Tag: Education

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NAPABA and Fred T. Korematsu Institute Form Pioneering Affiliation to Champion Civil Rights, Combat Anti-Asian Bias, and Promote Civic Empowerment

For Immediate Release: 
Date: August 24, 2023 		NAPABA Contact:
Priya Purandare, Executive Director
Fred T. Korematsu Institute Contact:
Michelle Mitchell, Communications Director

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, a 501(c)(3) national civil rights education organization based in San Francisco, announced a historic, groundbreaking affiliation formalizing their organizations’ longstanding relationship based on a shared interest in promoting civic participation, racial equity, and civil rights. The affiliation will strengthen the missions of both institutions by increasing resources and understanding and combating anti-Asian discrimination and bias through education and advocacy.

The Korematsu Institute was founded on the legacy of Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American who, in 1942, refused to comply with the World War II Executive Order to forcibly remove and incarcerate American Citizens of Japanese descent in prison camps. After he was arrested and convicted of defying the government’s order, he appealed his case to the United States Supreme Court. In an infamous decision that joins the ranks of Dred Scott v. Sandford and Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court ruled against him, holding that the incarceration was justified due to military necessity. After discovering that the government had withheld evidence and that the Solicitor General lied to the Court, Korematsu’s conviction was overturned in 1983 through a writ of Coram Nobis. In 1998, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor, for his steadfast advocacy.

“My father’s decades-long fight against injustice in the face of discrimination was not only a legal and constitutional achievement, but a story of individual humanity that resonates with so many in this country,” said Dr. Karen Korematsu, Founder and President of the Korematsu Institute. “While law schools teach my father’s case to dissect legal principles, we cannot forget what he and so many other incarcerated Japanese Americans experienced on a human level during that dark period in our nation’s history.”

Founded in 1989, NAPABA is the nation’s largest Asian Pacific American membership organization representing the interests of 60,000 attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Without question, its values align with the spirit of Fred Korematsu’s advocacy and the Institute’s commitment to equality.

“Fred Korematsu’s case, and that of fellow Japanese American detainees such as Minoru Yasui, Gordon Hirabayashi and those of Fred Oyama and Sei Fujii, who challenged alien land laws after their properties were illegally seized, are not just historical precedents — they are the legal framework we use to fight discrimination against Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders,” said Sandra Leung, President of NAPABA. “It is important for all Americans to understand the leading role that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have played in shaping the civil rights jurisprudence of this nation.”

“Fred Korematsu’s journey, now more than ever, is a seminal, timeless story — especially at a time in our nation and in the world marked by growing ignorance and intolerance, fueled by advances in technology and the swiftness of disinformation,” said Peggy Saika, Board Chair of the Korematsu Institute. “We are confident that between the Institute’s long-standing care of his legacy and NAPABA’s reach in the legal community, we will safeguard the opportunity to continue learning the lessons of Fred Korematsu’s strength for generations to come.”

“This affiliation will amplify the impact of both NAPABA and the Korematsu Institute,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA and the Korematsu Institute. “With the Institute’s expertise and K-12 educational and public resources, we can collectively bring the stories of Fred Korematsu and other AANHPI civil rights legal icons to inspire future generations of Americans.”

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.

The Fred T. Korematsu Institute, named after Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Fred Korematsu, is a national education advocacy organization committed to promoting civic participation and education to advance racial equity, social justice, and human rights for all. Through its educational programs, media and exhibits, and speaking engagements, the Korematsu Institute inspires people and organizations to, as Fred said, “stand up for what is right.”

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AABANY Co-Sponsors: The Center on Asian Americans and the Law Second Annual Summer Scholarship Conference at Fordham Law School

On July 20th, 2023, Fordham Law School Professor Thomas H. Lee and 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Denny Chin, Co-Directors of the Center on Asian Americans and the Law (CAAL) at Fordham University, presented the Second Annual Summer Scholarship Conference. Both Professor Lee and Judge Chin are AABANY members and leaders. Professor Lee is a Co-Chair of AABANY’s Academic Committee, while Judge Chin served as AABANY’s President from 1992 to 1993 and has, with his wife Kathy Hirata Chin, led AABANY’s Trial Reenactments project. 

The Center on Asian Americans and the Law is a “first-of-its-kind institution,” dedicated to civic education, scholarship and AAPI legal studies, as well as outreach and public advocacy, according to the CAAL website. Serving as a center of academic excellence, CAAL also strives to empower AAPI communities through education, research, outreach, and advocacy. By bringing together scholars, legal practitioners, students, as well as other community leaders, it creates a vibrant and diverse community that can collectively address the challenges facing AAPI individuals with a unified voice.

