International Women’s Day 2021
celebration in Michigan
This year marks the 110th anniversary of the first International Women’s Day. Celebrated each year on 8 March, it was born out of the suffragette movement in the US in 1909, during which women were campaigning for shorter hours, better pay, and the right to vote.
Indian American women representing Miindia, DIWA, and Mai Family Services celebrated the 110th International Women's Day with stories of power, grit, and reaffirmation of their tangible contributions to the Michigan Indian community.
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Take the Pledge!
#ChoosetoChallenge
#InternationalWomensMonth2021
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If you have been following CAPA-MI on FB, Instagram, or LinkedIn, chances are that you may have seen our 1st post for International Women's Day. We will be posting intentional and thoughtful messages throughout the month to celebrate International Women's Month in March.
Our third post will highlight #ChoosetoChallenge by striking a pose! We are encouraging everyone to take a moment and take a photo and post it on your timeline and tag CAPA-MI beginning on the 14th of March. Anyone and everyone can participate.
The pose is simply raising your hand high to "show your commitment to choose to challenge inequality, call out bias, question stereotypes, and help forge an inclusive world,".
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CAPA Splendor of the East 2021
The CAPA board is pleased to announce the 2021 Splendor of the East – “Love Conquers All” to be held virtually on May 22, 2021.
Now in it’s 20th year, the CAPA board is thrilled to bring together the music, art, and talent of Michigan’s APIA community to create a spectacular virtual program guaranteed to entertain, educate, and enlighten!
2020 was a difficult and monumental year across the globe, and this year’s SOE will highlight the truth that despite all challenges, love will always win.
We are now accepting applications for cultural performances that tie to the show’s theme. Performance criteria are as follows:
- Solo and group acts will be accepted
- All performances must be between 3-5 minutes total
- Music, instruments, dance, martial arts, fashion shows, storytelling are all great examples of different types of acts – get creative!
- All performances must represent an aspect of the Asian/Pacific Islander diaspora
- All performances must tie to the theme of Love Conquers All (love can mean many things, so think out of the box! Love between two people, love between parents and children, love of nature, love strengthening communities, etc.)
All video audition entries should be submitted to CAPA Cultural Committee Chair Suman Desaraju by April 1, 2021 at suman@capa-mi.org
No late submissions will be accepted.
If you have any questions, please reach out to CAPA Cultural Committee Chair, Suman Desaraju at suman@capa-mi.org
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CAPA Member Spotlight Series
CAPA Executive Director: Melanie Steele
The Council of Asian Pacific Americans is proud to welcome Melanie Steele to our Board of Directors! Partner and COO of Stateline overseeing her firm’s operations from marketing, sales, IT, and finance, Melanie adds her talents and passion to CAPA’s leadership team as Executive Director.
Born in the Philippines, Melanie first immigrated to Canada before getting married and eventually planting roots in Michigan. She is the proud mother of three children: Howard who is recently engaged and is studying to become a doctor, Jade who is preparing to enter dental school, and Danny who is graduating high school this year and plans to study business and law...
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CAPA Public Relations Director: Joseph Paul Pacis Javier
Joseph Paul Pacis Javier is Filipino-American who is passionate about diversity and strengthening the community. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Joseph has also lived in the Philippines and Canada. During his time working as a journalist, he has traveled extensively throughout the Asia-Pacific region and brings his global perspective to support the Council of Asian Pacific Americans.
Joseph has over 15 years of experience working in the media in the Philippines. He was an award-winning radio broadcaster, a television travel and lifestyle show presenter, and a columnist and editor for several publication. Aside from his experience in media, Joseph has worked in the fields of public relations, strategic brand management, and event production...
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On behalf of the Executive Committee, we invite nominations from all of you to fill vacant positions on the board. We have the capacity to add up to 10 new board members. Our basic criteria is that board members should have volunteering experience, preferably with a community organization in a significant role. He/she should be able to devote about 5-10 hours per month to activities related to CAPA. The ability to help bring in donations through their network and contacts is a definite advantage.
