on reservations, ticket sales, and donations.
Maintaining databases and files.
Preparing and maintaining sponsor/donor solicitations and acknowledgments, mailings, and emails.
Assisting with the production of the invitations and dinner programs.
Coordinating silent auction/raffle donations, including developing prospects, solicitations and acknowledgment, brochure and silent auction planning, and production.
Meeting event deadlines.

Applicants must be self-motivated, have good organizational and writing skills, be detail oriented, able to work independently, organize and coordinate multiple tasks, develop and manage projects in a timely manner, and have database and internet skills. Some fundraising experience is preferable. Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel required. Experience using Filemaker is a plus. Flexibility with extra hours around the time of special events is necessary. Undergraduate students only. Workstudy grants accepted.

How to Apply: Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume by Tuesday, November 26, 2013. Please send to:

Jennifer Weng
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12 fl, New York, NY 10013-2815
Or Email to: jweng@aaldef.org (write “Special Events Internship” in the subject line)

October 21, 2013

AALDEF Volunteer Trainings to Defend Asian American Voting Rights

Volunteer Trainings to Defend Asian American Voting Rights
Sign up by Oct. 23.

Trainings for AALDEF election monitoring are now on-line. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is seeking volunteer attorneys, law and undergraduate students, and community volunteers to assist in monitoring poll sites during the elections in NYC, NJ, and Virginia on November 5 to ensure compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act. Attorneys and law students can receive pro bono hours or free CLE (including ethics) credits.

Volunteers will inspect poll sites for required language assistance, interview voters, and document instances of anti-Asian American voter discrimination. Bilingual ability in an Asian language is helpful but not required.

Lunch/lite dinner will be provided. All volunteers must be non-partisan during the time that they help. Sign up by WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, at http://www.aaldef.net/volunteer_monitor_form.aspx

TRAINING DATES AND LOCATIONS

NEW YORK
Tues, Oct. 22 at 12N – Shearman & Sterling, 599 Lexington Avenue, at 53rd Street, NYC
Tues, Oct. 22 at 6PM – NYU Law School, Furman Hall Room 324, 245 Sullivan Street, NYC
Wed, Oct. 23 at 1PM – Brooklyn Law School, 205 Joralemon St., Room 505, Brooklyn, NYC
Mon, Oct. 28 at 12N – Columbia Law, 435 West 116th Street, Room 107, Manhattan, NYC
Tues, Oct. 29 at 12N – Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, 51 West 52nd Street at 6th Avenue, NYC
Tues, Oct. 29 at 12:45pm – New York Law School, Room TBD, 185 West Broadway, NYC
Wed, Oct. 30 at 6PM – Weil Gotshal & Manges,767 5th Ave at 59th Street, NYC

NEW JERSEY
Thurs, Oct. 24 at 12N – McCarter & English, 100 Mulberry St., 4 Gateway Center, Newark, NJ
Thurs, Oct. 24 time TBD – Rutgers Law School, Room TBD, Newark, NJ

WASHINGTON DC
Thurs, Oct. 24 at 6PM – Dickstein Shapiro, 1825 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC
Fri., Oct. 25 at 12N – Dickstein Shapiro, 1825 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Glenn D. Magpantay or Jerry Vattamala at gmagpantay@aaldef.org,jvattamala@aaldef.org or call 212-966-5932.

NATIONAL CO-SPONSORS:
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)

STATE/LOCAL CO-SPONSORS:
Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL)
Asian American Society of Central Virginia (AASOCVA)
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC)
Chhaya CDC
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia (CAPAVA)
MinKwon Center
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)–DC and NY Chapters

LEGAL CO-SPONSORS:
Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Greater DC (APABA-DC)
Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (APALA/NJ)
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY)
Muslim Bar Association of New York (MuBANY)
South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY)
South Asian Bar Association of Greater DC

September 24, 2013December 4, 2018

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At the 2013 NAPABA Northeast Regional/AABANY Fall Conference hosted by Weil Gotshal, a plenary session was held during the luncheon to explore the recent United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin.

