Youth Feed

Strengthening the Hands of Our Community: Forum for families brings scores to San Gabriel High

Connie K. Ho — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:59:39 +0000

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Release Date:

May 17, 2012

“This city is quiet, they have many programs that benefit the community, and I’m very happy to be part of this valley.” These were the words of Maria Julia Lopez, a mother who attended the 3rd Annual Family Forum at San Gabriel High School, on why she loved the San Gabriel Valley.

Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) organized last Saturday's event which focused on providing parents and youth in the San Gabriel Valley with information regarding community engagement, health and safety, higher education, among other important issues. (Alhambra Source was a co-sponsor).

APALC is a legal and civic rights organization that assists Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). This year’s Family Forum started with the theme of “Strengthening the Hands of Our Community.” Over 200 people visited the workshops, watched performances, and attended the resource fair.

During the day-long program, there were 18 different workshops that parents and students could attend. For parents, there were sessions on areas like cooking a healthy Chinese meal as well as college finances and scholarships. Concurrent youth workshops included topics such as finding a job or finding a balance in life goals.

“I think we learned a lot of new stuff and it was nice to be exposed to more cultures,” said Sarah Kim, a junior at Mark Keppel High School who attended a workshop on art and drawing.

Besides the workshops, a resource fair of different organizations was held in the courtyard of the campus. The fair featured a number of health-related groups, such as Planned Parenthood and APA Healthcare. Participants were able to learn more about health topics through fliers, pamphlets, and demonstrations.

“As an organization, we understand how important families are in strengthening knowledge and helping themselves help each other,” said Mayra Yñiguez, a health educator with Planned Parenthood in Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley. “I’m very happy and overwhelmed to see community members take an active role in their own health.”

The day’s festivities ended with entertaining performances by the Taiko Center of Los Angeles and the Hi/Low Hip Hop Crew of San Gabriel High School. For those participants who attended workshops and the resource fair, they also had the opportunity to win raffle prizes like a rice cooker and an ACER laptop. The planning committee of students, parents, and staff of APALC worked tirelessly for the program with hopes that the resources and information would prove invaluable to the event attendees.

“In the San Gabriel Valley, there aren’t a lot of events that provide parents and students the resources that they need,” said Mike Pedro, Youth and Community Coordinator for the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. “I hope it continues every year and that the parents know that we’re here to provide services to the community.”

Saving Alhambra's youth with hard knocks

nathan.s — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:37:30 +0000

Release Date:

May 14, 2012

It began as a parental obligation for Rudy Tellez, whose daughter was at Alhambra High School at a time of vicious gang violence.

“We had a lot of problems back in the 80s with Brick City and the Asian gang...Wah Ching,” said Tellez, 63. When he witnessed a young person get shot, Tellez decided to take action: “I said no more, no more violence, we got to take care of this.”

Tellez, a former amateur boxer, took to what he knew best to curb aggression: he arranged a boxing tournament between two rival gangs. Nothing fancy, just a few boys and some boxing gloves to work out their frustrations. Today, the gangs are mostly gone, but the kids keep coming to his gym, Alhambra Youth Boxing Club. They come to work out, but also to see friends in a safe space. On any given day about 35 members, ages 7 to 25 and older, fill the gym with the sound of punches and chatter.

“We need more people like him, because he provides a real place for kids to grow and learn,” said Councilwoman Barbara Messina, who was on the city council when Tellez first approached the city about opening a boxing gym. “His heart is in the right place.”

Providing a vehicle to curb anger and support youth that goes beyond sport has been the intention since Tellez founded the gym in 1991. The retired dentist from East Los Angeles and his wife Antonia even provided a toastmasters program at their gym where teens practiced their speaking skills as well as an outreach or counseling sessions.

“That was one of our most proud accomplishments. Something that we did that helped so many kids, it really was new for the area,” said Tellez.

