February 2021

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Hello AdvOCAtes,

We hope you are doing well and staying safe in the new year! As the new administration transitions into power in Washington, we look forward to the work that is laid out for us. Thank you for continuing to support OCA and empower those in your local communities.
January Press Releases
2021 OCA Policy & Advocacy Briefing
Our Senior Policy Associate Michael Nguyen will be organizing a policy briefing on February 8 at 1PM PT/4PM ET. This presentation is open to all board and chapter members interested in learning about the policy & advocacy work that OCA National is planning for 2021. There will be a slideshow followed by a Q&A, as well as discussion on ways members can get involved and strengthen community engagement at the local level. Please RVSP directly with Michael at [email protected].
Minari Film Screening and Q&A
Join us for a virtual screening of Lee Isaac Chung’s newest film MINARI, followed by a taped Q&A with Chung, producer Christina Oh, and star Steven Yeun, moderated by Ramy Youssef. The screening and taped conversation will begin on Thursday, February 4th at 8 PM ET and will be available until Sunday, February 7th at 11 PM ET. Be sure to register for this free event as spots are limited. Registration will close at 12 PM ET on Thursday, February 4th. You can RSVP here.

After you RSVP, you will receive a screening link from [email protected] on Thursday afternoon. This initial email will invite you to “Accept your stream of ‘Minari’.” Once you click “Accept,” you will be asked to enter your name, email, and password (of your choosing). Approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the screening, you will receive a reminder noting “Your MINARI pre-order is ready,” with a direct link to the screening. Once you begin the film, you will have 4 hours to complete the film before it expires.

This event is hosted by the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) and OCA—Asian Pacific American Advocates, and community partner Council of Korean Americans (CKA).

Synopsis:
A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

You can view the trailer here.
#AAPI2020 Community Calls
In a time of turmoil and big changes, we hope that each of you has been able to find time for rest and healing. At the #AAPI2020 coalition, we aim to build a space for all of us to come together, learn together, and build together. We are pleased to announce our first #AAPI2020 Community Call of the year on Wednesday, February 10 at 8pm EST // 5pm PST. RSVP here: bit.ly/aapi2020communitycall

Please feel free to share the invite with people and organizations that are new to AAPI civic engagement. Given the high activity and opportunities for actions in the first 100 days of the new Biden administration, we encourage you to also save the date for our Community Calls on March 9, April 6, and May 4. As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions!
IMAGE F/W 2020 IS AVAILABLE! 
Read IMAGE!
Multicultural Womxn's Conference
OCA is hosting a Multicultural Womxn’s Conference, in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club, CAPAW, ALLVanza, and WEOP from March 1-3, 2021. This conference will focus on redefining what success looks like and share the powerful stories of women in our communities. Remember to save the date; more details to come!
Meet our New 2021 Executive Council!

President: Linda Ng, Greater Sacramento Chapter
Immediate Past President: Sharon M. Wong, Greater DC Chapter
Executive Vice President: Debbie Chen, Greater Houston Chapter
Secretary: Lisa Vu, San Francisco Chapter
Treasurer: Thong Tarm, St. Louis Chapter
VP of Public Affairs: Roland Hwang, Detroit Chapter
VP of Finance: Eric Lin, Central Virginia Chapter
VP of Education and Culture: Emilio Manuel Camu, Utah Chapter
VP of Membership: Greg Jung, Greater Sacramento Chapter
VP of Chapter Development: Kendall Kosai, Greater Seattle Chapter
VP of Communications: Cecilia Pham, Greater Houston Chapter
VP of Economic Development: David Lin, New Jersey Chapter
General Counsel: Ada Loo, Greater DC Chapter

 
Learn More about the EC
IRS: Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
We're proud to be a community partner with the IRS, sharing accurate information (in English and in-language) about tax season, tax help, and other financial matters. Here's some information on the EITC: During 2020, 25 million workers and families received about $62 billion in the Earned Income Tax Credit. Help #IRS spread the word about #EITC in your community: www.irs.gov/eitc  

Chinese:
申请该优惠可以减少你所欠的税款,还可以给你更多的退税。https://go.usa.gov/xAwmQ #EITC #IRS

Vietnamese:
Việc yêu cầu tín thuế này có thể làm giảm số thuế quý vị nợ và cũng có thể mang lại cho quý vị một khoản hoàn thuế lớn hơn. https://go.usa.gov/xAwmZ #EITC #IRS

Korean:
이 공제를 청구하면 납세액을 줄일 수 있을 뿐더러 더 큰 환금액을 받을 수 있습니다. https://go.usa.gov/xAwmX #EITC #IRS
Collaborative OCA Chapter MAAP Event
The OCA DC, Greater Cleveland, and Greater Columbus chapters are collaborating to launch their first virtual MAPP. For more information, please check the website: https://www.ocanational.org/mappdcohio
OCA Greater Houston Advocates in Action Situation Awareness Workshop
OCA Greater Houston Advocates in Action's Situational Awareness Workshop ​is a free, 1-hour, interactive training to teach people on how to be a confident and effective bystander against racism and discrimination. At the end of the training, each participant will have the tools to be able to intervene as a bystander whenever they see or experience harassment.

The Situational Awareness Workshop will be held on February 16, 2021. It is for OCA members and general audiences. Be sure to pre-register with the link that is found on the graphic. If you have any questions, be sure to contact Pat Lindsay (Pinky) Catalla-Buscaino at [email protected]
OCA Greater Phoenix Chapter: Empowered Moms Empower Women
OCA Greater Phoenix Chapter is hosting an Empowered Moms Empower Women event on Feb. 5, 2021 from 10AM to 3PM. To RSVP, please fill out this form. Please note both the in-person and Zoom options on the form.
The Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students' Association (ITASA) is hosting their annual East Coast Conference at Johns Hopkins virtually from February 5-7, 2021. The theme this year is "Sketching Your Own Path." To register, please visit their website: https://jhu2021.itasa.org
It's 2021 and we are hoping to help more chapters to host a professional development program! Please contact Jae Shim at [email protected] if you are interested in hosting a women’s event, B3 event, or MAAP program.
OCA National Public Events Calendar

The OCA National Public Events calendar is where we post OCA National and OCA Chapter events. You can check out events happening virtually near you! The link is here: bit.ly/ocaevents.

If you, your family members, someone you know, or community members have experienced xenophobia, discrimination, or harassment (in light of COVID-19), please report the incident using our hate crime reporting tool at aapihatecrimes.org.
Report a Hate Crime
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