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Latest News and Updates
Dafodil Days - Help NAAAP Philadelphia Support the American Cancer Society
Posted by Jason on 2010-01-31 21:05:15 EST
The daffodil is a symbol of hope and renewal. To the American Cancer Society, daffodils represent the hope we all share for a world with less cancer and more birthdays – one where cancer never steals another year from anyone’s life.
Please join NAAAP Philadelphia in the Fight Against Cancer by supporting the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days Campaign. By making a Daffodil Days donation, you will be doing more than giving or receiving beautiful flowers; you will be sharing hope for a future free of cancer by raising funds and awareness to beat the disease.
You can donate on this Web site until February 22, 2010. Actual daffodil delivery will be available during the week of March 15, 2010. Please make your donation using the Get Daffodils link on the top left hand side of this page.
NAAAP Philadelphia gives you our heartfelt thanks for supporting Daffodil Days and for helping save lives from cancer.
Visit the NAAAP Philadelphia Fundraising Page Below! (Cut and paste to your browser bar)
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=12864748&fr_id=26961&pg=personal
Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership Internship - Deadline March 1
Posted by Jason on 2010-01-18 10:53:56 EST
Based in Washington, DC, the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) is a nonprofit committed to the development of APA leadership in the public sector.
CAPAL is recruiting undergraduate and graduate student interns for the summer of 2010. Nine interns will receive a stipend and a placement within the US Department of Agriculture.
Three interns will receive a scholarship to intern with the organization of their choice. All students will receive mentorship and professional development from CAPAL's network of APA professionals in DC.
Applications are due on March 1.
For more information, please visit http://www.capal.org/ee/pages/index.php?/Programs/index
or email scholarships@capal.org.
Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs - Inaugural Benefit Reception
Posted by Jason on 2010-01-16 18:26:14 EST
SAVE THE DATE
The Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs will be hosting its Inaugural Annual Benefit Reception, “Bridging Cultures Celebration 2010”
When: February 16, 2010, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Mayor’s Reception Room in City Hall
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Philadelphia, January 08, 2009 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter signed an Executive Order (No. 01-09) re-establishing the Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs and announced his appointees to the Commission.
The Commission is charged with keeping the Mayor and Administration officials apprised of issues and concerns in the community; proactively reviewing issues of concern to the various communities and monitoring the impact of and satisfaction with the delivery of City services within the communities; and with serving as a connector between social service, community, cultural and other organizations and City government. Dr. Nina Ahmad will serve as the Chair of the Commission.
The Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs was first constituted in 1990 by Mayor Goode. For many years, the Commission served as an important link between City government and the Asian American communities, but became inactive in recent years. After meeting with Asian American community leaders interested in bringing back the Commission, the Mayor requested nominations and applications to the Commission in the fall.
OCA Accepting Applications for Summer Internship Program
Posted by Jason on 2010-01-11 17:05:47 EST
Washington, DC--OCA, a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), is now accepting applications for its 2010 Summer Internship Program.
Celebrating its 21th year, the OCA Internship Program seeks to cultivate future leadership by providing students from all over the country an opportunity to be involved in the political process through a national organization. The program has successfully led past interns to become more active on their college campus and increased the presence of the APA community in local, state and federal governments.
In addition to connecting interns with the APA community and developing their leadership, OCA also brings summer interns to the OCA National Convention, the largest APA conference in the country. The 2010 National Convention will be in Houston from June 17-20. The convention will feature speakers, entertainment, workshops, and our signature gala. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make sure they are able to attend.
For the summer session, interns are expected to commit to working full-time for ten weeks between the dates of May 24 – Aug 13, 2010. Applications will be reviewed by the Internship Committee and a telephone interview may be scheduled.
For more information on the OCA Summer Internship and to apply, go to OCA’s website at www.ocanational.org and click “Internship” under “Programs.” We highly encourage applicants to apply online. Applications for internships need to be postmarked or submitted online by March 1, 2010 for the summer session.
