ARTS AND MEDIA

Breaking into the Business: the Arts (2)
Description: This workshop begins with a panel discussion with Asian American actors that have worked in mainstream film, T.V. and theatre while maintaining a sense of their own identity at the same time. The group will share their many experiences, including how they got into the business, their big break, and what Hollywood is really like. Participants will also be taken through a series of exercises that focus on how to audition, get an agent and work in a rehearsal setting as well as on stage or screen.
Leaders: Hereandnow

Asian Pacific American Representation in Media and at the Smithsonian Institution (1,2)
Description: This workshop will discuss the Asian Pacific American Program' s role at the Smithsonian Institution. We will present a general view of the APA office, its projects, and opportunities for student research and internship. One project, the Japanese American Saga, will be offered as an example of the ways in which the Smithsonian is addressing APA media representation. The Saga project captures representative views of the Japanese American experience from early emigration in the late 1800's to the present. The presenter will pay particular attention to the symbols, images, and languages depicting Japanese Americans and interpret popular attitudes during the 20th century.
Leaders:
Gina Inocencio is a Program Specialist at the Asian Pacific American Program, Smithsonian Institution. She got her Masters Degree in Asian American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Before coming to Washington, DC, Gina worked as a community organizer and, later, as Program Coordinator of a transitional housing program for the homeless elderly in Los Angeles, California.
Noriko Sanefuji has been a researcher for the Asian Pacific American Program at the Smithsonian Institution since February 2000, working directly with Dr. Franklin Odo. After receiving her B.A. in American Studies at Randolph-Macon Woman's College in 1998, she continued her scholarly interests in public history and Japanese Americans in World War II at the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, where she translated brochures and secured donations from Japanese sources. Noriko is also pursuing her M.A. degree in Public History at American University and is expected to graduate in 2002.

Asian Pacific American Literature (3)
Description: The experiences and struggles of Asian Pacific Americans have prompted hundreds of books, essays, and plays. In this workshop, participants will discuss the current and past trends of Asian Pacific American literature and its role in the social movement of Asian Pacific Americans in the present. More details to come.
Leaders: Alexandra Suh is a professor at Columbia University.

Back to Basics: Writing and Performing Poetry (1)
Description: In this writing workshop, Beau and Ishle will guide you through different exercises that will help you with the beginning stages of writing poetry. Because race and ethnicity can be explored both subtlely and blatantly through language, the structure and word choices involved in a poem play an integral role in its formation. One word can change how an audience reacts to a poem. These writing exercises will help fine tune poems as well as generate ideas for poems. Beau and Ishle will also give tips on how to transform a poem from page to stage.
Leaders: Beau Sia and Ishle Park, Feedback

CAREER

Myth of the American Dream: Influences on Career Choices (2,3)
Description: The "American Dream" is based on the principle of self-determination. However, for 1.5 and 2nd generation Asian Americans, cultural conflict can arise between being the obedient Asian child and the individualism of the "American Dream." Career choices may seem pre-determined by family history, expectations and definitions of success. In this workshop, participants will conduct an inventory of their personal interests and compare them with their current career plans. They will also examine social and cultural influences on personal academic and career choices. An integral aspect of the discussion will be the generational gap between parent and child.
Leaders: Anita Poon serves as Director of Asian Pacific American Student Affairs at George Mason University, in the Office of Diversity Programs & Services. She is also Secretary of the DC chapter of NAPAWF (National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum), a group dedicated to forging a grassroots progressive movement for social and economic justice and the political empowerment of Asian Pacific American women and girls. She earned a "practical" bachelor's degree in Marketing Management at Boston College, and a M.Ed. in Educational Counseling & Human Development, with a concentration in College Student Affairs Administration, at the University of Georgia.

COMMUNITY

The Third Boat: Negotiating Cambodian Identity in the South (1,3)
Description: Many small Southeast Asian communities are woven into North Carolina's social landscape. Small strip mall markets stock the dried fish, vegetables, spices, and jasmine rice central to Southeast Asian kitchens. While some residents of the greater Greensboro community welcome the diversity these Southeast Asian immigrants bring, others have hurled eggs at the Buddhist temple as an expression of their dissent. This workshop will trace the development of the Cambodian community in Greensboro. We will share a radio documentary and images of community cultural life. Participants will also discuss the experiences of young people struggling to balance the demands of family and culture with their "American" sides.
Leaders:
Barbara Lau is a folklorist working at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. She has been documenting the history and folklore of Greensboro's Cambodian community since 1992.
Ran Kong is a senior at Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC majoring in Math and Economics. She and her family arrived in Greensboro in 1984 and have been primary supporters of the Greensboro Buddhist Center. Ran has also been a dancer and dance teacher with the Cambodian Temple Dancers.
Vandy Chhum is a senior at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro majoring in Social Work. Vandy and her family have lived in Cambodian communities in New York, Chicago and Long Beach, California before she moved to Greensboro. Vandy has also been active as a dancer and teacher with the Cambodian Temple Dancers.

