February 2015
SPOTLIGHT

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the beginning of the Southeast Asian diaspora in the United States. SEARAC is commemorating this anniversary with a year-long campaign with the theme 40 & Forward: Southeast Asian Americans Rooted and Rising.  

 

We will hold commemorative events in Washington, DC, California, and Minnesota to remember, honor, and celebrate our community's history of survival and resiliency. We will also invite submissions of stories and photos on our 40 & Forward blog.

 

 Upcoming Events

 

Washington, DC

Josephine Butler Parks Center  

April 27, 2015

6 - 8:30 pm 
Minnesota
July/August
TBD

California  

November

TBD 

 

 

Stay tuned for updates on the launch our 40 & Forward website and event details.     

 
EDUCATION

February has been a busy month for education policy, as Congress rushes through the reauthorization process for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (formerly called No Child Left Behind). We are very concerned that both the Senate and House versions of ESEA take away legal protections, funding, and support from our most disadvantaged students, especially for SEAA students and families who are English language learners. In response, SEARAC has joined numerous civil rights organizations in developing a shared set of principles for ESEA reauthorization, submitting a letter to the Senate, and soon releasing a statement opposing the House bill.  

  

Tong Thao, Rita Pin Ahrens, Senator Cory Booker
In the spirit of using data to drive student achievement, Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA-17) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced the All Students Count Act earlier this month, with additional requirements for data on English language learners. House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) also included SEARAC's data disaggregation language into Democrats' proposed ESEA legislation - a significant gesture of support, despite the failure of the Democrats' version to pass through committee.

 

 Other SEARAC Education Activity:

  • We also submitted public comments in response to new guidance on teacher preparation programs, offering recommendations to ensure that our teachers and their skills reflect the needs of our students and the increasingly diverse U.S. population.
  • We also co-authored an op-ed on SEAA students and language access issues that appeared in Education Week.
  • Last, but not least, we managed to take a breath and snap a selfie with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), who showed interest in supporting the All Students Count Act.
IMMIGRATION 

 

Last week, a federal judge in Texas ordered a temporary halt to the implementation of President Obama's new programs to provide protection from deportation for almost five million immigrants, including the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the new Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program. The Department of Justice is challenging the ruling, and many legal scholars believe it will be overturned in federal appeals court.

 

Up to 200,000 Vietnamese immigrants and thousands of other Southeast Asian immigrants are currently undocumented. For more information about the President's new deportation protection programs, see the following resources:

  • Vietnamese hotline (Advancing Justice-LA): 800-267-7395
  • Khmer hotline (Advancing Justice-LA): 800-867-3126
  • iAmerica resource on executive action in Vietnamese
  • English language resources on DAPA & DACA (NILC & USCIS)
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS

Scholarship opportunity
The Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) Endowment Fund for Distinguished Public Service Scholarship is now accepting applications. The FAPAC Endowment Fund was established in honor of the first Asian Pacific American elected to Congress - the late Dalip Singh Saund, and the honorable former Secretaries Elaine L. Chao and Norman Y. Mineta. The scholarship recipient will receive a stipend of $5,000 towards his or her education. The deadline for application has been extended to March 14, 2015. Please visit www.fapac.org for more information.


 
The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) is a national organization that advances the interests of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans by empowering communities through advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building to create a socially just and equitable society. Find out more at www.searac.org