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UPDATES
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Schedule Your Shot Today
Long COVID is a serious and often overlooked consequence of COVID-19. Lingering symptoms like fatigue and brain fog can significantly disrupt daily life. Protect yourself by getting the updated vaccine. #healthinyourhands

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2025 OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarships
We are still accepting applications for the 2025 OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarships, sponsored by UPS!

👉 $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to 12 high school students who will be graduating high school in 2025 and starting college in the fall.

👉 $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to 4 undergraduate students who will be starting their final year of college/university or community college in the fall of 2025.

👉 Apply before Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.

** CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND APPLY ([link removed])
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2025 President's Circle Initiative
📢Calling all OCA Chapters!

Want to fund your community project and make an impact? The President’s Circle Initiative is your chance! Submit a proposal to receive funding for community-building and advocacy projects—and pitch your vision to donors at the 2025 OCA National Convention in Seattle! 🌟
🔹 Chapters must have a $1,000+ funder in the Circle to qualify
🔹 Submit your proposal now: ** bit.ly/2025pciproposal ([link removed])

🔹 Learn more: ** bit.ly/joinocapci ([link removed])

Don’t miss this opportunity to amplify your chapter’s voice! 💪🏽✨

** SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL HERE ([link removed])
January Donors
Thank you to our January donors, Bryant Yang and Tom Ging, for your generous contributions towards the President's Circle Initiative! Your contributions directly support local OCA chapter programs and projects that impact AANHPI communities around the country.
New Executive Council
We are pleased to announce our new Executive Council (EC) elected in last November. During our Q1 National Board Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, held this past month, we installed our new board of directors as well as a few new chapter presidents. The new Executive Council is as follows:
* Sharon Wong, President, OCA - Greater Washington D.C
* Roland Hwang, Vice President, OCA - Detroit
* Randy Huynh, Secretary, OCA - Las Vegas
* David Fung, Treasurer, OCA - New York
* Brianna Cea, VP of Public Affairs, OCA - New York
* Mabel Menard, VP of Communications, OCA - Greater Chicago
* Elinor Ho, VP of Finance, OCA - Detroit
* Emilio Manuel Camu, VP of Chapter Development, OCA - Utah
* Brian Kieatiwong, VP of Economic Development, OCA - Las Vegas
* Siddarth Sharma, VP of Membership, OCA - Greater Washington, D.C
* Daniel Hoddinott, VP of Education and Culture, OCA - Greater Philadelphia

Congratulations to all, and we look forward to a great year under their guidance!

Meet Our Newest Team Members: Lahiruni & Jesse
Lahiruni Dias Amarawardena (she/her) is the inaugural Olga May Wong Policy Fellow, supporting OCA's national policy, advocacy, and organizing strategy and programming. She is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she is pursuing her Bachelor’s of Arts in Government and Politics - International Relations and a Minor certification in both Asian American Studies and History. As a student organizer with four years of experience, and as current Co-President of the Asian American Student Union, she believes that collective education and grassroots mobilization are key ways to accomplish wins for the AANHPI community and propel pressing issues to the national stage. To commemorate her work and contributions to the APIDA community, she was awarded with the 2024-25 Timothy J. Ng Scholarship in Asian American Studies. Outside of her academic and professional passions, Lahiruni enjoys her 14th year as a Bharatanatyam classical dancer at Nrityanjali Dance
Inc., cooking new recipes for her friends, and watching foreign films.

Jesse Wu (he/him) is an intern at OCA National Center placed by the UCDC Internship Program, supporting OCA's national policy and programs work. He is a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies-Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, Jesse grew up in an environment that blended a traditional Chinese household with a diverse American society. Over time, as his interest in international relations and Asia-Pacific affairs grew, so did his investment in Asian American participation in civil society. He sees his upbringing as a bridge between two distinct identities, and the driving force behind his enthusiasm for civic participation. At UC San Diego, Jesse has dedicated himself to developing the next generation of leaders. Alongside his studies, his involvement in Model United Nations at UCSD organizing the TritonMUN conference has provided leadership opportunities for hundreds of high school
delegates, while raising thousands of dollars to fund similar opportunities for members of the collegiate organization. He also engages in various mentorship programs across the UCSD community, from connecting with international students with the International Services and Engagement Office, to welcoming new students as an orientation leader for Eleanor Roosevelt College. These experiences have only strengthened Jesse’s belief in the merits of civic engagement and youth development—a belief he holds onto as he pursues a career in the Foreign Service and continues lifting up his community.
PRESS RELEASES & STATEMENTS
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OCA Reaffirms Commitment to AANHPI Communities with the Start of New Administration
OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates reaffirms its commitment to AANHPI well-being through advocacy for policies that ensure inclusion and justice in the face of ongoing challenges. ** Click here to read more. ([link removed])

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OCA Condemns President Trump’s Statements About DCA Tragedy, Mourns Loss of Community Members
OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates strongly condemns President Trump’s statements regarding the plane crash that occurred over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) on Wednesday night. ** Click here to read more. ([link removed])

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AAJC and WLC File Lawsuit on Behalf of OCA Over Executive Order Ending Birthright Citizenship
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates, along with other civil rights organizations, has filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump's executive order to revoke birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents on temporary visas or who are undocumented, arguing it violates the Fourteenth Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act. ** Click here to read more. ([link removed])

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Birthright Citizenship: Asian Americans' Historical Influence on this Important Constitutional Right (By: Chris Chan, OCA-Greater Phoenix)
OCA - Greater Phoenix Chapter emphasizes the historical importance of birthright citizenship, a 2025 Executive Order challenging it, and ongoing legal and advocacy efforts to protect this right. ** Click here to read more. ([link removed])

EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
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Foundation 649 Scholarship
The Foundation 649 Scholarship is a grant of $4,000 for incoming Asian American and Pacific Islander college students over the course of 4 years that can be applied to college tuition and expenses.

