The San Jose Buddhist Church Obon Festival is July 11th and 12th. I’m looking for volunteers to help out at the Bingo booth. The volunteers will be selling and taking tickets from the Bingo players. The shift times are:

July 11th:
5:30-8:00
8:00-10:00

July 12:
4:00-6:00
6:00-8:00

We have a lot of volunteer spots that still need to be filled. If you know anyone that is interested in helping out, please let them know!

Thank you!
Adele

adele_iwasaki@yahoo.com
(408) 802-7860 cell
(650) 926-5613 work

Asian American Studies Department Presents:

“At 40: Asian American Studies @ San Francisco State”

Friday, April 10, 2009, 1:30-4:00 pm
San Francisco State University
EP (Ethnic Studies Psychology Building) 116

Come help celebrate the 40th Anniversary Book Launch Party!

Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University is the first AAS program in the only College of Ethnic Studies across the nation. This is the first publication from AAS founders, faculty, and students sharing their 40 year experience in this collection of essays.

Enjoy light refreshments, live music; meet the authors, AAS faculty, students and community activists.
Participate in the raffle drawing to win an autographed copy of the book for your own collection!
ONE TIME ONLY “At 40” for a discount of $25 AND receive the AAS 30th Anniversary Program Book FREE (while supplies last). This offer is only valid on the day of the book launch.

1:30 – 2:15 Meet and Greet
2:15 – 2:45 Program Begins
2:45 – 4:00 Live Music and Book Signing

This event is sponsored by the Asian American Studies Department at San Francisco State University and cosponsored by Pilipino American Collegiate Endeavor (PACE) and Asian Student Union (ASU). For more information you can email aas@sfsu.edu or call 415-338-2698.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!
California Asian Pacific Islander Policy Summit

May 26-27th, 2009
Sacramento, California
Further information and forms can be found at:
http://apiscan.org/Conference/

Dear Friend:

Asian Pacific Islanders (APIs) have reached a critical mass in the state of California. The API community is now the second largest minority community in California. Additionally, the diversity of the API community reaches nearly six to seven generations in the United States with over 48 ethnic sub-groups. Today, API’s represent a critical swing vote in state and national elections, and through grassroots organizing, our community has proven to have a
powerful voice.

Our communities must continue to elevate our role in shaping California public policy as we become more firmly rooted and invested in this State. To that end, we are pleased to invite you to the 6th Annual California Asian Pacific Islander Policy Summit on May 26th – 27th, 2009, at the Sacramento Convention Center.

This year’s theme of “Connecting the Dots: the Catalyst for a Stronger Community Voice” speaks to our goal of creating an even stronger community coalition at this year’s summit. Organizing API community members, community based organizations, non-profits and elected officials under a collective movement will provide boundless opportunities to further advance the API agenda.

API public policy advocacy has grown on the community level as well as with state elected representation. The California API Joint Legislative Caucus has reached its highest membership to date, with eleven API members in 2009. This is remarkable progress considering that in 1991, there were zero legislators of API descent. Additionally, State Controller John Chiang and Board of Equalization Members Judy Chu, Michelle Steele, and Betty Yee represent Asian Pacific Islanders in prominent constitutional offices.

This year’s summit marks a paradigm shift that reflects our ability to impact public policy with greater depth and sophistication. Participants will be asked to roll up their sleeves and apply and expand their advocacy skills based in four different policy areas, or “tracks:” Civil Rights, Community Development & Housing, Education, and Health & Human Services. In addition to the skills building workshops and strategic roundtable sessions, participants will advocate their legislative, policy, and budget issues with elected officials that correspond with their respective track. Participants will also have ample opportunity to network and meet with community activists and elected officials.

The API Policy Summit marks a significant opportunity for California API community members and organizations to empower themselves and their community at the California State Capitol. We look forward to your participation at the 2009 Summit!

Sincerely,
Assemblyman Ted Lieu, Co-Chair, API Joint Legislative Caucus
Assemblymember Van Tran, Co-Chair, API Joint Legislative Caucus
Diane Ujiiye, Chair, CA Commission on API Affairs and Executive Director, APIsCAN
James Santa Maria, Chair, Asian American Education Institute
Leilani Aguinaldo Yee, Advocate, Asian Americans for Civil Rights & Equality
Carole Hayashino, President, API Legislative Caucus Institute

Further information and forms can be found at: http://apiscan.org/Conference/

Asian American Women’s Alliance (AAWA)

AAWA Scholarship & Recognition Awards Annual Banquet

Hilton Hotel Santa Clara
4949 Great America Parkway.  Santa Clara, CA 95054
Telephone:  408-562-6707
Saturday, April 25th, 2009

6:30 pm Reception & Silent Auction & Light Music

7:00 pm Dinner & Entertainment

8:00 pm Scholarship & Recognition Awards Presentation

9:00 pm Raffle Drawing & Auction & Dancing

Featuring:
The AAWA Entertainers & Live Band
Dinner Ticket: $50, VIP $75 Dancing $30, Raffle Ticket: $5 (5 for $20)
Special Sponsorship Categories Available

Proceeds will benefit the Scholarship Awards

Please RSVP by April 2nd, 2009
For AAWA Scholarship Application and Recognition Award Nomination Forms please also contact:
Mai Tran 925-945-6239
Joyce Yee 408-718-6623
Michelle Hoa Mai 408-348-5578
Dawn Doan-Ha`ng Chu 408-406-7768

Part three of Culture Clash’s trilogy of plays on California Latino history, (Chavez Ravine and Zorro the others), Water & Power is a gripping look at the new Latino power structure. Twin brothers Water and Power – one a rising star state senator and the other an honored police officer – must call upon their conflicted histories to prevent their careers and the city from crashing to ruin. Produced in English and peppered with Culture Clash’s trademark satire and biting wit, Water & Power will also be directed by fellow clashero Herbert Sigüenza.

March 12-29 at the Mexican Heritage Plaza

For more info visit: www.mhcviva.org/

Public Allies is currently recruiting for the 2009-2010 program year.

www.publicallies.org

Asian American women have the highest rates of suicide. Come to this free event to hear from Dr. Eliza Noh about this topic.

Thursday, April 16 7-9pm at the Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium

A fundraiser for Marilou Custodio, honoring international women’s history month and ongoing justice for the Custodio campaign.

Friday, March 6, 7-8:30 PM at the Debug office

701 Lenzen Ave San Jose, CA 95126

Film Synopsis: Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, millions refugees took the perilous escape across South China Sea to find freedom. Many died of drowning or starvation and thirst. Other lost at sea for days while some were pillaged, robbed and raped by pirates. However, more than 30 years after, no major film or television program tells their stories. Bolinao 52 is a long-silenced voice, an unspoken legacy of the Vietnam War – the story of the Vietnamese Boat People. When Tung Trinh, a survivor of the Bolinao 52, stepped foot onto a crowded boat one night in May 1988, she did not know it was a trip that forever changed her life. After leaving Vietnam the Bolinao 52 engine died. They were ignored by passing ships. 19 days later, a US Navy ship stopped. But the captain refused to pick up the dying refugees. Facing death, they resorted to cannibalism. After 37 days at sea, 52 of 110 survived. Two decades later, this Bolinao 52 survivor returned to her past to close off the unresolved chapters.

April 26 at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, CA http://www.bolinao52.com/

http://apiicon09.blogspot.com/