Inhe Choi, NAKASEC vice chair and longtime KRC volunteer, on stage at the forum.
On The Road To Iowa
Braving the wind and Ice, 3,600 people from Iowa and the rest of the country attended the Iowa Heartland Presidential Forum to hear five presidential hopefuls offer solutions to everyday American concerns about healthcare, jobs, immigration, the environment, housing and clean elections Moderated by Cathy Hughes, Sens. Dodd, Edwards, Obama and Rep. Kucinich took the stage one at a time (Sen. Clinton participated via phone) with 30 community leaders The Korean American Resource & Cultural Center in Chicago and NAKASEC's affiliates in Los Angeles and New York mobilized 55 Asian Pacific Amencans to travel 350 miles by bus to Des Moines from Chicago. The participants were a diverse mix of Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Indian and Vietnamese Americans, ranging from 14 to 84 years of age. II Kwa Nori, KRCC's cultural group and one of Illinois' celebrated ethnic musical talents, closed out the forum With a rousing poongmul performance. The HPF IS one 0 the signature events of the Campaign for Community Values, a three-year campaign to infuse the Vibrancy of shared community values back into politics.
Speaking Out For Language Access
Language access IS a priority for many Med-Cal beneficiaries in California given that a large percentage of them are limited English proficient. While Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees beneficiaries for federally funded programs materials in their preferred languages, the law IS rarely enforced. The failure to send out translated material has disastrous results for LEP seniors who cannot respond to critical notices. In answer to this problem, a group of Korean American seniors at Korean Resource Center launched a Medi-Cal Language Access Campaign on Nov 9. These community health promoters will mobilize the community through workshops, gathering signatures, documenting language violations and collecting language designation forms. By informing their peers of their rights, seniors can demand a Medi-Cal program that meets their language needs. Please make language access a priority and support us as we better access to health services for all Californians. visit wvwv.krcla.org to sign on to our campaign.
SSA No-Match Letters
On Nov. 13, Social Security Administration announced that it will not issue no-match letters to employers and Instead will resume the program on March or April of 2008. Less than two weeks later, DHS announced that it will abandon its attempt to challenge the Oct. 10 preliminary injunction order stopping the government from enforcing the proposed rule. Instead, DHS plans to publish a revised rule In December 2007 that it claims will accommodate concerns that were raised by the court. For updates on the ongoing SSA no-match issue, please visit nakasec.org
DREAM Scholarship Fund.
NAKASEC and affiliate youth groups Will award $1,000 scholarships for the 20082009 academic year to bright and talented Asian Pacific Islander students who demonstrate financial need and other bafflers.
For more information and to obtain an application form, please Visit our Web site.
Gov. Spitzer Lets Down New York Again
On Nov. 13, the driver's license drama came to an end when, after many twists and turns, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer withdrew his policy to provide driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants in any form. Events In New York State are one highly publicized example of the growth of anti-immigrant policies that are being considered on the local level. With SIX states now reconsidering existing policies on drivers' licenses for undocumented Immigrants, the greatest casualty Will be hard-working immigrants seeking the basic right to drive to work, school or place of worship. In the months to come, NAKASEC, YKASEC and other affiliates will continue to work on Issues at the local level to Improve the lives of all.
Quick Updates
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CAI reached out to local community leaders in Los Angeles to discuss ongoing legislative and community efforts for immigration reform on Nov. 20. Eun Sook Lee and Yongho Kim participated on behalf of NAKASEC and KRC.
Yongho Kim delivering DREAM Act postcards to Rep. Becerra.
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