Read below words describing President Bush's Proclamation, the
history behind the official Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,
little known tidbits about the APA communities that the general
public generally doesn't know and events throughout the United
States celebrating the APA communities!

==============================

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, 2003
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
http://www.politicalcircus.com/archive/article_729.shtml

America is strengthened by the rich cultural diversity of our
people, and we are blessed to be a Nation that welcomes individuals
of all races, religions, and cultural backgrounds. The values and
traditions of the Asian/Pacific-American community -- love of
family, entrepreneurship, excellence in education, and community
service -- have strengthened us as a Nation. During Asian/Pacific
American Heritage Month, we celebrate the contributions of these
talented and hard-working citizens and recognize their rich legacy
of ingenuity, perseverance, and achievement.

Many Asian/Pacific immigrants came to America to discover the
promise of our Nation and to realize their dreams. Their
contributions were critical in establishing a robust economy.
Asian/Pacific Americans also worked tirelessly to build our national
railroad infrastructure, paving the way for our western expansion
and growth as a world leader. Generations of Asian/Pacific Americans
have proudly served our Nation with honor and courage in wars and
conflicts, including most recently in Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom. Today, as in the past, their dedication
and service to advancing peace in a troubled world upholds the
values that make our country strong.

Asian/Pacific Americans are also helping to shape America's future.
As entrepreneurs, artists, educators, public servants, scientists,
and explorers, they challenge the minds of our next generation,
expand commerce and innovation, probe the frontiers of space, and
search for cures for the world's diseases. Our children are also
inspired by the contributions and sacrifices of dedicated
individuals such as inventor An Wang, experimental physicist Chien-
Shiung Wu, Challenger astronaut Ellison Onizuka, Columbia astronaut
Kalpana Chawla, and sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

Since the earliest days of America, people from all cultures have
traveled to our Nation seeking the promise of freedom, opportunity,
and justice. As an integral part of our society, Americans of Asian
and Pacific heritage share in the pursuit of this American Dream. I
join with all Americans in celebrating this rich and diverse
culture, and I encourage every citizen to recognize the role of
Asian/Pacific Americans in building and sustaining our Nation.

To honor the achievements of Asian/Pacific Americans, the Congress
by Public Law 102-450 as amended, has designated the month of May
each year as "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim May 2003 as Asian/Pacific American
Heritage Month. I call upon our citizens to learn more about the
history of Asian/Pacific Americans and how they have contributed to
the culture and heritage of our Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day
of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-seventh.

GEORGE W. BUSH


================

Introduction to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
By Takei Okidata
http://www.politicalcircus.com/archive/article_595.shtml

Every year, the month of May is officially recognized as Asian
Pacific American Heritage Month. Made possible through an act of the
United States Congress, it is an excellent opportunity for all
Americans to celebrate, honor and reflect on the many
accomplishments and contributions of the Asian Pacific American
community.

TIMELINE OF CONGRESSIONAL PROCLAMATION
June 1977
Representative Frank Horton (R-NY) and Norman Y. Mineta (D-CA)
introduced Pacific/Asian Heritage Week (House Resolution 540) in the
House of Representatives, which called upon the President to
proclaim the first ten days of May as Pacific/Asian Heritage Week.

July 19, 1977
Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced SJ Res 72 in
the Senate, similar to legislation introduced by Frank Horton and
Norman Mineta in the House.

July 10, 1978
House Representatives passed legislation to proclaim an
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in May. The proclamation had to
be obtained yearly because the final Joint Resolution did not
contain an annual designation.

Oct. 5, 1978
President Jimmy Carter signed the Joint Resolution

May 7, 1990
Asian Pacific American leaders around the country gathered at the
White House to witness the signing of a proclamation by George Bush,
declaring May to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May 6, 1991
President Bush signed a proclamation designating May 1991 and May
1992 as "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month"

Oct. 23, 1992
President Bush signed legislation into law to designate May of each
year as "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month". The law (HR 5572),
introduced by Rep. Frank Horton (R-NY) and Norman Mineta (D-CA) was
approved unanimously by the House of Representatives and the Senate
during the 102nd Congress.

© Copyright 2001-2003 PoliticalCircus.com - A Publication of the
Rainmaker Political Group LLC - All Rights Reserved | (ISSN 1537-
5994)
In order to heighten awareness about Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month, you are welcome to forward and/or link directly to this
specific content item. Kindly give credit to PoliticalCircus.com
where appropriate.

