Fundraising for Yu Family

Dear OCA Members and Friends:

On behalf of the OCA East Bay Board of Directors, we are reaching out to all of you with solemn hearts following the incredibly unfortunate incident that took place approximately two weeks ago in Oakland. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the event, two members of the Yu family– a father and son from San Francisco, both of Chinese decent and completely innocent bystanders, were shopping in Oakland’s “Uptown” district when they were brutally assaulted by two teenagers for no apparent reason. Both family members suffered significant injuries in the attack, including a fractured skull for the father. Sadly, after four days in a coma, the father, Tian Sheng Yu, succumbed to his injuries and passed away on the morning of Tuesday April 20th, creating a tragic ending to an already very unfortunate incident. Tian Sheng Yu, is survived by his son, Jin Cheng, and his wife Zhi Rui Wang.

At this point, many of you have likely heard about this incident through the media, as coverage has been virtually non-stop since the crime occurred. The community at large and in particular, the Asian American community, have voiced their outrage over this heinous act and put significant pressure on the leadership within the City of Oakland to find the suspects and bring them to justice. Thankfully, the two teenagers responsible for this atrocious crime have been apprehended and the healing process for the community and more importantly, the Yu family, can finally begin.

The healing process will require the help of all of us, as fellow community members and Asian Americans, to assist this family in rebuilding itself following its tragic and unnecessary loss. Although many Bay Area organizations, including Alameda County, have offered assistance with funeral and burial expenses, the Yu family will need additional financial assistance given the loss of its primary breadwinner. OCA East Bay has taken the lead on this effort and we are kindly asking all of our members and friends to consider a monetary donation to this family in need. We believe anything will help and no amount is too small. OCA East Bay and its Board of Directors have already pledged substantial funds to this effort and it is our hope that you will assist us in ensuring that the Yu family’s dreams won’t also be lost through this tragic incident.

Please send your donations to OCA EB at 2975 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705, payable to The Yu Family Foundation. We will make sure the Yu family gets a clear account for the individual contributions.

Sincerely,

Chi-Hsin Shao
President

Stanley Kiang
Vice President

OCA Criticizes Arizona's Anti-Immigrant Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26 April 2010

CONTACT

Lan Nguyen | Program Associate

202 223 5500 | lnguyen@ocanational.org

Washington, D.C. – OCA, a national Asian Pacific American (APA) social justice organization with over 80 chapters and affiliates, raises strong concerns over Arizona’s new immigration law, SB 1070. As a community of immigrants, APAs have historically suffered from harsh discriminatory policies based on perceived ethnic heritage. Signed by Governor Jan Brewer last Friday, SB 1070 will further increase discriminatory practices by allowing police officers to detain anyone based on the suspicion that they are undocumented. Such a far-reaching and general stipulation for questioning will undoubtedly perpetuate racial profiling in a state that already has a history of anti-immigrant legislation. SB 1070 sets a dangerous precedent of legalizing and engendering racial profiling as the status quo.

Implementation of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law will have a negative impact on all communities of color and immigrants, including those who are U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, by fueling discrimination and debilitating trust between immigrants and law enforcement. SB 1070 demonstrates the urgent need for the immigration reform on a comprehensive federal level. The broken immigration system must be addressed nationally by providing a fair path to legalization, restoring due process, alleviating backlogs of family-based immigration, and creating additional programs for individuals to enter legally into the U.S. to work temporarily or permanently.

OCA calls for action on comprehensive immigration reform legislation to prevent the onslaught of further harmful state legislation.

What you can do to join us in supporting fair and humane immigration reform:

• Sign the Reform Immigration FOR America petition telling the President and Congress “America needs comprehensive immigration reform today - don't let the rest of the nation follow Arizona's lead!”
• Contact Arizona Governor Jan Brewer with the following message: “I am deeply concerned that you have signed SB1070. This law promotes racial profiling and will be detrimental to all communities of color, including people who are citizens and legal permanent residents. I ask that this law be rescinded immediately.” Her office can be reached at (602) 542-4331 or azgov@az.gov
• Find and Participate in a May Day rally on May 1st near you!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2010
Contact: Carl Chan 510-604-9091, chancarl@sbcglobal.net

MEDIA ADVISORY:

Asian Community Hold Rally against Crimes Targeting Seniors and Minorities In Light of the Brutal Attack of A 59-year-Old Chinese Man and his Son in Oakland’s Uptown

[OAKLAND, CA] – Oakland Asian Community will hold a rally and press conference in Oakland Chinatown tomorrow to denounce the brutal attack of Tiansheng Yu and his 25-year-old son on the 1800 block of Telegraph Avenue at about 3 PM last Friday. When they were attacked in broad daylight by two men, Tiansheng Yu suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. He is now on life support at Highland Hospital. The son is expected to survive.

