NCAPA Weekly Roundup | Dec. 8 - 22, 2016

We wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday and happy new year! See you in 2017!

Updates

Obama Administration dismantles NSEERS: NCAPA and its members commended the Department of Homeland Security for rescinding a national registry program that wrongfully targeted Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian Communities. We firmly stand to ensure no Muslim registry is created.

Sessions’ Senate Judiciary Questionnaire woefully inadequate: NCAPA, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund, Alliance for Justice and People for the American Way examined the Senate Judiciary Questionnaire for Sen. Jeff Sessions, a prerequisite to become U.S. Attorney General. The groups found the entries to be incomplete and inadequate and call for a delay in the hearing schedule. Read the release and full memo for the omission details.

NCAPA supports the Bridge Act: Sens. Richard Durbin and Lindsey Graham introduced the Bridge Act to protect young undocumented immigrants. NCAPA strongly supported the bipartisan bill and members Advancing Justice | AAJC,  NAKASEC, SABA North America and OCA also issued statements of support.

SAALT releases hate crimes guide: South Asian Americans Leading Together released a community guide to inform communities of the definition of a hate crime and resources they can access should a hate crime occur.

OCA launches AAPI hate crime reporting website: This week, OCA launched the AAPI Hate Crimes Reporting Website, aapihatecrimes.org, as a tool to keep track of hate crimes targeting the AAPI community.

Fast Forward 2060: NCAPA members were participants and attendees during an event to highlight AANHPI achievements under the Obama administration. Fast Forward 2060 began with morning panels on the state of AAPI civil rights, health, education and housing and economic justice, led by many of NCAPA’s policy committee leadership. Watch the Facebook livestream.

AAPI Nexus Journal released on future of Asian Americans: The UCLA Asian American Studies Center, UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) released its second AAPI Nexus Journal publication to inform policy makers on AAPI communities. View abstracts of the issue here.

President Obama signs Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015: This legislation, long supported by NCAPA, will provide a Congressional gold medal to the Filipino veterans of World War II in recognition of their sacrifice. NCAPA member the National Federation of Filipino American Associations issued a statement to mark the bill being signed into law.

APALA & CNHA meet to discuss economic justice: NCAPA members the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) held a roundtable in Hawaii to discuss issues of economic justice and mass incarceration in Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Communities.

New National CAPACD executive director announced: The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) announced that Seema Agnani will serve as their next executive director beginning January 2017. Seema was previously National CAPACD’s director of policy and civic engagement and was a founder and long-time Executive Director of Chhaya Community Development Corporation. Outgoing executive director Lisa Hasegawa leaves CAPACD after 15  years, and we thank her for her service on CAPACD and for serving as an executive committee member for NCAPA.


NCAPA in the News

National Director Chris Kang’s research on Sen. Jeff Sessions was part of a wide group effort into Sessions’ nomination to be attorney general. (Todd Ruger, CQ Roll Call)

More than 30 civil rights groups sent a letter with concerns regarding Betsy DeVos, the president-elect’s pick for Secretary of Education. These groups included NCAPA and its members Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance  (APALA), Laotian American National Alliance (LANA), OCA and the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC). (Education World)

Lundy Khoy, who most recently worked with SEARAC, shared her story on CNN about how mistakes she made while young led to her to having to face deportation. (Carol Costello, CNN)

 


 Take Action!

Sign Moveon.org’s #NoMuslimRegistry petition.

 

Share: Know your rights if you are stopped by immigration or the police. (National Immigration Law Center)

 

Contribute to the tracking of hate crimes and view their databases:


 In Case You Missed It

A new Center for American Progress report reveals the mistake of grouping Asian Americans into one group. (Jeff Guo, Washington Post)

Former NCAPA intern Jason Fong is seeking to join the Harvard lawsuit regarding race-conscious admissions, so he can file amicus briefs, participate in oral arguments, and submit evidence against the lawsuit. (Chris Fuchs, NBC Asian America)

Asian American journalist Juju Chang interviewed white nationalist leader Richard Spencer and recounted the experience. (Juju Chang, ABC)

Six more counties must now give language assistance to Asian American voters. (Chris Fuchs, NBC Asian America)

Trumps’ Asian American cabinet choices have been greeted with both elation and concern in the Asian American community. (Jennie L. Ilustre, Asian Fortune)


 Events

Tuesday, Jan. 3: 2017 Indiaspora Gala. D.C. (SABA-North America is an event partner)

Thursday, Jan. 5: Celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander Members in the 115th Congress. China Garden in Arlington, Va. (Organized by APIAVote)


 Job and Internship Openings

Latest NCAPA:

Latest related positions:

 

NCAPA postings: ncapaonline.org/opportunities | External (including Hill) opportunities:bit.ly/NCAPAexternaljobs


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