Council of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA)

Hunger Takes No Holiday

From: Andrea Johnson <johnsonand@daaa1a.org>
Date: Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Subject: No Holiday!
To: Andrea Johnson <johnsonand@daaa1a.org>

We all have someone in our life that needs help from time to time. In Southeast Michigan

there are over 60,000 homebound seniors who may not have anyone to call on when in need.

For over 20 years Detroit Meals on Wheels has been there to provide a hot nutritious meal to these seniors. With the change in the economy Detroit Meals on Wheels need your help now more that ever.

Your donation big or small will help. You simply cannot rely on someone else to give, so we need your help to reach our goal of raising $100,000 to feed 20,000 homebound seniors on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and Labor Day. Days when regular meals may not be provided.

This is how you can make a contribution:

1)     Click to donate on-line;

2)     Mail your check made payable to Detroit Meals on Wheels,

    1333 Brewery Park Blvd., Suite 200, Detroit, Michigan 48207

      3)     Phone in your credit card payment to  313.446.4444 (please ask for Victoria Pecora or  the Fund Development Department)

Thank you for remembering that "Hunger Takes No Holiday"

SAVE THE DATE

 2^nd Annual Summer Cruise

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Ovation & Infinity Yachts

ALL PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT DETROIT MEALS ON WHEELS

The Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA) Detroit Meals on Wheels Federally funded Program provides meals to homebound seniors five days a week. We are pleased to have been able to meet the needs of so many seniors living in Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and the five Grosse Pointes.

In 1988 we created the Holiday Meals on Wheels Program, because federal funding was not available to provide meals on weekends and holidays. Happily for the past 20 years we have been able to provide hot nutritious meals on Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.  It is our mission to feed every homebound senior in our area who needs a holiday meal. 

It is your turn. Please give to Detroit Meals on Wheels today!

Andrea Johnson

Fund Development Director

Detroit Area Agency on Aging

1333 Brewery Park Blvd.

Suite 200

Detroit, MI 48207

              313.446.4444        (main)

              313.396.5582        (direct)

              313.446.4445        (fax)

johnsonand@daaa1a.org

www.daaa1a.org

Sook Wilkinson, PhD - 2008 Overseas Koreans Medal of Honor Recipient

(Translated from a Chicago Korea Times newspaper article)

Drs. Young-Kee Kim and Hei Sook (Park) Wilkinson, Recipients of the 2008 Overseas Koreans Medal of Honor

 The Awards Ceremony for 2008 Overseas Koreans Medal of Honor was held on November 10th at the Korean Consulate General in downtown Chicago. The annual awards are presented to those Koreans who have made significant contributions that benefit the community at large, and thereby promote Korea.  The candidates for the awards are recommended to the Korean government by the consulate. Through a rigorous evaluation process, then the Korean government makes the final decision. In the Mid-West, Dr. Young-Kee Kim was selected to receive the People's Medal of Honor and Dr. Hei Sook (Park) Wilkinson, the Presidential Medal of Honor.

Dr. Kim is the Deputy Director of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, IL and is an internationally renowned particle physicist who teaches at University of Chicago.  Dr. Wilkinson is a clinical psychologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan and is the appointed Chairperson of the Michigan Governor's Advisory Council on Asian Pacific American Affairs.  She is also a member of National Unification Advisory Council (NUAC) appointed by the President of the Republic of Korea.

Honorable Korean Consul General (Chicago) Sunghwan Son said in his congratulatory remarks, "Every year, we award Koreans who make major contributions to the Korean and the American communities.  We're extremely proud of the two awardees today.  Dr. Kim has made a glorious contribution to the field of science, and Dr. Park has dedicated more than 30 years of her life to Korean adoptees and their families, as well as serving the Asian American community to promote their interests and civil rights."

 

Chinese Lessons

The Chinese Community Center is now offering small group Chinese lessons at multiple levels.  All the courses provide an excellent opportunity for you to learn the Chinese language as well as Chinese culture.  Classes will be taught in objective and interactive manner.  Please click on this link for details.

