On Monday, November 2^nd at 3:30 p.m. EST, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett will hold an extended online chat to discuss how health insurance reform will impact minority communities and all Americans.  Submit your questions now at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ope/webform/valerie-jarrett-health-insurance-reform-all-americans, or join us on Monday here at WhiteHouse.gov or at Facebook.com/WhiteHouse to submit your question live during the discussion.

Cross-posted from Reappropriate:

The Washington Post is running a series called “Voices of Power” wherein top White House staffers are interviewed about their positions in the Obama administration. Today, the Post published video and a transcript of their conversation with Chris Lu, who, as Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary, is one of the most prominent Asian Americans in the White House.

The full transcript is five pages long, but I found Lu’s comments about his identity as an Asian American in the White House intriguing:

You are among the most senior Asian-Americans in the administration and in the White House. What does that mean to you?

Mr. Lu: It means a lot to me. My parents were both born in China. They moved to Taiwan for grade school and high school. They both emigrated here in the late ’50s for college.

There is not a day that goes by that, as I park my car by the West Wing and walk into my office in the West Wing, that I don’t think about my parents and how fortunate I am and how this incredible opportunity that I have is not only the result of what I’ve accomplished, but all that they’ve accomplished, as well as all that other Asian-Americans before me.

This is a story that sounds so similar to my own, and to the stories of so many second-generation Chinese Americans. My parents, also from Taiwan, faced such hardship as first-generation immigrants, and only now am I starting to hear about the kind of discrimination they dealt with. At the risk of sounding all “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” — it’s amazing to see how second-generation kids like Lu are elevated to such positions of influence. It’s a testament to how hard our parents worked to give us opportunities.

I also enjoyed reading about Lu’s first trip to China, which happened to be as part of an official White House delegation that included Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Like too many second-generation Asian Americans, Lu speaks minimal Chinese but he still found his ability to understand the language useful while in China.

Ms. Romano: The first time you actually set foot on Chinese soil was last summer; is that correct?

Mr. Lu: That’s right. This past summer

Ms. Romano: As a representative of this administration. What was that like?

Mr. Lu: It was incredible. [My parents] had both gone back to China numerous times. For a variety of reasons, I had just never had the time to go back.

And to get to go to China on your first trip as part of an official delegation was just really–I mean it–I was speechless.

And the funny thing, with each meeting, Secretary [Gary] Locke or Secretary [Steven] Chu would always ask me to say something. And I remember being completely tongue-tied in a meeting with the Chinese Premier, where Secretary Locke turned to me and said, “Mr. Premier, I want to introduce to you Chris Lu. This is his first trip to China. Chris, would you like to say something to the Premier?”

And all that came out of my mouth was, “Thank you. Thank you for having us here.”

Ms. Romano: And how did the Chinese react to you all?

Mr. Lu: I think they felt a–they felt a kinship to us. All three of us are Chinese-Americans. We all obviously represent the American government. That’s obviously our first priority. But they felt a kinship. The fact that to varying degrees we all understand some Chinese, we can all say some words of Chinese I think made the conversation and made the meetings a little bit more personal.

Ms. Romano: Do you think it mattered to them that the Administration sent over their top three Asian-Americans?

Mr. Lu: I do. Yeah, I do think it mattered. In Chinese culture, relationships are very important. And having Chinese-Americans come over as the representatives of the government I think was important.

I took Chinese classes on Saturday mornings for 13 years, and for most of that time, I hated it. It was something my mom made me do, and I couldn’t understand why I had to spend my days at a Chinese cultural center while all my friends got to sleep in and watch Saturday morning cartoons.

Only as I got older did I realize the value of learning about my language and my heritage. When I was fourteen or so, my mother gave my sister and I the choice to quit Chinese classes or to continue taking them until we graduated from high school. I volunteered to continue while my sister quit.

I can’t say I was ever the best student of Chinese school; many Saturday mornings I skipped or just refused to do my homework, and I barely passed the last class. But, because of my attendance in those classes, I can speak Mandarin passably, and I have nominal reading and writing skills.

But I didn’t truly appreciate the value of being able to speak Mandarin until I started interacting with more second- or third- generation Asian Americans who never were enrolled in Chinese classes. Many of them can only understand Chinese, but can’t speak it beyond a few words (mostly related to food). Most of them can’t write their names.

My mother always used to say that even though we were in North America, our faces looked Chinese; we will always be different and we can’t lose touch with what that means. Now that I am an adult, and living as an Asian person in America, I find myself truly respecting the unique language and culture that is, regardless of time and distance, a part of me.

Which is all a roundabout way of saying this: thanks, Mom, for making me go to Chinese school. I wish more second-generation Chinese American kids could speak Mandarin; at least so that folks like Chris Lu can go to China and actually hold a prolonged conversation with the Chinese premier when he gets a chance to meet him.

Here at APAP, we’ve reported quite a few times on the number of South Asians running for Congress this election cycle. It’s a stellar group including announced candidates physician Ami Bera in CA-03, Iraq War Veteran Manan Trivedi in PA-06, State Senator Raj Goyle in KS-04 and attorney Ravi Sangisetty in LA-03, as well as rumored candidate Reshma Saujani in NY-14. Now it seems like others are noticing this trend as well.  From the Washington publication Roll Call, we have the article “Indian-Americans Priming the Pump.” (hat tip to Gene Kim for pointing this out.)