The luncheon was sponsored by Kobre & Kim. Welcome remarks were given by Mike Huang, President of AABANY, Fred Green, Management Committee Member, Mergers & Acquisitions Partner and Sponsor to the Asian Attorney Affinity Group at Weil, and Wendy Shiba, President of NAPABA. Board member and past AABANY President Robert Leung presented brief remarks about AABANY’s newest committee, the Career Placement Committee, and invited broad participation in it.

The Program Chair for the plenary session was Sarah Seo, Co-Chair of the Academic Committee. She introduced the Hon. Pamela K. Chen, United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, moderator of the panel.

Panelists included Khin Mai Aung, Director of the Educational Equity Program at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), who submitted an amicus brief in the Fisher case, and Hemmie Chang, Partner at Foley Hoag, who led her firm’s efforts in supporting AALDEF’s amicus filing in Fisher. Also on the panel were Michael Park, Partner at Dechert, and William Consovoy, Partner at Wiley Rein, who submitted briefs on Fisher’s side of the case before the Supreme Court.

The room was filled to capacity and many of the attendees had to go to the overflow room next door to watch the panel discussion on video.

The panel took several thoughtful and pointed questions from the audience during the Q&A portion.

Thanks to our Key Sponsor Hudson Court Reporting and Video for taking video and transcription of the plenary session.

September 9, 2013

AALDEF seeks Pro Bono Volunteer Attorneys for Asian American Poll Monitoring for Primary Elections Sept 10th

To Download the volunteer form click here.

Pro Bono: Asian American Poll Monitoring

NYC Primary Election – September 10, 2013

Training on Monday, Sept. 9 at 12N at Fried Frank, 1 New York Plaza, New York, 10004

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is seeking pro bono volunteer attorneys to assist in monitoring poll sites during the NYC Primary Elections on September 10 to assess compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act.

In past elections, Asian Americans have faced a series of barriers in exercising their right to vote. For example, poll workers were hostile and made racist remarks, poll sites had too few interpreters to assist Asian American voters, translated voting materials were missing or hidden from voters, and ballots were mistranslated.

Volunteers are needed to inspect poll sites for required language assistance, interview voters, and document instances of anti-Asian American voter discrimination.

There will be a ninety minute training session for all volunteers hosted by Fried Frank on Mon., Sept. 9 at 12N. Lunch will be provided. All volunteers must be non-partisan during the time that they help. To sign up, complete the registration form. Thank you!

For more information, contact:

Glenn D. Magpantay or Jerry Vattamala at gmagpantay@aaldef.org,jvattamala@aaldef.org or call 212-966-5932.

June 26, 2013

AALDEF Press Release on SCOTUS Decision in Shelby

http://aaldef.org/press-releases/press-release/asian-american-groups-dismayed-by-supreme-court-decision-to-gut-the-voting-rights-act.html

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC (Advancing Justice-AAJC) (formerly known as Asian American Justice Center) criticize the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Section 4, the coverage mechanism of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. Earlier this year, AALDEF and Advancing Justice-AAJC filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of 28 Asian American groups to uphold Section 5, which was reauthorized by Congress in 2006 and is intended to stop voter discrimination before it occurs.

Please click on the link in the title to read the full press release.

May 28, 2013December 4, 2018

From AALDEF:

Why We Rise is a compelling new documentary short featuring three brave young Asian New Yorkers who reveal what it’s like to grow up without having legal immigration status. Their struggles and their strength are on full display as they come out of the shadows and into the light.

[Recently], the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-5 on an immigration bill that will soon be considered by the entire Senate. Although it contains many positive changes, the new immigration bill undercuts family unity, props up programs that exploit immigrant workers, and provides only a long and harrowing path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

We hope you’ll watch Why We Rise and share the link with your friends. The film provides a unique glimpse into the lives of real individuals affected by immigration reform and will remind you about why AALDEF’s work to defend immigrant rights is so important.

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

May 10, 2013

A New Film & Theater Performance By Undocumented Asian Youth

May 20, 7:30-9 | The Culture Project, 45 Bleecker Street

#UndocuAsians brings the lived experiences of people most intimately affected by immigration laws to The Culture Project’s stage. This rare theater performance features undocumented Asian American youth sharing their personal stories of growing up in the United States in a culture of silence.