Who's Who in Asian American Communities Leaders & Legends Awards

Sachi Koto Communications, http://www.sachikoto.com/, in Atlanta hosts annual WWAAC (Who's Who in Asian American Communities Leaders & Legends Awards). This year, it was held in Los Angeles in August. We have two outstanding recipients of the award from Michigan, Wally Tsuha and Richard Chow-Wah. Sook Wilkinson wrote a brief Asian American history which was produced as a mini-documentary, shown at the awards ceremony.

When you have a moment, the link above will take you to Sachikoto Communications. Then click on the link to WWAAC.  That will take you to see the video clips on all the illustrious awardees and the mini-documentary.

 

Information submitted by Sook Wilkinson

An international breakdancing competition, World BBoy Championships 2008 was held in Seoul Korea on May 30th.

The link to view, www.imeem.com/r16

A Korean breakdance team, Gambler Crew, won this year's competition.  Last year's winner was another Korean team, Rivers Crew.

Information provided by Sook Wilkinson.

Pianist Aki Takahashi to Perform at the Detroit Institute of Arts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Shekini Jennings Public Relations Specialist Detroit Institute of Arts Phone: (313) 494-5242 E-Mail: sjennings@dia.org

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Internationally Known Pianist Aki Takahashi to Perform at the Detroit Institute of Arts

Detroit, MI-

WHAT:      

Pianist Aki Takahashi made her debut shortly after graduating from the Tokyo University of Arts with a masters degree in 1970. While acknowledged for her classical musicianship, her enthusiasm and acclaim as a new music interpreter have attracted the attention of many composers. John Cage, Morton Feldman, Toru Takemitsu, Isang Yun, Pauline Oliveros, Poul Ruders, Somei Satoh, Alvin Lucier and Peter Garland, to name a few, have all created works for her. Her series of Erik Satie concerts (1975-77) heralded a Satie boom in Japan, resulting in her editing all of his piano works for Zen-On music publishers and recording them on Toshiba-EMI. She created the Hyper-Beatles project with Toshiba, which invited 47 international composers to arrange/recompose their favorite Beatles tunes.

WHEN:      

Friday, June 27, 7 & 8:30 p.m.

WHERE:           
The Detroit Institute of Arts, located at 5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit 

COST:            

Free with museum admission.

WHY: 

This event is part of the museum's weekly Friday Night Live activities. The DIA has always been known for great art, but it's also got a reputation for presenting great live music. The DIA is open late every Friday night with live music, art-making workshops, drawing in the galleries, guided tours and more. Activities take place from 6 to 10 p.m. and are FREE with museum admission.

Hours and admission:

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, and $4 for youth ages 6-17. DIA members are admitted free. For more information, call (313) 833-7900 or see the website at www.dia.org.

 

###

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the United States, is home to more than 60,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum (Self Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera's world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA's collection is known for its quality, range, and depth.

 

Programs are made possible with support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the City of Detroit.

Sorsogon and Sterling Heights (Michigan) Become Sister Cities

Willie Dechavez, an American educator of Filipino descent, successfully moved for Sorsogon City in the Bicol Region of the Philippines to become the sister city of Sterling Heights in Michigan. Mr. Dechavez hailed from the Bacon District of Sorsogon City. He is the chairperson of the Ethnic Community Committee of the City of Sterling Heights. Willie is also the Michigan state chair of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA).

Click here for full article.

Congratulations to Korean American Community of Metro Detroit's two recent recognition, one from the AT&T Foundation and the other, from Oakland County.

Click to learn more.

Asian American Institute - Collecting Immigration Stories

APA Immigration Story Collections
Asian American Institute (AAI) is launching an immigration stories collection project as part of a national movement to locate Asian American immigrant stories at the forefront of U.S. immigration debate. AAI asks you and/or your agency to identify clients, families, and friends who are willing to share their immigration stories. Interviewees may share their names or remain anonymous.

 
Why are we collecting the stories?

• Education of the communityâ€"many remain silent thinking that they alone have these problems

• Educate the media and policy makers
• Highlight some of the successes and hardships that have come with US immigration laws

What are the types of stories we are looking for?