On the last day of the third quarter, Democrat Manan Trivedi hosted a fundraiser for friends and family - his extended network of “Uncles and Aunties” - that raised $10,000 in two hours at the Lantern Lodge, an Indian-American-owned restaurant and hotel in southeastern Pennsylvania.

As one of three higher-profile Indian-American candidates running for Congress next year, Trivedi estimates that 20 percent to 25 percent of the $127,500 he raised in the first three weeks of his campaign for Pennsylvania’s 6th district open seat came from his connections to the Indian-American community. And he said he’s only begun to tap into the affluent ethnic network, which has recently become fertile fundraising ground.

Fellow physician and Indian-American candidate Ami Bera (D) raised more than $600,000 in five months for his campaign in California, while Kansas state Rep. Raj Goyle (D) raised $403,000 in the past three months for his open-seat bid. According to Bhavna Pandit, a Democratic fundraiser who specializes in the Indian-American community, the influx of Indian-American candidates this cycle is unprecedented.

“This is a deluge,” Pandit said. “We’ve never had this many people running for office. It’s kind of insane.”

Bera, who is running in the primary for the opportunity to face Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), estimated that about 50 percent to 60 percent of his money came from Indian Americans.

“The Indian-American community has responded overwhelmingly in a way that I don’t think they’ve responded previously,” Bera said. “Obviously, there’s a fair amount coming out of our community and also from the broader medical community, and the overlap between the two.”

The goal for politically active Indian-Americans has been to elect one of their own to Congress ever since now-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) left the House in 2008.

Although Jindal is the highest-ranking Indian-American elected to office, the community as a whole leans to the political left, as demonstrated by the trio of Democratic Congressional candidates running next year.

But even with their vast fundraising network, all three candidates have a long and challenging path to Congress.

Goyle faces an uphill battle in the race to replace Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) in a conservative Wichita-area district. And both Bera and Trivedi will need to continue fundraising at a torrid rate in order to be competitive in their Democratic primaries. In Pennsylvania, Trivedi faces a self-funding Democrat in the primary and another self-funding candidate in the general election, while Bera’s primary is also competitive.

But many in the community say the increasing interest from candidates and donors is a sign that Indian-Americans are on their way to having one of their own in Congress again.

“I think this goes towards again the political growth of an emerging community,” said Raghu Devaguptapu, a Democratic consultant. “We’ve seen the numbers rise on the state legislative level and it’s only a matter of time until they reach the Congressional level.”

After Iraq War Veteran Ashwin Madia (D) lost a competitive open-seat race in the 2008 cycle to now-Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), it wasn’t clear when the next viable candidate would come along.

Madia raised about $2.4 million for his race. His fundraiser, Pandit, estimated that 25 percent to 30 percent of that money was from the Indian-American community.

Pandit said many Indian-Americans look to the Jewish community as their model for political activity.

“I think sort of emulating the Jewish community is what we’re doing right now,” Pandit said. “Our goal is where they are now, we’re aspiring to get where that community is. We don’t have the history of being in this country that a lot of Americans do.”

Goyle’s parents, for example, immigrated from the Punjab region of India and did their medical residencies in Cleveland before settling as doctors in Wichita in the mid-1970s. Like many first-wave Indian immigrants, the parents of all three of this cycle’s candidates eventually landed highly skilled jobs in secure fields such as medicine, engineering or higher education. Their children eventually branched out to less traditional careers - such as politics.

“Over the last 10 years, Indian Americans have begun to become more politically engaged in the life of the nation now that they’ve achieved a certain degree of economic success,” said Anil Mammen, a Democrat who runs the political consulting firm the Mammen Group.

Mammen is also the son of Indian immigrants, who earned degrees at southeastern Pennsylvania universities despite having what he said was “no money.”

“You wouldn’t have had political consultants in my parents’ generation,” Mammen said. “They just didn’t have that cultural connection with this country.”

At the age of 51, Maryland state House Majority Leader Kumar Barve (D) has seen the change in the community over the course of his 20 years in office. Barve recalled that at the beginning of his career, Indian-Americans were hesitant to donate to candidates, –and that they often times only did so to get a photo with a politician to hang in their homes.

“In the ’90s, it was like pulling teeth getting Indian-Americans to part with their money,” Barve said. “They just didn’t understand the importance of having one of their own at the table.”

But he said “something clicked” in the late 1990s that changed the community’s mindset. Nowadays, the community is a wealthy network with a sometimes unique way of delivering support for its own candidates.

“In the Indian-American community, you have to have another person ask on your behalf in order to be successful,” Barve said. “Because Indians don’t want to give their money to anybody. We’re cheap.”

Indian-American candidates typically hit up their parents’ generation - otherwise known as the “Uncle and Auntie” generation of well-educated and affluent immigrants - when they are on the hunt for donors.

And while most politicians dial for dollars on the phone, Indian-American candidates sometimes make their appeals at the home of an Indian-American through an intermediary trusted in the community.

Devaguptapu, a first-generation Indian-American, said his community is especially powerful for candidates because it tends to be large but close-knit. Because India is such a big and diverse country, he said it’s easier to have a larger community here in the states because immigrants tend to worry less about regionalism.

“I guess the benefit of the Indian-American community is you tend to have larger friends and family units,” Devaguptapu said. “And that’s where all the early money comes from.”