Otherwise, this written work is protected by international copyright
laws. The copyright laws prohibit any copying or repurposing of any
copyright protected material. If you are interested in reprinting
this article and obtaining proper licenses, please contact the
Rainmaker Political Group LLC at P.O. Box 22442, Alexandria, VA
22304.


=============


OCA CELEBRATES APA HERITAGE MONTH

Washington, DC - The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), a
national Asian Pacific American (APA) civil rights advocacy and
educational organization with over 80 chapters and affiliates
nationwide, joins the rest of the nation in celebrating APA Heritage
Month this May.

OCA is proud to have played an integral role in the founding of APA
Heritage Month and to have been involved in many aspects of APA
history. The first APA Heritage Month was proclaimed in May of
1990, under President George Bush, and OCA is proud that the
tradition has continued strong ever since. Inspired by the
proclamations for Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Week,
congressional staffers Ms. Jeannie Jew and Ms. Ruby Moy, sought to
have similar legislation enacted for Asian Pacific Americans. The
nationwide effort was coordinated by the National Coalition for a
Pacific/Asian American Heritage Proclamation, founded and chaired by
Ms. Jew, an OCA National Board member and including K. L. Wong,
founder of OCA.

"The APA community is rich with diversity," stated Raymond Wong, OCA
National President. "OCA has also been dedicated to highlighting
the many accomplishments of APAs in the United States. APA Heritage
Month is a time when our country can look back and celebrate the
contributions of APAs to our culture and society."

OCA's chapters have planned many different events to take place
around the nation during May. These include education workshops,
awards banquets, culture festivals, book readings, and much more.
Attached is a list of the variety of events that OCA's chapters are
hosting in honor of APA Heritage Month. OCA, through its chapters,
will also be donating over 500 copies of the new book, The New Face
of Asian Pacific America: Numbers, Diversity and Change in the 21sth
Century, to local schools and public libraries in over 50 cities and
metropolitan areas around the country. The book is the most
comprehensive, up-to-date analysis of demographic and cultural
changes in the Asian Pacific American community.


###


Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Activities - May 2003


May 1st: Boston, IL. Reception at WGBH Public Radio, 125
Western Ave. 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Kicking off a showcase of programs
on the lives of Asian Pacific Americans. Contact: Gar Chiang,
garchiang@... <mailto:garchiang@...>


May 1st: Chicago, IL. "The Q Bookmark", at Chicago Cultural
Ctr., Randolph Cafe, 78 East Washington St., 10:15 - 11:15 a.m.
2003 APA Heritage Month Kickoff releasing the 2003 APA Heritage
Month Commemorative Bookmark. Info: Irene Cualoping, (312) 458-
0832, ocachicago@... <mailto:ocachicago@...>

May 1st: Ft. Lauderdale, FL. "Race in America beyond Black &
White, Bridging Racial Divides," 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., 7 pm. Prof.
Frank Wu presenting; OCA-S. Florida, African-American Research Lib.
and Cultural Ctr. host. Info: Winnie Tang, WinnieVHTang@...
<mailto:WinnieVHTang@...> (305) 753-8791.


May 1st: Los Angeles, CA. Visual Communications' APA Film
Fest Opening Night Reception, at Directors Guild of America, 7:30
p.m. Co-sponsored by OCA-GLA to celebrate a month series of APA
films and documentaries. RSVP: George Yin, gyin88@...
<mailto:gyin88@...>.


May 1st: Westchester, NY. WVOX Radio Station, 10:00 am -
11:00 am. Paul Feiner hosts OCA-Westchester to talk about variety
of issues and events important to the APA community: hate crimes,
Asian Festival, SARS, etc. Info: Pablo Cue (914) 815-0483.


May 3rd: Boston, MA. Asian American Unity Dinner, at
Emperor's Garden, 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm. Celebrating a 15 year unity
dinner tradition. RSVP: garchiang@...
<mailto:garchiang@...>.


May 3rd: Los Angeles, CA. APIA U! Community Reception, at
UCLA, Ackerman Viewpoint Conf. Rm, 6:30 pm. Reception for college
APIA U! Participants and community leaders. Funded by State Farm.
RSVP: Clara Chiu (213) 250-9888, cchiu@...
<mailto:cchiu@...>.


May 3rd: New York/New Jersey. Tin See Do, The Angel Island
Experience, at Ellis Island. Day of events, including screenings of
film, "Carved in Silence", with director Felicia Lowe presenting,
martial arts performance, workshops and exhibits. Sponsored by OCA-
LI, NJ, NY & Westchester/Hudson Valley. Info: Virginia Ng (201) 259-
8028 / (201) 307-9633.