Please contact the OCA National Center at 202-223-5500 or iho@ocanational.org if you have any questions
Penn Museum Welcomes the Year of the Tiger at the 29th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration
Posted by Jason on 2010-01-10 19:31:18 EST
PHILADELPHIA -Roar into the New Year with the power and courage of a Tiger! The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology presents the 29th annual Chinese New Year Celebration, in the honor of the Year of the Tiger, Saturday, January 23, 2010, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm! Music and dance performances, healing and martial arts demonstrations, games, workshops, children's activities, and much more - topped off with the traditional Chinese Lion Dance grand finale - are all part of the spectacular day-long celebration. The celebration is free with Museum admission donation ($10 general admission; $7 seniors; $6 students with ID and children [6-17]; free for children under 6, Museum members and PennCard holders).
OCA-GP will be participating in the festivities with children's story telling.
For more information see
http://www.penn.museum/press-releases/698-penn-museum-welcomes-the-year-of-the-tiger-at-the-29th-annual-chinese-new-year-celebration.html
UPS Foundation Awards $100,000 to OCA for Scholarship and Mentoring Programs
Posted by Jason on 2009-12-10 16:12:46 EST
Washington, DC—OCA, a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), is pleased to announce they received a $100,000 grant from The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS (NYSE:UPS). The grant will be utilized in 2010 to support OCA’s UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship and the Mentoring Asian American Professionals (MAAP) Program.
“OCA is so honored to have this relationship with UPS and we are grateful for their continued support,” said Ken Lee, OCA national president. “Because of UPS, we have been able to provide future leaders with the tools they need for success.”
The OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship Program provides an opportunity for APA high school students who are the first in their family to attend an institution of higher education. For ten years, UPS has provided scholarships to 118 APAs to help reach their full academic potential.
In 2009, OCA launched the three-month MAAP program, designed to cultivate the next generation of confident, empowered, equipped, and collaborative APA professional leaders through mentoring, skills-building, and networking. With the generous support of The UPS Foundation, MAAP was launched in Atlanta, San Francisco and Washington, D.C .
“The UPS Foundation is committed to funding impactful programs that make a meaningful difference in our communities—so we are proud to support OCA’s efforts to provide scholarships and mentorship opportunities,” said Ken Sternad, president of the UPS Foundation.
Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Ga., The UPS Foundation identifies specific areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, The UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: nonprofit effectiveness, economic and global literacy, encouraging diversity, community safety and environmental sustainability.
In 2008, The UPS Foundation distributed $46.9 million worldwide through grants that benefit programs such as the UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship and MAAP, and provided support for building stronger communities.
Shen Yun Performing Arts Program
Posted by Jason on 2009-12-06 20:53:01 EST
Experience the beauty and grandeur of China's 5,000 year history with Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun portrays ancient legends and modern tales of courage, compassion and grace through exhilarating and uplifting music and dance performances.
Time:
Saturday, January 2, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 3, 2010, 2:00 p.m.
215-893-1999 (Box Office) 215-475-4492 (Hotline)
www.AcademyofMusic.org
Ticket Prices:
$35 $50 $68 $78 $98 $129
Website:
www.shenyunperformingarts.org
Where:
Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, 19102
Enjoy a 10% special discount when purchasing tickets, using coupon code "happy".
OCA is a Community Sponsor of "The Betrayal" Documentary
Posted by Jason on 2009-11-27 13:17:19 EST
Asian Arts Initiative will present a free community screening of Thavisouk Phrasavath's documentary film The Betrayal next Friday, December 4, at 7 p.m. as part of their IlluminAsian series.
Similar to New Year Baby, The Betrayal is a very beautifully shot documentary that raises awareness about important historical events that have ongoing repercussions today.
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The screening will be followed by a discussion with Channapha Khamvongsa, Executive Director of Legacies of War, visiting from Washington, DC.