The deadline to apply is March 1, 2025. Questions? Contact ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
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** CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ([link removed])
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2024 IMAGE Magazine
🚨 The 2024 IMAGE Magazine is OUT! Current OCA paying members will receive their copies in the coming week, and you can also view a digital version online.

🤔 Interested in a physical copy? Sign up for our membership today to receive the 2025 IMAGE Magazine, which will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the OCA National Internship!
** CLICK HERE TO READ THE MAGAZINE ([link removed])
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Help us update our OCA Intern Alumni Directory
We are requesting all OCA National internship program alumni to fill out the OCA Intern Alumni Directory Form to help us update our internal database so we can stay in touch with our intern alumni from the last 35 years. ** Fill out the form ([link removed])
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CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
OCA - Greater Cleveland Chapter
On January 21, OCA Greater Cleveland partnered with OCA Columbus and The Ohio State University student organizations Asian American Advocacy Alliance (A4), East Asian Student Union (EASU), and Half-Asian People’s Association (HAPA) for the student lead APIA-U Leadership Workshop.

The event featured Wayne A. Wong, OCA Greater Cleveland Executive Vice-President, providing a Keynote presentation on "Leadership at NASA and the Community through an APIA Lens." OCA Columbus' President Linh Ta and V.P. of Membership Nancy Pyon led a breakout discussion on AAPI Women's Identity. The students also engaged in a breakout on Power Mapping. Attendees enjoyed dinner catered by local AAPI businesses. They received OCA Red Dragon notebooks from OCAGC and other raffle prizes to cap a fun evening despite being one of the coldest days in recent years.
OCA - Greater Tucson Chapter
OCA - Greater Tucson Chapter participated in the National Day of Racial Healing in Tucson on January 18. Allen Miller, Chapter EVP, represented OCA as a member of Beloved Community Youth Panel. Panelists addressed:
* What does racial healing look like or mean to you on an individual level?
* What does creating a beloved community mean to you?

This year the emcee was Dr. Cheree Meeks, NAACP President-Tucson Branch. Co-sponsors included League of Women Voters Greater Tucson; NAACP Tucson Branch; and Dr. Laura Banks Reed Center for Racial Equity, YWCA of Southern Arizona.
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OCA - Greater Seattle Chapter
A mural in Nihonmachi Alley, part of Seattle’s Chinatown International District, was recently vandalized, sparking outrage and conversations among community advocates, including members of our own OCA - Greater Seattle Chapter. The mural, smeared with black paint and marked with Bible verses, left many questioning the intent behind the act.

Stella Liu, a University of Washington student and intern with OCA Greater Seattle, shared her confusion about the meaning of the verses but emphasized the importance of raising awareness to ensure incidents like this do not go unnoticed. Fellow intern Dylan Lai described the act as a divisive tactic meant to alienate certain groups, calling it “deeply disrespectful.” Both interns urged the community to stand in solidarity and speak out against such acts of hate.

OCA - Greater Seattle Chapter and local residents are committed to standing together and ensuring the neighborhood remains a vibrant and inclusive space.
** Read the full article here. ([link removed])
COLLEGE AFFILIATE HIGHLIGHTS
The Asian American Advocacy Project at Vanderbilt University
The Asian American Advocacy Project (TAAAP) at Vanderbilt held their first-ever in-person leadership conference for Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) high school students on January 18! The event began with a short lesson on the early history of Asians in America, led by Dr.Mark Sanchez, Assistant Professor of Asian Studies (Asian American focus). Students enjoyed lunch while listening to a panel of Vanderbilt college students talk about their high school-to-college transition and current experiences, having the opportunity to think about exploring their interests and preparing college applications. The day wrapped up with a reflective and critical identity workshop led by Jade Wong, Assistant Director of Vanderbilt’s Student Center for Belonging and Communities. Students gained great insight from APIDA college students and professionals, and had the opportunity to have meaningful individual conversations!
CHAPTER EVENTS
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5th Annual Chinese Expulsion Rally and March by OCA - Greater Seattle Chapter | February 23, 2025
Amidst intense labor competition, from February 7, 1886, a mob of whites attacked the Chinese in Seattle. The Seattle Riot followed an earlier attack in Tacoma whereby Chinese were forced out of the city.

Now in 2025, during an era of increasing antagonism against immigrants, documented and undocumented, we feel it is especially important to participate in this annual march commemorating the expulsion of the Chinese from Seattle. Our march begins at Seattle's Chinatown-International District where we follow the path of our ancestors pushed to the Seattle waterfront. However, during our march, we are immediately marching BACK to the Chinatown-International District - demonstrating that, like our ancestors, we are here to stay.

The chief organizer is the United Hub and we, at OCA-Greater Seattle, are one of the primary sponsors.

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