The event began with attendees introducing themselves over pastries and coffee, enjoying breakfast and each other’s company. Next, Professor Lee and Judge Chin led a masterclass on Asian Americans and the law, giving attendees a snapshot of AAPI legal history. This masterclass allowed attendees to sample the robust curriculum that Professor Lee and Judge Chin have brought to prestigious institutions such as Fordham, Harvard, and Yale Law. They discussed important but little-known cases related to naturalization, historical discrimination, and espionage and race and national origin, thoroughly captivating their audience. 

After a lunch break, with sandwiches and light refreshments, a panel discussion featuring instructors who have taught Asian Americans and the Law was held. Instructors discussed a multitude of topics, such as integrating technology into the classroom, topical issues related to the curriculum, and ways to engage the student population with the coursework provided. Sharing their own experiences in the classroom, the panelists provided noteworthy tips and advice. 

Following the panel, works in progress related to Asian Americans and the Law were presented. These works featured “Immigration and the Lived Experience” by Professor Catherine Kim, “Birthright Citizenship” by Chris Kwok, and “Disrupting Racism” by Peter Huang. Feedback was provided by Professor Elaine Chiu, Professor Thomas Lee, and Professor David Law. Their expertise offered crucial guidance to the presenters, encouraging further development of their research. The engagement between the panelists and presenters enriched the spirit of academic growth and intellectual exploration that is vital to CAAL. 

Finally, an off-the-record Round Table discussion about Asian Americans and Affirmative Action was held. The insights shared during the discussion were thought-provoking and diverse. Participants engaged in candid conversations, offering varying perspectives on the complex intersection of race-conscious admissions policies and the experiences of Asian American students in higher education.

After the panels were done, the event concluded with a reception. Attendees and panelists mingled, getting to know each other while sharing their thoughts and insights from the discussions of the day.

We thank Judge Denny Chin and Professor Thomas H. Lee for leading the Summer Scholarship Conference. To learn more about the Center on Asian Americans and the Law, please click here.

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Chris Kwok Empowers Asian Voices through Education in the Hidden Voices Project

Chris Kwok, Chair of AABANY’s Issues Committee, continues to empower Asian voices in America, serving as a lead scholar on Hidden Voices: Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States. This curriculum guide is part of the New York City Department of Education’s Hidden Voices Project, dedicated to educating NYC students about marginalized peoples’ roles in shaping our history and identity. Chris co-authored the introduction to Hidden Voices, contributing to An Overview of Asian American and Pacific Islander History.

Chris has harbored a life-long passion for education. “At heart I’ve always been an educator— I think I went to law school because I knew that I was going to teach one day,” Chris explained. “I didn’t know how or what or where, I just built my experience and waited for an opportunity.” Pursuing his dreams, Chris went on to UCLA Law School after his undergraduate education at Cornell, focusing on critical race theory during his time there. Currently, Chris serves as a mediator with JAMS, and an adjunct professor at Hunter College, simultaneously pursuing his love for education and law. 

Regarding his work on the Hidden Voices project, Chris remains humble, elaborating that “it’s a huge team, and I’m just one small part of it.” As an adjunct professor, Chris had the opportunity to delve into Asian American studies, a subject close to his heart. His passion for education and his desire to bring Asian American experiences and narratives to the forefront aligned perfectly with the goals of the Hidden Voices Project. When Vivian Louie, Director of Hunter’s Asian American Studies program,  introduced Chris to the project, he eagerly embraced the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on education and advocate for Asian American voices. The project is now free to access for students beyond New York state, across the country. “It’s publicly available to everyone as a free resource, which is great, because honestly we’re so large — we’re the largest school district in the country— so smaller school districts that want to do this can just come to that website and download comic books, posters; all sorts of great resources,” stated Chris enthusiastically. 

This curriculum follows legislation proposed by New York State Senator John Liu, mandating the inclusion of AAPI history in schools across the state. It will be the mainstay of a new pilot program launched by the Department of Education, designed to teach students K-12 about the contributions, culture, and history of the Asian American community. “New York City houses the largest school system in the country,” said Chris. “We’ve got 1.2 million students— that’s about half of all the students in New York State. So right now, basically half the students in New York have access to this curriculum.” The launch of this program reflects the needs of the growing AAPI population in New York. According to the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, API is the fastest growing racial group in NYC, with the number of residents more than doubling from 490,000 in 1990 to 1.2 million in 2019.