The performance opens with a short film following the lives of three undocumented Asian American youth and features an onstage performance by more than a dozen other undocumented youth (members of AALDEF’s undocumented youth group RAISE) whose stories bring a different face to the immigration debate and highlight the diverse and difficult realities that undocumented Asian communities face beyond the conventional “DREAMer” narrative. Poet/activist Kelly Tsai will be a special presenter.

Purchase tickets: undocuasian.eventbrite.com
(student discount available)

#UndocuAsians is presented by RAISE (Revolutionizing Asian American Immigrant Stories on the East Coast). RAISE is a pan-Asian undocumented youth-led group on the East Coast supported by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF). RAISE aims to create safe spaces in our communities while advocating for humane immigration policies. Our visibility increases through political activism, leadership development, community education, and coalition building. Through youth organizing, we will reimagine and realize justice for immigrants in America.

Can’t make it? You can still support RAISE by clicking here to make a donation!

April 22, 2013

AALDEF Fundraisers – Mets & Yankees Tickets

From our friends at AALDEF:

The baseball season is heating up! Did you know that there’s a way that you can attend Mets and Yankees games and support the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund? AALDEF participates in a special program that helps to raise funds for public interest organizations. By purchasing tickets to select baseball games through this program, your cost will include the value of the ticket plus an additional donation to support AALDEF. Most of these tickets (including the donation) are below regular price. All donations go directly toward AALDEF’s legal and education programs. Please take advantage of this opportunity to root for your team while making a contribution for a good cause!

METS

Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field
Friday, April 26, 7:10 pm
Promenade Sec. 515 (directly above home plate)
$21per ticket, plus $9 donation or more

SUBWAY SERIES: Mets vs. NY Yankees at Citi Field
Monday, May 27, 7:10 pm
Promenade Sec. 522 (above third base)
$50per ticket, plus $40 donation or more

FOURTH OF JULY SPECIAL: Mets vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field (with post-game Fireworks Show)
Wednesday, July 3, 7:10 pm
Promenade Sec. 515 (directly above home plate)
$25per ticket, plus $5donation or more

YANKEES

Yankees vs. Oakland A’s at Yankee Stadium
Friday, May 3, 7:05 pm
Grandstand Sec. 409 (above right field)
$11per ticket, plus $9 donation or more

Yankees vs. LA Dodgers at Yankee Stadium
Wednesday, June 19, 7:05 pm
Grandstand Sec. 409 (above right field)
$22per ticket, plus $8 donation or more

Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium
Wednesday, June 19, 7:05 pm
Grandstand Sec. 409 (above right field)
$22 per ticket, plus $8 donation or more

Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium
Friday, August 9, 7:05 pm
Grandstand Sec. 409 (above right field)
$11per ticket, plus $9 donation or more

LABOR DAY GAME: Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium
Monday, September 2, 1:05 pm
Grandstand Sec. 409 (above right field)
$16.25per ticket, plus $3.75 donation or more

Tickets are limited, so act fast! Please contact Eva Lew at elew@aaldef.org or (212) 966-5932 x 208 to reserve your tickets.

Thank you for supporting AALDEF!

March 25, 2013

From AALDEF: New Findings on the 2012 Asian American Vote in NY: 86% Voted for Obama and 67% Support Immigration Reform

March 21, 2013 – 86% of Asian Americans polled in New York voted for President Obama and two-thirds support immigration reform, according to the results of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) exit poll in New York, released today. AALDEF conducted a nonpartisan multilingual exit poll of 4,089 Asian American voters in New York in the November 2012 elections, the largest survey of its kind.

“Asian Americans are a rapidly growing portion of the electorate in New York,” said AALDEF executive director Margaret Fung. “Elected officials and candidates should understand the policy priorities of Asian American voters, from the economy to immigration reform.”

86% of Asian Americans polled in New York voted for President Obama, compared to 77% of those polled nationally by AALDEF. Among Asian New Yorkers surveyed, 69% were Democrats, 8% were Republicans. and 20% were not enrolled in any party.

The findings also indicate that two out of three Asian Americans (67%) polled in New York supported immigration reform, including a path to citizenship. 70% of those who voted for Obama supported immigration reform, and almost half (49%) of those who voted for Romney supported immigration reform.

