asian american Archives - Page 21 of 21

May 31, 2013

Passing along an announcement from the Asian American Business Development Center

Don’t miss the 12th Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award Gala!

We thank you for your continued support of the Asian American Business Development Center. AABDC is a non-profit organization and it relies on the support of sponsors and table sales to fund and organize this outstanding event.

We welcome any additional donations to help support our organization. Similar to last year, all tickets and donations are tax-deductible. Click here to purchase your tickets and make your donation.

Please RSVP to&nbspStefan Rajiyah at [email protected]. Deadline to purchase discounted tickets is Friday June 7.

Also, please enjoy our new promotional video for the Outstanding 50 Gala. I hope to see you at the event. Thank you!

May 28, 2013

Press release: Historic Mayoral Forum on Asian Pacific Americans Galvanizes over 600 Community Members to Demand Candidates’ Responses to Key Issues

Press release from the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families:

New York, NY- On May 20, 2013, over 50 Asian led and Asian serving organizations brought mayoral candidates to speak in front of our community at Growing Numbers, Growing Impact: Mayoral Candidates Forum on Asian Pacific Americans at LaGuardia Community College. The forum demonstrated the growing influence of Asian Pacific Americans, and focused on priority issues of high concern to the community.

Candidates that committed to join the forum were Sal Albanese, Bill de Blasio, John Catsimatidis, John Liu, Christine Quinn, Erick Salgado, and Bill Thompson. Candidates that actually attended the event were Sal Albanese, Bill de Blasio, John Liu and Erick Salgado. Christine Quinn and Bill Thompson notified the organizers on Monday morning that they would not be able to attend and while John Catsimatidis confirmed, he did not attend.

“Many groups/organizations from the Asian Pacific American community put a great deal of effort into organizing an informative event for the community members to hear from various Mayoral candidates of their plans on how they will improve New York City. However, last night, our community members were robbed of the opportunity to have their voices and concerns heard and to hear viable responses and solutions from the candidates themselves. The Asian Pacific American population was the fastest growing over the last 10 years, and our votes and voices need to be taken seriously. Our numbers are growing, our voters are growing, our needs are growing, and our voices need to be heard. It was a bit disappointing that not all of the candidates could be there last night and hopefully they will make themselves available through another avenue.” Linda Lee, Executive Director of the Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc.

Luna Ranjit, Executive Director of Adhikaar said, “We are disappointed that many of the candidates who confirmed did not show up to the mayoral forum on Asian Pacific Americans. For weeks, we mobilized our Nepali-speaking members to attend the event and worked to ensure that they had interpretation available. If our members can take time out after a long day of work, why can’t the front runner candidates make it a priority to come talk to them and ask for their votes?”

“I think the lack of attendance by those candidates who had confirmed they would come says a lot of their lack of commitment to the Asian Pacific American community. This is particularly disappointing in light of the fact that our community is typically undeserved and under-recognized,” Nyasha Griffith, Deputy Director, Arab-American Family Support Center.

“We understand that some of the elected officers were at the LGBT rally yesterday and couldn’t attend the Asian Pacific American forum. However, there were some candidates who declined and we felt that they needed to be at the forum to gain a comprehensive understanding of Asian Pacific American issues and to hear first hand/have a face to face discussion and be able to connect to the members of the diverse Asian community. The candidates had the opportunity to address nearly 600 community members and did not take it. I heard many audience members say that they will not vote for anyone who will not prioritize our needs,” said Lois Lee, Director of the Chinese-American Planning Council.

“Last night’s forum was a historic moment for the community; we were to come together in an effort to hold candidates accountable to the issues and concerns of our community. Regardless of who showed up, hopefully it will serve as a foundation for the work ahead of us,” Seema Agnani, Executive Director of Chhaya CDC.