We would like to have board members that hold or have held professional positions in medicine, legal, accounting, social work, marketing, or IT fields, however, this is not a requirement. We welcome board members irrespective of their age, gender, race and ethnicity (understanding of South Asian culture is required).
We are also looking to fill the open position of the Treasurer of the CAPA Board. This is a position on the Executive Committee and is a position of great honor and responsibility.
Please reach out to us at president@capa-mi.org, if you would like to nominate yourself or someone you know.
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CAPA Virtual Strategic Retreat
CAPA Board and Advisory Board members spent half a day together, at the end of February, to establish a strategic plan for the next two years. At this virtual, yet engaging, CAPA retreat, new and past leaders shared enthusiastically their experiences and expectations of CAPA. Highlights of our discussions included:
Reasons for CAPA’s success in the past 20 years:
· CAPA is truly a pan-Asian organization with diverse members across ethnicities and generations
· CAPA has a unique mission focusing on cultural education, community services, and leadership and youth education
· We are an organization with members who possess professional talents and skills yet we maintain an environment of family-like bonding.
· We have successful and popular signature events like the Splendor of the East, Simply the Best, Leadership Summits and Asian festivals.
Assessment of the current environment:
· Given the changing environments, new emerging organizations and community needs, is CAPA’s mission and vision still relevant?
· Asian and Pacific Islander Americans across the nation have experienced increased hostility and there have been a higher number of hate crimes toward APIAs, we believe, due to the pandemic and the economic downturn. Racism and bullying have become bigger concerns for APIAs
· APIAs are highly educated and successful in academia and medical fields, but have not been equally successful in economics, political or business arena
Initiatives that we intend to support in the next two years:
· Modify the mission statement to reflect our intention to help APIAs achieve equality and gain inclusiveness in every part of the society
· At the Leadership Summit, invite our member organizations and other organizations to discuss how we can go beyond ‘advocacy’ and ‘protest’, and use ‘Education, Culture, and Community Service’ to promote equality and justice for all
· Strengthen the relationships with various organizations in the community and forge deeper partnerships to successfully drive these initiatives and involvement deeper into the APIA community
· Establish an anti-bullying initiative with CAPA’s Youth Group that focuses on anti-racism and on fostering inclusivity
· Form a community collaborative to invite the community to participate in these discussions through multiple avenues, the first of which avenue will be through participating in a Book Club that will read books related to the topics of how Asians fit into the discussions of equity
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All Michiganders age 16 and up to become eligible for COVID-19 vaccines on April 5
To continue progress toward state’s goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over age 16 and bringing a quicker end to the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) officials announced the state is expanding vaccination eligibility for Michiganders ages 16 and older with disabilities or medical conditions that put them at high risk of negative COVID-19 outcome beginning Monday, March 22. The state is also announcing that beginning Monday, April 5, all Michiganders age 16 and up who were not previously eligible will be eligible to receive a vaccine.
With the expanded vaccine eligibility, providers are still encouraged to schedule appointments and allocate vaccinations to residents based on highest risk, including older residents, essential workers, and frontline workers. The most recent vaccine prioritization guidelines can be found on Michigan’s COVID-19 website.
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Racism & Discrimination during the Pandemic
Description: EMU Center for Health Disparities Innovation and Studies is conducting a study to better understand racism experienced by our APA communities during the COVID pandemic. A new surge of anti-Asian attacks and racism against Asian Americans comes nearly a year after COVID-19 spawn. It is important to have APA voices heard. Please join us in this effort and participate in the survey. The survey is anonymous and results will only be presented in an aggregate format.