On a recent afternoon, the gym swelled with bodies after school. They came from Alhambra but also nearby El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, and other parts of East Los Angeles. Inside the club beat a pulse, one that all the trainers and athletes seem to understand. The young fighters, some under the age of 10, some girls, pummeled each other, but always exchanged thanks at the end.

“You get a lot of discipline here, something that a lot of these kids need in today’s society,” said Tellez, who has the abrasive swagger of a coach, but can also seem like an uncle who understands life can challenge a teenager. “If it’s boxing or with their mind, we let them work it out,”

Tellez suggests a monthly donation for membership, but he does not force anyone out for not paying. Instead, he relies on donations from parents, help from volunteers and students who clean up after themselves. In more than two decades, the gym moved three times, until finally settling in its current location on Main Street sandwiched between an auto shop and a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation. The gym shows the ware that comes with finances stretched thin: the rings’ ropes are frayed, posters on the walls have faded into yellows, some of the speed bag frames are made from chipped wood.

But despite the gym's worn facade, the youth appear excited, some thrilled even, to be part of the group.

“Now that I’ve discovered it, I have to box like at least once a day,” said Tiffany Lemus, 19, from Alhambra. She knocks a speed bag and in the same breath talks with her friends, other girls who train at the gym. “It’s a great workout and it’s a relief – it keeps your mind off a lot of things.”

Tellez, who spends less time in the ring, still keeps a watchful eye over the scene. “We’re here for everyone, just so long as they have a good time and make it count.” And, as for the gang violence that drove him initially, he’s noticed the difference as well: “You don’t hear about it any more here in Alhambra.”

Location

Alhambra Youth Boxing Club

2314 West Main Street

Alhambra, CA 91801

United States

34° 5' 36.4992" N, 118° 8' 54.69" W

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Why is APALC supporting healthy families in Alhambra?

Wed, 09 May 2012 18:44:56 +0000

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May 9, 2012

On Saturday, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center will be hosting a forum for family issues at San Gabriel High School in Alhambra. Marvin Andrade, the national advocacy organization's director of leadership development, explains why families, why this is not limited to Asian Americans, and why Alhambra.

Among the most inspiring moments of my career in the non-profit sector have been watching youth and parents organize around a common cause: fundraising to bring more books to a school library, packing school board chambers to testify against the closing of community programs, and walking together demanding the construction of new schools.

As high school graduation season approaches, an issue confronting families is students’ access to higher education. In the San Gabriel Valley, severe state budget cuts to education have led local community colleges like East Los Angeles and Pasadena and universities like Cal State Los Angeles and California State University, Northridge to increase tuition fees while at the same time limiting enrollment.   As a result, many high school students are falling through the cracks, not able to gain admission to colleges and universities. Students of immigrant families often face additional challenges because of language barriers. The more parents know about the educational system and how to navigate it, the more likely they will be to help their children achieve a college degree.

To help empower families, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) launched the San Gabriel Valley Family Forum three years ago. The day-long event brings families together, and provide youth and parents with information on issues such as college readiness, financial aid, and more. This year the forum, which usually draws about 400 community members, will be held at San Gabriel High School on Saturday, May 12 from 8:00am to 3:00pm.

As the largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States, APALC has placed special attention to Alhambra over the past decade because of the steady Asian population growth in the city and surrounding communities. According to recent census figures, Asian Americans were the only group that grew in numbers over the past decade in Alhambra, adding about 3,000 new residents and making them 53 percent of the city. At the same time, the community is multiethnic, with more than one third of the population Latino, and one of APALC's goals is inter-ethnic leadership.

The city is also becoming home to a more mature population with established families with U.S. citizen children. Serving more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, APALC looks to continue building a strong Asian family voice for civil rights and social justice. Ensuring that Alhambra families have access to a quality education after high school is a fundamental factor to achieve that goal.