That’s potentially five Indian Americans and all of them Democrats.

The votes are now in, and we are proud to announce AAA-Fund’s 2009 Blogathon winners!

Before going further, we congratulate all of our finalists for their insight and eloquence:  Cameron Feng, Jenny Jiang, Rose Wei, Micah Weinberg.

Kudos to our esteemed judges who selected our Fabulous Four Finalists:  AAA-Fund Blog Deputy Editor-in-Chief Richard Chen, AAA-Fund Blog Editor-in-Chief Justin Gillenwater, AAA-Fund Blog Editor-in-Chief Caroline Fan, AAA-Fund Intern Sally Zhu,  Slanty from SlantEyefortheRoundEye, Ramey Ko of Asian Americans for Obama, and the entire AAA-Fund Blogteam.

Drum roll please…

By popular acclamation, Rose Wei takes first place, with “Concerns of a Young Adult“.  The first choice of 73 percent of all voters, Rose has won One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150), 2 free tickets to the 2010 AAA-Fund Gala (a $200 value), and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger.  Congrats, Rose!

Jenny Jiang takes second-place honors, with ”Higher Cost of Inaction“.  Jenny wins 2 free tickets to the 2010 AAA-Fund Gala (a $200 value), and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger.  Congrats, Jenny!

Micah Weinberg wins third place, with “A Healthcare Story“.  Micah wins lunch with a AAA-Fund leader, along with an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger.  Congrats, Micah!

Finally, we thank you, Our Readers, for voting for our winners.  We’ll make sure to share our top entries with top Congressional leaders and the Obama Administration.

Let’s now do our part to make sure Congress passes major healthcare reform in 2009.

– Gautam Dutta

Cross-posted at APA for Progress

Link to the executive order that restores the White House Advisory Commission and Interagency Working Group to address issues concerning the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

THE WHITE HOUSE 

Office of the Press Secretary

___________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                      October 14, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

AT AAPI INITIATIVE EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNING

AND DIWALI EVENT

East Room 

3:46 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, good afternoon, everybody.  Please be seated.  Welcome to the White House.  I’m glad you could join us today as I proudly sign this executive order reestablishing the President’s Advisory Commission and White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

     Now, when we talk about America’s AAPI communities, we’re talking about the industry and entrepreneurship of people who’ve helped build this nation for centuries:  from the early days, as laborers on our railroads and farmers tilling our land, to today, as leaders in every sector of American life, from business to science to academia, law and more. 

     We’re talking about the creative energies of musicians like the singers Penn Masala — we appreciate them — who performed today.  And we’re talking about the competitive spirit of athletes like Wat Misaka, who played for the New York Knicks back in 1947 — the first non-white player in the NBA — and who served in the U.S. Army during World War II.  Mr. Misaka is here as well today and — where’s Mr. Misaka?  There he is.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  

     We’re talking about the public service of leaders like Secretaries Gary Locke and Steven Chu and Eric Shinseki and the folks on stage with me today.  And we’re talking about the courage and the patriotism and sacrifice of heroes like the members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team who served in World War II, including Terry Shima.  Please give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.) Mr. Shima is the Executive Director of the Japanese American Veterans Association, and we are grateful that he took the time to be here today. 

     Some of their families had been interned.  Some had been interned themselves.  But they still insisted on fighting for America, and went on to become the most highly decorated unit of their size in history. 

     And one member of the regiment, Private Jake Kirihara, whose parents were held in a camp here in America while he fought overseas, later said:  “… even though this wrong was done to us, there was never any question whether America was my country.  If America needed me to help, I’ll do it.” 

     So this proud tradition of service continues today in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world, carried on by folks like Tammy Duckworth, my dear friend who’s here today.  (Applause.)  Tammy is a decorated member of our National Guard, a passionate advocate for our wounded warriors, who is now serving as our Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Veterans Affairs Department.  I’m proud to have her on board and pleased that she could join us today. 

     And on a personal note, when I talk about America’s AAPI communities, I’m talking about my own family:  my sister, Maya; my brother-in-law, Konrad; my beautiful nieces, Suhaila and Savita; and the folks I grew up with in Indonesia, and in Honolulu, as part of the Hawai’ian Ohana, or family.

     Our AAPI communities have roots that span the globe, but they embody a rich diversity, and a story of striving and success that are uniquely American. 

     But focusing on all of these achievements doesn’t tell the whole story, and that’s part of why we’re here.  It’s tempting, given the strengths of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, for us to buy into the myth of the “model minority,” and to overlook the very real challenges that certain Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are facing:  from health disparities like higher rates of diabetes and Hepatitis B; to educational disparities that still exist in some communities — high dropout rates, low college enrollment rates; to economic disparities — higher rates of poverty in some communities, and barriers to employment and workplace advancement in others.

     Some Asian American and Pacific Islanders, particularly new Americans and refugees, still face language barriers.  Others have been victims of unthinkable hate crimes, particularly in the months after September 11th — crimes driven by ignorance and prejudice that are an affront to everything that this nation stands for. 

     And then there are the disparities that we don’t even know about because our data collection methods still aren’t up to par.  Too often, Asian American and Pacific Islanders are all lumped into one category, so we don’t have accurate numbers reflecting the challenges of each individual community.  Smaller communities in particular can get lost, their needs and concerns buried in a spreadsheet. 

