KAM Banquet guests, from left: Yoonju Park, director of Korean Service Center; Channel 5 Eyewitness News Reporter Susanna Song, Master of Ceremony; Hyun Sook Han, Korean adoption pioneer; Kim Jackson, photographer and author of the “HERE” book on Minnesota Korean adoptees; Angela Copeland, an adoptee who spoke on how a spiritual journey to Korea changed her life; and Pastor Sung Chul Park, director of KAM. (AAP staff photo by Tom LaVenture)

By TOM LAVENTURE
AAP staff writer

MINNEAPOLIS (August 21, 2010) – Korean Adoptees Ministry celebrated a “Decade of Making Deep Connections” with a gala fundraising event last weekend at Ramada Plaza. KAM, a nonprofit organization is based in Roseville and has served as a resource for adoptees and their families.

Continue Reading

Men Institute Workshop (Photo by Nancy Wong)

AAP staff report

MINNEAPOLIS (August 19, 2010) – Asian and Pacific Islander men of Minnesota took a proactive approach toward domestic violence and anger management with a two-day event August 19-20 at Oren Gateway Center of Augsburg College. More than 70 people participated in an intensive training to examine the intersection of sexism and racism and to explore how power and privilege contributes to violence against women and children.

Continue Reading

This issue of ‘Mosque near ground zero’ has sharply divided America and is being hotly debated in media. The protagonist of ‘Mosque near ground zero’ say that it is the constitutional right of ‘freedom of religion’ and ‘right to property‘, hence any body who opposes mosque near ground zero is (as per these protagonist) a bigot and anti-constitution.

Continue Reading

Sacramento, Calif. (August 19, 2010) – The Hmong Veterans Resolution, Assembly House Resolution 33 (HR 33), was successfully passed by the California State Assembly today with a unanimous vote. The 80-0 vote means that the resolution will now be enrolled and sent to the President and U.S. Congress. The resolution also enjoyed wide bipartisan support as 68 Assemblymembers signed on as coauthors.

Continue Reading

F red Korematsu with his Medal of Freedom (Photo by Shirley Nakao, courtesy of the Korematsu Institute)

Sacramento, Calif. (August 9, 2010) – The Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution bill was passed on the California Senate Floor with another unanimous vote of 34-0. This follows unanimous votes in the Senate Education Committee in June (8-0), the Assembly Floor (69-0) and the Assembly Education Committee (8-0) in May. The bill now goes back to the Assembly for concurrence before moving to Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk in August or September.

Continue Reading

The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development will hold its National Convention from September 26-29, 2010 at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel in Washington, D.C. The theme this year, “Building Community within a Multiracial Nation” is meant as a call to step up to the challenge of meeting the immediate needs of communities of color affected by the current economic crisis while continuing to build supportive networks, community infrastructure, and a more powerful advocacy voice for all communities.

Continue Reading

Washington D.C. (August 4, 2010) – The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution is enshrined in U.S. history as the cornerstone of American civil rights, ensuring due process and equal protection under the law to all persons. Equally important is the Fourteenth Amendment’s affirmation that all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are, in fact, U.S. citizens.

Continue Reading

Seminar Facilitators, front left, Joy Dava, Jocelyn Quebral, Elsa Batica (trainer), and Ramon Hough. Second row from left, Dr. David Ong (FMA President), Boo Dava, Allen Malicsi, Prof. Tom Dohm and Darwin Yasis. (Photo courtesy of FMA)

The Fil-Minnesotan Association, in partnership with the University of Minnesota and several Asian-American and community based organizations, will sponsor a bicultural seminar August 21, 2010, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455. The seminar, “Bicultural Issues and Concerns,” will address issues in the context of family relationships and struggles in the complex multi-cultural American society.

Continue Reading

U.S. Senator Al Franken (DFL-MN), center, updates press in his St. Paul office Sunday, on the status of the Hmong returnees in Laos. State Sen. Mee Moua (DFL-67), is at left, and State Rep. Cy Thao (DFL-65A) at right. (AAP staff photo by Tom LaVenture)

By TOM LAVENTURE

AAP staff writer

ST. PAUL (August 1, 2010) – U.S. Senator Al Franken (DFL-MN) last Sunday invited press to his Drake Bank Building office to continue updating the progress on the approximately 4,500 forcibly repatriated Hmong in Laos. It was a timely meeting now that President Barack Obama has nominated Karen Brevard Stewart as the next United States Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

Continue Reading

The Asian American Leadership Council at Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) presents Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH) with a $2,500 grant from the Silk Fund. L to R: Sandhya Krishnan, council co-chair; Sheena Panoor, council member; Sheeba Suhaskumar, council member; Sharmila Rao Thakkar, council member and CFW board member; Maya Kinatukara, council member; and Soo Ji Min, executive director of ICAH. PHOTO CREDIT: Kat Fitzgerald

The Asian American Leadership Council at Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) presents Korean American Women in Need (KAN-WIN) with a $5,000 grant from the Silk Fund. L to R: Audrey J. Suh, KAN-WIN board treasurer; Sheeba Suhaskumar, council member; Sandhya Krishnan, council co-chair; Mae P. Hong, council member and former CFW board chair; Sheena Panoor, council member; Sharmila Rao Thakkar, council member and CFW board member; Youngju Ji, executive director of KAN-WIN; and Juju Lien, CFW Alumnae Council member. PHOTO CREDIT: Kat Fitzgerald

CHICAGO (July 22, 2010) The Asian American Leadership Council at Chicago Foundation for Women is proud to announce $10,000 in grants to three Chicago-area nonprofits. The funded programs address domestic and sexual violence as well as access to health services and information, and two of the grants also recognize Asian American women’s leadership.

Continue Reading