In a Flourishing Queens, Prosperity Eludes Some Asian Families
In a Flourishing Queens, Prosperity Eludes Some Asian Families
Though there is much ado about the area’s growth, it is a different story for some Asian households, which fell deeper into poverty even after the recession ended.
As yet another example of why the ‘model minority’ myth is harmful, Rachel Swarns’ article illustrates how Asian Americans are far from economically monolithic and how we must disaggregate the data to paint an accurate portrait of our communities.
AALDEF Position Announcement – Voting Rights Organizer
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Voting Rights Organizer
The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a New York-based national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans through litigation, advocacy and community education. AALDEF has a 17-person staff and is supported by foundations, corporations, individual contributions, and special events. For more information about AALDEF and its voting rights activities, visit our website at www.aaldef.org.
DESCRIPTION:
AALDEF’s Asian American Democracy Program seeks to promote fairness in the electoral process and invigorate the civic participation of Asian Americans, especially new citizens and persons not yet fluent in English. By expanding access to the electoral process for Asian Americans, AALDEF improves the quality of democracy for all Americans.
The Voting Rights Organizer is a one-year position and may be extended, subject to available funding. The Organizer will be responsible for mobilizing Asian American community groups for a non-partisan exit poll of Asian American voters and overseeing volunteers for Election Day poll monitoring in several states for the 2014 midterm elections.
The job includes recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers; working with community leaders; supervising the development, translation, and printing of materials; and giving educational presentations. The Organizer will also oversee post-election follow-up and assist in writing a report about Asian American voter participation in the 2014 elections.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Highly organized, detail oriented, and able to supervise volunteers and work with a wide variety of community leaders and organizations.
Strong knowledge of MS Access and other database systems.
Bilingual ability in an Asian language is desirable.
Strong communication skills.
Experience in community organizing is desirable.
Ability to travel and work on occasional weekends.
TO APPLY:
Send a cover letter, resume, and three references to:
Voting Rights Organizer Search
AALDEF
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor
New York, NY 10013-2815
fax: 212-966-4303
Email: [email protected] (put “voting rights organizer search” in the subject line)
DEADLINE: Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until filled.
–AALDEF is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer–
Meet AAJANY: Asian American Judges Association of New York
(Pictured above, left to right: Hon. Gilbert Hong, Hon. Marilyn Go, Hon. Denny Chin, Hon. Pamela Chen, Hon. Lillian Wan, Hon. Lorna Schofield, Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto, Hon. Toko Serita, Hon. Lydia Lai, Hon. Laurie Lau, Hon. Leslie Purificacion (seated), Hon. Dean Kusakabe)
On April 23, 2014, the newly formed Asian American Judges Association of New York (AAJANY) met with their Asian American colleagues on the federal bench and were hosted by the Honorable Denny Chin, Second Circuit Judge, for a tour of the courthouse. They later convened for dinner at Forlini’s to discuss common issues.
AAJANY was formed to address issues affecting Asian American judges, staff, and litigants in the state courts, to promote more diversity amongst the bar and the judiciary, and to advance the inclusion of judges of Asian descent at all levels of the state court system.
Three of those attending are also officers of the NAPABA Judicial Council (a national organization of state and federal judges of Asian descent): Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan (President), Hon. Denny Chin (Treasurer), and Hon. Marilyn Go (Secretary).
AAJANY is sponsoring the event, “How to Become a State Court Judge – from an APA perspective,” on April 29, 2014, 6pm, at the New York County Lawyers’ Association (NYCLA), 14 Vesey Street. Registration has closed but feel free to attend as a walk-in. Click here for more info.
Gen 根: Help Support the Arts in Honor of APA Heritage Month
This year, the A/PA Heritage Festival (www.capaonline.org) will be helping producing Gen 根, a contemporary dance theater piece exploring the lives of the women who were left behind when their husbands/companions left to work on the Transcontinental Railways in the US.
This will be done in conjunction with Corky Lee’s 145th Anniversary Transcontinental Railroad Legacy on May 10th, 2014 in Tremonton, Utah. Come join us in Utah–be there to reclaim a part of Asian American’s neglected and forgotten history.
We are $5,000 short and have little time to bring the production to the 440 Studios: 440 Lafayette Street, New York, NY. Prepurchase tickets for $39 or support our project here.
Gen 根
Friday June 13, 8:00PM
Saturday June 14, 2:00PM & 8:00PM
Sunday June 15, 2014, 2:00PM
440 STUDIOS: 440 Lafayette Street, New York, NY“Where are your roots? Here are ours.”
Inspired by Stories of Asian Americans.
Conceived & Directed by Wan Zhao
CAPA Presents Gen
The Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) is a New York-based advocacy organization dedicated to addressing the community needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Our goal is to build partnerships with community organizers as we help social profit organizations reach new audiences.
For 35 years, CAPA has been at the forefront of creating and sustaining personalized opportunities for nonprofits, businesses, artists, and individuals to explore our shared culture.
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CACF’S Action Council Presents: Comedy for a Cause
Action Council, the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families’ young professionals support group, cordially invites you to a night of fun for a greater cause.
COMEDY SHOW LINE UP
- MC for this show: Ramzi Bautista, host of Redrum Comedy
- Sachi Ezura, MTV Comedy Showcase, the New York Comedy Festival, Laughter in the Park, and producer of MTV’s Girl Code
- Joel Kim Booster, writer for the critically acclaimed live news magazine, “The Paper Machete” in Chicago
- Sheng Wang, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Comedy Central, and the John Oliver NY Stand Up Show
- Subhah Agarwal, the New York Comedy Festival, Women in Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival
All proceeds benefit the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), the nation’s only pan-Asian children’s advocacy organization.
From AAARI/CUNY: Rethinking New York City’s Asian American Communities
Join the Asian American/Asian Research Institute for their annual conference, Rethinking New York City’s Asian American Communities, on Monday, May 5, 2014, from 8:30am to 5pm, at the CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, Concourse Level, Manhattan. This event is free and open to the general public, light breakfast and lunch provided.
Over the last 2 decades, the Asian American population in New York City has exploded with 110% growth, and is more diverse than ever, hailing not only from East Asia but from South and Southeast Asia, as well as from secondary migrations such as the Indo-Guyanese. Nearly 78% of NYC’s Asian Americans are foreign born.
This conference seeks to answer the questions of who they are, where they have chosen to locate and how their communities have grown, how to preserve the culture and historical heritage of these communities for the older communities, to prepare new communities who will want to preserve their history in the US, and to connect scholars and community to identify trends and issues of concern for these communities.
Sessions
- The Newest Asian New Yorkers
- New York’s Indo-Caribbean Diaspora: Update
- Preserving our Historical and Cultural Heritage
- Community Research: Mapping & Networking
To RSVP for the conference and to view the latest program, please visit www.aaari.info/2014communities.htm. Please be prepared to present proper identification when entering the CUNY Graduate Center.
For details on all of AAARI’s upcoming events, please visitwww.aaari.info. See you at the AAARI conference on May 5th!
Meet AABANY’s New Program Associate Simone Nguyen!
Simone Nguyen is the Asian American Bar Association of New York’s first ever Program Associate. She is a recent graduate of Columbia University, where she studied English and Comparative Literature and East Asian Languages and Cultures with special interest in ethnic literature and post-war culture. Her interests include contemporary and classical music, ballroom dance, and modern literature. She looks forward to meeting as many AABANY members as possible, as well as learning all she can about the Asian American legal community and in particular the good that it does for communities of color at large.