On Nov. 1, Thu Nguyen shattered barriers as the youngest and first Vietnamese American executive director of OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates.

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** A New Era at OCA National Center
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* 🗣️ On November 1, Thu Nguyen shattered barriers by becoming the youngest executive director of OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates ([link removed]) , as well as the first Vietnamese American to lead the organization in its nearly 50-year history. Nguyen spoke about her vision for OCA as "a more intergenerational, multidisciplinary social justice organization" on the Politically Asian! podcast ([link removed]) .
* ❤️ We also announced this month that our CEO Ken Lee will transition into the honorary role of CEO Emeritus following decades of service. Lee will continue to advise OCA’s senior leadership and maintain long-term relationships with OCA’s corporate partners, while stepping away from general operations.
* 📌 Finally... we've moved! You can visit OCA National Center's new office on the sixth floor of 900 19th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20006.

📰 OCA IN THE NEWS

Politico Playbook: ([link removed]) "Thu Nguyen will move up to become the next executive director of OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates. Ken Lee will transition to CEO emeritus."

Northwest Asian Weekly: ([link removed]) "Thu Nguyen will make history as the youngest ever executive director of OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates and the first Vietnamese American to serve in that role. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyen began her journey as an intern with the OCA-Greater Houston chapter."

CalMatters ([link removed]) published a commentary by the co-founders of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs, which referenced OCA.

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UPDATES
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Recap: Week of Action to End Racial Profiling

Thank you to everyone who joined OCA National Center and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC for legislative visits from Nov. 1-5, where we pushed for an end to the government’s targeting of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants under the Department of Justice's China Initiative. ** View our Nov. 3 webinar ([link removed])
on the current state of play and ** learn about the stories of those impacted by racial profiling. ([link removed])
** 👉 WATCH WEBINAR ([link removed])

✍️ Other updates you may have missed...
* ** OCA to Honor T-Mobile, 7 Asian American Leaders at 30th Annual Corporate Achievement Awards Gala ([link removed])
* ** Native, AAPI Activists Urge Riverside Unified School District to Mandate Indigenous Cultural Training ([link removed])
* ** OCA Applauds Build Back Better Framework, Reiterates Support for Bipartisan Infrastructure Package ([link removed])

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🏛️ News — OCA Applauds Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
The bill signed by President Biden on Monday represents the largest investment in America’s infrastructure in nearly a century and will benefit millions of AAPI families. ** Read more. ([link removed])

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Opinion — "The AANHPI Community’s Representation is Growing in Significance"
Noah Kurima, a JACL/OCA 2021 Summit attendee and the first high school student accepted into the program in over 30 years, wrote about their experience in the San Diego Union-Tribune. ** Read more. ([link removed])

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🍿 From the Blog — Review: Eternals
Chloé Zhao’s 'Eternals' is “inarguably the worst film” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, writes OCA Associate Manager of Programs Kent Tong. “Yet I can’t help but admit that it’s also one of my favorite installments.” ** Read more. ([link removed])

SPOTLIGHT

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😷 Protect yourself, your family, and your community: Get the facts about the coronavirus pandemic, vaccines, and effective safety measures with ** OCA National Center's updated COVID-19 resource hub! ([link removed])
💉 OCA Executive Director Thu Nguyen received her booster shot while meeting with ** OCA's East Bay chapter ([link removed])
in Oakland, California last month.

UPCOMING EVENTS
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🍜 All Month: New Digital Series — Food for Thought

OCA National Center is partnering with Walmart for a three-part digital cooking series called "Food for Thought" featuring creatives, leaders, and advocates! Learn how to make delicious dishes while listening to in-depth discussions on coalition building, cross-cultural communication, and mental health. 📱 ** Learn more. ([link removed])
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💻 November 16: 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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November 21: Hollaback! Bystander Training Program + Self-Defense Workshop
Join OCA's Greater Seattle chapter for situational awareness and self-defense workshop led by OCA National Center's Michael Nguyen and the Mak Fai Kung Fu Lion and Dance Association's Han Eckelberg. Refreshments will be provided. ** Register here. ([link removed])

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👀 November 30: Squid Game Fundraiser
OCA National Center is planning a live fundraising event inspired by Netflix’s Squid Game, which will feature a spicy ramen challenge, a dalgona (Korean sugar candy) challenge, and glass bridge trivia! Stay tuned for more details — ** Contact Development and Policy Associate Caroline Buaron if you are interested in participating! (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Live%20Fundraising%20Event%2011%2F30)

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Save the Date: March 10-12, 2022
OCA and the Center for Asian Pacific American Women will gather for the next "Women Rise" conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Houston - Greenway Plaza. More details coming soon.

OPPORTUNITIES
** (mailto:[email protected]?subject=FDA%20Skin%20Tone%20Study%20-%20AAPI%20Session)

$40 for Virtual Discussion: November 18

Would you take about an hour of your time to help inform public health and safety education? We’re helping the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA in partnership with the FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity better understand the practices, preferences, and use of skin lightening products to inform educational efforts on harmful ingredients that may be found in some products.

Make your voice heard and receive a $40 gift card in appreciation of your time. And, you can remain anonymous in the group. If you have used, considered using, or know someone who has used skin lightening products, please join us for a small Zoom discussion on Thursday, Nov. 18.

To learn more about the session or to sign up, please reach out to Jillian Barton at [email protected] or 202-248-5452.
** (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Princeton%20Study)

🎓 Parenting Study Participants Needed
Ziyao Tian, a sociology PhD student from Princeton University, is seeking phone and Zoom interviews with AAPI parents about parenting philosophy and practices. All conversations will be confidential and compensation of $25 will be provided. You can reach Ziyao (she/her) at 609-301-0642 or [email protected].

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Submissions Accepted: Phoenix Film Festival
Each year, the Phoenix Film Festival welcomes filmmakers from all across the country to exhibit their films and attend screenings during an 11-day event. Film submissions are open for the 2022 festival, including for AAPI directed features and shorts. ** Learn more. ([link removed])

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OCA National Center
Embracing the hopes and aspirations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

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