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Full & Part-Time Employment

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:59:24 GMT

Telecommunications and Broadband Policy Staff Attorney

Affirmative Action Staff Attorney

What's New Section

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:56:49 GMT

Asian American Center for Advancing Justice Recently Released its National Platform for Advancing Justice

AAPI's Say No to Arizona! Learn About SB 1070 and Take Action

Save the Date: Thursday, October 7, 2010 - The 14th Annual American Courage Awards

President Obama's Message to Immigration Advocates

Job Vacancy: Telecommunications and Broadband Policy Staff Attorney

Job Vacancy: Affirmative Action Staff Attorney

Voting Rights Publications & Materials

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:11:47 GMT

To order hardcopies of any of our publications, please send an e-mail to information@advancingequality.org. Redistricting The Impact of Redistricting in YOUR Community: A Guide to Redistricting By the year 2011, America's demographics will have greatly changed and we will have become a much more diverse nation. You've probably noticed these changes taking place in your neighborhoods and schools. African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders make up at least one-half of the residents in one out of every ten of the nation' counties. The process called redistricting will determine how our local school board, city council, state legislative and congressional districts are drawn. How can our communities participate? How can we ensure that our interests are being heard and represented by our elected officials? How can we ensure that the voting strength of our communities is not weakened? What are the important...

Census Publications & Materials

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:07:46 GMT

To order hardcopies of any of our publications, please send an e-mail to information@advancingequality.org. Census 2010 AAJC and its partners launched the Fill in Our Future campaign, which includes a website, www.fillinourfuture.org, that provides information in 25 languages, public service announcements, videos, brochures and educational materials to help with community outreach. Karen Narasaki Census 2010 Portrait of America Video Fact Sheet: Importance of the Census 2010 to Asian Americans Audio from LCCREF, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund and the Asian American Justice Center conference call for online media on the importance of the 2010 Census to minority communities Joint Statement From Reps. Clay and Honda support paid media and outreach to all hard-to-count communities for 2010 Census Fact Sheet: The Truth About Asian Americans and the Census: Debunking the...

American Courage Awards

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:03:37 GMT

The 14th Annual American Courage Awards Thursday, October 7, 2010 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel 1127 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 Event Emcee Maulik Pancholy Since 1997, the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) has recognized and awarded individuals, companies and organizations of merit in its annual American Courage Awards. The American Courage Awards reception features the presentation of the following awards: The American Courage Award goes to an individual, company, or organization that has shown extraordinary courage or commitment to the cause of civil rights. This may include a corporate leader who has taken an important stand, an activist who overcame extraordinary challenges, an artist with a unique vision, or a journalist breaking an important story. This Year's American Courage Award Recipient: Lt. Dan Choi The Bridge Builder Award...

Adult English Language Learning Publications and Materials

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:36:08 GMT

To order hardcopies of any of our publications, please send an e-mail to information@advancingequality.org. AAJC Publications Policy Handbook on English Language Learning This handbook is the how to guide for making and winning the case that adult ELL deserves more financial support and should be more widely available. It also provides recommendations for additional research and systemic improvements. Message Guide on English Language Learning This tool is available to help supporters communicate both proactively and reactively about the need for increasing resources for vital adult English language learning (ELL) programs at the national, state and local levels. This guide will help you speak about adult ELL programs with confidence, clarity and consistency. English Language Learning Survey To be effective, advocates need a clear picture of what they are pushing, and of how to channel their support. This survey should clarify that picture by...

Annual Reports

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:12:48 GMT

Over the years, AAJC has successfully helped to advance the human and civil rights of Asian Americans through advocacy, public policy, public education and litigation. To learn more about our program highlights, please view our annual reports.