Youth Development in the Asian Pacific American Community (2,3)
Description: In this workshop, conference participants will learn how Asian American LEAD (AALEAD), a grassroots community organization, encourages youth to develop their assets through education and community service. AALEAD focuses on helping youths recognize that they are part of a greater whole, which includes taking responsibility for their actions and understanding how their actions affects other community members. The essential question is: "What does it mean for us to try to develop youths from, with and for community?" AALEAD will share concrete examples of how to develop and engage young people in the process of building and implementing a unified vision for Asian Americans.
Leaders: Sandy Hoa Dang is the founder and Executive Director of Asian American LEAD. She has dedicated her life to easing the transition of immigration for thousands of Southeast Asian families living in the Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. Recently, Ms. Dang was selected as one of the 12 Washingtonians of the Year 2001. She is the recipient of the 100 Washingtonians to Watch in the Millennium, Mayor's Neighborhood Action Award and the 1999 Linowes Leadership Award for Community Services. She received her BA from Duke University and her Masters in Social Work from Catholic University.

Asian Pacific American Community Development: a National Perspective (2,3)
Description: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face unique barriers to achieving community and economic self-sufficiency. Obstacles such as cultural and linguistic isolation, racial/ethnic discrimination, and misperceptions perpetrated by the "model minority" myth hinder recent immigrants, refugees, seniors, and youth from attaining access to affordable housing, education, employment, financial assistance and other opportunities that promote sustained community and economic well-being. This workshop will discuss the historical context in which community development advocacy emerged from the Asian American Movement, current community development challenges AAPI communities confront, and ways in which National CAPACD and AAPI community development corporations across the nation have and continue to address these challenges. Panelists will share stories from a local perspective of their efforts to conduct community development activities.
Leaders: Cherry Cayabyab is the Program Coordinator for the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development. Her current projects include co-coordinating NCAPACD's 3rd annual community development convention in May 2002, implementing their internship program, and assisting with research and advocacy of community development policies relevant to AAPIs. She is also active with NaFFAA (National Federation of Filipino American Associations) and NAPAWF's (National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum) community organizing committee.

The Successful New Americans Project: The Southeast Asian American Community (1,2)
Description: The Successful New Americans Project presentation will feature project Years 1 and 2 findings, such as best practice models and successful grassroots advocacy activities, and highlights of the SNAP publication on Southeast Asian Americans since 1975. SNAP (the Successful New Americans Project) strengthens Southeast Asian American nonprofit organizations; gathers research about Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, and Vietnamese Americans; and documents the most successful adaptation strategies of resettled refugees. In project year 3, from January 2002, SNAP will provide technical assistance to 11 other SE Asian and immigrant and refugee organizations.
Leader(s): Narin Sihavong is the Project Manager for the Successful New Americans Project (SNAP). He was born in Laos, and came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1978. Sihavong received a B.A. in Political Science from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Hawaii. During the last 10 years, Narin has spent a significant amount of time in Laos and Thailand, and is fluent in Lao and Thai. Prior to joining SEARAC, he worked as an intern at Pricewaterhouse Consultants, Tokyo, in the Global Human Resources Solutions Consulting Department.

Queer Asian Identities: Personal & Policy Perspectives of Sexual Orientation and Race (1,3)
Description: This workshop will provide personal, political and policy perspectives on the experiences of the Asian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community in America. Discussion will include local and national models of queer organizing and advocacy with an emphasis on the centrality of GLBT issues as part of a broader Asian American movement for civil rights and equality. Panelists will draw specific links between Asian and GLBT civil rights issues, especially with regard to marriage and hate crimes, and ample time will be allotted for audience interaction, discussion and debate.
Leaders: Hector Vargas is the regional director for the Southern Regional Office of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the nation's oldest and largest legal organization dedicated to advancing the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV and AIDS. He previously served as state legislative lawyer for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force based in Washington, DC. He currently is working with other queers of Filipino ancestry to ensure that mainstream Filipino-American organizations are welcoming and responsive to GLBT Filipino Americans.

Back to the Future: Developing Community Based Power in the Next Century (1)
Description: This workshop introduces Nodutdol's work in the areas of public education, health care for immigrants, and solidarity with Korea and with other communities as a springboard for discussing community empowerment among all the workshop participants. The focus is on the Korean community with connections made to past and present movements and efforts for empowerment in other communities. Lessons from history, current challenges and opportunities, and long-range vision.
Leaders: Nodutdol was founded in April 1999 in New York City to promote the self-determination and unification of the Korean people through community development and grassroots organizing. Nodutdol currently has three programs (Community Education, Community Health, and Korea Solidarity) and also works in coalition with other organizations.