• Stories could include
  • People waiting to be reunified with their family members,
  • individuals eligible for the Dream Act
  • undocumented individuals seeking for legalization
  • individuals at the risk or in the midst of deportation proceedings,
  • individuals with temporary worker visas who have had difficulty obtaining a green card
  • "success" stories of immigrants who have contributed to American society through entrepreneurship and/or hard work

What will we do with the stories?

• If you agree to publicize your story, we would like to have a list of people who are willing speak out at rallies, to talk to the media and to policy makers (meetings with US Reps) because this makes the most impact on policy makers.  We have seen many policy makers soften if not change their positions when faced with real people who are affected by their decisions. 
• Stories that we can publish on our website, or give in a handout (with or without names) to educate others. Again, giving a face to the problems that immigrants face, or how they have benefited the US.

If you are interested in participating, please contact April Lewton at 773-271-0899 or email at april@aaichicago.org.

 

NAASCOn Statement Regarding Max Carson's "If it's war the Asians want..." opinion piece

PRESS ADVISORY PRESS CONTACTS
For immediate release: Christina Chen, NAASCon Co-Chair
February 25th, 2008 naascon.news@gmail.com

We, the board members of the National Asian American Student
Conference, condemn Max Karson's opinion piece, "If it's war the
Asians want...It's war they'll get," published by the University of
Colorado-Boulder's Campus Press on 2/18, as categorically racist and
serving no other purpose than to perpetuate racist and harmful
stereotypes of Asian Americans. We were further disappointed upon
learning of Mr. Karson's lengthy record of flouting similar defamation
charges (leveled against him earlier in his college career) by
conveniently enshrouding his racist, misogynistic, and homophobic
rhetoric under a rather broad interpretation of "satire."

We were shocked, moreover, to discover that Mr. Karson was not alone
in deploying this tactic. In a statement issued by several members of
the Campus Press editorial staff, the editors "apologize[d] for any
ambiguity of the satire that may have been misconstrued." It has
become clear to us that, rather than taking responsibility for
printing Mr. Karson's article, the Campus Press staff is adopting a
"blame-the-victim" mentality, and has instead allocated the blame to
its offended readers. They assert that it is the affronted reader who
has "misconstrued" the author's attempts at enlightened humor, a
ludicrous assertion given that this piece neither intends to advance
any kind of informed racial discourse, nor displays any signs of
satirical self-awareness.

In addition, we recognize that this is not an isolated incident.
Whereas it may be true that one may not need to probe any further than
Mr. Karson's past articles to find examples of discriminatory remarks
being defended on the grounds of "satire," it is a familiar scenario
to us all; an outcry follows the publication or verbal espousal of
hate speech against Asian Americans. Those who should be held
accountable for the approval and dissemination of such remarks are
absolved of blame. Rather than apologizing for such blatantly
discriminatory remarks, responsible parties instead engage in apologia
to protect themselves while affirming their own positions of power.
Offended subjects without equitable avenues of expression are
dismissed as "insensitive," "unenlightened," or even "uppity." Those
who complain, some contest, are the ones in need of "enlightenment" or
"lightening up," and so it stands that the blame is successfully
shifted towards those who raised the initial concerns about the
attitudes of the author, as well as those in the executive ranks of
their medium. The case made for racism, disguised as enlightened
humor, effectively disenfranchises voices that do not have comparable
access to the resources through which the offending actors communicate
their platform.

This scenario is seen time and time again, like the April 2007 JV and
Elvis repeat broadcasts of a prank call involving anti-Asian
overtones, the January 2007 Daily Princetonian's article mocking
student Jian Li, and similar incidents that happen everyday that fly
under the radar, under the pretenses of "satire." Those who articulate
such discriminatory and racist views, and those who condone these
messages, are complicit in the reinforcement of negative stereotypes
and profiling of, and in extreme cases, physical violence against
Asian American communities. This is unacceptable, and we of NAASCon
implore Asian American students and anybody of conscience to condemn
Mr. Karson and those who afforded him the platform to spread his words
of hate. We must stand up and say, "never again."