“Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half.” – Gore Vidal, American writer

Dear Members and Friends,

Happy New Year! We had an incredible 4^th quarter 2012.  Let me tell you about some highlights of what we had accomplished.

APAPA had another successful Voters Education & Candidates Forum held at California State University, Sacramento on September 30, 2012. We had a strong showing of candidates at both the federal and state levels. The audience also had an opportunity to hear more about the different initiatives that were on the ballot. APAPA’s local chapters including headquarters hosted town halls to better educate and prepare API Americans to vote.

In October, APAPA’s Southern California Region (SCR) had its annual signature event, their Leadership Conference held in Diamond Bar. The conference was well attended by high school and college students. Many elected officials came to support and participate in the program.  Assemblymember Mike Eng presented Nelson Huang, SCR Director, with a resolution for his outstanding leadership in the API community.

APAPA reached a major milestone this year. On December 3, 2012, APAPA opened a new chapter in the heart of Chinatown in the city of Flushing, New York. Over 300 guests came to celebrate this momentous and historic occasion. We thank New York Comptroller John Liu, Congressmember Grace Meng, Justice Doris Ling-Cohan, Justice Peter Tom, and Assemblymember Ron Kim for attending and speaking at the luncheon. Special thanks to New York Chair, Justin Yu, Tim Young, Honorary Chair, Ching K. Chen, Executive Director, Julie Wu and New York board members for helping to coordinate the event.

Back in California, APAPA wrapped up the year with a Holiday Mixer held at headquarters. The mixer was an opportunity to thank our sponsors, recognize board members and all the wonderful people who tirelessly volunteered their time throughout the year. We thank State Farm for generously sponsoring this event.

We want to give a special thanks to our corporate sponsors and partners for supporting us in 2012. Because of their commitment, APAPA successfully continued its journey towards fulfilling its mission. We want to recognize Chevron, AT&T, PG&E, Comcast, Yin Foundation, Wells Fargo and Wal*Mart for their partnership in helping APAPA educate API Americans in civic and public affairs. 

Planning for 2013 programs and events are currently underway. Please join and get involved. Stay informed by visiting us at www.apapa.org and www.apapablog.org.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 916-928-9988 or info@apapa.org.

Lucy Oback

Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA), the establishment of the New York Chapter 

Reported by Sing Tao Daily, World Journal, & China Press

Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA) has been established eleven years in California and just launched its New York Chapter in Flushing on December 2, 2012. The organization empowers its members to take part in public affairs, to nurture the next generation to become future leaders, and to increase the political and economic status of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the United States.

APAPA founder C. C Yin said that 11 years ago, the API community saw a need for and the importance of having representatives of API descent in public office, and this gave him and a few friends the insight to establish the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association, to nurture young people interested in politics to become future leaders. In recent years, the political and economic status of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans has increased significantly, and currently, APAPA has 20,000 members and 300 active volunteers. At the state level, API representatives in California grew from zero to 30, and even the mayor of the city of San Francisco is of Chinese descent. In this year’s congressional elections, there were 18 API candidates, six of which were elected to office. 

The non-profit organization consists of all types of members, regardless of party preference. The three main core services include civic engagement, youth leadership, and community services. The organization provides its members with the opportunity to be proactive and to participate and educate themselves through voter’s registration, training and internship opportunities for the younger generation, workshops for financial literacy, and appointment programs to help members seek appointments in areas of government.

Congresswoman-elect Grace Meng said the creation of political history of Chinese in the United States is a joyous thing, but at the same time stresses that now should be the time to work hard to let the public see and understand the power in Asian and Pacific Islander communities. New York City Comptroller John Liu pointed out that the API population across the country has experienced substantial annual growth, according to the census data, but the number of elected representatives of API descent is not proportionate in comparison to the number of people in their respective communities. He said California’s participation in Asian politics has been a model for New York, with a female ethnic Chinese Congressmember-elect Grace Meng. Liu said, "With a Chinese mayor in San Francisco, who knows what will happen in New York?" Remarks won the audience with warm applause. 

Welcoming remarks were received by Congresswoman Judy Chu, who sent a letter to congratulate the New York Chapter on its grand opening. Korean American Assemblyman-elect Ron Kim, New York State Supreme Court Justice Doris Ling-Cohan and New York Supreme Court Justice Peter Tom were among many of the elected officials who attended to support and congratulate APAPA at the grand opening of their New York Chapter.

New York Chapter Board: Justin Yu, chairman; vice chairs Cynthia Chou, Dr. Howard Shiang, and Michael Wang; secretary general Ching K. Chen; chief advisor Jenifer Lin; vice supervisor Cheng Hui; advisor Tim Yang. 