Filmed over 23 years, Oscar-nominated documentary film THE BETRAYAL (Nerakhoon) (2008) is the directorial debut of THAVISOUK PHRASAVATH.
The life of Laotian immigrant THAVISOUK PHRASAVATH serves as a metaphor for the far-reaching repercussions that are still felt from America's involvement in the Vietnam War. When his family suffered persecution following the U.S. withdrawal from Southeast Asia as a result of his father's work for the CIA, Phrasavath's mother fled with eight of her ten children to a life of poverty in Brooklyn.
A significant portion of the film is spoken in Lao and accompanied by English subtitles.
POST-SCREENING DISCUSSION
The screening will be followed by a discussion facilitated by CHANNAPHA KHAMVONGSA, Co-Founder and Executive Director of LEGACIES OF WAR, whose mission is to educate and advocate for the removal of unexploded bombs in Laos, to provide space for healing the wounds of war, and to create greater hope for a future of peace.
SNEAK PEEK
Check out the trailer: http://cinemaguild.com/betrayaltlink.html
Asian Americans & Pacific Islander (AAPIs) Support Immigration Reform
Posted by Jason on 2009-11-18 14:09:52 EST
( Washington, D.C.) Today, Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) will share details about the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that he intends to introduce this year through a national telebriefing. Communities across the country are joining this national conversation in their homes, churches, classrooms and worksites, and then taking actions to promote immigration reform. Organized by the Reform Immigration FOR America campaign, this call follows an earlier public rally on October 13 where Rep. Gutierrez laid out the core principles that will serve as the substance of his bill.
“Though the AAPI community is diverse, immigration is one issue that crosses all ethnic lines. Whether they are first generation or fifth generation, AAPIs recognize the fundamental importance of the issue and its impact on our community,” stated Curtis Chin, board president of Asian Pacific Americans for Progress.
“The importance and urgency of comprehensive immigration reform for Asian Americans and for all Americans cannot be overstated,” stated Karen Narasaki, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center. “By participating in this national call, Asian Americans across the country, from California to Florida, Michigan to Texas, are letting their members of Congress know that Asian Americans are demanding action – now.”
“A prevailing misconception in mainstream America is that the broken immigration system does not impact AAPIs. That’s simply not true; we are adversely impacted in many ways. A surprising 10% of the undocumented are AAPIs, including young people, and countless others are languishing behind bars in detention centers. That’s why we are stepping up our actions and this event is part of that,” stated EunSook Lee, executive director of NAKASEC.
List of Participating AAPI organizations:
Asian American Justice Center
Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Asian Pacific Americans for Progress
Korean American Resource & Cultural Center
Korean Resource Center
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
National Asian Pacific Center for Aging
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium
OCA – Embracing the Hopes and Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans
Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc.
South Asian Americans Leading Together
Philly Asian American Bone Marrow Registration Drive - Official Press Release
Posted by Jason on 2009-11-17 15:06:24 EST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chinese Freemasons of Philadelphia, Chinese Christian Church and Center (CCCNC), Organization of Chinese Americans-Great Philadelphia (OCA-GP), National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation Inc., and Kevin Shen’s family and supporters (the ‘Sponsors’) jointly announced that they will host a marrow drive on Sunday, November 22, 2009, from 10 am to 3 pm, at Chinese Christian Church and Center located at 225 North 10th Street (intersect with Spring Street), Philadelphia, PA, for Kevin Shen.
Kevin Shen is a 15 year old high school student, of Chinese descent, living in Bridgewater, NJ. In July 2008, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), the most aggressive type of leukemia. Kevin is an excellent student but could not attend school since then. He has had 6 rounds of chemotherapy and endured devastating side effects and suffering. Kevin is now in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, for the 7th round chemotherapy while waiting to find a marrow or stem cell donor because his life depends on the marrow or stem cell transplant.