Chris expounded that “this [project] is really about students studying a curriculum where they can see people like themselves, the struggles and also the successes. Before this, they could have looked at the curriculum and [would see] only stories of rich people, leaders, white people – after a while, if you don’t think about it, you’ll think those are the only people that matter.” He hopes that the Hidden Voices project will help “open the lens of history in New York schools to include people who are affecting society from every angle, including the margins.”

Education is also a central focus in AABANY’s two reports on anti-Asian hate and violence, and a major concern of the Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. Chris was co-Executive Editor of both reports, Endless Tide: The Continuing Struggle to Overcome Anti-Asian Hate in New York and A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions. Both reports focus heavily on education as a tool against anti-asian violence, and are referenced in Hidden Voices as resources. While Rising Tide focuses on public education campaigns, Endless Tide proposes anti-bias and cultural sensitivity programs. Both reports are part of the T3 project, which aims to incorporate a three-pronged approach to address anti-Asian hate, encompassing education and communication, advocacy, and research. Furthermore, Chris has served on the Task Force from inception and currently leads it as Chair.

Stressing the primacy of education, Chris declared: “It’s foundational and it’s slow, but it’s about people understanding their role, getting engaged with their local sphere to make the framework of the society we live in more fair…. It’s about a thousand little things that separately don’t seem to work together, but in the end, we have large scale social change.” The importance of education became even more pronounced in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: In 2021, hate crimes against Asian New Yorkers were up 361% over the previous year. By educating students about the diverse experiences and contributions of Asian Americans, these initiatives promote unity, understanding, and cohesion within our communities. The mission of Hidden Voices aligns with Chris’ past work, including the reports published by AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force.

While this project is currently completed, Chris hopes that he will be able to work on part two, covering more key AAPI figures and historical events. However, there are no plans for that currently on the horizon. “If the public clamors for it,” Chris surmised, “then that will probably be more likely.” Chris encourages members of AABANY to actively support and promote the project, sharing its resources with those in their communities.

To access “Hidden Voices: Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States,” click here.

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2022 NY Legal Education Opportunity Program

The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission is pleased to share information about the 2022 NY Legal Education Opportunity Program (NY LEO):

The application portal is open for the NY Legal Education Opportunity Program Class of 2022! 

NY LEO immerses students that are educationally and/or economically disadvantaged, and/or from groups traditionally underrepresented in the law, to the rigors of the first year of law school; 1L experience.

The 6-week intensive program runs from June 5 – July 14, 2022, at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, located on Pace University’s campus in White Plains, NY. Students must apply online, see the tab, “LEO Fellow Application” on the NY LEO website (http://ww2.nycourts.gov/attorneys/leo).

Priority consideration will be given to applications received by May 6. Please share information about NY LEO with your networks.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:

[email protected] or by telephone at (914) 824-5800.

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NYForward: A Guide to Reopening New York

NYForward is a state mandated guide to reopening New York safely. The guide has addressed some of the critical factors that have have helped New Yorkers combat the spread of the Covid-19: statewide testing initiatives, economic stimulus packages, and maintenance of strategic reserve of personal protective equipment (PPE). As for guidelines moving forward, the guide has proposed a series of metrics by which regions would be evaluated to determine if they can reopen. These guidelines include a sufficiently low infection rate, a stable health care system that is able to absorb a potential resurgence in cases, sufficient diagnostic testing capacity, and robust contact-tracing to help prevent the spread of the virus. Additionally, the guide has provided a plan for the phased reopening of businesses.

The guide also urges community leaders to pay special attention to vulnerable populations and to hold businesses accountable to the listed guidelines. Universities and schools should craft individualized plans for reopening and state and local leaders should continue to provide sufficient mental health resources. The guide also outlines the individual responsibilities necessary for communities to curb the spread of the virus and stresses the importance of continuing social distancing policies along with practicing good hygiene.

The final section discusses lessons that can be learned from the current crisis and proactive measures that could be adopted. These policies include incorporating and integrating technology that could help schools better transition to online lessons, streamlining healthcare and transportation systems, and ensuring greater social equity through reforming housing policies and other initiatives.

To read the full guide, click on the cover image below.

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AABANY and SABANY Co-Sponsor Careers in Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) Panel

On Monday, July 15th, AABANY, along with SABANY, co-sponsored a panel on Careers in Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) at the JAMS office located on the 16th floor of the New York Times Building at 620 8th Ave. The panel featured Dr. Kabir Dhuggal, Senior Associate at Arnold & Porter, Robyn Weinstein, ADR Administrator at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Rebecca Price, Director of the ADR program at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and Chris Kwok, mediator and arbitrator at JAMS, ADR Services. Chris Kwok is a Board Director of AABANY, Co-Chair of the Asia Practice Committee, and Chair of the Issues Committee. The panel was moderated by Amit Kumar, Managing Attorney at the Law Offices of William Cafaro. 