May 3rd: North Miami Beach, FL. 2nd Annual OCA-SFL
Excellence Awards Banquet, at Bamboo Garden Banquet Hall, 1232 NE
163 St., 6:30-10 pm. Recognizing outstanding Chinese Americans, w/
Asian cultural presentation. Info: Winnie Tang,
WinnieVHTang@... <mailto:WinnieVHTang@...> / 305.753.8791


May 3rd: Sacramento, CA. 6th Annual Dragon Boat Festival,
Holiday Villa Restaurant, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Sponsored by OCA-
Sacramento, honoring outstanding Chinese American pioneers in health
care. RSVP: Deborah Muramoto (916) 442-1729 or Tom Bhe (916) 355-
4159.

May 3rd: Westchester, NY. Hate Crimes Workshop, at
Westchester Community College, 12 noon - 5 pm. Co-sponsored by OCA
Westchester, Westchester County Public Safety Dept., Westchester
Filipino American Society, Inc., Amnesty International of WCC, and
Westchester Community College. Funded by Allstate Insurance
Company. RSVP by 4/30, Pablo Cue, 914-815-0483.


May 4th: Philadelphia, PA. 2003 Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month Forum, at Montgomery County Community College, 1 -
4:30 pm. Topics: Civil rights, Doing Business in PA, Wills and
Estates; keynote: Iris Chang, "Chinese in America." Info: Mandy Lin
(215) 659-8574.


May 4th: Manhattan, NY. 24th Annual CAPA Heritage Month
Festival, at Union Square Park, 12 noon - 6 pm. OCA-LI & OCA-NY
host booths to distribute balloons and literature, along with other
APA orgs. Info: Lily Lee (718) 352-6200; Wayne Lum (718) 461-4010;
ReneeTang@... <mailto:ReneeTang@...>.


May 8th: Foster City, CA. "Love Made of Heart" Bookreading
by Teresa Young, at Foster City Library, 7:30 pm. Sponsored by OCA-
San Mateo. Reading is in conjunction with month long display of APA
authors in the Foster City and Redwood City Libraries. Info: Wade
Loo.


May 9th: Los Angeles, CA. APA Heritage Month Community
Networking Dinner, at Empress Pavilion Restaurant, 6:30 pm.
Organized by OCA-GLA, co-sponsored by ABA Online, CSC, CACA, FACCC
of SGV, JACL, KAC, and PbP. RSVP: terry.chi@...
<mailto:terry.chi@...> .


May 10th: Coral Springs, FL. 5th APAHM Cultural Series I,
3151 University Dr., 2 - 4 pm. Chinese, Indian, Islamic, Japanese,
Korean, and Thai dancing and cultural arts. Book Talk: "Chinese in
Southeast Florida: 1900-1992." OCA Book Donation: The New Face of
Asian Pacific America - Numbers, Diversity & Change in the 21st
Century. Info: Winnie Tang, WinnieVHTang@... / 305.753.8791.


May 10th-11th: San Diego, CA. 2nd Annual API Heritage
Festival, at Balboa Park, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sat. and Sun.
Sponsored by the San Diego API Alliance, co-sponsored by OCA-San
Diego; craft booths, cultural performances, and exhibits. Info:
(858) 565-6698.

May 10th: Washington, DC. Asian Pacific American Spring
Benefit, at Wyndham City Center, 6:00 pm - 1:00 am. Jointly
sponsored social event to raise money for worthy causes. Co-hosted
by OCA-DC, OCA-NOVA, APA Film, AQUA, CAPAL, KAC-DC, JAS, JACL,
NCVA. RSVP: Will Lee (202) 986-4598/ (703) 947-1498.


May 13th: Stony Brook, NY. Asian American Night, at Stony
Brook University. Featuring the "With Liberty and Justice for All"
series. Co-sponsored by OCA-Long Island. Contact: Dr. Gary Mar
(631) 689-0278, or Gene Woo (631) 738-3808.


May 16th: Columbus, OH. Columbus Culture Fest, at Columbus
City Hall, 10:00 am - 10:00 pm. A tapestry of our community. Info:
Frank Kam, Theresa Lee, ocacolumbus7@...
<mailto:ocacolumbus7@...>; www.asiawind.com


May 17th: North Miami, FL. 5th APAHM Cultural Series II, at
NANAY Community Ctr., 659 NE 125 St., 6 - 8 pm. A
documentary/dialogue exchange forum: Bontoc Eulogy: A Filipino
American Immigrant Experience. Info: Winnie Tang,
WinnieVHTang@... <mailto:WinnieVHTang@...> / 305.753.8791.