HEALTH

Asian Pacific Americans and Public Health (1,2)
Description: Not all Asian Pacific Americans are as uniformly educated, acculturated, and financially successful as the myth of the "model minority" would suggest. Like other communities, Asian Pacific Americans need health and social services for their children's well being. This workshop will focus primarily on the health issues that affect Asian Pacific American youth and their communities, particularly teen pregnancy, substance abuse, suicide, youth violence, and Asian gangs. The workshop will focus on providing individuals with practical tools to positively impact the current health care situation of Asian Pacific American communities.
Leaders: Brad Baldia received his BA in English and Biology from Bucknell University and a Masters in Public Health from Temple University. He is the Project Coordinator for the Cultural Connections Collaborative, a 2-year grant from Pew Charitable Trusts that assists immigrant children and families in accessing health care and teaches schools how to better serve and understand these diverse communities. Baldia also serves as the 2nd Vice-President of the Filipino Executive Council of Greater Philadelphia (FECGP) and Co-chair for Young United Filipinos, Inc. (YUPI). He has received numerous awards for his work, including the "National Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award" by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ).

Asian Pacific American Mental Health (2,3)
Description: In this workshop, we will show a 20 minute documentary called "About Face" about Asian American women college experience but it is applicable across gender. The content of the video will address family, identity, relationship (romantic and peers) and academic issues. We will discuss the implications and these prevalent issues as they relate to mental health and the psychological and intellectual aspects of developing and forming
one's ethnic identity. Participants will also take place in small group discussions.
Leaders:
Shinhee Han, Ph.D., has served in college student counseling for over ten years at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Barnard College, and currently at Columbia University. She specializes in working with young Asian Americans and their immigrant families who confront the struggles of integrating multiple cultures, languages, socioeconomic and geographical shifts. Han also has a private practice in New York City.
Beverly Chen is a therapist at Duke Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) with primary interests in addressing Asian and Asian American mental health issues and student needs. She received a BA in psychology with an Asian American Studies minor at Pitzer College and a Masters in Social Work at the University of Michigan. After receiving her BA degree, Chen served at a non-profit community based youth center as a conflict resolution trainer for Asian and Latino youths in the Los Angeles area. She has also worked as a mental health therapist at a private and community based center with children, youth, adults and families.

IDENTITY

Shattering Stereotypes: the Model Minority Myth (2,3)
Description: Asian Pacific Americans have lived in this country for over 150 years. Although we have made great contributions toward a better America in the arts, business, sports, politics, and medicine, we still face widespread prejudice and discrimination fueled by APA stereotypes portrayed in various TV, film, and print mediums. In this workshop, we will identify specific stereotypes such as the model minority myth and take immediate actions in understanding and shattering negative stereotypical images, so that we, as Asian Pacific Americans, can enjoy all the same rights, privileges, and opportunities of any American.
Leaders: Christopher K. Wong (Christopher@kgpub.com) is an entrepreneur, author, and one of the few, and perhaps youngest APA professional speaker, in the nation. He speaks passionately and openly about the importance of student leadership, and how your leadership experiences will shape your entire life. Before starting his own company, he was a manager at American Express where he served as the ASIA Network Community Affairs Committee Head and Captain of the American Express Dragon Boat team. Christopher graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from the University at Buffalo.

Missing in History: APA Studies 101 (1,3)
Description: This workshop addresses the basic chronology and major themes of Asian-American/Pacific Island history. It will cover immigrations and exclusions, community activism, struggles for equality, resistance to discrimination, and the diversity of people considered Asian American. This workshop will ask participants to begin to re-consider U.S. history through the experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It will also challenge participants to re-examine the label "Asian American," by underscoring the ethnic, class, gender, and political differences encompassed by the term. Finally, the workshop will encourage participants to make links between present issues and circumstances facing Asian America and the past.
Leaders: Derek Chang is completing his Ph.D. in history at Duke University. His research addresses the role of nationalism, religion, and race in the formation of nineteenth-century Chinese immigrant and African-American communities. He is a graduate of Trinity College (Hartford, CT). He will begin teaching history and Asian-American Studies at Cornell University in the Fall 2002.