     And that’s why I’m signing this executive order today, reestablishing the advisory commission and White House initiative created by President Clinton 10 years ago.  Because when any of our citizens — (applause) — when any of our citizens are unable to fulfill their potential due to factors that have nothing to do with their talent, character, or work ethic, then I believe there’s a role for our government to play.  Not to guarantee anybody’s success or to solve everybody’s problems, but to ensure that we’re living up to our nation’s ideals; to ensure that we can each pursue our own version of happiness, and that we continue to be a nation where all things are still possible for all people.  That’s the impact that our government can have.

     It’s the impact of a Small Business Administration that offers loans to Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs whose small businesses sustain so many communities around the country.  It’s the impact of a Department of Health and Human Services that funds research on the diseases that disproportionately affect Asian American and Pacific Islander families.  It’s the impact of a Justice Department that upholds the Voting Rights Act and its promise of language assistance and equal access to the polls.  And it’s the impact of evidence-based research and data collection and analysis on AAPI communities — so that no one is invisible to their government.

     All of that is the mission of this initiative and commission — to work with 23 agencies and departments across our government to improve the health, education, and economic status of AAPI communities.  The initiative and commission will be housed in the Department of Education, and they’ll be co-chaired by Secretaries Arne Duncan and Secretary Gary Locke, both of whom have devoted their lives to promoting opportunity for all our citizens.

     And I think it’s fitting that we begin this work in the week leading up to the holiday of Diwali — the festival of lights — when members of some of the world’s greatest faiths celebrate the triumph of good over evil. 

     This coming Saturday, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, here in America and around the world, will celebrate this holiday by lighting Diyas, or lamps, which symbolize the victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.  And while this is a time of rejoicing, it’s also a time for reflection, when we remember those who are less fortunate and renew our commitment to reach out to those in need.

     While the significance of the holiday for each faith varies, all of them mark it by gathering with family members to pray and decorate the house and enjoy delicious food and sweet treats.  And in that spirit of celebration and contemplation, I am happy to light the White House Diya, and wish you all a Happy Diwali, and a Saal Mubarak.  (Applause.)

     (The White House Diya is lit.)  (Applause.)

     Now I’m going to sign this bill — sign this order.

     (The executive order is signed.) 

     All right.  There we go.  (Applause.)

END           3:56 P.M. EDT

By now, most of us have heard the tragic news that Annie Le, a young, promising PhD student in pharmacology at Yale University, was apparently murdered just days before her wedding.  On September 25, a memorial service was held for Ms. Le in Northern California, attended by her family and friends, as well as Yale students, alumni, faculty, and staff.  Grant Din ’79, Kristina Yee ’89, and Harry Chang ‘84 attended the service to represent the Yale Asian American community and Yale University.  They read and delivered a letter to Ms. Le’s parents on behalf of the Association of Asian American Yale Alumni, of which I am also a member.

Grant wrote of the service, “We all felt like crying when Annie’s mother read a poem in Vietnamese, read in translated form by Annie’s brother Christopher, that included, ‘I sang lullabies by your side this week, like I did when you were a baby, wishing you a peaceful sleep.’”  Harry observed, “It was very inspiring to hear some of the other speakers, who knew Annie personally, tell their stories.  Annie seemed to be a little dynamo, who touched many people so positively.  She was a leader and a go-getter, but she also had a big heart and a bigger smile.”

To honor her memory, Yale has established the Annie Le Scholarship Fund.  To contribute to the fund, checks can be sent to:

Annie Le Scholarship Fund
Yale Office of Development
P.O. Box 2038
New Haven, CT 06521-2038

Donations may also be made in Annie’s memory to the “I Have a Dream” Foundation, 330 Seventh Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, N.Y., 10001, and online at https://secure.virtualatlantic.com/ihad/ssl/donation.aspx.

Harry has also suggested a way for Asian American alumni to contribute together as a gesture to Annie’s family:

I believe our donations will be even more meaningful to Yale and to the Le family if we can aggregate our donations under AAAYA.  To do the aggregation, I suggest one or both of the following:

1. After you send in your donation, send me an email with your name and contribution amount.

2. Write “AAAYA” in the memo field of your check.  We will ask Yale to send us a summary of the AAAYA-originated donations.

You can read the obituary from the memorial service program and the letter from AAAYA here.  A Yale University memorial service is also planned for Monday, October 12, at 5:00 p.m. in Battell Chapel on campus.

The first place winner will receive $150, 2 free tickets to the 2010 AAA-Fund Gala (a $200 value), and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger.  Second place receives 2 free tickets to the 2010 AAA-Fund Gala (a $200 value), and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger, Third place will get a lunch with a AAA-Fund leader, and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger.

We’ve reposted the text of the AAA Fund finalist announcement below as well.

AAAF Blogathon Blogteam proudly announces the Blogathon finalists. We list the finalists in no particular order except alphabetically by surname to be fair.

Cameron Feng – “Health Care in America is Selfish”
Jenny Jiang – “Higher Cost of Inaction”
Rose Wei – “Concerns of a Young Adult”
Micah Weinberg – “A Healthcare Story”

Now it’s your turn. Your votes will decide who wins!  This year we’ll be using Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), which ensures that someone will win with at least 51% of the vote.  Here’s how it works:

1. Please leave a comment on this post with your Top 3 Blogathon picks in order of preference (1= first choice, 2=2nd choice, 3=3rd choice).