2009 Annual Report

2008 Annual Report and 990

2007 Annual Report, Audited Financial Statements and 990

2005-2006 Annual Report and 990

Support AAJC

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:24:42 GMT

The Asian American Justice Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so your contributions are tax deductible. Your support is critical to ensure the future success of our programs. There are many ways you can contribute to AAJC. For questions or more information, contact Angela Smith or call 202-296-2300 x138. Contribute Directly Make checks payable to AAJC and send to: AAJC 1140 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 1200 Washington, D.C. 20036 Contribute Stocks and Securities You can donate stocks and other publicly traded securities to AAJC. If you have owned the stock for at least one year and it has increased in value, a donation may be tax-wise. By making a gift of stock to AAJC, you can avoid capital gains tax. You are also eligible to receive a charitable contribution deduction equal to the full fair market value of the stock. Contribute to a Scholarship The Joyce Chiang Memorial Scholarship was established by the Asian American Justice...

Community Partners

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:23:49 GMT

In any community work, leadership capacity is essential. We have demonstrated this at AAJC via our Community Partners Network, which has expanded to include 92 community partners in 48 cities across 25 states, and Washington, D.C.

Created to build the capacity of Asian American communities, we work hand-in-hand with community-based organizations, conducting workshops and trainings on various issues of importance to local communities.

The network provides a critical link allowing AAJC to target underserved populations, such as recent South Asian and Southeast Asian immigrants.

Community Partners Benefits

Members of the Community Partners Network receive a variety of benefits:

Newsletters, reports, actions alerts, fact sheets (including translations into Asian and Pacific Islander languages, when available);
Technical assistance and information on programs and issues of concern, as well as invitations to conference calls on current policy issues; and
Invitations to attend AAJC Regional Community Leadership Workshops and other local/ regional events.

Click here to join our Community Partners Network. Olivia Chow, the Community Partners Field Organizer will be contacting you shortly. She can be reached at ochow@advancingequality.org.

Regional Workshops and Conferences

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:01:42 GMT

Regional AAJC conducts leadership workshops in different regions around the country to build capacity for local, grassroots civil rights advocacy. Among the areas that AAJC has visited include: Orange County, Fresno, and San Diego, Calif.; Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Boston, Mass.; Chicago, Ill.; and Miami, Fla. These workshops emphasize skills building and leadership strategies. AAJC also offers updates on federal and local public policies affecting Asian Pacific American communities and other issues of concern. Participants of the workshops represent a variety of organizations and racial/ ethnic communities. Service providers, community activists, members of professional associations, health care professionals, legal advocates, youth representatives and other leaders have all benefited from the workshops. Community Forums and other events AAJC is committed to working with local communities on issues of common concern. In conjunction with other programmatic...

AAJC Staff

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:58:57 GMT

Karen K. Narasaki: President and Executive Director Operations Lucy M. Lee: Director of Operations Lisa Campbell-Thornton: Deputy Director of Administration Jessica Hamlett: Executive Assistant to the President and Executive Director Development Angela Smith: Director of Development Kristen Stehling: Development Associate Hannah Stone: Director of Foundation Relations Programs Marita Etcubañez: Director of Programs Terry M. Ao: Director of Census and Voting Programs Olivia Chow: Community Partners Field Organizer Aarathi D. Haig: Staff Attorney, Affirmative Action Meredith Higashi: Staff Attorney/NAPABA Law Foundation Partners and In-House Counsel Community Law Fellow Jason Lagria: Pro Bono Attorney Jeanette Lee: Census 2010 Program Associate Communications Leonie Campbell-Williams: Director of Communications Nicole Duran: Communications Specialist Peter J. Swing: Web Specialist ...

Meredith Higashi

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:24:26 GMT

Meredith Higashi is the NAPABA Law Foundation Partners and In-House Counsel Community Law Fellow for the Immigration and Immigrant Rights Program with the Asian American Justice Center.

Ms. Higashi’s broad public service experience includes a legal clerkship with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, where she contributed to projects on diversity, education, language access and election protection. She has also taught law classes to students in the Seattle public school system through the Street Law Program at the University of Washington School of Law and the federal Upward Bound program.