Adoption and Acculturation (1,2)
Description: What is it like to be a Korean adoptee raised by Caucasian parents? What familial/identity/cultural/social issues arise out of inter-cultural adoption? In this workshop, Sarah Wind will share personal experiences and insights on adoption. Sarah will help participants understand some of the unique
struggles of Korean adoptees through her own experiences, which include visiting Korea for the first time, adjusting to the Korean culture, finding her Korean parents, and lessons learned. Wind will discuss how her sense of identity has evolved over time and how this search for identity is applicable to Asian-Americans from all backgrounds.
Leaders: Born in Seoul, Korea, Sarah Wind was adopted by Caucasian parents at the age one and grew up in Rochester, NY. Wind first returned to Korea for an International Student Exchange Program at Yonsei University, and later returned to continue her study of Korean culture and language. In Korea, she was actively involved with Overseas Adopted Koreans (OAKs) and helped petition the Korean government for funds to aid Korean adoptees returning to Korea. Wind graduated from N.C. State University with a management degree and is currently Assistant Marketing Manager for IBM. She is an NAAAP-NC chapter board member and recently coordinated North Carolina's first Asian American Women's Conference.

Everybody Onstage: Self-discovery through Theatre (1,3)
Description: Hereandnow will take participants through a series of interactive games and exercises that encourage people to discover, first-hand, the dynamics of theatre. All ages are welcome and no prior experience is necessary take part in this fun and unconventional process of discovery. Side by side with the cast, everyone will learn to create, relate, and communicate with others and with themselves. Everybody Onstage is about self discovery, finding one's voice, pride in oneself, and pride in heritage.
Leaders: Hereandnow

Self-Identity and the Politics of Race (2)
Description: This workshop will explore how our individual/familial location, and economic and geographical locations in the U.S. may deflect our own perceptions of "race" and identity especially in the American South. We will also explore the ways in which the concept of "Asian American" often excludes "non East Asian Americans" the "others" from Asia such Filipino Americans, Pakistani Americans, Asian Indians and so on.
Leaders: Sucheta Mazumdar is an associate professor of History at Duke University, where she has taught Chinese History and Asian American Studies since 1993. She first became involved in Asian American Studies as a student activist and later as a researcher at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. From 1977-1984, she worked as a research associate on the project, "Labor Immigration Under Capitalism, Asian Labor in the United States prior to WW II" at UCLA. She taught in the Asian American Studies Program at UC Berkeley in 1985, where she became a member of Asian Women United Collective. Dr. Mazumdar was also a co-editor in Making Waves, An Anthology of Writings by and About Asian American Women.

Legal Construction of Race (1,3)
Description: The Legal Construction of Race is a detailed history of the creation of race in America through the mechanism of law. Participants will learn about the gradual creation of the "Asian" race in America against the background of a dichotomous black/white racial paradigm and how that creation forms the essence of the Asian American place at the racial dialogue table today.
Leaders: Milan Pham is a civil rights specialist at the Orange County Department of Human Rights and Relations. Her program areas include Asian Pacific American outreach, youth issues and women's issues as well as federal, state and local anti-discrimination law enforcement. In addition to her work at Human Rights and Relations, Ms. Pham is the President and co-founder of Advocacy for North Carolina Asian Pacific Americans, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for Asian Pacific American issues in North Carolina and regionally. Ms. Pham recently completed her Juris Doctor at the University of North Carolina School of Law where she focused her studies on civil rights related issues.

Half-Asian Pacific American Identity (1,3)
Description: The world of the Asian Pacific American is one filled daily with the challenge of self-definition. Within the limbo between "Asian" and "American" is the gray space of APA identity, influenced in infinitely different ways by family, history, society, and our own life choices. But are these questions changed, unique, or yet more difficult for those that self-identify as Half-Asian Pacific American (HAPA)? This workshop explores the particular issues of the struggle for self-definition within the HAPA community and, through that, the universal question: "Where-and to which group-do I belong?"
Leaders: Kimiko Roberts from the HAPA (Half Asian Pacific American) Forum

Understanding Our Cultural Values (1,2)
Description: This interactive workshop takes participants through small and large group discussions to understand the relationships between perceptions, behaviors, and values. Participants will discuss the relationship between cultural and mainstream value systems by answering the questions: How do my values influence my behavior and how do others perceive me? What are my core values that most strongly influence me? Participants will consider the impact of perceptions on personal and professional lives and will be challenged to devise solutions to rectify stereotypes and misperceptions.
Leaders: J.D. Hokoyama is the President and CEO of Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP), Inc. Under Mr. Hokoyama's leadership, LEAP has grown from its roots as a volunteer organization to serve an extensive roster of nonprofits, federal and state government agencies, colleges and universities, and Fortune 500 companies. A former Peace Corps volunteer serving in Ethiopia, Mr. Hokoyama was previously a high school teacher, elementary school principal, Director of Asian Pacific American Student Services at University of Southern California, and Acting National Director of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL).

