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OCA NATIONAL CONVENTION EARLYBIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Registration is open! Get tickets to OCA's 50th Anniversary Convention and save money with these early bird prices. You get access to our luncheons and dinner events which will include exclusive performances by AAPI artists and a seat at our Awards Gala!

FREE registration is open for all of our sessions and our new OCA Day on the Hill!
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION

DAY ON THE HILL

JOIN US FOR A DAY ON THE HILL! We will be providing mandatory advocacy trainings so that you can engage with your members of Congress on AAPI related issues.

Participants must show up in-person in Washington, DC and check in at the OCA National Convention to receive their nametag and materials.
 

Space is limited so RSVP ASAP!
REGISTER HERE

OCA Creative Arts Scholarship

In celebration of OCA’s 50th anniversary, up to four (4) individuals will be awarded a full-ride scholarship to the upcoming OCA National Convention taking place in Washington, D.C. on July 12 to 16, 2023. A full-ride includes convention registration, airfare, and lodging.

This scholarship is exclusive to those who’ve participated in OCA National’s youth programs between 2019 and 2023. Youth programs include the OCA National Internship Program, OCA National scholarships, APIA-U: Leadership, and APA Y-Advocate.

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit an original piece of creative work, such as illustrations, paintings, poetry, essays, etc. that OCA may publish in the next issue of OCA’s in-house magazine, IMAGE.

OCA members will be voting to determine the winners of this scholarship.

The deadline to apply is April 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]
APPLY HERE

Convention T-shirt Design Contest

In celebration of OCA’s 50th anniversary, we will be holding a t-shirt contest for the #OCACON23. Get your creative cap on for a chance to have your design featured on shirts at our #OCA50Years Anniversary Convention which will take place in Washington, D.C. on July 12-16, 2023. The winner will be awarded one full registration convention ticket.

Disclaimer: The award is ONLY convention registration and does NOT cover airfare and lodging.

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit an original piece of creative work. OCA members will be voting to determine the winners of this scholarship. Everyone is eligible and encouraged to apply!

The deadline to apply is April 14, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT.

If you have any questions please contact [email protected].
APPLY HERE

OCA-UPS GOLD MOUNTAIN SCHOLARSHIPS

We are now accepting applications for the 2023 OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarships! $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to first-gen AAPI high school students who will be graduating high school this year and starting college this fall, and $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to first-gen AAPI college students who will be starting their senior year of college/university this fall.

The deadline to apply is March 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT.
Learn more and apply at ocanational.org/scholarships.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
UPDATES
Presidents Circle Initiative
 
OCA National Center is accepting PCI Project Proposals through March 2023, but we have extended the deadline to submit pledges and to recruit PCI member donors until Friday, 3/10!

For more information about how you can maximize your voice and submit a pledge, please visit bit.ly/ocapci. To submit a proposal, visit bit.ly/ocapciapp.
Moving Underserved Communities Forward Event Series
 
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now becoming a part of our society, and if it is developed responsibly, it has the potential to make quality of life more equitable for underserved communities by improving city infrastructure, healthcare access, and enabling businesses. However, the lack of understanding, education and access to AI, as well as lack of diversity in the development of AI, can pose a threat to underserved communities.

As part of our ongoing conversation about policies and initiatives that impact underserved communities, please join us on March 14th at 12pm, AT&T Forum in Washington, DC, for a conversation on AI and its impact on vulnerable communities.
 
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The Asian American Dream - Virtual Career Fair

The Asian American Dream (AAD) is hosting their first virtual career fair of the year on March 24th, 2023 at 10 AM - 4 PM ET. AAPI undergraduate students are highly encouraged to participate. If you are a student who is seeking internship, job, networking, or volunteer opportunities, then this program is for you! The deadline to register is March 13, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.
 
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
AAMA's 2020 - 21 Network Broadcast TV Assessment
 
The Asian American Media Alliance, founded in 1999 by Sec. Norman Mineta and eight national Asian American civil rights and arts organizations, has released its 2020-2021 Network Broadcast TV Assessment. Compiled by AAMA's interim Executive Director, Milton Liu, this report reviews AAPI representation across national broadcast networks who are partnered with AAMA.

