Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Needed to Apply for California's New Redistricting Commission

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Needed to Apply for California's New Redistricting Commission

Deadline to Apply Is February 12, 2010

Every ten years, we draw new district maps for Congress, the California legislature, county boards of supervisors, and city councils. When we redraw the maps every ten years, we change the boundaries so that each district contains the same number of people. This process is called redistricting.

The next time redistricting will happen is in 2011, and because California voters passed Proposition 11 in 2008, there will be a major change in who draws the maps. Proposition 11 creates a new commission made up of citizens. In 2011, the commission will draw new maps for the state legislature and Board of Equalization. Before Proposition 11, the state legislature drew these maps.

Why does this matter? In past redistrictings, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities have been fragmented by district boundaries. For example, in the 2001 redistricting, the San Jose neighborhood of Berryessa was split among four State Assembly districts, even though over half of Berryessa's population is AAPI.

District boundaries that split AAPI communities like this weaken the political voice of AAPI communities. When AAPI communities are fragmented, they do not make up a significant portion of any one district. This diminishes their ability to get their elected representatives to address their needs.
The commission will play an important role in determining whether AAPI communities are again fragmented unfairly in 2011, or instead kept whole. To make sure that the commission takes AAPI communities into account, we need the right people on the commission - individuals who are civic-minded, come from diverse backgrounds, and understand community needs.

Who will be on the commission? The commission will have 14 members who are selected from people who apply to be on the commission.

The application process is open to the public. Anyone can apply as long as they meet the minimum requirements to be on the commission, such as being a registered voter and having voted in at least two of the last three statewide general elections (November 2004, November 2006, and November 2008). There are also some rules that exclude some people from being eligible for commission if they have a so-called conflict of interest, as well as some restrictions on the future political activities of individuals once they are appointed to the commission.

What will the commission do? The commission will hold public meetings across California to listen to testimony from residents about their communities and neighborhoods. Based on data it gathers, the commission will draw new district maps for the State Assembly, State Senate, and the Board of Equalization (an elected state tax agency).

The commissioners are paid $300 per day when doing commission business. The main period of activity for the commission will be from January 2011 to September 2011. The commissioners can expect to work between 10 to 40 hours per week.

The deadline to apply for the commission is February 12, 2010. You can find more information about the commission and the application process at www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov.

What can you do to help? You may be the right person for the commission - or you may know someone who is. The East Bay Asian Voter Education Consortium (EBAVEC) can be a resource for you - we are working with a statewide network of AAPI organizations to help people learn more about the commission and how to apply.
Please check the website for eligibility:
http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/eligibility_requirements.pdf

Upcoming workshops include:
Date: Wednesday February 3rd, from 6:00-8:00pm
Location: Contra Costa County Library – Orinda Library
26 Orinda Way
Orinda, CA 94563

Date: Saturday February 6th, from 2:00-4:00pm
Location: East Bay Asian Youth Center (EBAYC)
2025 East 12th Street
Oakland, CA 94606

Please RSVP to Jennifer Pae at jennpae@gmail.com.

To see a list of other workshops and learn more about the network, you can go to www.facebook.com/capafr2011.
If you have suggestions for people who might be good applicants for the commission, please contact EBAVEC or APALC at redistricting@apalc.org.

Redistricting CA brochure (.pdf)

Oakland workshop flyer (.pdf)

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Luncheon with Dr. Tony Smith - Superintendent of Oakland Unified School District

OCA-EAST BAY CHAPTER
OAKLAND CHINATOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
2009 COMMUNITY LUNCHEON

An intimate conversation of members & friends of the Asian Community with

The Newly Appointed
SUPERINTENDENT
Of
Oakland Unified School District

Dr. Tony Smith

On
His vision and Commitment
Of The Oakland Public Schools

Friday, December 11, 2009
Luncheon starts at noon

Peony Restaurant (back room)
Pacific Renaissance Plaza, Suite 288
388 9th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Between Franklin and Webster
Cost of Lunch: $25/person


