NCAPA Weekly Roundup | April 8 - 18, 2016 - National Council of Asian Pacific Americans

News and Updates

NCAPA and members urge SCOTUS to allow immigration programs to proceed: Yesterday, AAPI advocates rallied in front of the Supreme Court to show support for the President’s executive action programs, which involve an expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and establishing Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA). Read why this is of importance to our communities from NCAPA. Statements from members APIAHF, AAPCHO, NAPAWF, NAKASEC, NQAPIA, OCA, SAALT and SEARAC are listed here.

What we know about Asian American voters in New York: Today, New York holds its presidential primaries. Read a blog from AAPI Data, APIAVote and AAJC that highlights preliminary data about top issues of Asian Americans.

NAPAWF’S Miriam Yeung testifies against anti-abortion bill: On Thursday, NAPAWF Executive Director Miriam Yeung testified against the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA, H.R. 4924), a bill that would ban abortions obtained because of the fetus’s sex. This is one of several bills around the country that are based on the stereotype that Asian Americans prefer sons. NCAPA and many organizations also participated in a #No2PRENDA Twitter storm.

SEARAC holds rally in Sacramento for data disaggregation bill: SEARAC held a community rally to support the Accounting for Health and Education API Demographics (AHEAD Act) in California, AB 1726. APIAHF and bill author Assemblymember Rob Bonta also joined the rally. The bill would disaggregate data for the AANHPI population in higher education and certain health agencies. The California Assembly Health Committee voted to advance the bill.

NCAPA joins Muslim Advocates letter to call on Coca Cola to stop supporting political party conventions that highlight bigotry and hateful rhetoric: NCAPA and members AAJC and SAALT signed on to a Muslim Advocates letter in which 25 groups called on Coca-Cola Company to stop supporting political party conventions that highlight bigotry and hateful rhetoric.

CAAM-supported Asian American films to be broadcast on PBS for APAHM: Five Asian American films that are supported or co-produced by CAAM will be featured on public television for APAHM in May. Check your local PBC and World Channel listings to see when they are airing.

Why do LGBT AAPIs stand with Black Lives?: Watch NQAPIA’s video of queer AAPIs sharing personal experiences with police and why they are engaged to support local #BlackLivesMatter organizing.

NCAPA supports Senator Hirono’s STEM measure: On Equal Pay Day, Senator Mazie Hirono introduced the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Opportunities Act, which would improve inclusion of women, minorities and people with disabilities in STEM careers. NCAPA and SEARAC added support to the legislation.

NCAPA in the News

Do Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus Feel Safer Since the FBI Started Tracking Hate Crimes Against Them?: Watch a Colorlines video featuring interviews with SAALT’s Suman Raghunathan about whether South Asian American communities feel safer a year after the FBI started tracking hate crimes.

NTDTV on the importance of the Asian American Vote: Watch APIAVote’s Communications and Development Associate Alton Wang talk to NTDTV in Mandarin about why Asian Americans should vote in this Presidential election.

The consequences of Texas' abortion law on Asian American women: NAPAWF’s Miriam Yeung and Nimra Chowdhry wrote a blog in TribTalk about how AAPI women in Texas will face additional barriers to health care. Yeung also co-wrote a piece in The Hill about how anti-abortion politicians are attacking abortion rights for women of color.

California Advocates Push 'AHEAD' with Data Disaggregation Bill: Read NBC Asian America’s coverage of the AB 1726 rally, with statements by our chair and SEARAC Executive Director Quyen Dinh.

Islamophobia and Hate Crimes on Comcast Newsmakers: Watch Chris Kang’s interview with Comcast Newsmakers about anti-Muslim hate and showing solidarity to make sure we're standing against policies that single out particular groups of people.

'Everyone Counts': AAPI Advocates Praise SCOTUS Decision to Uphold 'One Person, One Vote': NBC Asian America features our response and AAJC’s response to the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold equal representation for all.

For traumatized refugees, U.S. states do little: USA TODAY writes about the lack of resources available to Southeast Asian American refugees and challenges that include the school to prison to deportation pipeline. SEARAC’s Katrina Dizon Mariategue is quoted about the need to invest in these communities so that they do not become more marginalized.