AAMA is chaired by OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates Executive Director Thu Nguyen and vice-chaired by the Sikh American Legal Education Defense Fund Board Chair Kavneet Singh. For questions about AAMA or the report, please reach out to [email protected].
Intern Alumni Directory Form

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 30+ years. If you are a former OCA National internship program participant, please complete this form. Any questions can be directed to [email protected].
 
AAPI Digital Access Survey

Internet access has become a civil rights issue - we want to advocate for digital equity by listening to our AAPI communities. Specifically, we want to understand where and how AAPIs have internet access.
 
The collected data will be used to bridge the digital divide among the AAPI community by informing legislators, policy makers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and other stakeholders.
 
Help us create a disaggregated data set and challenge the model minority myth that most AAPIs have stable, high-speed internet and have technology devices!
 
Participants can enter a raffle to earn a $100 Amazon gift card after they take the survey.
 
 
Please take the survey first, and share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and peers – especially those with limited internet access.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email to our Broadband Access and Digital Equity Fellow, Yen Jeong.
TAKE THE SURVEY

DAY x OCA IMAGE Magazine
The special Dear Asian Youth x OCA edition of IMAGE Magazine is now available to read online! Featuring over 40 works of art from Asian youths from around the globe, this collaboration marks just the start of an exciting partnership between DAY and OCA, including joint advocacy efforts, programming, and education.

Read this edition in full at ocanational.org/image.

Stream the 2022 OCA National Convention Online
Missed out on our 2022 National Convention? You're in luck! Our recordings of over 20 sessions are now available to stream online. Receive 24-hour streaming access for $29 or 1-year streaming access for $49.

Learn more at bit.ly/ocacon22.

News — OCA Statement on the State of the Union
"...Congress must work together with the Administration to put an end to xenophobic rhetoric and policies that result in scapegoating and fear mongering of AANHPIs, as well as banning assault weapons and implementing permanent solutions to broadband access,” said OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates Executive Director Thu Nguyen.

News — OCA Condemns the Baseless Accusations from Representative Lance Gooden
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates denounce the racist remarks made towards Representative Judy Chu.

Read more here

News — OCA Commends President Biden's Nomination of Julie Su for Secretary of Labor
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates express support for Julie A. Su as the next Secretary of Labor.

Read more here
POLICY CORNER

2021 Annual Report


Despite the pandemic's severe impacts, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates remained committed to our core policy priorities and programs in 2021.
 
READ THE REPORT HERE

K-12 AANHPI Curriculum Project

  • FOLLOW and SHARE our Instagram where we post a majority of our content! @k12aanhpi_project
  • VISIT our Linktree and donate to our project, sign our petition, and visit our website to learn more about our project in-depth!
If you have any questions, please email OCA's Executive Director Thu Nguyen.
CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT
OCA-Wisconsin
 
OCA Wisconsin members enjoyed the Lloyd Suh's play “The Heart Sellers.” The play gives a voice to the Asian immigrant experience in the 1970s when the landmark Hart-Celler Act granted thousands of professional workers a new path to citizenship. But for the new Americans wives, life in the USA with their workaholic husbands has left them feeling isolated and invisible.  With grace and dignity, this play asks: “Would you give up your heart to make a new home?"
OCA-San Mateo
 
San Mateo OCA was a community partner in promoting a film and panel discussion on EO 9066. The event drew a crowd of over 100 people. If you would like to view the film, this is the link: Hakone Gardens and Executive Order 9066
About 90 people attended San Mateo OCA's Lunar New Year Lunch on March 4, 2023 Saturday. Local mayors, state level representatives, friends and supporters all gathered for a delicious lunch at Joy Restaurant in Foster City. Speakers included Mayor Jeff Gee and Self Help for the Elderly's Stop the Hate Project.
OCA-Westchester and Hudson Valley
 