Each candidate joined the forum for 20 minutes and answered questions compiled by the Asian Pacific American community of New York City. Moderated by Richard Lui, NBC and MSNBC News Anchor, this educational, non partisan event brought together over 600 community members, advocates, seniors, parents and youth from all five boroughs, representing over 30 ethnicities.

"The Asian Pacific American population is the fastest growing group in New York City. It is a community that has contributed mightily to this City’s growth, and is eager for civic engagement. It represents a large and influential voting block. Anyone who ignores this population does it at his or her own peril,” said Joyce Moy, Executive Director of the Asian American/Asian Research Institute, City University of New York.

"LaGuardia Community College is a place where we foster dialogue, ask questions and encourage debate,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia Community College. “We are thrilled to host this mayoral forum and it offers a great opportunity for our city’s leaders to share their vision for the future of our City.”

“The Asian Pacific American community makes up nearly 14% of the population with 1.3 million New Yorkers throughout all five boroughs. The community is an essential economic driver in the City with growing voting power and a strong donor base,” said Wayne Ho, Executive Director of the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families. “CACF is proud to be part of this collaborative event to give our community members the opportunity to learn about each candidate and make an informed decision when choosing our City’s next mayor. We look forward to continuing to collaborate to ensure our next mayor is held accountable to our community.”

Candidates addressed constituents about key issues that affect the Asian Pacific American community including health, education, economic development, social service needs, civic engagement, and immigration.

“New York City is the Great Experiment, where people from across the globe come to grow and thrive together. Asian Pacific Americans are an integral part of the fabric of the City,” said democratic candidate Sal Albanese.
Democratic candidate Bill de Blasio stated, “Asian Pacific Americans are a growing and critical piece of New York City’s fabric. This forum is a unique opportunity to talk about how we build leadership that listens to every neighborhood and every community across the City.”

“There was a time in the not-too-distant past when invitations to candidate forums about APIA issues would fall on deaf ears. The participation of this year’s major Democratic candidates for Mayor is a testament to the sheer growth and potential of the NYC APIA community’s political relevance and influence, and I am honored to be a part of it,” said democratic candidate John Liu.

Democratic candidate Erick Salgado stated, “As the Asian Pacific American community continues to grow in our City, I am honored to participate in a forum that will give Asian Pacific Americans the opportunity to learn my ideas for helping all of New York City’s diverse communities. As a part of a minority group myself, I understand how important it is to have all communities well represented in our government. Therefore, I am the candidate who is going to ensure a fair representation of underrepresented communities.”

Although she was not able to attend, democratic candidate Christine Quinn said, “As one of the fastest growing communities in New York City, the Asian Pacific American community cares about the same issue that all New Yorkers care about – strengthening the middle class. I am proud of my record of protecting affordable housing, ensuring quality public schools in all neighborhoods, and standing up for immigration reform. I look forward to working with this vital community as we fight for a better and more prosperous New York City.”

AABANY was pleased to be a Supporting Organization for this important mayoral candidates’ forum.

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
[email protected]

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

March 25, 2013December 4, 2018

March 7, 2013

AABANY at the AAAYA Dinner at the Golden Unicorn on 3/9

Past President Rob Leung is being honored by the AAAYA (Association of Asian American Yale Alumni) on Saturday, March 9, at the Golden Unicorn. AABANY will be taking a table. AABANY members who wish to join can do so at the subsidized rate of $50 per person. You don’t have to be a Yale alum to attend. If interested, please send email to [email protected]. Seats are limited.

Here are the details:

The Association of Asian American Yale Alumni and the Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance

Cordially invites you to

WELCOME THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE!

Join your fellow Yale alumni at AAAYA’s 5^th Annual Lunar New Year Banquet!

Connect and re-connect at the cash bar Happy Hour with dim sum!

Savor a sumptuous 10 course Chinese banquet featuring traditional New Year dishes!

Enjoy the lucky Lion Dance performed by students from P.S. 124, The Yung Wing School!