At the Family Forum, parents and youth can expect to have a great time with music, performances, raffles, and food. Various organizations will have information tables for families to learn about programs and services available to them. Several workshops will be offered focusing on themes such as pathways to colleges and universities, establishing careers in math and science fields, building bridges across generations, and ways parent can support children when in college. Students that are part of APALC's Student Leadership Network—a program that trains and supports community-based student leadership organizations at Alhambra, Mark Keppel, and San Gabriel high schools—will debut their service learning projects. The projects address various important issues to them, like dealing with bullying at school, and the effects of budget cuts in their schools. Parents from the Parent Leadership Program—a program geared to create confident parent advocates—will also serve as volunteers helping with logistics, while other will assist in the facilitation of workshops.

One particular issue that will be at this year’s forum will be electrical safety. Last year the San Gabriel Valley experienced some of the most potent windstorms in recent memory. Tens of thousands of families were left without power, schools were closed, and neighborhoods had to deal with fallen trees and power lines. Southern California Edison — who is sponsoring the event — will be also providing youth and parents with information on pre and post storm electrical safety, as well as other topics and issues leading to family, neighborhood, and community safety.

The Family Forum will be at San Gabriel High School on Saturday, May 12 from 8:00am to 3:00pm. Alhambra Source is a co-sponsor of the event and will have a booth.

Hepatitis B Awareness Youth Art Contest

Alice Wong — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:35:34 +0000

Release Date:

May 2, 2012

HEPATITIS B AWARENESS YOUTH ART CONTEST for those in K-12. Deadline 6/17. No entry fee. Winners will be recognized with $250 at an awards ceremony and have a chance to get their artwork published on a 2013 calendar!

Viral hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver and Hepatitis B is the cause of a growing number of new liver cancer cases and for the need for liver transplants. As many as 3/4 of Americans living with the disease are unaware of their status and, thereby, are not receiving treatment and attention for their condition. The Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) population has a greater than normal susceptibility of contracting Hepatitis B as 1 out of 10 APIAs are chronically infected as compared with 1 in 1000 of Caucasian Americans, according to The National Task Force on Hepatitis B. Therefore, as Hepatitis B is an infectious life-threatening disease, raising awareness of Hepatitis B in the Asian Pacific Islander American population is essential.

For more information and to download the application: http://cacayc.wordpress.com/

Location

Los Angeles

-----

Alhambra, CA 91803

United States

34° 4' 40.7568" N, 118° 8' 29.4936" W

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The 11th Annual Got Skills! Talent Show

sgvyouthcouncil — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:02:10 +0000

Release Date:

April 13, 2012

Rosemead, CA - Pacific Clinics - Asian Pacific Family Center and the San Gabriel Valley Alcohol and Other Drugs Prevention and Policy Youth Council will host the 11th Annual Got Skills! Talent Show on Friday, May 11th, 2012 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at Barnes Park Amphitheater in Monterey Park, CA. This substance-free event is organized for the youth by the youth to promote the idea that young people can have fun without using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. We will give away free T-shirts, drinks, and other giveaways to the audience throughout the night!

This year, we will feature 12 contestants ranging from ages 12 to 18. Our MC’s and judges include, rapper/songwriter Tu Ben Ngo aka MaJik, musician Rob aka Kaliq Scott, dancer Misty RasconSmith, rapper/songwriter James “Toestah” To, and more to be announced.

First place winner receives $200, second place winner earns $100 and third place winner takes home $50. Our event is supported by Monterey Park Police Department-Crime Impact Team, LA County Friday Night Live Partnership, Man-E Moreno Foundation, Prive Water, and Whole Foods Market Arroyo.

Tickets are on sale now $3 presale and can be purchased at Asian Pacific Family Center. They may also be purchased for $5 at the door on the day of the event.

Pacific Clinics - Asian Pacific Family Center is a private, non-profit community-based organization. For more information about Got Skills!, please contact sgvaodyouthcouncil@yahoo.com or (626) 287-2988 or visit us at www.facebook.com/SGVGotSkills for regular updates.

Location

Barnes Park Amphitheater

350 S. McPherrin Ave

Monterey Park, CA 91770

United States

34° 3' 31.4388" N, 118° 7' 38.2152" W

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Questions about Chinese New Years?