May 17th - Jun 5th: San Diego, CA. "Sentor" by Jason Fong,
at Weingart Performing Annex, 3:00pm and 8:00 pm. Contemporary play
about love of family. Contact: Andy Lowe (888) 568-AART.


May 17th - 18th: St. Louis, MO. Chinese Culture Days, at
Missouri Botanical Garden, 10:00 am - 5 pm. Co-sponsored by OCA-St.
Louis and the Chinese Culture, Education, & Services, this annual
event draws over 15,000 people each year.


May 17th: Gaithersburg, MD. Spring Family Day & Picnic, at
Bohrer Park, 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm. Family day of fun and food.
Sponsored by OCA-DC, OCA Young Professionals, Young OCA, and Asian
American Student Union. RSVP: Paul Wong (301) 717-6808, oca-
dc@... <mailto:oca-dc@...>.


May 18th: Fort Lauderdale, FL. 5th APAHM Cultural Series
III, at Cinema Paradiso - 1314 East Las Olas Blvd. #007, 2:45 pm.
Film: Beijing Herbs, OCA-S. Florida co-sponsoring with Asian
Pacific Film Festival of Florida. Info: Winnie Tang,
WinnieVHTang@... <mailto:WinnieVHTang@...> / 305.753.8791.


May 22nd: Los Angeles, CA. Lessons Learned: From the
Japanese American Internment to Today, at Japanese American National
Museum, 6 - 8:30 pm. Screening of "Of Civil Rights and Wrongs - The
Fred Korematsu Story". RSVP: Mayling Kao (213) 386-3114,
mayling@... <mailto:mayling@...>.


May 24th: Detroit, MI. Splendor of the East, at Ford Center
for Performing Arts, 6:00 pm. Pan-Asian cultural event sponsored by
the Council of Asian Pacific Americans, with OCA-Detroit
participating. Info: Marie Weng (248) 475-0976.


May 25th - 26th: Columbus, OH. Asian Festival, at Franklin
Park, Sat: 10 - 10; Sun: 10 - 6. 14 API groups feature food,
culture, and performances. Info: Yu-chen Lu, Sonya Gong, Fanny Ho,
ocacolumbus7@... <mailto:ocacolumbus7@...>;
www.asiawind.com


May 26th: Miami, FL. OCA-SFL annual APAHM Citizenship
Drive, at Hispanic Coalition, 5659 W Flagler Street, 1:00 pm - 4:00
pm. Info: Winnie Tang, WinnieVHTang@...
<mailto:WinnieVHTang@...> / (305) 753.8791.


May 30th: Carrollton, TX. APA Heritage Month Golf Scramble,
at Coyote Ridge Golf Club, 10:30 am. Multi-cultural event to raise
money for an educational scholarship fund; displays about APA
Heritage Month. By OCA-Dallas, Young Professionals Org.; funded by
Citicorp and State Farm. Contact: Richard Chang (972) 577-6538,
changrcc@... <mailto:changrcc@...>


May 31st: Washington, DC. DC Cares Servathon. Various
service activities throughout Washington, DC.


May 31st: Westchester, NY. 5th Annual Asian American
Heritage Festival, at Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla, NY, 11 am - 7
pm. Hosted by OCA Westchester, local Asian cultural organizations,
and Westchester County Parks & Recreation, and Westchester Arts
Council, with corporate support from Verizon, Con Edison, State Farm
Insurance and PepsiCo. Info: Pablo Cue at 914-815-0483.


ALL MAY


Birmingham, MI. APA Art Show, at Border's Books in
Birmingham. Contact: Iris Shen Van Buren (248) 737-5534.


Tuscon, AZ. APA Heritage Month Film Series, at University
of Arizona. OCA-Tuscon hosts a film series featuring APA
documentaries and films. Info: Josie Gin, josiegin@...
<mailto:josiegin@...>; Michelle Yang, meiy@...
<mailto:meiy@...>.


OCA Hate Crimes Workshops: Westchester (May 3rd), Stony
Brook University (May 5th), Stanford University (May 24th),
Sacramento (May 25th). Info: Eleanor Lee (202) 223-5500.

Organization of Chinese Americans
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW #601
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-223-5500 Fax: 202-296-0540
Web: http://www.ocanatl.org
E-mail: oca@...