Space is limited, please RSVP by 12/4/09 to:
CH Shao: (415)-392-9688
chshao@chsconsulting.net
or
Jennie Ong: (510)893-8979
oaklandctchamber@aol.com

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Community Forum on Health Care Reform

Join us for an AA and NHPI Community Forum! Dear Community Partners, Join Asian Health Services (AHS), the Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), and the National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP) and others for a community forum on health care reform and what a public plan option would mean for our communities. Hear from local and national leaders on AA and NHPI health and share your experiences about health and the health care system. As many of you have seen or heard in recent months, health care reform is a hotly debated topic among our policymakers and in our communities. We must be sure to have as much information as possible to make the right decisions and have our voices heard in this important debate. Community Forum on Health Care Reform Wednesday, September 16th 10am - 12pm Oakland Asian Cultural Center 388 9th Street #290 Oakland, CA 94607 Interpretation will be provided in the following languages (Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean). Please RSVP to Jen Lee at jlee@ahschc.org, 510.986.6830 x394 to reserve headsets. Thank you and we hope to see you on the 16th!

Learn More Support a Public Insurance Plan Option in Health Care Reform Children and Legal Immigrant Inclusion in Health Care Reform Health Care Reform and Small Business Like most Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians feel the pain of our nation's broken health care system and are struggling to keep up with out-of-control medical costs. Nationally, more than one in six Asian Americans are uninsured and more than one in four Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are uninsured.

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Oakland Local Census Office Open House with Congresswoman Barbara Lee

The Oakland Office of the U.S. Census Bureau Seattle Regional Census Center is holding an Open House with special guest

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

September 18, 2009

1:30PM to 3:30PM.

Oakland Local Census Office

1814 Franklin Street, Suite 200

Oakland, CA 94612

Please RSVP by September 11th

Antoinette Porter 510-250-43336

aa.lco.2716@census2010.gov

Invitation flyer (.pdf)

Join our community event to increase awareness of the 2010 census. Your participation is important for a successful count of every resident of California. Meet with state and local officials, census management and staff, community leaders and representative of local businesses. Presentations will be made by local cultural groups. Refreshments will be provided

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Membership Luncheon with Don Perata

An intimate conversation of members & friends of OCA with
Oakland Mayoral Candidate &
Former California Senate President Pro Tem

Don Perata

On

What is the Condition of Oakland and
The Status of our State?

How to meet the challenges facing our City
and our State in the coming decade?

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Luncheon starts at noon.

Peony Restaurant (back room)
Pacific Renaissance Plaza, Suite 288
388 9th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Between Franklin and Webster

View Larger Map

Cost: Lunch and membership $50
Members $25
Non-members $35

Space is limited, please RSVP by 9/11/09 to:
Suzie Lee: (510)-836-6688 ext.103 or
Edward Tom: edwardtom1@yahoo.com
For more information:
Chi-Hsin Shao: (415)-392-9688

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OCA East Bay Supports Immigrant Workers Exploited by NBC Contractors Corporation of Oakland

COMMITTEE TO STOP TAXPAYER & WORKER RIP-OFFS

IBEW 595, 6250 Village Parkway, Dublin CA 94568

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bonnie Jean von Krogh, 415-336-6176

LOCAL ELECTEDS, WRONGED WORKERS, AND

LABOR LEADERS CONDEMN WORKER EXPLOITATION

AND FELONY INSURANCE FRAUD

Call for NBC Contractors to be held to accountable to the law

HAYWARD, CA – July 20th, 2009

Local elected officials, wronged workers and community members attended a rally condemning the alleged criminal acts of NBC Contractors and owner Monica Ung, as Ung formally faced criminal charges on Monday, including 48 felony counts involving wage theft, insurance fraud and perjury at the Alameda County Superior Court in Hayward.

Former NBC worker and lead plaintiff in the class action lawsuit Ricky Lau described how NBC Contractors forced employees to work 60-72 hour weeks but paid them for only 10-40 hour weeks, cheating workers out of $3.6 million in unpaid wages, for work that was performed.