After a brief introduction of the panelists, Kumar first asked panelists, “How did you become involved in ADR?” The panelists’ responses ranged from studying it early in law school to falling into the realm of ADR later. Price noted her background as a social worker in helping to make the transition to working in ADR more naturally. Kwok affirmed that and humorously added, “When I try to describe mediation, I sometimes tell people that I’m a psychologist with a law degree.”

The panelists also spoke on key skills for thriving in a career in ADR. These skills included patience, engaged listening, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a genuine passion for the work. Dr. Dhuggal especially emphasized the necessity of robust legal writing skills. He advised, “Legal writing is an art that needs to be finessed. Make every effort you can. A simple way to do this is to find a senior whose writing you particularly admire and tell them that you’d like to co-author a piece with them.” Everyone commented on the importance of meaningful networking as well—be it through organizations such as AABANY and SABANY to even organizing panels with professionals you’d like to reach out to. 

Other topics discussed during the well-attended panel included improving diversity in ADR, domestic ADR vs. international ADR, and predictions on future trends in the career pathway. Afterwards, attendees munched on assorted snacks from Cafe Zaiya while networking—as discussed during the panel. Thank you to all of our accomplished panelists for sharing their valuable insights! 

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In the News: AABANY Co-Sponsors Reenactment of Supreme Court Cases Ozawa & Thind

On May 23, 2019 AABANY co-sponsored a reenactment of the Supreme Court cases Takao Ozawa v. United States (1922) and United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind (1923) in the Ceremonial Courtroom at 225 Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn. The two historical cases describe the exclusionary immigration policies that prevented Asian immigrants from becoming naturalized citizens. The reenactment scripts were written by longtime AABANY members Kathy Hirata Chin and her husband, the Hon. Denny Chin. The event was jointly sponsored by the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) and was held in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, during the month of May. The event was covered by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported on the history of these reenactments, “The Chins began writing and performing these reenactments 12 years ago, and every year they create a new performance based on a different case. Judge Chin explained that they look for cases of importance historically and that still resonate today.”

To read the full article, please click here.

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Friday Evening Lecture Series: Asian/Asian American Scholars of Education

On Friday, March 8, 2019, AAARI, a CUNY-wide scholarly research and resource center on policies and issues that affect Asians and Asian Americans, is holding a talk, Asian/Asian American Scholars of Education: 21st Century Pedagogies, Perspectives, and Experiences, by Nicholas D. Hartlep & Daisy Ball from 6pm to 8pm, at 25 West 43rd Street, 10th Floor, Room 1000, between 5th & 6th Avenues, Manhattan.

The talk is free and open to the general public. To RSVP for this talk, please visit https://19-03-08hartlep.eventbrite.com. Please be prepared to present proper identification when entering the building lobby. If you are unable to attend the talk, streaming video and audio podcast will be available online the following week.

Nicholas D. Hartlep and Daisy Ball will discuss their book Asian/American Scholars of Education: 21st Century Pedagogies, Perspectives, and Experiences, which shares the knowledge and travails of Asian/American luminaries in the field of education. This unique collection of essays acknowledges the struggle that Asian/American Education scholars have faced when it comes to being regarded as legitimate scholars deserving of endowed or distinguished status.

Books will be available for purchase ($40 each, cash and credit card accepted) and signing after their talk.

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E3! Ambassadors: Educate, Engage, and Empower Young AAPI Leaders — Apply by Aug. 9

The E3! Ambassadors Program equips young leaders with the opportunity to work with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to brainstorm and implement their own unique ideas to help improve the overall quality of life for AAPIs across the country in the areas of education, mental health, pathways to public service, and immigration. E3! Ambassadors work to highlight key federal programs and resources in which AAPIs may be underserved.  Selected E3! Ambassadors are encouraged to conduct outreach within their campuses and communities – whether it’s setting up a table to share resources at a campus fair, facilitating a workshop during a conference, or even utilizing social media.

The 2014 inaugural class of 31 E3! Ambassadors came from 29 different cities and hosted more than 55 events during the 2014-2015 year to educate, engage, and empower their campuses and communities.

The application can be found HERE. The deadline to apply is August 9, 2015 at 11:59 PM ET. Please note that late applications may not be considered.

If you have any questions about the E3! Ambassador program, please contact [email protected].