“As Senator Charles Schumer and the ‘Gang of Eight’ are poised to propose an immigration overhaul, our exit poll indicates that Asian Americans stand strongly behind comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship,” said Fung.

On Election Day, AALDEF polled Asian American voters in 37 cities across 14 states and documented voting problems. In New York, AALDEF conducted the exit poll in counties with large Asian American populations: New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), and Queens Counties. The largest Asian ethnic groups in the New York exit poll were Chinese (43%), Bangladeshi (20%), Korean (11%), Asian Indian (11%), Filipino (4%), and Indo-Caribbean (3%).

Across all ethnic groups, limited English proficiency was high. 45% of Asian Americans in New York spoke English less than “very well” compared to 37% of all Asian Americans nationally. Korean Americans had the highest rate of limited English proficiency at 69%, followed by 51% of Chinese Americans, and 48% of Bangladeshi Americans.

AALDEF Democracy Program Director Glenn Magpantay said: "We must ensure that the New York City Board of Elections meets its obligations under the Voting Rights Act to provide language assistance in Chinese, Korean, and Bengali. With the upcoming 2013 mayoral and citywide elections, it is critical for the Board of Elections to fix the election process so that Asian Americans and all New Yorkers can exercise their right to vote.”

“New York’s voting process and language assistance must accommodate its increasingly diverse electorate,” said Jerry Vattamala, staff attorney with AALDEF. “New York must continue to gather information about various ethnic groups to determine whether or not counties need to provide language assistance in elections, and the Board of Elections must continue to work with voting rights organizations to ensure that it is meeting its federally mandated requirements for interpreters, signs, and bilingual ballots.”

Magpantay presented the exit poll results at the offices of Dickstein Shapiro in New York City. Key findings on “The Asian American Vote in the 2012 Presidential Election” include the following:

Asian Americans are a growing portion of the New York electorate.

· In the 2012 elections, 29% of Asian Americans were first time voters. Of the Asian American voters surveyed, more than 1 out of 3 (34%) in Brooklyn, almost 1 in 3 (30%) in Queens, and 1 out of 5 (20%) in Manhattan were first-time voters.

A majority of Asian Americans favored comprehensive immigration reform.

67% of Asian Americans in New York supported immigration reform, including a path to citizenship, with the highest support from 80% of Bangladeshi, 78% of Indo-Caribbean, 76% of Korean, 76% of Filipino, 68% of Asian Indian, and 56% of Chinese American voters.

· 70% of those who voted for Obama supported immigration reform, and almost half (49%) of those who voted for Romney supported immigration reform.

70% of those who voted for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand supported immigration reform. In all of the races for House of Representatives, the majority of Asian American voters supported immigration reform.

· 71% of Democrats, 59% of Republicans, and 60% not enrolled in any political party supported immigration reform.

The majority of Asian Americans in New York voted for the Democratic candidate for Congress and President.

· 83% of Asian Americans in New York voted for incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, compared to 9% for Wendy Long.

· In all of the congressional districts surveyed, at least 75% of Asian Americans voted for the Democratic candidate for House of Representatives.

· In the presidential race, 86% of Asian Americans in New York voted for Barack Obama. The highest support came from South Asian voters: 97% of Bangladeshi and Indo-Caribbean and 89% of Asian Indian Americans.

· Support for President Obama was consistent across all categories, including first-time (90%), foreign-born (87%), native-born (87%), limited English proficient (87%) and English proficient (85%) voters, and voters of all age groups.

· The major factors influencing the Asian American vote in New York were economy/jobs (52%), health care (36%), civil rights/immigrants rights (29%), education (25%), women’s issues (13%), and terrorism/security (11%).

Asian Americans in New York have higher levels of limited English proficiency.

· 45% of Asian Americans in New York spoke English less than “very well” compared to 37% of all Asian Americans nationally. Korean Americans had the highest rate of limited English proficiency at 69%, followed by 51% of Chinese Americans, and 48% of Bangladeshi Americans.

Voting barriers persisted.

Voters were asked if they encountered any voting problems. Below are the numbers of complaints:

· 1120 were required to show identification though 706 of them were not first-time voters and therefore not required to show ID.

