End Hate Crimes Now! Pass H.R. 1913!

ACTION ALERT!

End Hate Crimes Now! Pass H.R. 1913!

CALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

Tuesday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 29

Call your member of Congress toll-free at 866-346-4611 today and tomorrow, April 28-29, and urge support for the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA).

Current law limits federal involvement in hate crimes cases to those involving crimes motivated by race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. The LLEHCPA will expand this law to include crimes that are motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. It will give federal government jurisdiction to prosecute hate crimes in states where current law is inadequate and also provide federal authorities greater access to investigate hate crimes.

Every year, we have been harshly reminded of our status as countless APAs have been brutally attacked and murdered. No matter how far we think we have come, a heinous hate crime quickly reminds the APA community that we are a long way from truly being equal.

OCA joins other civil rights, religious, law enforcement, professional and civic organizations in supporting the LLEHCPA. Call your representative now and help put an end to hate crimes!

Koi Suwannagate And Anna Sui Design T-shirts For A Cause

KOI SUWANNAGATE AND ANNA SUI DESIGN T-SHIRTS FOR A CAUSE

Nordstrom Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with Limited-Edition T-shirts 

SEATTLE—In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Nordstrom is partnering with designers Koi Suwannagate and Anna Sui on a limited-edition T-shirt collection that will be sold exclusively at Nordstrom for the month of May.

These limited-edition T-shirts will be available at 15 Nordstrom stores and online at Nordstrom.com/apahm beginning May 1. Customers will have three different T-shirt designs to choose from including one from Koi Suwannagate and two from Anna Sui. T-shirts will sell for $60 each with proceeds benefiting the scholarship program of OCA, a national organization dedicated to serving Asian Pacific Americans. For over 10 years, OCA has provided assistance to students in achieving their dream of a higher education.


“We are excited to partner with Koi Suwannagate and Anna Sui in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” said Amelia Ransom Letcher, vice president of Diversity Affairs for Nordstrom. “Our collaborative effort in support of OCA’s scholarship program is one that we can all be proud of.”

Koi is known for her artistic designs that many would describe as “wearable art”, and this T-shirt is nothing short of that. Anna Sui’s two designs incorporate her signature fanciful design elements, complete with unexpected details.

“Having the opportunity to contribute my T-shirt design to Nordstrom for OCA’s mission is very humbling,” said designer Koi Suwannagate. “My T-shirt design for Nordstrom is an extension of one of my spring/summer 2009 feather prints. The feather is a symbol of lightness and fantasy.”

“I was honored to be asked to participate in this project. I think it’s so fantastic that all the proceeds will benefit the OCA scholarship program,” said designer Anna Sui. “I designed two T-Shirts. The first one is a blow-up of one of the sketches I did for my spring 2009 collection and includes a real satin bow on top of the girl’s head. The second design is festooned with lace trim, a pearl necklace and real satin bows.”

T-shirts will be available online at Nordstrom.com/apahm and15 Nordstrom stores across the country including:

Ala Moana Center – Honolulu, Hawaii
Brea Mall – Brea, Calif.
Downtown Portland – Portland, Ore.
Downtown Seattle – Seattle, Wash.
Fashion Square – Scottsdale, Ariz.
Fashion Valley – San Diego, Calif.
Mall of America – Bloomington, Minn.
Michigan Avenue – Chicago, Ill.
Pentagon City – Arlington, Va.
Roosevelt Field – Garden City, N.Y.
San Francisco Centre – San Francisco, Calif.
The Grove at Farmer’s Market – Los Angeles, Calif.
Topanga Plaza – Canoga Park, Calif.
Valley Fair – San Jose, Calif.
Village of Merrick Park – Coral Gables, Fla.


About Koi Suwannagate
Born and raised in Thailand, Koi came to the United States and studied fashion in California. That’s where she discovered her true passion for wearable art and where her professors and fellow students encouraged her to start her own fashion line. Her line launched in 2001 and she made her New York Fashion Week debut in 2007. Koi was also a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist in 2007.