Take Action!

Support State Data Disaggregation Campaigns: There are several states considering data disaggregation in their legislatures including California, Rhode Island, and Minnesota. Washington state just signed a bill into law on March 30. Please like and promote these Facebook campaigns to support these state initiatives:

MN Campaign Page on FB:https://www.facebook.com/All-Students-Count-MN-1058565654199762/
CA Campaign Page on FB:https://www.facebook.com/allCAcounts/
WA Campaign Page on FB:https://www.facebook.com/allstudentscount/?fref=ts
Also sign the AB 1726 petition to ensure AAPI communities are counted.

April is National Minority Health Month. Get tools and social media kits here.

Share your family reunification story with NCAPA’s immigration committee to help immigrant families by advocating for the Reuniting Families Act.

In Case You Missed It

Purvi Patel’s Case Casts a Long Shadow One Year Later: As Purvi Patel, the South Asian woman who was charged for feticide for allegedly inducing an abortion after seeking medical attention, waits in prison for her appeal process to begin in May, Shivana Jorawar and Deepa Iyer wrote in a Huffington Post blog about what we can do to support the case and reproductive rights for women.

One Brown Girl’s Struggle to Keep Her Indian-American Identity: In an Act to Change blog, a college student recounts being bullied for her Indian American identity growing up, and how her new perspectives in school made her realize that she can embrace being Indian and American. Last week marked the six-month campaign anniversary of Act to Change, which NCAPA and many member groups support.

Pathways to the Bench - U.S. District Court Judge Lorna G. Schofield: Filipino American U.S. District Court Judge Lorna G. Schofield, New York City, tells her story of growing up the daughter of a Filipina war bride living in the Midwest. Judge Schofield's video is part of a series called Pathways to the Bench, produced by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

A Conversation With Asian-Americans on Race: In a New York Times video, Asian Americans talk about their perspectives of race, their first encounters and experiences with racism, the “model minority myth,” and more.

Announcements

Voter information from APIAVote: New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania primaries are coming up! Check out the APIAVote website to find out where to vote, what’s on your ballot and more.

NAKASEC announces summer youth empowerment program: The Summer Youth Empowerment Program (SYEP) is a six-week experience for local high school students in Northern Virginia who are interested in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues and are ready to make a social impact. It runs from July 5 to Aug. 11. Encourage high school students you know to apply here.

Appointments Project: The White House Presidential Personnel Office is continuing to develop slates for principal, assistant to principal and functional positions. NCAPA and APAICS work with PPO in diversity outreach and are seeking individuals who are interested in an appointment positions for various levels, roles and background experience for agencies. Please help us to identify ideal appointment candidates who are AAPI. Once candidates complete the online application at https://apply.whitehouse.gov/, they should fill out this form, which will go to NCAPA and APAICS: http://goo.gl/forms/8Lnjv3G4oB

NCAPA Events

Tuesday, April 19: NAKASEC’s Adoptee Citizenship Act Day of Action in D.C.
Saturday, April 23: APIAVote Norman Y. Mineta Leadership Institute Training in Des Moines, Iowa
Thursday, April 28 @ 6:00-9:00 p.m.: NAPAWF 20th Anniversary Gala at the AFL-CIO in D.C.

APAHM

Finalized APAHM events can be found on the NCAPA website: http://bit.ly/NCAPA-APAHM16

Other Events

Tuesday, April 19 @ 4:00 p.m.:FREE Film Screening: Breathin': The Eddy Zheng Story at the Hoff Theatre at the University of Maryland
Thursday, April 21 - Sunday, April 24: Asian Pacific American Film Festival at Atlantic Plumbing Cinema in D.C.
Friday, April 22: UCLA Labor Center Dream Summer Strategy Meeting in Mountain View, CA. RSVP to Mario de Leon at [email protected]
Tuesday, April 26 @ 6:00 p.m.: CAPALtalk - Engaging AAPIs in the 2016 Elections and Beyond at AARP. NCAPA Director Christopher Kang and APIAVote Executive Director Christine Chen to speak.