Photo courtesy of Sing Tao Daily NYC

Please join us for our annual mixer & toy drive on Monday, December 10, 2012 from 6 to 8:30pm at APAPA's National Headquarters in Sacramento to celebrate the holiday season and to support children with special needs in the local community. To RSVP: Sokie Hul, (916) 928-9988 or email to sokiehul@apapa.org. For details, please visit our website at www.apapa.org.

OCA Sacramento will be hosting its "Youth Against the Hate" Hate Crimes Forum on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 from 3:30-6:30pm at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento. Co-sponsored by the Hmong Women's Heritage Association (HWHA). The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Michael Head, jmheadaia@sbcglobal.net, (530) 304-1322 or Greg Jung, greg.jungmmj4@statefarm.com, (916) 220-4973.

The 11th Annual Voters Education & Candidates Forum held on September 30, 2012 at CSU, Sacramento is scheduled to air on:

Sunday, 10/28 @ 3:30pm-7:45pm

Sunday, 11/4 @ 3:30pm-7:45pm

Both cablecasts will be on Comcast/Surewest Channel 17 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 Pacific Daylight/Standard Time, unless otherwise specified.

Don't have those services? View the programs online at www.accesssacramento.org at the times listed above. Note: the Internet stream is not video on demand

In case you haven't shared it with your community, now is a great time to share the Secretary of State's online voter registration application at www.registertovote.ca.gov. Eligible voters can register online until midnight on October 22 to vote in the November 6 General Election! Share the link on Facebook, Twitter, and email!

You may also want to share the Secretary of State's New Voter Pages. With the goal of inspiring and preparing every eligible citizen to vote, the Secretary of State provides this New Voter page, plus election-related materials and voter hotline assistance, in nine additional languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese. It's not too late to add a button to your website, letting your visitors access all the info with one click. Remember, many people don't register or vote unless someone reminds them to.

Thank you for helping Secretary Bowen to get the word out.

For questions, please contact:  

Carrie Jett

Assistant Deputy Secretary of State

Voter Outreach and Legislative Affairs

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen

carrie.jett@sos.ca.gov

(916) 654-6423

Attention All Permanent Absentee Voters:

APAPA is now an official ballot drop off site for the November 6th 2012 General Election.

Week of October 15th through November 2nd:

-Drop off your voted and signed vote by mail ballot packet at our office at:

APAPA National Headquarters, 4000 Truxel Road, Suite 3, Sacramento, CA 95834

Hours of operation: 9am-6pm, M-F

Phone: 916-928-9988  Email: office@apapa.org

For other ballot drop off locations nearest you, CLICK HERE

Vote By Mail: http://sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_m.htm

Voter Registration and Elections: http://www.elections.saccounty.net

APAPA and CAPITAL will be hosting its Sacramento Community Town Hall Meeting on Monday, October 29, 2012 from 5:30-8:00pm at APAPA's National Headquarters in Sacramento.

RSVP required by October 25th. To RSVP, please email to office@apapa.org or call (916) 928-9988.

For details, visit APAPA's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/APAPAHQ.

APAPA-CVR will be hosting its Stockton Civic Town Hall Forum on Thursday, October 11, 2012 from 5:30-8:00pm at Central United Methodist Church in Stockton.

For more information, please contact Danny Lee, APAPA-CVR President at 209-479-6727 or by email, dannylee@apapa.org.

Link to APAPA-CVR's page: http://www.apapa.org/cvc/tp-apapa-cvc.aspx

Congratulations to Nelson Huang and all the awardees of the Philippine American Expo in Los Angeles County. Special guests included the Honorable Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States of America and many other dignitaries. The following received awards on September 8, 2012 at the Los Angeles Convention Center: Lydia Duro, Rancho Penasquitos, SD; Regina Ong Garcia, Rolling Hills, CV; Sherry Hunter, Chula Vista, SD; Nelson Huang, Diamond Bar, Los Angeles; and Lydia Reyes Loristo, Navajo, SD.

NELSON F. HUANG is a business executive and software engineer by profession. Nelson is the founding Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association - Southern California Regional Headquarters (APAPA SCR) located in the City of Industry. The Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA) was founded by McDonald's magnate CC Yin in 2001 in Sacramento with the mission to promote the advancement of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Americans through education, active participation and leadership in civic and public affairs. The organization educates the public about public policy and provides opportunities for youth to gain firsthand knowledge and experience in governmental and public affairs.

Nelson is one of the main liaisons for Southern California who is instrumental in formulating a task force of Asian Pacific Islander (API's) youth communities to disembark and mentor them to engage in civic and public affairs, helping them to intern in offices of elected officials and being enriched while attending a college or university of their choice. It is a rewarding experience for the youth and the mentors involved.

Nelson Huang is committed to ensuring that the organization continues and planted a seed of fusion in 2011 in San Diego too. The family is in full support of the program that he has committed such as his loving Filipina/Chinese American wife Elizabeth Huang and his children. They have many volunteers who support the program and may the advocacy to educate continue to enrich the lives of all the API's community.