As a law student, Ms. Higashi served as co-president of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, as well as vice president for community service. She was a coordinator of the Seattle Asian American Election Protection Project in 2006. In recognition of her leadership, Ms. Higashi received her law school’s Takuji Yamashita Memorial Scholarship for contributions to the field of civil rights. She has also been honored by the Asian Bar Association of Washington.

Ms. Higashi holds a juris doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law and a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She is admitted to practice in the state of Washington.

Anne H. Chow

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:23:16 GMT

As Senior Vice President of the Premier Client Group (PCG), Anne Chow leads a national sales and support organization of over 2,000 professionals responsible for delivering a full range of communications solutions, including wireless and wired services, to enterprise customers. Representing one of AT&T's largest retail business markets with revenues of approximately $9 Billion, PCG provides this diverse client set with comprehensive account management that encompasses the entire portfolio of AT&T products and services. These clients hail from virtually every industry ranging in size from Fortune 500 companies to mid-market businesses, and Anne is also responsible for managing the P&L associated with this vital customer segment. Throughout her 20+ years in the telecommunications industry, Anne has held leadership positions in hardware and systems engineering, sales, customer care, international operations, product management, and strategic planning. Her responsibilities have...

National Advisory Council

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:14:56 GMT

Kevin Bradley: Member McDonald's Corporation Jonathan M. Cohen: Member Gilbert LLP Bill Ong Hing: Member UC Davis School of Law Neil Horikoshi: Member Asian Pacific American Scholarship Fund Bill Imada: Member IW Group, Inc. Douglas Jackson: Member Magnus, LLC Faizun Kamal: Member Verizon John T. Komeiji: Member Hawaiian Telcom Yul Kwon: Member Federal Communications Commission Bill Lann Lee: Member Lewis, Feinberg, Lee, Renaker & Jackson, P.C. Deanna Lee: Member New York Public Library Mari Matsuda: Member University of Hawaii School of Law Sylvester Mendoza Jr.: Member Northrop Grumman Dale Minami: Member Minami Tamaki LLP Leslie Moe-Kaiser: Member State Farm Insurance Companies Taron K. Murakami: Member Seyfarth Shaw LLP Don T. Nakanishi: Member University of California Los Angeles Angela E. Oh: Member Western Justice Center...

Development Internship

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:49:08 GMT

AAJC offers a paid ($11/hour) development internship position for graduate or undergraduate students. The development intern works in the development office, assisting staff with the organization's many fundraising activities. As an intern you will have the chance to learn about AAJC's programming while understanding the fundraising initiatives taken in nonprofits to ensure program backing. The fall internship is 10-15 hours/per week from late-August/early-September through December. Specific start and end dates are flexible and the weekly hours will be set upon hire. The Development Intern is responsible for: Research and assist in development of letters of inquiry and grant proposals for AAJC's various program areas Assist with planning and execution of the American Courage Award reception and other special events Conduct individual and organizational prospect research and prepare individual and organizational profiles Undertake a...

Support Judge Edward Chen's Nomination!

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:57:45 GMT

Petitions by Change.org|Start a Petition »

Targeting: Sen. Harry Reid (NV) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY)

Started by: Asian American Justice Center and National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

President Obama nominated Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in August 2009. Judge Chen has been waiting to be voted on by the full Senate longer than any other nominee this Congress despite broad support. With the upcoming August recess fast approaching, however, it's possible that Judge Chen might have to wait even longer for a vote.

Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen has a reputation as a balanced, fair, and unbiased jurist based on his nine year record as a judge and enjoys broad support from the judiciary, the litigation bar and legal community, and law enforcement. Judge Chen was rated "Unanimously Well Qualified" by the American Bar Association.

Judge Chen would be the first Asian Pacific American Article III judge in the history of San Francisco. This is especially significant given that some of the most infamous cases affecting Asian Pacific Americans - including United States v. Korematsu, Yick Wo v. Hopkins, and Lau v. Nichols - were first decided by the federal district court in San Francisco. Further, the absence of an Asian Pacific American Article III judge in San Francisco is particularly shocking given that approximately 35% of the population in San Francisco is Asian Pacific American.