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“Uncovering Talent: The Case of Asian Americans” – Lecture by Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law Kenji Yoshino

At the 14th Annual Korematsu Lecture Series, presented by the NYU Asian-Pacific American Law Students Association, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law Kenji Yoshino spoke about the phenomenon of ‘covering,’ discussed at length in his first book, Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights. The Korematsu Lecture Series, since 2000, has recognized Asian Americans whose work challenges legal boundaries and serves as an inspiration to all people of color.

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Professor Kenji Yoshino touched upon his extensive research regarding the frequency of incidence and perceived impact of covering. As opposed to “passing,” the practice of concealing a part of one’s identity in order to present as a member of the dominant major, “covering” differs in that a person who covers is unable to completely conceal that part of his or her identity so must instead downplay qualities associated with it. In Prof. Yoshino’s words, “covering” is a tax that minorities have to pay in response to a much less visible second-wave discrimination. Examining both the demand and the performance of covering, the research explores whether certain professional organizations live up to their stated values of inclusion. Asking the question of whether certain groups feel as though they must cover in order to be successful and have their successes attributed to their personal qualities rather than their race, Prof. Yoshino identified four kinds of covering: (1) appearance-based covering (e.g. a black woman straightens her hair to downplay her race), (2) affiliation-based covering that avoids behaviors associated with identity (e.g. a mother avoids talking about her children because she does not want her co-workers to believe she is less committed to work), (3) advocacy-based covering that determines how much a person ‘sticks up’ for their group (e.g. a veteran lets a military joke slide lest he or she be seen as strident), and (4) association-based covering (e.g. a gay man does not bring his partner to work functions so as not to be seen as ‘too gay’).

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In many ways, Prof. Yoshino’s research brings together many groups who feel the need to cover their identity, including the often elevated or demonized straight white males who feel they have to cover other factors, such as their socioeconomic background or their veteran status. At the same time, his findings also reveal the differences in impact respectively felt by members of different groups. Whereas most people feel the impact of covering, racial groups feel the impact to a greater degree, with no one impacted more than women of color who must simultaneously play down both their gender and race.

Here are some of the ways you could say I am “white”: 
I listen to National Public Radio. 
I have few close friends “of color." 
I furnish my condo a la Crate & Barrel. 
I vacation in charming bed-and-breakfasts. 
I have never once been the victim of blatant discrimination. 
I am a member of several exclusive institutions. 
I have been in the inner sanctums of political power. 
I have been there as something other than an attendant. 
I have the ambition to return. 
I am a producer of the culture. 
I expect my voice to be heard. 
I speak flawless, unaccented English. 
I subscribe to Foreign Affairs. 
I do not mind when editorialists write in the first person plural. 
I do not mind how white television casts are. 
I am not too ethnic. I am wary of minority militants. 
I consider myself neither in exile nor in opposition. 
I am considered “a credit to my race.”

– Eric Liu, The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker

"The loudest duck gets shot,” laughed Prof. Yoshino. Underscoring a dark history of discrimination, Prof. Yoshino explained how Asian Americans occupy a liminal space in which they are seen both as “honorary whites” and perpetual foreigners. Asian Americans cover or reverse-cover in numerous ways, either feeling pressure to live up to the model minority myth or feeling pressure to perform and act in certain ways to emphasize their Asian American identity. Professional Asian women are the least likely to have children. Asian Americans cover on the issue of age, often engaging in behaviors like wearing glasses or dressing conservatively in order to appear older and more authoritative. 

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(Above: Prof. Kenji Yoshino and former student and AABANY member George Hang.)

“Covering” gives a name to the phenomenon, which gives a person the tools to self-diagnose and consciously uncover. What is called for now by Prof. Yoshino’s research is self-reflection within organizations and communities. Having leaders who do not have to downplay their identities works to dismantle the harmful associations which might lead a person of color, mother, or other marginalized person to cover. 

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Prof. Yoshino closed with his own uncovering story: his own title, previously the “Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law” at NYU, had been a delicate issue in accepting his position. A Japanese American, Kenji Yoshino had been wary of taking on the title of the man who as Attorney General commissioned the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. After much deliberation, the offer was again extended to Prof. Yoshino, appending the words “Chief Justice” – after the initial confusion, Prof. Yoshino learned that later in life as Chief Justice, Earl Warren had recanted and expressed his deep regret that he had ever done such a dishonorable action. In the spirit of the Chief Justice, Prof. Yoshino accepted the position – his research works to change perceptions and increase cultural awareness for the better, and that deeply matters, even over the course of one lifetime. 

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Special thanks to Prof. Kenji Yoshino, the NYU Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, and Hanah Kim and Ted Kim of the Korematsu Committee for continuing the tradition of education and inspiration!