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:27:49 +0000

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globalvcitizen

jamesaho

Lazarite

ylee92

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January 18, 2012

Ever since Victoria Gavia was in elementary school, she had heard about Chinese New Year — which this year is on Monday, January 23 — but never celebrated it herself. As a senior at Alhambra High, she sat down with Yvonne Lee, James Ho, Alan Tam of the Youth Feed to ask them about the money envelopes (and if non-Asians can get them), cleaning houses like crazy, and the exotic foods.

Do kids typically get a lot of money? Does it turn into a competition of sorts?

Because married couples are kind of obligated or expected to give red envelopes to younger siblings, cousins, nieces, and nephews, the more people you visit on Chinese New Year means more money. Some of our friends get almost a thousand dollars but we never really receive that much. It’s not really a competition because it seems that when you get older, you get less money.

Can non-Asians receive money?

YL: My mom gives out money to people who are not Chinese. So long as you say the phrase “Gong Hay Fat Choy,” which basically translates into wishing a Happy New Year with good health and prosperity, I think people of all ethnic backgrounds can participate and get a red envelope which is equivalent to giving good luck.

Why do Chinese celebrate New Year's during this time of the year?

JH: Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar and not the Gregorian one that the Western World goes by. We celebrate it every year around this time according to the moon’s position to symbolize a new year.

Does your family do anything differently during New Years? How strict are the traditions regarding how to celebrate?

We eat exotic foods that we usually wouldn’t eat any other time of year. We clean insanely and have weird, traditional customs to abide by. Being very superstitious, we aren’t allowed to cut our hair or shave until three days after New Years because it supposedly “cleans” away the good luck of the New Year.

You were talking about the exotic types of foods. What kind of foods do you eat?

YL: In my family we eat fungus, bambu and tree sap, thousand-year-eggs, jellyfish — stuff that we wouldn’t eat the rest of the year. There is a particular dish of seaweed that resembles hair. There is a lot of roast pork and various meets. Some of us eat shark fin soup. Then there's bbq and deep-fried meats.

How else is celebrating Chinese New Year different from celebrating the regular New Year?

There’s no party. There’s no count down. Some people go to the temple to pray if you’re really hard core.

Is it true that you’re supposed to wear red underwear for the entire year if it’s your year?

We’ve never heard about that.

Do you have questions about Chinese New Year's? Answers? Send them on...

*An earlier version of this story was published 2/3/2011

We grew up in Alhambra!

stephanie.lee — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 23:18:23 +0000

Release Date:

January 13, 2012

Originally Published 10/03/2010

In less than a month the “I Grew Up in Alhambra” Facebook group attracted more than 1,000 members. It now has more than 2,400. For months members have been sharing memories such as eating a ham sandwich at Grant’s Department Store or selling underwear at Lieberg’s on Main Street, and visiting favorite spots such as Club 88, Sara’s burritos, and El Rey Theater. Most of these places are long gone. And many of the members of the group also moved away from Alhambra long ago. “Wish I could live there still. ♥,” wrote one. “THIS ALL TRIPS ME OUT. Been in the NW so long it sounds so strange to hear those names,” wrote another. Youth Feed writer Stephanie Lee (Alhambra High ‘10) caught up with group creator Philip Pisano (Alhambra High ‘70), and asked about why the concept has been such a success and how growing up in Alhambra has changed.

What made you decide to start the group?

Two of my friends from growing up in Alhambra, Charlie Rizzo and Mark Jebbia, passed away. We’d always tried to stay in contact after high school, but we just lost touch. So I started the group on February 15 for people who are from Alhambra, but may no longer live there, to reconnect. A few of the people I know from growing up in Alhambra remained there, but for the most part they moved away. My closest friends from Alhambra have moved to Orange County, which is where I live now. That small group stayed in touch. But others have spread all across the United States.

Did you expect the group to take off the way it did?