About Anna Sui
At age four, Anna decided that she would become a designer and started to make her own clothes. Before the end of her senior high school year, she was accepted to Parsons School of Design in New York. After two years at Parsons, Anna styled with friend Steven Meisel and designed for several sportswear companies before launching her first collection in 1980. Anna’s business continued to grow throughout the 1980s, and in 1991 she premiered her first runway show. The following year she opened her first flagship store on Greene Street in Soho. She has also launched cosmetics, fragrance, shoe and accessory licenses. Today Anna Sui has 32 boutiques in five countries and her collection is sold in 300 stores in over 30 countries. Most recently, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced the 2009 Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Anna.

About Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty retailers, with 172 stores located in 28 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 110 full-line stores, 58 Nordstrom Racks, two Jeffrey boutiques and two clearance stores. Nordstrom also serves customers through its online presence at www.nordstrom.com and through its catalogs. Nordstrom, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.

About OCA
Founded in 1973, OCA is a national organization dedicated to the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, DC, OCA is engaged in organizing its over 80 chapters and affiliates across the nation to develop both leadership and community involvement. OCA is online at www.ocanational.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Colleen Quinn
Nordstrom, Inc.
(206) 373-3036

Sarah Smith
OCA Communications Manager
(202) 223-5500
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Free Citizenship Workshop

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (Northern California Chapter) is hosting a free Citizenship Workshop

Saturday, April 18, 2009
From 10 am to 2 pm
Hastings College of the Law
198 McAllister Street in San Francisco.

For eligibility and other important information download the following pdf files.
English
Chinese 中文


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Fifth Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration set for May 16th -Festival to focus on all Asian groups in the City

SAN FRANCISCO (April 2, 2009) - The largest gathering of Asian Pacific Americans in the nation is back and bigger than ever, featuring Asian American artists, DJs, martial arts, today's Asian pop culture, j-cars, a Muay Thai kickboxing ring, scrumptious food, a karaoke contest, children's area, cultural procession, arts and crafts, anime, free hepatitis B screenings and more! The 5th annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009 in San Francisco, in front of the Asian Art Museum, leading up to the Little Saigon District. The event is free and open to the public.

What: Fifth Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration

When: Saturday, May 16, 2009
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Where: Civic Center/Little Saigon District
San Francisco

Information: www.asianfairsf.com


OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION:


BE A VENDOR
The Asian Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC) is currenlty looking for arts and crafts, food, community, and corporate booths. To be a vendor at one of the largest gatherings of Asian & Pacific Islanders in America, download a booth application at
www.asianfairsf.com or contact:


Tamiko Wong
415-321-5865
twong@awfoundation.com


DONATE PRIZES FOR THE SFUSD RAFFLE PROGRAM
The San Francisco Unified School District "Make Some Money For Your School " Raffle Program, managed by the AsianWeek Foundation, is no cost fundraiser for schools. Students sell raffle tickets for a chance to win donated prizes, and ALL proceeds go straight to participating schools. Last year, 25 different schools participated, representing over 17,000 students and the program raised close to $10,000. Donation of an item, product or service is currently wanted and will give your company exposure to estimated 100,000 festival attendees. For more information contact:

Angela Pang
apang@asianweek.com

DRESS IN COSTUME
Dress in ethnic attire for the "Faces of Asia" cultural procession. All ages and Asian ethnicities wanted, contact:

Rose Chung
Rose.Chung@sfgov.org

VOLUNTEER
Volunteering - email volunteer@awfoundation.com
a. Festival preparation, help organize activities
b. Day-of-event - setting up, monitoring barricades, booths, etc.

SPONSOR THE EVENT
Support the largest pan Asian celebration nationwide. For details contact:

Brian Fujimoto
415.321.5869
bfujimoto@awfoundation.com

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About the AsianWeek Foundation
The Asian Heritage Street Celebration is organized by the AsianWeek Foundation in cooperation with over 150 organizations in the local and Asian American community. The AsianWeek Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 committed to developing Asian American community. All proceeds from the Celebration are donated to local and national charities. www.asianfairsf.com

Angel Island Presentation

OCA San Mateo Presents
Road to Restoration

Film screening about the restoration of Angel Island's Immigration Station.

Katherine Toy will give a brief over-view of the station’s historical significance, the current efforts to save this valuable piece of American history, and plans for the future.

Monday April 6th—7:00-8:00PM
Foster City Library—Wind Room

Additional details available here: AngelIsland.pdf