The community is saddened and extremely upset about the senseless violence against minorities. Seniors and minorities are often victims of assaults and robberies in Oakland. Last year an elderly Asian lady was beaten unconscious when she was collecting recyclables. Many robberies in Oakland by criminals were against minorities and in many cases, Asian. The incident of Tiansheng Yu dismayed the community. Many people are very upset of crimes that target seniors and minorities. The Asian community demands our government officials bring justice for Tiansheng Yu, as well as take steps to protect all people.

WHAT: Rally against Crimes Targeting Seniors and Minorities

WHEN: April 20, 2010. 1 PM

WHERE: Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 Ninth Street, Suite 290

WHO: Asian, African American, Hispanic and other Community Leaders
Congresswoman Barbara Lee
State Assemblyman Sandre’ Swanson
Alameda District Attorney Nancy O’Malley
Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums (not confirmed)
Oakland City Council Member Jane Brunner, District 1 (not confirmed)
Oakland City Council Member Pat Kernighan, District 2
Oakland City Council Member Nancy Nadel, District 3
Oakland City Council Member Jean Quan, District 4
Oakland City Council Member Ignacio De La Fuente, District 5
Oakland City Council Member Desley Brooks, District 6 (not confirmed)
Oakland City Council Member Larry Reid, District 7
Oakland City Council Member Rebecca Kaplan, At Large
Oakland City Attorney John Russo (not confirmed)
Asian Advisory Committee on Crime
Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce
Oakland Chinatown Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
Organization of Chinese American, East Bay Chapter

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)

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

Seeking Volunteers for the OCA National Convention

OCA is seeking for volunteers for the 2009 OCA National Convention!

Every year, OCA (Organization of Chinese Americans) convenes a National Asian Pacific American (APA) Convention where OCA members and supporters from across the nation come together to discuss the state of APA affairs. This year's theme is "Call To Action: Empowering Asian Pacific American Voices". Prominent APA elected officials, celebrities and public figures usually attend the Convention. In addition to the keynote speakers and workshops, there will be a Community Health Fair, Senior Day, College and Youth Days, and a Job Fair.

This year’s OCA National Convention is in San Francisco, CA
August 6-9th at the Westin St. Francis Hotel
Located at 335 Powell Street (between Post and Geary) across from Union Square.


OCA is looking for volunteers to help implement the Convention’s various workshops and events. This is a great opportunity to network within a national APA advocacy organization, and to contribute to the larger APA community. Volunteers will assist with: General convention and gala registration, setup for meal events, convention bag stuffing, transportation, pick ups/deliveries, exhibit/job fair area, escorting, crowd control, ushering, security, and floater duties for the four days. Volunteers are also welcome to sign up to help on a committee for tasks and logistics prior to the convention on-site.

We are preferably seeking volunteers at least college-aged.

For more information and/or to RSVP as a volunteer, please contact Michael Lok at michaeljlok@gmail.com.

When you RSVP, please Include:

* Name
* Contact Info: Phone, Email
* Organization (If you are representing an organization or group)
* Days and approximate times of availability for volunteering.

DEADLINE: Friday, June 5th, 6pm

There will be orientation meetings before the convention dates to get an overview on task assignments, logistics, and any pre-convention tasks that need to be completed: Dates/Times To Be Announced (TBA).

Other details about OCA and the Convention can be found at the OCA National website: www.ocanational.org

Thank you very much,

Michael Lok
Volunteer Coordinator,
2009 OCA National Convention

______________________________


OCA is a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. Founded in 1973 as the Organization of Chinese Americans, OCA is engaged in organizing its 80-plus chapters and college affiliates across the nation to develop leadership opportunities and community involvement. OCA’s chapters and college affiliates are establishing strong local programs in all parts of the country.

To fulfill its mission, OCA has adopted the following goals:

* To advocate for social justice, equal opportunity and fair treatment;
* To promote civic participation, education, and leadership
* To advance coalitions and community building; and
* To foster cultural heritage

Visit the website for more information about OCA and the Convention: www.ocanational.org