Be a Man! Discussing Asian Pacific Islander American Masculinity (2,3)
Discussion: “Be a man!” What does this mean? What images, expectations, and assumptions are conjured with this statement? Are they different for Asian Pacific Islander American men? What images, stereotypes, assumptions, expectations, pressures, contradictions, and struggles do APIA men face in thinking, talking about (if at all), and coming to terms with their masculinity? This will be an interactive, discussion-based forum for all participants to express their ideas and experiences, examine sources of struggle, tension, and resolution, and to explore the intersections of masculinity with ethnicity, gender, class, religion, sexuality, power, and privilege.
Leader(s): Steve Lin is a program trainer for the Posse Foundation, a
diversity/leadership college scholarship program for urban, public high
school students. As a program trainer, Steve designs and facilitates
participant-oriented, dialogue-based workshops exploring issues such as diversity, communication and leadership. He works primarily with Posse scholarship recipients to broaden their roles as social change agents on their campuses. Lin is also a facilitator for the OCA 2002 APIA leadership training and an APEX mentor for APIA students in New York. A graduate of Hampshire College, he studied Asian Pacific Islander American history, law, and race theory.

ISSUES

International Trafficking of Women and Children (1,3)
Description: The international trafficking of women and children into forced prostitution and labor represents the world's third largest area of organized crime, generating approximately seven billion dollars annually. This workshop will focus generally on how trafficking works, its pervasive reach across borders, the complicity of governments, and specifically, its effect on Asian women and children. The role of race and gender in the global phenomenon of trafficking will also be examined, with an emphasis on the organizing efforts of domestic and international women's groups to combat this problem.
Leaders: Toko Serita is a co-chair of the board of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, an organization dedicated to forging a grassroots progressive movement for social and economic justice for Asian Pacific American women and girls. She currently serves as principal court attorney for a Supreme Court Justice in Queens, New York, and previously served as defense attorney with the Criminal Appeals Bureau of the Legal Aid Society of New York. Serita received her law degree from CUNY Law School at Queens College and her undergraduate degree from Vassar College. She recently attended the United Nations' World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa as a representative of NAPAWF and NAPALC.

Enemy Aliens: The Japanese Latin Experience During WWII and its Significance Today (1,2)
Description: The President declares that aliens can be detained without charge and tried by military tribunals. The FBI, INS and Justice Department target thousands of people based on nationality. Autumn 2001? No, the time is sixty years ago, when the US government interned 32,000 Germans, Italians and Japanese in the US and from Latin America as "potentially dangerous persons". This workshop will highlight the wartime and redress experiences of Japanese Latin Americans interned in the US for the purpose of hostage exchange. Connections will be made with the "war on terrorism" and concern for the civil liberties and human rights of immigrants and activists in the US.
Leaders: Grace Shimizu is a founding member and director of the Japanese Peruvian Oral History Project (JPOHP) and founding member of and spokesperson for the Campaign For Justice: Redress NOW For Japanese Latin Americans! (CFJ). Shimizu coordinates the major work areas of the JPOHP, which include conducting family oral history interviews, educational outreach, and providing information regarding redress. Shimizu is also the Project Coordinator for "The Enemy Alien Files: Hidden Stories of World War II," a ground-breaking photo exhibition exploring the internment and deportation of people of Japanese, German, and Italian ancestry in the US and from Latin America who were classified as "enemy aliens" by the US government.

Deconstruction of Civil Rights: The Wards Cove Case (1,3)
Description: Originally filed in 1973, the Wards Cove case has a significant place in American civil rights history, as it was used by a conservative Supreme Court to narrowly interpret federal civil rights laws and severely burden minority plaintiffs. This case reversed the ruling in the famous North Carolina case, Griggs v. Duke Power Co., the most progressive Supreme Court interpretation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In this workshop, participants will be given a history of the case, discuss its national and local relevance, and review its past and present implications. The Wards Cove case is still an active legal case.
Leaders: Nemesio Domingo is an original plaintiff and organizer of the three cannery cases. He is also a founder of Northwest Labor and Employment Office (LELO). Garry Owens is board member and leader of Northwest Labor and Employment Office (LELO) and organizer of the LELO Wards Cove Human Rights Project. He was also a participant in the 2001 UN Conference on Racism, Xenophobia, and Other Intolerance in Durban South Africa.

Media Response to Hate Crimes: the Joseph Ileto Case (2,3)
Description: This workshop explores from first-hand experience the tragic murder of Joseph Ileto, a Filipino-American postal worker targeted in a modern-day hate crime. His identity, the manner of his death, and the experiences of his family following that event will be discussed, as well as the media and government's failure to recognize the role his background played in his death. It will also concentrate on actions to prevent such crimes in the future, including ways to combat hate and the importance of education. The workshop will conclude with a short question and answer session with members of Joseph Ileto's immediate family.
Leaders: Deena and Raquel Ileto are the sisters of Filipino American letter carrier Joseph Ileto, who was killed by a white supremacist on August 10, 1999. Since Ileto's death, the Ileto family have become active advocates in raising awareness of hate crimes and gun control issues to universities and communities across the country. Deena has spoken at forums ranging from high schools, television talk shows to Human Rights Campaign's Equality Rocks which is shown on MTV from time to time. Deena, Raquel, and the Ileto family have joined other civil rights leaders in coalition efforts to bring more attention to hate crimes, including Rev. Jesse Jackson and the families of Matthew Shephard and James Byrd. Deena, Raquel, and their family have received the American Courage Award from the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC)

Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes: Asian American Labor Heroes (2)
Description: In her recent book, Asian American Dreams, Helen Zia chronicled the inspirational lives of Silme Domingo and Gene Vierness and their tragic 1981 Seattle assassination by agents of the Philippine dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. During their short and remarkable lives, they organized three major civil rights cases involving Asian American and Native Alaska cannery workers, including Wards Cove; founded the Northwest Labor and Employment Office; led a union reform movement within the ILWU; and created an international workers movement that bridged Philippine and United States workers. Their assassination is considered a defining moment in the history of Asian Pacific Americans.
Leader(s): Garry Owens is board member and leader of Northwest Labor and Employment Office (LELO) and organizer of the LELO Wards Cove Human Rights Project. He was also a participant in the 2001 UN Conference on Racism, Xenophobia, and Other Intolerance in Durban South Africa. He will make a multi-media presentation of the lives and lessons of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes.

LEADERSHIP

Acting Out and Acting Up: Developing Strategies for Campus Organizing (1,2)
Description: Activism on college and university campuses has changed dramatically since the 1960s; rightfully so. Since the 1960s, Asian Pacific Islander American students have fought for Asian American Studies, APIA students services, responses to racist incidents on campus, and increased funding. This interactive workshop will cover successful organizing strategies specific to these and other issues facing APIA students across the country. The session will review common tactics used by many colleges and universities to inhibit change as well as methods to overcome such barriers. Participants can expect to discuss practical and realistic approaches to achieving goals and objectives on their campus.
Leaders: Daren Mooko serves as the Director of the Asian American Resource Center at Pomona College in Claremont, California. During his tenure at Pomona College, the Claremont Colleges approved and implemented the Intercollegiate Department of Asian American Studies. Prior to his current position, Mooko served as the Assistant Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Ball State University. Mooko has also served on the Board of Advisors for the Midwest Asian American Student Union (MAASU) for five years and was selected to serve on the Board of Directors for APAHE (Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education). Daren Mooko earned his Masters degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration at The University of Vermont.

Tools for Effective Advocacy (2,3)
Description: Part of every successful issue advocacy campaign is knowing how to grab the attention of key decision-makers. Whether it is the media, elected officials, college administrators, or the general public, there are certain skills that every activist must know to affect change. In this multi-faceted, interactive workshop, participants will learn many of the basic skills of successful advocacy. This workshop will cover: writing effective press releases, publishing a email newsletter, raising issue awareness on campus, etc. Participants will review and discuss successful issue-campaigns from other colleges and universities. Geared towards beginning leaders.
Leaders: Rodney Jay C. Salinas serves as President of the Rainmaker Political Group LLC, publishers of PoliticalCircus.com, a daily website dedicated to the politics of Asian Pacific Americans. A former Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), Salinas brought national attention to issues facing Asian Pacific Americans and encouraged their participation in public policy. He is a featured weekly political columnist for Manila Bulletin USA and a member of the American Association of Political Consultants. Salinas earned his master's degree in political management from the Graduate School of Political Management as a Presidential Administrative Fellow at George Washington University.

Student Action for Social Change (1,3)
Description: Hunger and homelessness; war and peace; economy and jobs; environment and discrimination: these and other causes APA students feel passionate about will not be addressed, unless indignation, anger and commitment of students are followed up with action. This workshop will highlight the importance of student led social movements and history of action by students that have changed the world. The workshop will engage participants in a series of dialogues to create avenues for student action. Strategies for student organizing, nonprofit organization development and coalition building as well as action-oriented advocacy and e-organizing will be presented.
Leaders: Young Lee is the principal of YL Consulting, and a consultant to nonprofit organizations, private companies and individuals committed to social justice, equality and peace. He serves as the Director of Training and Development for New York City's Health and Hospitals Corporation at Coney Island Hospital, and as a director on two boards of grassroots organizations committed to affordable healthcare and youth leadership development. Since his immigration in 1969 from Korea, Lee has worked with over 200 organizations and companies, founded three youth programs, and taught junior high school in New York City. He has a B.S. from the State University of New York.