This marrow drive is a continuation of a series of marrow drives held in New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Michigan, Texas, since late September 2009, which have been organized by Kevin’s volunteer supporters in working with Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation Inc., civic and faith-based organizations in the Chinese communities in the states. As of the press time, a total of 1,136 people registered to support Kevin and other leukemia patients.
The marrow drive consists two parts 1) completing the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registration form, and 2) taking tissue samples by using swab to scrub the four corners of one’s inner cheek. The form and the tissue sample are sent to NMDP to test the HLA (human leukocyte antigens) typing (the first 6 antigens out of 12 total). This preliminary result is then stored in NMDP’s registry. If a registered donor first 6 antigens matches a patient, NMDP will contact the person for further testing to see if that person is a match. Once confirmed, the person will have a full physical and consultation to determine that he or she is healthy to donate his or her marrow or stem cells. The donation is completely voluntary and the medical costs are covered by patient’s insurance or NMDP. In addition, NMDP is the only registry created to operate as a national registry for medical purpose for the civilian population, and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. As such, the confidentiality of the data is guaranteed by the government laws and regulations.
Statistically, the probability of finding a matching donor is extremely small but there is a better chance finding one in the same ethnic donor group. However, the private search effort and hospital initiated search through NMDP (covers worldwide database) have not found an ideal match donor yet. As Kevin’s life is on the line, the Sponsors ask any Chinese between the age of 18 and 60 and healthy to register.
For further questions concerning marrow donor registration, see marrow donor information sheet or logon to www.marrow.org (NMDP’s site) or www.cllf.org (Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation Inc. site).
The Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation Inc. is an official marrow recruitment group of NMDP/Be the Match Registry for seventeen years. The foundation was established by the Lee family in 1992 to help Cammy, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Philadelphia Chromosome Positive at age of thirteen in 1986, to find a match marrow donor. Cammy received her marrow transplant from a Canadian Chinese woman donor in 1993 and was cured. She is now working hard to help other leukemia patients find a match through marrow drives.
Save Kevin - Asian American Bone Marrow Registration Drive
Posted by Jason on 2009-11-12 11:09:55 EST
OCA is proud to work with the Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation in helping to get more Asian Americans registered to the National Marrow Donor Program.
The registration process is easy and painless.
Potential donors fill out a form and provide a mouth swab sample. The forms and sample kits are sent to National Marrow Donor Program processing center for genetic testing.
When: Sunday, November 22nd (10am - 3pm)
Where: Chinese Christian Church and Center (10th and Spring)
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Kevin was born and raised in Bridge Water, NJ. At the age of 14 he was a straight A student, a violinist in his High School, and loved comic books.
All that changed one day in July 2008 when Kevin was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a rare form of aggressive leukemia. In the following 8.5 months, he went through 5 rounds of chemo and lost all his hair while fighting the other devastating side effects. After 65 blood transfusions and numerous painful treatment procedures Kevin finally achieved remission in March 2009. He went home and finished the 9th grade with straight A’s.
But a relapse kept Kevin from going back to school this fall. A brain tumor was detected by a CT scan. Instead he was admitted to the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. The treatment is more daunting this time as the chemo employs more powerful drugs in order to kill all of the cancer cells, at which point he would need an immediate bone marrow transplant. Kevin’s life depends on finding a matching bone marrow donor.
It is heart-breaking that there is no matching donor so far. Kevin is an Asian American and the probability of finding a match from the general population is extremely low. However, Kevin's chances of finding a match are 10 times greater among potential Asian American donors.
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Cosponsors for the event are the Chinese Christian Church and Center, Chinese Freemasons of Philadelphia, and NAAAP - Philly.
Enactment of Hate Crimes Prevention Act a Victory for APAs and OCA
Posted by Jason on 2009-10-28 19:45:08 EDT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
28 October 2009
Washington D.C. —Today, OCA joined President Barack Obama at the White House to commemorate the enactment of the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, an expansion of federal hate crime laws to protect victims of crimes who are targeted because of sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.