2. If you’d like, tell your fellow readers why readers should also vote for your Top 3 picks.

Here’s an example of how to vote (using ice cream flavors):

1. Mocha (I love the blend of coffee and chocolate)

2. Chocolate (If I can’t get mocha, chocolate will do)

3. Coffee (If mocha and chocolate run out, I could always use some straight caffeine)

Voting deadline is Friday, October 17, 2009 at 9pm ET.

Thanks to all participants and enjoy voting!

Cross-posted from APA for Progress:

After several weeks of rumors, President Obama officially nominated federal district Judge Denny Chin of the Southern District of New York to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Judge Chin was also recently in the news as the presiding judge of the Bernie Madoff trial. If confirmed, Judge Chin will be the ONLY federal appellate judge of APA descent; Judge Wallace Tashima of the Ninth Circuit has taken senior status and is thus no longer considered an active judge. Judge Chin was also the first APA federal district judge appointed outside of the Ninth Circuit area (Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington), and one of only three east of the Mississippi (the others are Judge Amul Thapar of the Eastern District of Kentucky and Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto of the Eastern District of New York). Judge Judge Chin will fill the vacancy created by Sonia Sotomayor’s appointment to the Supreme Court, creating an interesting confluence of historic firsts.

In announcing the Chin’s appointment along with that of Rogeriee Thompson for the First Circuit, President Obama said, “Judges Chin and Thompson have displayed exceptional dedication to public service throughout their careers. They have served on the bench with distinction in New York and Rhode Island, and I am honored to nominate them today to serve the American people on the United States Court of Appeals. I am confident that they will be judicious and esteemed additions to the First and Second Circuits.”

So why is it so important that APAs are represented on the federal bench?  Well, federal courts can have considerable power, and federal judges serve for life.  The appellate courts, of which the Second Circuit is one, are incredibly important because they have the last word on over 99% of the cases in federal court.  The US Supreme Court selects only a tiny fraction of all the cases in the country to hear, so the appellate courts issue the opinions that determine federal law for the vast majority of cases.  Given the tremendous impact that federal judges can have on our lives, it’s problematic when the perspectives of our community are absent.  Though APAs comprise 4.5% of the US population, far less than 1% of federal judges are APAs.  (NAPABA has a list of all the APA federal judges as of January 2009 here.  Note that magistrate judges are not true Article III judges, but specially created and appointed by other judges.  Obama has since nominated several additional APAs to the federal bench.)  And as previously discussed, none of those APAs on the federal bench are currently active appellate judges.  Appeals courts resolve questions of law, such as how to interpret or apply a vague, ambiguous, or controversial statute, so their decisions have lasting impact as precedent in ways that federal district courts, as trial courts, do not.

Increasing the representation of APAs on the federal bench not only helps ensure that APAs feel they have a meaningful role in our system of justice, but broadens and enriches the dialogue between judges deciding on difficult cases.

More information about Judge Chin from the White House’s Press Release is available below.

Denny Chin: Nominee for United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Judge

Denny Chin was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong. His family moved to the United States when he was 2 years old. Judge Chin was raised in New York City, attending Stuyvesant High School, a New York public school specializing in math and science, before attending Princeton University. He graduated from Princeton magna cum laude in 1975 and from Fordham Law School in 1978 where he was the managing editor of the Fordham Law Review.

After graduation, Judge Chin clerked on the Southern District of New York for Judge Henry F. Werker. He then spent two years at the law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell before becoming an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York in 1982. When he left the U.S. Attorney’s office in 1986, Judge Chin started a law firm with two colleagues: Campbell, Patrick & Chin. Four years later, he joined the law firm of Vladeck, Waldman, Elias & Engelhard, P.C., where he specialized in labor and employment law.

In 1994, Judge Chin was nominated and confirmed to the U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York, where he currently serves. He was the first Asian-American appointed as a U.S. District Court Judge outside of the Ninth Circuit. Judge Chin has served as an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University School of Law teaching legal research and writing since 1986. He is currently the Treasurer for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Judicial Council, and he has served as the President of the Federal Bar Council Inn of Court and the President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York. He also currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the Fordham Law School Alumni Association and the Fordham Law School Law Review Association and as the Co-Chair for the Fordham Law School Minority Mentorship Program.

Judge Chin is a member of the Federal Bar Council Public Service Committee, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

On behalf of the American people, I want to express appreciation for the life and lessons of Mahatma Gandhi on the anniversary of his birth. This is an important moment to reflect on his message of non-violence, which continues to inspire people and political movements across the globe.

We join the people of India in celebrating this great soul who lived a life dedicated to the cause of advancing justice, showing tolerance to all, and creating change through non-violent resistance. Americans owe an enormous measure of gratitude to the Mahatma. His teachings and ideals, shared with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his 1959 pilgrimage to India, transformed American society through our civil rights movement. The America of today has its roots in the India of Mahatma Gandhi and the nonviolent social action movement for Indian independence which he led. Tomorrow, as we remember the Mahatma on his birthday, we must renew our commitment to live his ideals and to celebrate the dignity of all human beings.

###

Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon may not have made it to the second stage of the mayoral election in November, but don’t count him out yet. In a historic move, Yoon will be campaigning with Michael Flaherty on an innovative “joint ticket” with Flaherty for Mayor and Yoon for Deputy Mayor.  The “unusual partnership,” announced this morning at City Hall by the candidates, is believed to be a first, according to the Boston Globe.