POLITICAL

Asian Women, Pop Culture, and the "New" American Fetish (1,3)
Description: Lotus Blossom was the term used to describe the naive, silent, and submissive archetypal character, an antiquated stereotype which continues to pervade the media and pop culture. Equally mysterious is the Dragon Lady, the evil, cunning, temptress moon who still lurks behind many of the characters Hollywood serves up to mainstream viewers. While both of these representations can be readily identified in modern form, there has been an intriguing shift in representation. Angrrry, bitchy, loud, little in stature, yet powerfully seductive, Lotus Dragons have become hot commodities in Hollywood. They're hard to miss in advertising, on television, and in literature. We will consider the ways in which heightened visibility has had an impact on the way Asian women are perceived in society. Where does the line between interest and fetishism lie? What are the consequences of a fetishistic approach to Asian culture? What is the difference between a fascination with feng shui, the po! pularity of Miss Saigon, and serial dating APA women? And we will take a closer look at this "newest" Asian fetish - does the Lotus Dragon ultimately lend to a more accurate and empowering representation of contemporary Asian American women? This workshop will explore the many faces of fetishism, its effect on the APA psyche, and our role in resisting the characterization of our culture as foreign and the exotic.

Leaders: Vickie Nam has chronicled the Asian experience in America for web based Asian Avenue, publication A Magazine, and several national newspapers. Ms. Nam traveled across the country speaking to young Asian American women and listening to their stories of isolation, confusion, and ultimately determination as they dealt with the culture of their parents while trying to assimilate into American society. She is the author of Yell-Oh Girls!, an anthology of thoughts, rants and short stories told by Asian American women across America in a study of the struggle to manage two cultures, old and new. Yell-Oh Girls!, is a must read for those who want to understand the dynamics of an ever-changing American diversity.

Domestic Violence (1,2)
Description: Domestic abuse of women and men is widespread in America. However, recently-immigrated Asian Pacific women who struggle with an abusive husband face a host of other troubles - including limited English proficiency, possible deportation, and accusations and isolation for their own communities. In many cases, these women have little access to translators and/or domestic hotlines - isolated from their family and friends by their spouse. This workshop explores the issues of domestic abuse in Asian Pacific and Asian Pacific American households, community response and isolation, and the work of nonprofit organizations to alleviate these problems.
Leaders: To be announced.

Sweatshops & Labor (1,3)
Description: This workshop will discuss the labor movement in the United States, the Asian Pacific American organizers involved, and the imperative for such a movement. Participants will discuss the significance of the labor movement as a social movement.
Leaders: Johanna Hester is a lead organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). She is currently leading several campuses in the University of Maryland Campaign. At age 19, Hester joined the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 250 - one of the most dynamic unions in the San Francisco Bay area.

May Y. Chen is an International Vice President of UNITE (the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees), Associate Manager of Local 23-25 UNITE, and founding member of APALA (Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance). She represents and advocates on behalf of thousands of Chinese immigrant garment workers in New York City -- for workers' rights, issues affecting women and immigrants, health care and education. The mother of two past ECASU activists (Donna Chin - Smith '98 and Vincent Chin - Cornell'00), Chen graduated from Radcliffe College (1970) and UCLA (M.Ed. 1972).

Resistance: Creating Our Compass Against War (2)
Description: This workshop will look at institutional oppression of Asian and Asian American people and how it intersects with other racisms and classisms in the United States. We will focus on the war in Afghanistan as well as the domestic wars that Asians and Asian Americans battle with daily. Our discussion will also look at how Asians were and are targeted in pre and post September 11th events. With words, music, and your stories, we will examine immigrant experiences, organized communities, geopolitics, and the need for a strong coalition between the often-divided East Asian American and South Asian American communities.
Leaders: Christina J. Hsu is a geographical mutt who is passionate about welfare issues. She currently serves as Duke ASA's Vice President of Political Affairs and is co-founder of Local Colour, an on campus spoken word group. Mangala Manju and Snehal Patel's interests lie in building radical multi-issue Desi (South Asian) networks and strengthening community organizing in the South. Manju works with Southerners on New Ground in Durham and is part of Movement Rising's coordinating committee. Patel works with the North Carolina Rural Health Coalition and is co-director of Break for a Change, a popular/peer education organization at Duke.

The American Divide: Relations between Asians and Asian Americans (1,3)
Description: ABCs, FOBs, American-born WHAT? These titles are primarily used by (and about) the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) community? Are these titles stereotypical? if so, how and why? What about the polarization within the APIA community? And why does a divide exist between the Asian/Pacific Islander and APIA communities? What are the differences and similarities between these communities? Issues such as intergenerational conflicts, coalition building, and promoting general understanding will be discussed.
Leaders: Tanya Lee is the Director of Programs for the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), a national non-profit civil rights and educational organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and was one of the first to receive a certificate from the newly established Asian American Studies certificate program. While at UM, she worked intensively with the APIA student community and now is extending that work with college students nationwide through OCA.

