News and Updates

NCAPA groups urge Senate Republicans to #DoYourJob: NCAPA groups continue to engage around the Supreme Court vacancy. This week, a White House conference call was held to specifically engage with the broader AAPI community. Read a compilation of editorials, statements and more on the NCAPA website at bit.ly/AAPIJustice. New statements are below:

• In a Huffington Post blog, our director Christopher Kang challenges Senate Republicans to do their job.

• NAKASEC urges Senate to fulfill their constitutional duty: NAKASEC, along with the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations and Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights gathered to urge Senate Maj. Leader McConnell and Senator Grassley to fill the Supreme Court Vacancy. NAKASEC focused on how the ruling against DAPA and expanded DACA remains one of the most pressing cases to affect our communities.

• APALA condemns Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members for obstructing the Supreme Court nomination process: APALA condemned Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee for rejecting their constitutional responsibilities.

NCAPA groups rally and respond to Supreme Court case challenging abortion access: Oral arguments for Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the case that will determine whether Texas’s anti-abortion law will be upheld, took place Wednesday. NAPAWF and NCAPA joined a large rally to call on the Supreme Court to protect a woman’s right to choose. NAPAWF Executive Director and NCAPA board member Miriam Yeung addressed the crowd, representing the AAPIs affected by this issue and those who support a woman’s access to a safe abortion. Also, read APIAHF Director of Government Relations Amina Abbas’ piece that gives background on how abortion restrictions harm women.

SEARAC’s Rita Pin Ahrens selected as negotiator for Elementary and Secondary Education Act committee: The Department of Education announced that Rita Pin Ahrens, NCAPA’s education committee co-chair and SEARAC’s director of education policy, is one of the individual negotiators for the ESEA negotiated rulemaking committee.

Payu-ta participates in 6th Micronesia Non-Profit Congress: Payu-ta presented policy recommendations and resolutions to Guam legislature this week at the 6th Micronesia Non-Profit Congress. The conference was focused on preserving culture and natural resources. APALA Executive Director Gregory Cendana, who is on NCAPA’s board, participated and led advocacy sessions.

Colorado MVA allows Sikh Americans to wear turbans in IDs: SALDEF worked toward a resolution to allow Sikhs and Muslims to keep their religious head coverings on while taking their driver’s license photos in Colorado. SALDEF has also worked to challenge the right of Sikhs to wear their turbans in Illinois, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Georgia and Alabama.

NAPAFASA applauds adoption of Electronic Music Festival Task Force recommendations by the
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors: NAPAFASA supported a Los Angeles County ordinance that will include prevention education aimed to reduce drug use and drug overdoses by AANHPIs.

JACL/OCA Leadership Summit: During this past week’s summit of participants from JACL and OCA chapters around the country, attendees learned about today’s AAPI issues from panelists, including many from NCAPA organizations. The summit ended with Hill visits advocating for the Reuniting Families Act, FAFSA translation and college affordability.

NCAPA supports increase in hepatitis B screenings: Recently, NCAPA submitted comments to the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to support including hepatitis B screening as part of Medicare’s Preventive services. This would address health disparities faced by our communities, as AAPIs suffer disproportionately high rates of chronic hepatitis B and liver disease.

NCAPA in the News

White House Reaches Out to Asian-American Leaders About Supreme Court Seat: The National Law Journal covered the White House conference call Thursday evening to discuss the Supreme Court. NAPABA’s Tina Matsuoka talked about the White House’s acknowledgement of the excitement in the AAPI community about the potential of an Asian American Supreme Court justice.

Today's Supreme Court Case Could Have a Major Impact on a Woman's Right to Choose: Teen Vogue explains why Wednesday’s Supreme Court case could set a precedent on anti-choice legislation in other states and quotes NAPAWF’s Miriam Yeung.

Why the Fil-Am Vote Could be a Swing Vote: Balitang America reports on how Filipino American leaders, including those from NCAPA member NaFFAA, are engaging Filipino Americans this election cycle. Eric Salcedo of APIAVote is quoted about the wide voter registration gap among Filipino Americans.

Why Queer and Trans Studies are Important: AAPA President Kevin Nadal, in his capacity as the director of the Center for LGBTQ Studies at City University of New York, details his experiences growing up queer in HuffPost Queer Voices. Nadal writes about how LGBTQ people’s lives should be taught so that they are understood and represented from the K-12 level to higher education.

Take Action!

Newest

Share your family reunification story: NCAPA’s immigration committee is collecting stories to help immigrant families by advocating for the Reuniting Families Act. Please share widely the story collection form: http://bit.ly/RFAstories

Stop Profiling Immigrants: NQAPIA’s action alert encourages you to sign a petition to tell DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson to #StopProfilingImmigrants. Learn more here.

Ongoing

#AAPI4SentencingReform: Join us, SEARAC and APALA in urging the Senate to support the Sentencing Reform and and Corrections Act at http://bit.ly/AAPI4SentencingReformand follow the conversation on Twitter with #SentencingReform and #AAPI4SentencingReform.

