This Thursday, join OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates and special guests for a virtual 9/11 memorial.

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** Unity After Tragedy
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* This Thursday at 7pm ET, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a special virtual memorial. The two-hour event is open to the public and will be streamed via Zoom, Facebook Live ([link removed]) , and YouTube ([link removed]) . Register now. ([link removed])
* As we mark two decades since the day that redefined American life, we'll be joined by several guests including former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, Cathie Ong-Herrera, Deepa Iyer, John Lee, Dr. Teddy Chen, Tejpal Chawla, and Commissioner Wellington Chen.
* In the wake of the 2001 terror attacks, OCA published stories, photographs, and artwork of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders impacted by 9/11 in a book called Voices of Healing. Thursday's event—moderated by Aryani Ong, Elizabeth OuYang, and APIAVote's Christine Chen—will include survivors and families that were featured in the collection.

📅 UPCOMING EVENTS

September 9: Join OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates for a virtual 9/11 memorial starting at 7pm EST. Register here. ([link removed])

September 10: OCA's Senior Chapter & Membership Development Associate Lady Marie Bulilan hosts our next webinar on AAPI hate crimes throughout history at 1pm ET, featuring South Asian voices. Register here. ([link removed])

September 20: Join the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund for "Relive, Remember, React," a three-part virtual symposium that explores the aftermath and lasting impacts of 9/11 on AAPI and Muslim communities. The event begins at 8:30pm EST. Register here. ([link removed])

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UPDATES
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What We Learned from the FBI's Hate Crime Statistics

Last month, the FBI revealed that hate crimes in the U.S. ** rose to their highest level in more than a decade last year. ([link removed])
But while the latest report confirms a sharp rise in attacks against Asian Americans, it also shows that the number of state and local law enforcement agencies providing data to the FBI declined for a third year in a row.

Why this matters: As long as agencies are not required to collect and report hate crimes data to the federal government, the FBI’s statistics will fail to capture the true scope of violence against Asian American communities. ** Read our full statement here. ([link removed])

✍️ Other updates you may have missed...
* ** OCA Applauds Senate Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ([link removed])
* ** OCA Urges Biden to Designate Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status, Employ Emergency Humanitarian Parole ([link removed])
* ** OCA Seeks Expansion of In-Language Federal Resources for Asian Louisianans In Wake of Ida ([link removed])
* ** AAPI Advocates Denounce Texas’ Assault on Reproductive Rights ([link removed])

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🔥 OCA in the News — Commerce Dept. Will Shutter Unit That Conducted Rogue Investigations
Our National President Linda Ng spoke to The New York Times about the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to close a controversial security unit that allegedly targeted Asian American employees. ** Read more. ([link removed])

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Update — Meet Our New Operations & Programs Associate
We're excited to welcome Hojin Kim to the OCA team! Born in South Korea and raised in Japan, Hojin received his bachelor’s degree in Global Affairs from George Mason University in Spring 2021 and became the first person in his family to graduate college in the U.S. ** Read more. ([link removed])

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⚖️ Update — AAPI Civil Rights Groups Ask Biden to Pause DOJ’s China Initiative
Last month, OCA joined Stop AAPI Hate and the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans in urging President Biden to launch an independent review of the U.S. Department of Justice's harmful "China Initiative." ** Read more in Rafu Shimpo. ([link removed])

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Voices — Our Obligation to the Afghan People
As America’s longest war ends, the Biden administration must do what it can to expedite the processing of Afghans seeking asylum and humanitarian parole, OCA Deputy Executive Director Thu Nguyen writes in a new op-ed. ** Read more. ([link removed])

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❤️ Limited-Time Offer — Get a Tuk Tuk Tote Bag With Snacks!
Support OCA National Center's Corporate Achievement Awards (along with our programming and advocacy work) by purchasing a goodie bag! Made with love by ** Tuk Tuk ([link removed])
, your tote bag will come filled with Southeast Asian snacks and drinks. ** Get your goodie bag before September 17 ([link removed])
!

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Note — The Smartest Ways to Support OCA- Asian Pacific American Advocates
You may have seen our email last week highlighting our ** free, will-writing tool. ([link removed] )
Today, we also want to introduce our new stock to our community! These are great ways to fund our policy and advocacy work around anti-Asian hate while benefiting you. ** Learn more about stock giving today. ([link removed])

POLICY CORNER
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🎓 Update — K-12 AAPI Curriculum Project
We're working with educational partners and OCA chapters to ** create a national database ([link removed])
of AAPI curriculum that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive of its treatment of AAPI history. If you are interested in learning more about the project and joining a subcommittee, ** please complete this survey. ([link removed])

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Coming Up — JACL/OCA Leadership Summit!
We're excited to welcome summit participants to the nation's capital for four days of networking and empowerment! The program kicks off on September 11 with a welcome reception at the AT&T Forum, followed by presentations, trainings on advocacy and storytelling, and legislative visits.