Racial Profiling (1)
Description: From Kuanchung Kao to U.S. Representative David Wu, Asian Pacific Americans have experienced racial profiled by both authorities and fellow citizens. How has racial profiling affected the APA community? And how has it changed since September 11? Come to this workshop to discuss how to address the issue and how end it.
Leaders: Giles Li serves as the Director of Communications for the Organization of Chinese Americans, a national nonprofit APA civil rights and education group based in Washington, DC. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2000 and currently sits on the board of APA Film and DC Asians for Peace and Justice. He is also one-half of the spoken word duo re: verse and published his first chapbook of poetry last year entitled, "The Only Poet Left is Me."

95 South: History of Asian Americans in the South (2,3)
Description: East coast, West coast; who cares! Learn about Asian Americans south of the Mason Dixon line. Jamaican Chinese, Hmongs in Tar Heel country, come see why Asian Americans have adjusted to sweet tea and kudzu. Learn about the various histories of Asian Americans who have ventured into the Mississippi Delta, Atlanta, and the sunshine state. Explore history and personal narratives and
how they relate to you and your family.
Leaders: Keith McAllister is the Director of Technology for the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), a national non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization. During the past 6 years he has served as Directory Coordinator for the past 4 editions of the OCA National Directory of Asian Pacific American Organizations. Mr. McAllister works with college student groups in assisting with fund raising, workshops and seminars.

Criminalization of Youth of Color: Forging a Broad and Determine Resistance (1,2)
Description: This workshop will focus on patterns of criminalization of youth of color, the rapid growth of the "prison-industrial complex", the expanded death penalty, and the gutting of defendants' rights particularly in the post-9/11 climate. The necessity of building a bold and diverse movement of resistance against these attacks will also be addressed. The workshop will draw from both cases of police brutality as reported in "Stolen Lives" and other relevant literature and from the personal experiences of the workshop attendees themselves.
Leaders: Chaz McHale is a HAPA Philippine-born and Brooklyn-transplanted activist/poet/producer. He is a volunteer with "Refuse & Resist!" in New York City, a non-partisan organization that focuses its efforts around the case of death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, the antiwar drive, xenophobic backlash, police brutality, the criminalization of youth of color and immigrant rights. Refuse & Resist! is a contributor to the October 22nd Coalition Against Police Brutality, Criminalization and Repression of a Generation. McHale is also one-half of the Filipino-American hip hop/spoken word duo "Kontrast."

Hate Crimes against Asian Pacific Americans: A Review (2,3)
Description: Hate crimes against Asian Pacific Americans are not only historical footnotes in the history of Asian America. To this day, these hate crimes still occur on campus, in the suburb, and in the downtowns in towns and cities we live in. We will focus on the hate events of the past and the subsequent community reactions, particularly of a local hate crime that occurred in Raleigh, NC. By learning about the past, we will develop a plan for the future.
Leaders: Yueh 'Ray' Lee is an MD/PhD Student at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He serves as a board member for Advocacy for North Carolina APA's (ANCAPA). His activism in the APA community has focused on improving APA awareness and APA health issues, and includes organizing the first community wide APA Bone Marrow Registration Drive in San Diego. He has also served as president of the local Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL), and as the national TACL VP. Lee received his Masters degree in Bioengineering from UCSD.

Breaking Down the Stereotypes: Asian Pacific Islander Women Making a Difference in the Workplace (2,3)
Description: How do you deal with the "old boys' network"? How do you overcome stereotypes of a submissive/passive woman to effectively assert your viewpoints in the workplace? What can we do to combat discrimination and injustice in the workplace? This interactive workshop will explore the challenges facing API women in the workplace including sexual harassment, glass ceilings, and intersections of race and gender discrimination. It will also examine systemic barriers that affect both professional and low wage workers. Come and learn how to navigate the workplace and advocate on behalf of yourself and other affected women.
Leaders:
Je Yon Jung is the former D.C. chapter representative to the national board of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), an organization dedicated to forging a grassroots progressive movement for social and economic justice for Asian Pacific American women and girls. She is a civil rights attorney in Washington D.C., where she litigates cases involving housing and public accommodations discrimination. Previously, she clerked for the Honorable Linda K. Davis on the D.C. Superior Court. She received her law degree from the Ohio State University College of Law and a B.A. in Philosophy of Law and Communications from the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Jenny Yang serves as co-chairperson of NAPAWF. Ms. Yang works as a civil rights attorney in Washington, D.C., litigating cases involving employment discrimination and affirmative action programs. Previously, Ms. Yang worked at the National Employment Law Project to enforce the workplace rights of garment workers in New York City. Ms. Yang also worked at the Democratic National Committee on the 1992 Presidential elections, on President Clinton's Transition, and at the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Ms. Yang received a B.A. in Government at Cornell University and a law degree from the New York University School of Law.