AAPIs SAY NO TO ARIZONA

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:59:33 GMT

On April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Janice Brewer signed Senate Bill (SB) 1070 in law. SB 1070 imposes a comprehensive set of state immigration enforcement laws in an effort to reduce the population of undocumented immigrants in Arizona. One of the most egregious provisions of the law is to require police officers to demand papers from anyone they stop who they reasonably suspect is undocumented. This provision not only legitimizes racial profiling, but will cause fear and mistrust among immigrants and other minorities. This law is unconstitutional, and is the subject of a legal challenge by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center and the Asian American Justice Center. Barring a successful legal challenge, the law will go into effect on July 29, 2010. Click here to to learn about SB 1070. Then, find out how to take action. Racial Profiling Affects AAPIs The evolution of our country's immigration laws, dictating who belongs and who does not belong in the...

Support Judge Edward Chen's Nomination!

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:45:49 GMT

Petitions by Change.org|Start a Petition »

Targeting: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA), Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA) and Sen. Harry Reid (NV)

Started by: Asian American Justice Center

Please help us ask the Senate leaders to give fair consideration before the August recess to the nomination of Judge Edward M. Chen, an outstanding jurist being considered for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. President Obama nominated Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in August 2009. Judge Chen has been waiting to be voted on by the full Senate longer than any other nominee this Congress despite broad support. With the upcoming August recess fast approaching, however, it's possible that Judge Chen might have to wait even longer for a vote. Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen has a reputation as a balanced, fair, and unbiased jurist based on his nine year record as a judge and enjoys broad support from the judiciary, the litigation bar and legal community, and law enforcement. Judge Chen was rated "Unanimously Well Qualified" by the American Bar Association. Judge Chen would be the first Asian Pacific American Article III judge in the history of San Francisco. This is especially significant given that some of the most infamous cases affecting Asian Pacific Americans - including United States v. Korematsu, Yick Wo v. Hopkins, and Lau v. Nichols - were first decided by the federal district court in San Francisco. Further, the absence of an Asian Pacific American Article III judge in San Francisco is particularly shocking given that approximately 35% of the population in San Francisco is Asian Pacific American.

Maulik Pancholy

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:19:56 GMT

Maulik Pancholy told his parents that he wanted to be an actor at the age of five, at a time when there weren't many people who looked like him acting in American television or film. Undeterred by the lack of Indian Americans on screen, he honed his craft at Northwestern University, the Groundlings Improv school, and the prestigious Yale School Of Drama. He now plays Jonathan on the multiple Emmy Award winning, NBC series 30 Rock; and Sanjay on the Showtime hit Weeds. As a high-strung executive assistant on one, and a gay drug dealer on the other, both roles have been recognized for breaking through the stereotypes of brown people so often perpetuated on television. Pancholy's other television credits include The Comeback, Tracey Takes On, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and The Sopranos. He is also the voice of Baljeet on the Emmy Award winning animated series Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel. His filmwork - which has given him the chance to play...

Immigration and Immigrant Rights

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:34:33 GMT

Immigration continues to be a pressing issue that is engendering charged and volatile national debate, much of which disproportionately ignores Asian Americans. However, three statistics underlie the critical stake Asian Americans have in this debate: nearly 40 percent of all immigrants to the U.S. come from Asia, 1.2 million of them are undocumented, and nearly two-thirds of all Asian Americans are foreign born. As the nation's premiere authority on immigration policy as it affects the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, AAJC has long led the struggle to educate the public, lawmakers and the media on the pressing need to overhaul our nation's badly broken immigration system. We provide the Asian American community with essential information, insight and analysis on newly enacted and proposed immigration policies. We have also successfully helped initiate bipartisan reform in the House and Senate that addresses many of the pressing needs of the...