I was very surprised. It was all done by the word of mouth. Since then, not only has the Alhambra site taken off, but many other cities have adopted ones:

1. Tustin

2. La Mirada

3. Saratoga, Springfield, VA

3. Live Oak Park, Temple City

4. Hyderabad

5. Wynnefield

6. Newport Beach

7. Dover Shores, Newport Beach

8. Bayshores, Newport Beach

9. Queens, New York

What type of information are users in Alhambra sharing?

Mostly memories. There are posts about Little League games at Granada Park, or going to Midwick Tract—people are also posting about restaurants they liked and cruising down Valley Boulevard. A lot of people are reconnecting whether they played baseball together, football together. They’re making plans to get together.

I grew up in Alhambra and go to Alhambra High, but don’t recognize a lot of the places that people were saying they remembered. Do you feel Alhambra has changed a lot since you grew up here?

Many of the restaurants and the things that you’re seeing on the website are no longer there. Everyone had his favorite place to go. But there are very few that are still there — Pepe’s restaurant and a few others. The Hat is one of them. That’s one of the one’s that everyone still talks about. Also Jay-Dee’s, that’s a bar. That’s been there for 60 years.

Do you ever come back to visit Alhambra?

Every time I go to Los Angeles. Very rarely do I not drive through the area and not visit the Granada Park area.

What else would you like to see happen with the group?

A lot of the users went to Alhambra High School and for most it’s such a long time between when they get an opportunity to see each other. So with the group they can share events between reunions. The idea is everyone will know what’s going on. And there’s already a lot of exchanging of photos between members – but not with the entire group. People are e-mailing pictures of their kids, grandchildren, or pets. On the group page, we’ll have a place for people to upload photos and share with everyone.

The original interview was conducted in March, 2010. Since then, Philip Pisano said the group has grown, as have the activities: " We recently had a 40th year reunion for the AHS graduating class of 1970. We have been able to locate many of our friends through our site, but there are so many more that we have not been able to locate. We recently added a discussion topic called the Midwick Tract Log IN. We are trying to locate people that grew up in the Midwick Tract."

Interview was condensed and edited.

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All Souls School Dual Language Immersion Program Open House | Jan 22, 2012

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:24:08 +0000

Release Date:

December 22, 2011

Two language immersion strands will be offered to the entering kindergarten classes in the fall of 2012: Spanish/English and Mandarin/English.

ATTENTION!

OPEN HOUSE
January 22, 2012
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Information Meetings
• Why immersion? Advantages and Research
• Curriculum
• Tour the Classroom
• Mini-lesson: Come to experience immersion the
way your child(ren) will experience it at the
hands of a credentialed teacher.
• Kindergarten and First Grade.

Who should attend?
Parents, grandparents, and all interested parties.

When?

* January 22, 2012 (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.)

School Office Open 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. M-F
626-282-5695
www.ascschool.org

Location

All Souls School

1500 W. Main St.

Alhambra, CA 91801

United States

34° 5' 29.4648" N, 118° 8' 22.5348" W

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TEEN IMPROV WORKSHOPS!

maia.villa — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:07:39 +0000

Release Date:

November 30, 2011

Know any 14-17 year olds interested in performing and would like something fun to do on a Sunday? Are one yourself? Don't miss out!

Mosaic Lizard Theater is starting its third session of teen improvisation workshops this Sunday, December 4th.

For more information, visit www.lizardtheater.com

Thanks!

-MLT

Location

Mosaic Lizard Theater

112 W. Main St.

Alhambra, CA 91801

United States

34° 5' 39.804" N, 118° 7' 41.5524" W

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Thanksgiving turkey with tamales? Sticky rice and potstickers on the side?

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:10:06 +0000

Release Date:

November 22, 2011

Story Type:

Youth Feed

Members of the Alhambra Source's youth journalism program interviewed their mothers last year about celebrating Thanksgiving as immigrants. Do you remember your first Thanksgiving? Does your family eat mashed potatoes, turkey, and sweet potato pie -- or do you have your own combinations? Share your recipes and traditions.

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ylee92

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