Deputy Mayors serve at the pleasure of the Mayor, so Yoon’s position would not guaranteed for the full term.  Incumbent Mayor Menino does not have a Deputy Mayor; the Globe reports that former Mayor Kevin H. White was the last to use one.  Menino’s campaign accused Yoon and Flaherty of being deliberately misleading, since Deputy Mayor is not a city charter created position and Yoon’s name could not appear on the November ballot.

In an e-mail sent to supporters earlier today, Yoon explained,

Over the next several weeks, we will be unveiling our plans for the first 100 days of our administration.

This will include enacting term limits for Mayor - putting an end to the ‘Mayor for Life’ culture in Boston that has held us back. The Boston Redevelopment Authority has been a breeding ground for back-room dealing and misuse of funds. Michael has asked that as Deputy Mayor I lead the effort to dismantle the BRA and replace it with a true community planning agency.

Yoon’s political career has already been marked with historic firsts.  Not only has he been Boston’s first Asian American City Councilor and first major Asian American candidate for mayor, but he has been on the progressive forefront of challenging Boston’s political establishment.  It’s no surprise that Yoon is continuing in that role by staying in the fight against an entrenched incumbent through creative solutions.  The joint ticket also helps answer the question that’s been on a lot of people’s minds, at least for now - whether Yoon’s recent loss would stall the rising star’s political career.  And of course, if the Flaherty-Yoon ticket achieves victory together, it sets Yoon up for another shot at Boston’s highest office.  On the other hand, it ties Yoon’s political future to Flaherty’s performance - both in this election and possibly in office.

A lot of questions remain.  Will Yoon and Flaherty be able to put aside their past differences on the City Council?  The Globe also reported that former Councilor Maura Hennigan “noted that Flaherty and Yoon have some sharp disagreements over policy. Yoon ran on a campaign to weaken the powers of mayor, saying the system, no matter who served as mayor, is fundamentally broken and unfair to the public. Yoon also called for a return to a partially elected School Committee. Flaherty never embraced that proposal.”  And if Flaherty wins, will he keep his promises to Yoon?  Will Yoon have enough freedom of action in a position that exists entirely at the whim of the Mayor?  Whatever the outcome, Sam Yoon has at least more than delivered on his promise to make this race one of the most interesting in Boston in a generation.

October’s Filipino American History Month is an opportune time for other Asian American communities to evaluate our progress in supporting the efforts of Filipino Americans in achieving fair and more equal representation for their community in politics.

One glaring fact demonstrates why this issue is ripe for discussion: no Filipino American has ever been elected to the California State Assembly, a body representing a state that is home to approximately 60 percent of Americans of Filipino heritage.

By our count, a little more than 20 Asian Americans have served in the California Legislature, including ten currently serving in the Assembly and one in the Senate.

Six of those current members are of Chinese ancestry. Three are of Japanese descent. Of the last two members, one is Korean American and the other is Vietnamese American - and both were the first from their respective communities to be elected to the Legislature.

Americans of Chinese, Filipino, South Asian and Vietnamese descent comprise the four largest Asian American communities in California. (In addition to the absence of a Filipino American from the history of the California Legislature, voters have never elected a South Asian to that body as well.)

For many, if not most, of the Asian Americans successfully seated in the Legislature, part of their success has been the response by Filipino Americans to candidates’ calls for pan-Asian American support, especially in fundraising.

As Maeley Tom noted in her April 21, 2008, column for AsianWeek, numerous Fil-Am leaders heeded those calls. Alice Bulos, Irene Bueno, Gloria Caoile, Dennis Normandy, Mona Lisa Yuchengco, Charmaine Manansala, Tessie Guillermo, Vida Benavides, Ray Buenaventura - just to mention a few - have contributed both their political skills and their community connections in the Fil-Am community to strengthen other Asian American candidates.

Has the broader Asian American community reciprocated?

Four Fil-Ams to date have offered their candidacies for the Legislature: Larry Asera, Henry Manayan, Christopher Cabaldon and Arlie Ricasa. In looking back at the reasons for their respective defeats, we should consider if the lack of enough support from other Asian American communities was a factor. Mariko Yamada’s primary election over Cabaldon in his second run for the state Assembly is the exception, if only in that it divided Asian American support.

Granted, success and defeat in politics often results from a more complex combination of factors than simply support from the Asian American community. And no candidate should be supported or elected to office just because of her or his ethnicity. But it’s fair to ask if we’ve done enough to help the Filipino American community earn at least one seat at the table.

That being said, we need to credit the considerable support from Asian American electeds who endorse down-ticket candidates. Congressman Mike Honda and State Controller John Chiang, for example, are incredibly supportive of many contenders from all of our Asian American communities. But the support of a few high-level electeds is not enough.

And the issue of support for state level candidates just scratches the surface. Many of our successful Asian American legislative candidates first won office at the municipal and county levels. But for every Manayan and Cabaldon (both mayors), there are numerous other Fil-Ams whose efforts fall short at those same levels, constricting the pipeline of leaders better able to compete for higher office.

A good example is Mark Pulido’s unsuccessful bids to join the Cerritos City Council in Cerritos, Calif. Pulido is a two-term member and former president of the ABC School Board, which serves a unified school district encompassing several Southern California communities. He was elected to the school board without opposition in November 2001, a first in that district’s history.