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📚 Resource — TAAF Rapid Response Toolkit
We collaborated with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and other community organizations to create a toolkit designed to equip elected officials, activists, and the public with culturally competent education and up-to-date safety resources for addressing anti-AAPI hate. ** Read more. ([link removed])

** SUPPORT OUR WORK ([link removed])
Have questions for OCA's policy team? Contact ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
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SPOTLIGHT
OCA's Dallas Fort Worth chapter in Texas participated in the ** Yellow Whistle campaign ([link removed])
, a self-protection program which distributes free whistles to combat anti-Asian violence. Photo courtesy of Jan Xie.

OCA's Detroit chapter hosted its 2021 Healthy Gardening Fair + Night Market in August. In addition to the food booths, glucose and blood pressure tests were provided by Wayne State University's Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association at the event. Photo courtesy of Shenlin Chen.

EVENTS + OPPORTUNITIES
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September 9: "Voices of Healing"

Join OCA National Center at 7pm ET to learn about "Voices of Healing," a collection of stories gathered by OCA after the September 11 attacks. This virtual memorial will provide space for reflection upon healing and solidarity. 👉 ** Register here. ([link removed])
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🔎 September 10: AAPI History Webinar
From the 1970s-90s, Indian Americans and South Asians in Jersey City lived in fear of a hate group known as the "Dotbusters." Hear from members of the South Asian community at OCA National Center's next webinar on AAPI hate crimes throughout history. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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September 13: Boost Your Mental Fitness!
Join Certified Life Transformation Coach Amy Yip at 5pm ET for a small group training! We'll discuss how you can boost mental fitness, strengthen three core muscles, and unlock your full potential for both happiness and success. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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📈 September 14: Data Convos
Act To Change and Stop AAPI Hate will discuss the findings of their latest bullying + youth reports and share concrete recommendations on what each of us can do to end anti-Asian racism. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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September 16: Make Us Visible
Join the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund for a panel discussion on the AAPI and MASA youth experience in America. Panelists will explore topics ranging from the decolonization of our stories to bridging divides between our communities. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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🗣️ September 18: "We Will Not Stay Silent Anymore"
Woon-Wah Siu, Shali Lin, and Brocade Wu speak about history of OCA and its San Diego chapter as part of San Diego State University's “Chinese American Experience & Beyond” lecture series hosted. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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September 21: Emerging Technologies and Underserved Communities
Emerging technologies will bring both disruptions and opportunities to our society. Join ALLvanza, the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), and OCA for a conversation on how we can prepare underserved communities for the era of innovation. Registration info coming soon.

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🚨 September 21: Situational Awareness Intervention Workshop
OCA's General Houston chapter continues to host regular training sessions to arm individuals with the education and tools to intervene as bystanders. Join us at 6:30pm ET for a free 1.5 hour training on how to be a confident and effective bystander against anti-Asian hate. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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September 25: AAPI AdvOCAcy Summit
Mark your calendars for OCA-DC's "Stop Hate, Educate, Legislate" virtual summit starting at 11am EST! This all-day event features more than a dozen experts, community leaders, and policymakers across four panels on anti-Asian hate, education, gender-based violence, and leadership. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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🍳 September 27: A Virtual Conversation with Katie Chin
You're invited to join OCA and CAPAW for an intimate conversation with celebrity chef and award-winning cookbook author Katie Chin! This event is sponsored by National ACE and AARP. ** Register here ([link removed])
and ** order the cookbook now. ([link removed])

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September 29: "Women Leading"

OCA National Center is proud to present a conversation with several accomplished Asian American women who have achieved success within their corporations. This panel of distinguished leaders will be moderated by Walmart National Director of Corporate Affairs Joanne Tabellija-Murphy, who also serves as chair of the OCA National Business Advisory Council. This event is supported by the Center for Asian Pacific American Women (CAPAW). 🎥 ** Register here. ([link removed])
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** OCA National Website ([link removed])
OCA National Center
Embracing the hopes and aspirations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

1322 18th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20036

Copyright © 2021 OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates, All rights reserved.

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