==================================

Ten Good Things To Do for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
By Rodney Jay C. Salinas
http://www.politicalcircus.com/archive/article_716.shtml

Salinas
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was created in 1992. The bill
(H.R. 5572) was passed by the United States Congress and was signed
into law by President George Bush. As a federal law, the month is
observed throughout the country. Many federal departments and
agencies host official observances during the month of May. Such
events host important speakers, cultural performances, traditional
foods, etc. Across the nation, local Asian Pacific American
organizations host their own events to celebrate the month.

But the true celebration begins with the individual. Below are ten
good things that all of us can do to learn more about ourselves and
raise broad awareness of this special occasion.

10. Instead of just eating at an Asian restaurant, talk to the
owners. Learn more about their stories, how they went about
establishing their business, the obstacles they've faced, local
issues that they care about as business-owners. It will give you a
better sense of just how difficult it is to establish a business,
especially if the owners are first-generation immigrants.

Put the mah jong tables away for one weekend. Talk about your
family's history.

9. Attend an Asian Pacific American temple, mosque or church, even
if it's not your own religion. There are thousands of religious
establishments that were created by and for Asian Pacific Americans.
By learning about a person's religion or spiritual beliefs, you can
get a better sense of his or her value system and motivation.

8. Get as many members of your family together in one place and just
enjoy each other's company. Put the mah jong tables away for one
weekend. Talk about your family's history. How did your family come
to the United States? Where did they first settle? What kinds of
hardships did they face?

7. Flip through any popular magazine and carefully look at how they
portray Asian Pacific Americans. Are the portrayals negative?
Positive? Are the women portrayed as "exotic, sex symbols?" What
other kinds of stereotypes are depicted? What kind of message do you
think this sends to other readers?

6. Spend a few hours and talk to a young person. Don't talk about
superficial garbage. Ask them tough, thought-provoking questions.
Have you been asked to try drugs? Have you been pressured by your
friends to have sex? Have you ever thought about suicide? Are you
afraid of violence in your own school? Do you get picked on because
you're Asian Pacific American? Hopefully, they'll give you honest,
direct answers, and you'll know just the kinds of pressures facing
the youth of today.

5. Chances are, you might have a friend or know of someone who was
adopted. Every year, more and more children from Asia are being
adopted by non-Asian families in the United States. Ask your friend
about his or her experiences growing up: was it difficult growing up
as an Asian Pacific American with Caucasian or African American
parents? Were you exposed to your Asian culture?

Ask yourself some basic questions: Do I really identify as an Asian
Pacific American? How much does my nationality or ethnic heritage
affect my daily life?

4. Visit the Census Bureau's website (www.census.gov), type in your
city and state, and look up the most recent demographics of your
area. This is an excellent way to survey your surroundings and
understand how the population is shifting. In many cases, you'll see
a significant increase in the Asian Pacific American population.

3. Go to your local bookstore and pick up a book. The book doesn't
even need to be specifically about Asian Pacific Americans, as long
as it's written by one. Because each author writes through their
unique "lens" and their perspective is reflected in their writing,
the book could be about anything under the sun (i.e. popular
culture, fiction, biography, etc.).

2. Do a little bit of personal reflection. Ask yourself some basic
questions: Do I really identify as an Asian Pacific American? How
much does my nationality or ethnic heritage affect my daily life? Do
I think that members of my nationality or ethnic group are superior
to others? The answers might enlighten (or scare) you.

1. Tell a non-Asian Pacific American that May is recognized as Asian
Pacific American month! This is perhaps the simplest, yet most
effective way to raise awareness. Tell him or her what it means to
you, invite them to a local event, or share an historical fact with
them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rodney Jay C. Salinas is President of the Rainmaker Political Group
LLC and Publisher of PoliticalCircus.com, an online source for
political news and information for the Asian Pacific American
community. He can be contacted at mail@....

© Copyright 2001-2003 PoliticalCircus.com - A Publication of the
Rainmaker Political Group LLC - All Rights Reserved | (ISSN 1537-
5994)
In order to heighten awareness about Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month, you are welcome to forward and/or link directly to this
specific content item. Kindly give credit to PoliticalCircus.com
where appropriate.

Otherwise, this written work is protected by international copyright
laws. The copyright laws prohibit any copying or repurposing of any
copyright protected material. If you are interested in reprinting
this article and obtaining proper licenses, please contact the
Rainmaker Political Group LLC at P.O. Box 22442, Alexandria, VA
22304.