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Resources to Fight Racism |
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List of Contacts & Resources
Eastern Michigan University - Center of Health Disparities Innovations and Studies
Padma Kuppa, State Representative
517-373-1783
Chris Matus, Regional Director for State Senator Gary Peters
313-318-5770
Stephen Zannetti, Licensed Banker, Citizens Bank
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Department of Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Unit
HateCrimes@Michigan.gov
313-456-0200
Call this number if you are a victim of a hate crime or have credible information about a hate crime
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OK2SAY App
The app for students to download and confidently speak out when they are concerned about their safety or safety of others.
Downloadable on Apple and Android devices
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Sign the petition to Educating Our Children On Racism Throughout the School System |
COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance
(MIOSHA resources)
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Work Plan template mentioned by Fayrouz Sadd |
Global Detroit Website - for translated material and entrepreneurial support for APA immigrants |
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Podcasts: A Dialogue To Unity |
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Unfiltered Identi-Tea the Podcast
APIA Vote - MI just launched Unfiltered Identi-Tea in partnership with Dan Moen bringing together the APIA community and allies to have deep conversations surrounding topics that focus on issues that impact the APIA community. Looking for participants for the upcoming topic MENTAL HEALTH in the APIA Community recording on March 15th, 2021 for our April episode!
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3rd Paradigm
In a world that feels so isolated and divided, CAPA Communications & Marketing Chair, Dan Moen, has been pioneering a new podcast series called 3rd Paradigm with his show partner, Sterling.
Together they bring on guests from all over the world and have round table dialogue over heavy and difficult topics. Guests are allowed to use a fake name for privacy.
Done completely remote from the comfort of home. They are live on Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts! Be sure to like, share, ad subscribe!
STAY TUNED FOR SEASON II THIS COMING SUMMER 2021!!
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PACCM Virtual
Valentine's Day Ball
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Comcast RISE Investment Fund
The Comcast RISE Investment Fund provides monetary grants to help Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned, small businesses grow as they navigate the challenges of the pandemic.
The Investment Fund is the latest extension of Comcast RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment), the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in 2020 to provide BIPOC-owned, small businesses the opportunity to apply for marketing and technology services from Comcast Business and Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable.
Comcast RISE is part of a larger $100 million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that Comcast launched this summer. In June 2020, Comcast NBCUniversal announced the development of a comprehensive, multi-year plan to allocate $75 million in cash and $25 million in media over the next three years to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability.
GRANT DETAILS
Comcast will award 500 grants totaling $5 million as follows:
· 100 small businesses will be awarded in each city
· Each business will receive a $10,000 monetary grant
· Application period is March 1-14, 2021
· Grants willl be announced at the end of April 2021 and awarded in May 2021
GRANT ELIGIBILITY
Business must:
· Be established business operations for 3 or more years
· Have one to 25 employees
· Be located in the following areas to be eligible: Atlanta, GA (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties); Chicago, IL (Cook County including the City of Chicago); Detroit, MI (also including Hamtramck and Highland Park, MI); Houston, TX (Harris and Fort Bend Counties); and Philadelphia, PA (City of Philadelphia and the City of Chester.)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Application Questions: AEO (Association for Enterprise Opportunity) I smb@aeoworks.org
· For additional questions, please call: (844) 963-0234
IF A BUSINESS IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COMCAST
· RISE INVESTMENT FUND, APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN FOR MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES.
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SUNandMOON: A Story of Love So Big
It Creates an Eclipse
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One day the Sun catches a glimpse of the beautiful Moon,
and he falls in love. But the Moon is night, and the Sun is day. How can they ever meet?Here’s a clue…whenever you see an eclipse, know that the Sun is with his love, the Moon.Welcome to the first children’s picture book by internationally recognized artist...
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Have Your Graduate Featured on CAPA’s Social Media!
Do you know a student who is graduating from high school or college? CAPA would like to honor them with a feature on our social media. Send a photo of your graduate with their name, school, program/degree, and their plans after graduation to newsletter@capa-mi.org.
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Some photos displayed provided through istock and not owned by CAPA & affiliates. |
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