Honor your fellow Yalies:

Julie Otsuka, YC ’84, National Book Award-nominated author

Robert Leung, LAW ’94, Partner, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP

Ken Chen, LAW ’05, Executive Director, Asian American Writers’ Workshop

TICKETS

Individual Ticket $100

Tables *All tables seat 10

Unicorn Table $1000

Bulldog Table $1250

Dragon Table $2000

February 19, 2013

AARP.ORG Debuts Webpage for APAs 50 Years Old and Over

For Immediate Release

AARP.ORG DEBUTS FIRST EVER WEB PAGE FOR

ASIAN AMERICANS 50+ DURING LUNAR NEW YEAR

Washington, D.C. (February 14, 2013) –This February, AARP.org celebrates Lunar New Year by launching its first Asian Community web page, www.aarp.org/asiancommunity. Tailored to engage the 50+ Asian audience, the web page will include news and information relevant to the Asian American community on topics including caregiving, financial security, health, retirement, and social security among others. It also includes AARP Asian member stories, Asian events from the state, local and national offices, videos highlighting Asian AARP members and AARP Asian executives that are in English but also providing subtitled versions in Chinese and Korean along with a financial education column from Chinese American AARP executive, Jean Setzfand! .

“Our goal in creating this page is to be a trusted and user-friendly resource for 50+ Americans of Asian Pacific descent, the fastest growing population in America,” said Lorraine Cortes Vazquez, Executive Vice President for Multicultural Markets and Engagement at AARP. “By offering content that is relevant, we encourage the community to participate in the national conversation on how best to serve the Asian community with issues important to our members and their families to help them get more out of life as they age.”

The video “AARP—Helping Asian Families Get More Out of Life” will be one of the links available through the new web page. Subtitled in both Chinese and Korean, the video features AARP Asian executives as well as testimonials from influential Asian community leaders who discuss the importance of being informed about issues that affect Asians 50 and older.

To become a member of AARP and to learn more about AARP’s Asian initiative and programs, please visit www.aarp.org/asiancommunity.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment security and retirement planning. We advocate for consumers in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world’s largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www. aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP VIVA, a bilingual news source. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that ! provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Grace Niwa

Niwa Public Relations

617-299-9848

[email protected]

Kristin S. Palmer

AARP Media Relations

202-434-2560

[email protected]

April 23, 2012

Are You Good at Trivia?

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), New York Chapter, will be hosting a Trivia Bowl on Friday, May 18, at ABC News studios in New York City. The MC will be JuJu Chang. The proceeds from the event “go toward supporting students who pursue the journalism profession; providing increased training to AAPI journalists (through stipends/scholarships) so they can be effective leaders for positive change in the industry with a commitment to diversity in the newsroom, and forging stronger ties within the AAPI communities.”

AABANY is taking a table and we are looking for some fellow team members whose minds are filled with useless knowledge that comes in handy during Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy and events like this Trivia Bowl. Maybe you have knowledge in certain categories, like sports, music, history, film or science. That’s fine; we can pool our trivial knowledge together to form a winning team.

I don’t think we get anything other than bragging rights if we win, but I’ve been told that when this event was held by AAJA in other parts of the country, the lawyers’ teams tended to do well, so I feel like our New York lawyers should do no less. Come on, New York attorneys – let’s represent!

Also, AABANY is helping to get APA judges to participate as judges for the event, scoring the answers submitted by the teams entered.

More information can be gleaned from the event website: http://chapters.aaja.org/NewYork/?page_id=2194. If you are interested in joining, contact [email protected].

August 19, 2011

Obama Judicial Appointments Infographic

Seen on Twitter from @jesseclee44, great infographic about Obama’s successes and obstacles encountered in making appointments to the bench. While Obama has made great strides in increasing diversity on the bench, including doubling the number of APAs on the bench, he has faced lengthy confirmation delays – 151 days for circuit judges, 103 days for district court. Take a look and share your comments.