As a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), OCA has long-engaged members and affiliates to ensure that adequate hate crimes legislation is enacted at its stories of Vincent Chin and Joseph Ileto not forgotten.
“OCA has fought for over a decade to make our voices heard on the need to protect our communities from violence and hate,” said OCA National President Ken Lee. “We remember Vincent Chin, a Chinese American who was beaten to death because of prejudice toward APAs. With this new legislation, our hope is that hate crime offenders will be held accountable for their crimes, unlike in Vincent Chin’s murder.”
Over the years OCA has worked with our chapters and in coalition with other national organizations on hate crimes prevention, and established educational programs to teach people how to prevent and respond to hate crimes prevention.
“The murder of Matthew Shepard and many other LGBTQ-identified people has been devastating for the community and it is time to end the violence,” said OCA National Secretary Sharon Wong, who attended the White House reception. “We are thrilled this bill has been finally enacted. We have worked on this for so long and we are proud to stand with our civil rights partners as we celebrate this victory.”
APIA U Leadership 101
Posted by Jason on 2009-10-22 17:23:45 EDT
What is APIA U: LEADERSHIP 101?
The interactive college leadership training program involves hands-on exercises, small group discussions, and presentations led by two qualified APIA facilitators. The one day training assembles students from each region and focuses on self-awareness, team-building, and direct action organizing. Participants will be asked to challenge themselves, share their experiences, and develop leadership tools in order to effectively serve as catalysts for change.
When: November 14th 10am - 6pm
Where: The University of Pennsylvania, LGBT Center; 3907 Spruce Street
Cost: FREE! (Sponsored by OCA and State Farm)
RSVP and More Information:
http://www.ocanational.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid
Contact:
-Camden Lee: clee@ocanational.org
-Rohan Grover rgrover@wharton.upenn.edu
OCA Applauds Re-launch of White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Posted by Jason on 2009-10-17 22:26:46 EDT
WASHINGTON, DC—Today President Obama signed an Executive Order restoring the White House Advisory Commission and Interagency Working Group to address issues concerning the AAPI community.
The White House Initiative on AAPIs and the President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs were first created by an Executive Order under President Bill Clinton and then extended until May 2007 by President George W. Bush. During the past two administrations, OCA worked closely with the Initiative staff and the Commission on issues ranging from health disparities to economic opportunities for AAPI community members.
“This is an important first step in ensuring we have a government that not only understands, but represents and truly serves the AAPI community, said OCA Executive Director George Wu. “We look forward to working with the administration to ensure the Initiative, Commission and staffers have a clear mandate of advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans.”
Wu attended the ceremony that was held in the East Room of the White House.
According to the Executive Order, the Initiative and Commission will work to “improve the quality of life and opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through increased access to, and participation in, Federal programs in which they may be underserved. In addition, each will work to advance relevant evidence-based research, data collection and analysis for AAPI populations and subpopulations.”
For more information on OCA, visit www.ocanational.org.
WR Hambrecht+Co Looking to Hire Bi-Lingual Online Broker Call Representative
Posted by Jason on 2009-10-17 20:21:41 EDT
Brokerage Services Representative: WR Hambrecht + Co
Position Description:
WR Hambrecht + Co, an innovative investment bank, seeks a brokerage services representative fluent in Mandarin/Cantonese and English in order to work in their retail brokerage call center in Berwyn, PA. The candidate should be registered Series 7 and 63 and have experience in financial services, including brokerage, trading and client support.
General Responsibilities:
Candidate will support Hong Kong based clients who trade in the US stock markets through WR Hambrecht + Co. Knowledge of stock, option and mutual fund trading, retail brokerage, and financial services is preferred for this position.
Employment Type: Full time
Location: Berwyn, PA
Travel Percentage: 0
Experience: Preferred
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Contact:
Matt Regan 610.725.1162
info@wrhambrecht.com
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