· 120 were required to prove their U.S. citizenship.

· 211 indicated that their names were missing or had errors in the voter lists at poll sites.

· 136 had to vote by affidavit ballot.

· 116 voters indicated that poll workers were not informed.

· 97 voters indicated that poll workers were rude or hostile.

· 74 voters indicated that no interpreters or translated materials were available when needed.

· 61 were directed to the wrong polling place or the wrong voting machine or table within a site.

VIEW THE PRESENTATION >

View release online >

Contact:

Ujala Sehgal
212.966.5932 x.217
usehgal@aaldef.org

About the Exit Poll:

AALDEF’s multilingual exit polls reveal vital information about Asian American voting patterns that is often overlooked in mainstream voter surveys. AALDEF has conducted exit polls of Asian American voters in every major election since 1988. In 2012, more than 100 community groups and organizations joined AALDEF to mobilize over 800 attorneys, law students, and volunteers to conduct the exit poll and to safeguard the voting rights of Asian Americans. A list of co-sponsoring organizations and law firms follows below.

About AALDEF:

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

2012 ASIAN AMERICAN EXIT POLL – Co-Sponsoring Organizations and Law Firms

National Co-Sponsors

Alliance of South Asian American Labor

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

APIAVote

Common Cause

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development

National Korean Amer. Service & Education Consortium

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance

North American South Asian Bar Association

OCA (formerly Organization of Chinese Americans)

South Asian Americans Leading Together

Local Co-Sponsors

ACCESS – MI

APALA – Nevada

APIA Vote – Michigan

Asian American Society of Central Virginia

Boat People SOS Delaware Valley – PA

CAAAV – NY

Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia

Center for Pan Asian Community Services – GA

Chhaya CDC – NY

Chinese-American Planning Council – NY

Chinese Community Federation of Atlanta

Chinese Progressive Association – MA

Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia

East Coast Asian American Student Union

Gay Asian and Pacific Islander Men of New York

Hunter College/CUNY, Asian American Studies Program – NY

Korean American Civic Empowerment of NY/NJ

Korean American Resource and Cultural Center – IL

MinKwon Center for Community Action – NY

NAAAP – New York

NAAAP – Philadelphia

NANAY – FL

NAPAWF – DC

NAPAWF – New York City

OCA: Georgia

OCA: Greater Houston

OCA: Greater Philadelphia

OCA: Greater Washington DC

OCA: Northern Virginia

OCA: South Florida

Pace University, ACE House – NY

Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition

Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation

Princeton Asian American Students Association – NJ

Q-WAVE – NY

South Asian Lesbian & Gay Association of New York

U. California San Diego, Lambda Phi Epsilon

U. Maryland, College Park, Asian American Studies Prog.

U. Massachusetts Boston, Asian American Studies Prog.

Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association of New Orleans

Legal Co-Sponsors

Asian American Bar Association of Houston

Asian American Bar Association of New York

Asian American Lawyers Assoc. of Massachusetts

Asian American Legal Advocacy Center of Georgia

Asian Bar Association of Las Vegas – NV

Asian Pacific American Bar Assoc. of Wash., DC

Asian Pacific American Bar Assoc. of Pennsylvania

Asian Pacific American Bar Assoc. of South Florida

Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of NJ

Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center – DC

Boston University School of Law, APALSA – MA

Brooklyn Law School, APALSA – NY

Columbia Law School, APALSA – NY

Filipino Amer. Legal Defense & Educ. Fund, Inc. – NY

Georgetown Law, APALSA – DC

Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Greater Boston Legal Services: Asian Outreach Unit

Harvard Law School, APALSA – MA

Korean Amer. Bar Assoc. of the Washington DC Area

Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater NY

Louisiana Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Muslim American Bar Association of New York