Pulido’s candidacy for the Cerritos City Council earlier this year was expertly run with considerable grassroots organization and attracted wide support from community leaders. His fundraising fell short though, even though like many other Asian American candidates, he attempted to generate support from Asian Americans outside of his district.

Pulido was the tenth Fil-Am to vie for the seat on the Cerritos City Council, which serves a city with one of the largest percentages of Asian American - and Fil-Am - residents in California.

Numerous other Filipino American candidates throughout the country who have faced similar obstacles. Hawai’i is the exception. Ben Menor became the first Fil-Am elected to a state legislature in 1962 and Ben Cayetano became the first Fil-Am elected a state’s governor in 1994.

Those are undeniably incredible achievements, but in the context of Hawai’i’s unique demographics and longer history of Filipino American empowerment - we cannot point to political success in Hawai’i to offset the lack of Fil-Am electoral success on the Mainland.

Let’s begin an honest discussion on how we can better support qualified Fil-Am candidates at all levels, but especially at the Legislative tier in California.

We first have to acknowledge that the Filipino American community, like any other group, isn’t monolithic. There are diverse and competing ideas within the Fil-Am community on how to increase their political strength. We can still improve our support for Fil-Am candidates in a way that avoids interfering with their process of political self-determination.

Donate to political action committees such as the National Fil-Am Democrat PAC, an affiliate of the AAA-Fund (aaa-fund.org) and the Filipino American PAC in the Bay Area; donate to KAYA: Filipino Americans for Progress (kayagrassroots.org), support Fil-Ams aspiring to serve through elected office and make an extra effort to respond to contribution and other requests from Fil-Am candidates.

Our support must also extend beyond fundraising resources. We need to be more proactively inclusive in our outreach and recruitment of Fil-Ams in both the political and civic arenas. Leadership training that ensures representation by Fil-Ams can go a long way to inspire and encourage Fil-Ams to serve on boards and commissions and run for elected office.

Asian Americans have long advocated for better representation in politics not only because having a seat at the table provides us our due voice in governing, but also because diversity benefits all Americans.

It’s time we walk the talk when it applies to building political empowerment within the Filipino American and other under-represented Asian American communities.

Keith Kamisugi is the communications director of a San Francisco-based racial justice nonprofit, an APA for Progress board member and the former project director of the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, co-founded by Dale Minami as one of the country’s first AAPI political action committees. Curtis Chin is a Los Angeles-based writer/director, an APA for Progress board member and a former director of Asian American and Pacific Islander Outreach with the Democratic National Committee. Mike Fong is a field deputy for a Los Angeles city councilmember and chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of the California Democratic Party.

September 22, 2009
Contact: DHS Press Office, (202) 282-8010

SECRETARY NAPOLITANO AND USCIS DIRECTOR MAYORKAS

LAUNCH REDESIGNED USCIS WEBSITE

WASHINGTON-Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas and Federal Chief Performance Officer Jeff Zients today launched a redesigned USCIS website-available in English and Spanish-a major effort which fulfills President Obama’s pledge to offer enhanced navigation tools for the public to access immigration information and review case status.

“Transparency and openness are critical to effective immigration and citizenship policies,” said Secretary Napolitano. “USCIS’ new website provides the public with the latest tools-from text messages to emails-to improve responsiveness and access to immigration services.”

“The redesigned website we are launching today reflects our commitment to listening to the public and creating a better experience for the hundreds of thousands of USCIS customers we serve,” said USCIS Director Mayorkas. “This effort is the first step toward creating a more innovative, customer-centric experience that meets the nation’s citizenship and immigration needs.”

Secretary Napolitano and Director Mayorkas made the announcement at a press conference at USCIS Headquarters, highlighting the Obama administration’s commitment to achieving government accessibility and transparency using online and new media tools.

The new USCIS website provides a one-stop location for immigration services and information-including an innovative service called My Case Status, which allows immigration customers to receive alerts on the status of their applications via text message and e-mail.

Other new features include a Where to Start tool to guide users through the navigation process; a simplified way to track individual case status; local and national case processing times; an improved search engine; and a new Information Dashboard feature allowing users to access national immigration trends associated with immigration petitions and applications.

Visit the new sites at www.uscis.gov and www.uscis.gov/espanol.

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Asian American Democrats of Texas (AADT) Reception
for Democratic National Committee AAPI Caucus a “Big Success”

AUSTIN, TX – Utilizing its recognized role as the sole representative political organization of Asian Americans in this state, the Asian American Democrats of Texas (AADT) gave a Texas-sized welcome to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Caucus of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on September 10 in Austin. Caucus members attending the reception included Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong, Keith Umemoto, Chair of the DNC Credentials Committee, Jadine Nielsen, Russell Okata, and Jennifer Vanderheide, Chief of Staff to DNC Vice Chair Rep. Mike Honda. Noting AADT’s remarkable success in organizing Asian Americans in Texas politics, Chair Leong-Hong observed, “In order for AAPIs to be truly included at all levels of government, whether appointed or elected, the first step is getting involved with groups such as AADT. AADT’s impressive organization at the state and local level is a model for the rest of the country.”