“NBC intimidated workers, forcing us to sign false times cards,” said Lau. “We could not receive our paychecks unless we signed time cards that reduced our hours by as much as 85%. We are just asking to be paid for the hours we worked.”

“All workers have a right to work in an environment free of intimidation and to get paid for work that was done,” said TC Williams of the Alameda Central Labor Council. “The allegations against NBC Contractors suggest a work environment in which the rights of workers were routinely ignored and denied. This type of conduct is unacceptable for any business but is particularly troubling since NBC worked on public projects and took public funds.”

Almost 100 community members and workers came to show their support for NBC workers and stand in solidarity with them.

The complaint against NBC Contractors also includes felony insurance fraud charges, accusing Ung of cheating California taxpayers out of as much as $1.5 million in workers compensation and unemployment insurance taxes.

“In today’s tough economy, the State of California, our schools, cities and citizens are struggling,” said Peralta Community College Trustee Abel Guillen. “This is money that is absolutely essential to funding important services such as public safety, street and road repair, and schools to the public. We cannot stand by while crooked contractors steal millions from workers and the people of California through fraud.”
Other East Bay elected officials questioned why NBC Contractors is still employed on a number of public, taxpayer-funded, public-works projects in the Bay Area such as libraries, schools, and housing.
“I am extremely concerned that NBC Contractors continues to work on ongoing City of Oakland public-works projects, such as the 81st Avenue Branch Library and the Fox Courts Affordable Housing Development,” said Oakland City Councilmember Patricia Kernighan. “We must send a strong message that any illegal behavior will not be tolerated by the City.”
Some public agencies, including the Oakland Unified School District, that were notified of these charges have suspended or terminated their use of NBC Contractors.
“We will not utilize NBC Contractors on any current or projects until these charges are resolved,” said David Kakishiba, Oakland Board of Education Director. “We call on other public agencies working with NBC to take the same steps as the School District and immediately terminate the relationship.”
Kakishiba continued, “California taxpayers have entrusted us to use precious public revenue wisely, and NBC Contractors must be held accountable to the high standards our taxpayers expect and deserve.”
Speakers demanded a full continuing investigation and legal justice for any California taxpayers and workers defrauded by NBC Contractors.


###

Additional news article from the Oakland Post and Sing Tao.
http://ocaeastbay.googlepages.com/NBCWorkers.pdf

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Action Alert: Tell Congress to Support Health Care Reform TODAY!

Tell Congress to Support Health Care Reform TODAY!

OCA, a national organization dedicated to the social, political, and economic wellbeing of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), believes that all people deserve quality, affordable health care. One in six Asian Americans and one in four Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are uninsured. Even with coverage, AAs and NHPIs experience disparities in health outcomes and quality of care.

Today, August 19, is a national Call-in Day organized by NAPAWF, the Asian American Justice Center and the Asian and Pacific Islander Health Forum. OCA wants you to take part in this collaboration to support healthcare reform.

Take Action!

1. Call 1-877-264-4226. (Special thanks to Health Care for American NOW! for extending the use of their line.)
2. Ask the operator to connect you to your Senator or Representative and give the operator your zip code. Once the operator connects you to your Rep/Senator' s office, a staffer in the office will answer the call.
3. Say:

"My name is ___________ and I want affordable health care. Please support the public plan that keeps costs down and makes health coverage affordable for everyone. All children and pregnant women should be covered. I also want everyone to be treated fairly. I think it's unfair for tax-paying, legal immigrants to have to wait five years before they can get the help they need. Please remove the five year bar on Medicaid." [Insert your own story!]

Please let your friends and networks know about today’s national action.

For more info about this Call-in Day, contact Deeana Jang at djang@apiahf. org, Alice Dong at adong@advancingequa lity.org or Priscilla Huang at phuang@napawf. org. For more information about OCA, contact Sarah Smith Nester at ssmith@ocanational.org

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