OCA questionnaire on undocumented student access to higher education: OCA is gathering stories from undocumented students regarding obstacles they faced in accessing higher education. The stories will be used for Hill visits to push priorities in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act as well as in a social media campaign. Please share the questionnaire: https://ocanational.site-ym.com/?Undoc_Student_Access

In Case You Missed It

Hollywood’s Asian Punching Bags: Why There Shouldn’t Be a ‘Safe’ Minority to Joke About: In response to jokes about Asian Americans during Sunday’s Oscars, Arthur Chu writes in the Daily Beast about why jokes that target Asian Americans because we are the “safe” race “ends up enabling those people are looking for their racism hall pass.”

Announcements

SEARAC | Get on a list to improve local schools: Parents, students, business owners, STEM professionals and any other interested individuals are invited to sign up for SEARAC’s list to improve local public schools. This will be shared with the US Department of Education and Council Chief State School Officers. (Sign up by Sunday, March 6)

Nominate a Champion of Change for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders: WHIAAPI and the White House will honor Champions of Change for AAPI Art and Storytelling who have raised the visibility of diverse AAPI experiences and created dialogue around issues the community faces. See the nomination blog and form here. (Deadline: Wednesday, March 9)

Imagination Foundation launches 2016 inventor’s challenge with AT&T Aspire: The Inventor’s Challenge is an opportunity for pre-K through high school children to create novel, imaginative and possibly viable solutions to all sorts of problems. (Deadline: March 11)

Deadline extended - SABA North America Foundation Grants: SABA North america is offering grants to develop and fund public interest projects that benefit the South Asian American community. (Deadline: March 15)

CAAM Media Fund: CAAM’s Media Fund is taking submissions for documentary projects to provide funding to independence productors for national public television. (Deadline: March 21)

Call for volunteers for NAKASEC: NAKASEC is seeking volunteers who are interested in engaging with the Korean & Asian American communities in Northern Virginia. Civic engagement volunteers will assist with naturalization clinics, voter registration and education activities, precinct walking, phone banking, and general voter outreach in the community.  Immigrant rights volunteers will assist with DACA outreach, education, and application assistance.

3rd Annual Art as a Voice call for submissions: The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project is looking for poetry, music, visual art, craft or objects from one’s own cultural identity as part of their annual Art as a Voice event to speak out against abuse. If you have questions or submissions, contact Marie Ramos at [email protected] by April 14. The event will take place April 21, and they are also looking for volunteers. (Deadline: April 14)

Appointments Project: The White House Presidential Personnel Office is continuing to develop slates for principal, assistant to principal and functional positions. NCAPA and APAICS continue to 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

NAPABA Pro Bono General Counsel Program: This program provides AAPI organizations pro bono legal advice and counsel that they cannot afford. Get the application for organization and application for attorneys.

NCAPA Events

• Thursday, March 10 - Sunday, March 20: CAAMFest 2016 in San Francisco

• Friday, March 11 - Saturday, March 12: CNHA Small Business Fundamentals for Native Entrepreneurs in Kapolei, HI

• Wednesday, March 30 - Thursday, March 31: Advancing Justice Convention in Los Angeles

Other Events

• Wednesday, March 9 @ 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.: Standing with our Muslim Neighbors - a Workshop for Allies in D.C. RSVP: allyworkshop.eventbrite.com

• Thursday, March 10 @ 3:00 p.m. ET: Webinar: How to Access and Use Limited English Proficient Poverty Data

• Friday, March 11 @ 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.: Congressional Briefing - The Integration of Immigrants into American Society at Rayburn

• Wednesday, March 16 @ 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET: AAPI-focused ESSA Early Learning Listening Session at U.S. Department of Ed. Conference line will be available. RSVP to [email protected] by Friday, March 11.

• Thursday, March 17: OMH Fundamentals for National CLAS Standards Webinar

Job and Internship Openings

NCAPA members:

APIAVote: Summer Internship Program in D.C. (Deadline: March 11)

APIAHF: Communications Fellow in D.C. or Oakland (Deadline: March 18)

NAPAWF: Policy & Legislative Affairs Director in D.C. (Deadline: March 31)

APAICS: Fellowship Program (Deadline: April 29)

HND/HAP: Policy Director in St. Paul, MN

NAKASEC Fellowships (4 Available): Youth Engagement, Advocacy, DACA Outreach, and Civic Participation Fellows in Northern Virginia/D.C.

National CAPACD: Civic Engagement Coordinator in D.C.

Program Assistant in Oakland, CA

SAALT: Community Partnerships Coordinator in Takoma Park, MD or New York, NY

Other AAPI Internship Opportunities

CAPAL: Federal Internship Program (Deadline: March 7)

WHIAAPI: Internship Program (Deadline: March 8)

External job (including Hill) opportunities: http://bit.ly/NCAPAexternaljobs

Scholarship/Training Opportunities

CAPAL: Public Service Scholarship (Deadline: March 7)

APAICS: National Leadership Academy (Deadline: March 18)