With an overflow crowd of over one hundred attendees, the AADT reception was also a favored platform for Texas candidates to spread their message. Candidates addressing the gathering included Democratic candidates for US Senate Bill White and John Sharp and Democratic candidates for Governor of Texas Tom Schieffer and Hank Gilbert. Seven local Travis County Democratic candidates attended the reception as well, and took the opportunity to introduce themselves to the gathering. As has become traditional for AADT events, a delicious dinner was served to guests, made possible by the generous donations of the individuals and organizations noted below. More information about this event is available at the Asian American Democrats of Texas’s website, www.aadt.us, or by e-mailing mail@aadt.us.

Event Sponsors:
Judge R. K. Sandill, 127th District Court
Mayor Bill White, Candidate for US Senate
State Representative Valinda Bolton
State Representative Elliott Naishtat
State Representative Eddie Rodriguez
State Representative Mark Strama
State Representative Kristi Thibaut
State Representative Hubert Vo
Amy Clark Meachum, Candidate for 353rd District Court
Hank Gilbert, Candidate for Governor of Texas
Tom Schieffer, Candidate for Governor of Texas
John Sharp, Candidate for US Senate
Jack McDonald, Candidate for US Congress 10th District
Neesha Dave
AJ Durrani, Member, State Democratic Executive Committee
Jennifer Kim
Jerry Philips
Gordon Quan
Farrukh Shamsi, Member, State Democratic Executive Committee
Mini Timmaraju, Member, State Democratic Executive Committee
CAAAD Asian American Progress PAC

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Are you passionate about Asian American issues, politics and our community? Do you enjoy surfing the ‘Net and using Twitter and Facebook? If so, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress wants you. We’re a national network of progressive Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and allies that supports progressive change through grassroots action and our popular website and blog at apaforprogress.org. We’re looking for interns to help track the latest news and events, blog, and expand our online profile through Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, and other tools. The best part? Interns can work from home and on their own schedules. If interested, please send an email with your resume and a statement of interest to curtis@apaforprogress.org - knowledge of drupal a plus.

From the White House:

We are pleased to announce that the application for the 2010 Spring Internship is now available at whitehouse.gov/about/internships. Applications are due September 20, 2009. The application includes two essays, three letters of recommendation and a resume. Each applicant will be evaluated on three basic qualities: a commitment to public service, demonstration of leadership in the community and dedication to the mission of this Administration. The applicant’s communication, writing and office skills will also be reviewed and considered. An applicant’s GPA is not figured into the final score, and each application is reviewed on a semi-blind basis.

By now, we all probably know that some a-hole shouted out “You lie” during President Obama’s speech when the President was disputing the charge that health care reform will cover illegal aliens. Far from being a random heckler, it was a sitting member of Congress, U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (SC-02). (What’s in the water in SC these days, anyway?)

Rob Miller, an Iraq War veteran, is running against Wilson for South Carolina’s Second Congressional District. Already the netroots have raised over $100,000 for Miller from last night. Asian Pacific Americans for Progress (APAP) started their own ActBlue page to support Miller, which has already raised $478. If you think Wilson is an embarrassment to both this country and to his office, donate here and help Rob Miller defeat Joe Wilson!

(Oh, and if anyone wants to donate to Joe Wilson, feel free to do so here.

Cross-posted from AAA-Fund Blog:

Do you want to have a meaningful say in the healthcare debate — and win $150 and much more?

It’s easy. All you’ve got to do is blog — and our readers will be the judge! Read on for the exciting details.

AAA-Fund proudly announces its 2009 Healthcare Blogathon:

How can we fix our healthcare system so that everyone can get access to quality, affordable healthcare?  Please share your thoughts and personal stories on why we need healthcare reform now (500 words or less).

For details on how to enter, go below the fold.

HOW TO ENTER:

Send your entries to Richard Chen (rchen AT aaa-fund.org).

But hurry! The deadline: Sept. 11, 8 pm ET.

We will print every entry that meets our standards for publication (translation: well written content, but no abusive or offensive language). Please make sure to include a suggested title for your piece.

And just like in American Idol, our readers will get to decide the winners (more details about that in a couple weeks)!

Meanwhile, here are the prizes:

First Place: One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150), 2 free tickets to the 2010 AAA-Fund Gala (a $200 value), and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger

Second Place: 2 free tickets to the 2010 AAA-Fund Gala (a $200 value), and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger

Third Place: Lunch with a AAA-Fund leader, and an exclusive invitation to become a featured AAA-Fund Blogger

Enter early and often!

Thanks for joining this afternoon’s call. Some of you may already have this, but for others, attached please find the AAPI Health Reform Action Guide. The packet is designed as an outreach tool, not a policy piece, and accordingly will help answer some of the outreach-related questions that you may have asked in the last several weeks, or on the call today.  

Best,

Kalpen Modi
Associate Director
White House Office of Public Engagement

Please join us:

Title: AAPI Health Reform Call
Date: Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Participant: (800) 230-1074
Start Time: 12 noon EDT

Kalpen Modi
Associate Director
White House Office of Public Engagement

Meet local Asian American Democrats, our elected officials, and our national representatives and find out what the state and national parties are doing for you.

Thursday, September 10, 2009
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Chinatown Restaurant
3407 Greystone Drive
Austin, Texas

Complimentary appetizers

Please call 512.326.0222 or send an e-mail to mail@aadt.us to RSVP or learn about volunteer opportunities. Please visit www.aadt.us for more information.

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122540372077

***Please help advertise this event by distributing the announcement and below JPEG file. Thanks!***