New England School of Law, APALSA – MA

Pace Law School, Public Interest Law Center – NY

Rutgers School of Law-Newark, APALSA – NJ

South Asian Bar Association of New York

South Asian Bar Association of Washington, DC

Suffolk U. Law Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, APALSA

U. Penn. Law, Public Interest Office and APALSA

Law Firm Co-Sponsors

Alston & Bird LLP

Ballard Spahr LLP

Crowell & Moring LLP

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Duane Morris LLP

Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Fowler White Boggs

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

Hogan Lovells

K&L Gates LLP

Kaye Scholer LLP

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

McCarter & English LLP

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Paul Hastings LLP

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Pepper Hamilton LLP

Proskauer Rose LLP

Ropes & Gray LLP

Shearman & Sterling LLP

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

White & Case LLP

February 25, 2013

AALDEF Press Release: AALDEF 2013 Justice in Action Awards

February 20, 2013 – Congressman John Lewis, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (Georgia), Jose Antonio Vargas of Define American, and Simone Wu of Choice Hotels International, Inc. were honored with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s (AALDEF) 2013 Justice in Action Awards on February 19.

Since 1987, AALDEF has presented the Justice in Action Awards to exceptional individuals for their outstanding achievements and efforts in advancing social justice. The awards were presented by Rep. Grace Meng, the first Asian American to represent New York in Congress, Tony Award-winning playwright of M. Butterfly David Henry Hwang, and Gordon Smith, CEO of Consumer and Community Banking, JPMorgan Chase.

Juju Chang, Emmy Award-winning correspondent for ABC News Nightline, and Sree Sreenivasan, Chief Digital Officer at Columbia University, both long time supporters of AALDEF, were the co-emcees for the banquet of over 700. They were joined at the end with a surprise appearance on stage from actor BD Wong, who urged the guests to show their support for AALDEF.

Among the guests at Pier Sixty in New York City were Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York, U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Debra James, and past Justice in Action Award recipients Don Liu, Parkin Lee, Alice Young, and Sandra Leung.

AALDEF Board president Tommy Shi wished the audience a happy new year and shared the story that, seven days before the 2012 election, with AALDEF’s national poll monitoring and exit poll project at stake, Hurricane Sandy hit New York. AALDEF staff was stranded in outer boroughs and the office was without electricity. “We put out an emergency call for help,” said Shi. “AALDEF staff and volunteers lugged boxes of voting materials down 12 flights of stairs in the dark. We were lucky that Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP donated temporary space with computers and phones for our staff and volunteers. And Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP opened its conference rooms to us. In the end, the Asian American Exit Poll surveyed over 9,000 voters in 14 states on Election Day, the largest multilingual survey of its kind.”

Margaret Fung, AALDEF executive director, said that the three Justice in Action Award recipients had taken courageous stands on some of AALDEF’s current priority issues: securing real immigration reform, expanding diversity, and defending the Voting Rights Act before the U.S. Supreme Court.

David Henry Hwang introduced honoree Jose Antonio Vargas as having “one of the great immigrant stories of our time.” Vargas, an award-winning Filipino American journalist, publicly revealed himself to be an undocumented immigrant in a 2011 New York Times Magazine article. “Immigrant rights are human rights,” said Vargas, who acknowledged the work of AALDEF and civil rights organizations by joking that the reason he “was still here” was that he was “all lawyered up.”

Honoree Simone Wu, senior vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary, and chief compliance officer of Choice Hotels International, spoke about the need for diversity and inclusiveness. “So many Asian Americans do not get a chance to share in the model minority myth,” said Wu. “At Choice Hotels we value diversity in all our decisions and our results are better as a result of doing that.”

The evening came to a close with Rep. Grace Meng introducing civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis with a surprise video of the Congressman dancing “Gangnam-style” for the right to vote.

“The right to vote is precious, even sacred,” said Congressman Lewis, who, in 1965, led over 600 peaceful protesters in the march for voting rights from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The marchers were attacked by Alabama state troopers in a brutal confrontation known as “Bloody Sunday,” and the senseless cruelty hastened passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “I gave a little blood for the right to vote. But some of my friends gave their lives. We have made too much progress to stop now.”

Past Justice in Action Award recipients include Fred Korematsu, David Henry Hwang, Fareed Zakaria, BD Wong, Sandra Leung, Harold Koh, Mira Nair, Deval Patrick,George Takei, Salman Rushdie, Seymour Hersh, Charles Ogletree, Jr., Harry Belafonte, Margaret Cho, and Yoko Ono.