The OCA-WHV board of directors’ annual retreat was held on Feb 4, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. We welcomed four new board members -- Jeanhee Chung, Bing Dang, Liping Jiang, and Kasama Star. After board member self-introductions, Jean Chang briefly refreshed the board on Robert’s Rules of Order. Jaclyn outlined structure changes in board positions and filled all positions after talking with her fellow board members.  In the afternoon, Meow reviewed 2022 accomplishments and the board set goals for 2023.
OCA-WHV co-sponsored a program with the Chappaqua Library that was led by the Chappaqua High School Chinese Club.  OCA-WHV board member Meow Yee gave an overview of OCA to the audience, and we talked about the Corky Lee Street Co-naming project our chapter is sponsoring.  Almost one hundred people watched the movie “Na Zha” in Mandarin with English subtitles. The movie, which incorporates modern film technology to creatively present Chinese culture, was humorous and entertaining and was particularly enjoyed by the younger attendees.
The MAANGO team (Making Asian American Noticeably Grow Outwards), is a group of high school students who have researched and created a series of interactive lectures on AAPI history.  They are recruiting and training more student instructors to teach through various venues such as weekend schools, cultural centers, and high school clubs. The event was well attended, with a culturally diverse audience including students from several Westchester high schools and some parents. OCA-WHV sponsored the event. The MAANGO team organized the event through presentations, games, and discussions to introduce their AAPI history education materials and teaching plans. Dr. Bing Dang, our VP of Youth Programs, gave a brief speech to introduce OCA to the audience and invited them to sign up for our Young OCA (YOCA) group.
The Huaxia Chinese School of Greater New York Lunar New Year celebration attracted hundreds of families, teachers, and sponsors. OCA Vice President of Membership, Grace Pan, hosted the OCA-WHV desk in the afternoon to talk to visitors and promote OCA-WHV programs.
OCA WHV participated with our sister OCA chapters (NY, NJ, LI), Chinese Adoptee Alliance (CAA, formerly Families with Children from China) and the Chinese Progressive Association in the New York City Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade on February 12 with a private pre-parade party beforehand to kick off the festivities.  A wonderful time was had by all with a lion dance and lots of food at the party plus warm and sunny marching weather.  Join us next year.  The more the merrier!
The Lunar New Year Celebration at the Hudson River Museum was another successful event that OCA-WHV supports.  We facilitated a Lion Dance, Origami, Chinese calligraphy, a Tai Chi demonstration, and Chinese folk dance in addition to a special showing of The Sky Tonight: The Sky Lore of China, featuring traditional Chinese constellations planned by the museum. The event attracted over 500 attendees.
Many kids and families visited the OCA-WHV booth at the WACA festival.  Our young volunteers helped them with origami, face painting, and balloon twisting.  We gave away many complex origami foldings, almost 200 balloon bunnies, swords, flowers, etc. People also signed the Corky Lee Co-naming petition. Almost half of our board members helped at the event, introducing OCA-WHV programs to our visitors.
OCA-WHV joined our partner, the NAACP of White Plains/Greenburgh for a film showing of Selma, the telling of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama, in 1965. This was one of the most important events in the civil rights movement chronicling the tremendous discrimination and blockage of the Black right to vote in the South, even after segregation was repealed. The march resulted in the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and is something we can all learn from. This video is available from the Westchester Library System -- Selma by Ava DuVernay.  Watch the trailer.
OCA-WHV attended the film screening and discussion with the filmmakers of “Photographic Justice – the Corky Lee Story” about renowned Asian American photographer, historian, and activist, Corky Lee, who passed away from Covid two years ago.  OCA Westchester is working with our sister OCA chapters (LI, NY and NJ), CAA (Chinese Adoptee Alliance, formerly Families with Children from China) and Think!Chinatown, to co-name Mosco Street in NYC Chinatown in Corky’s memory.

For over 50 years, Corky was constantly photographing and advocating for the Asian American community in NYC and across the nation.  He was in Detroit after Vincent Chin was killed by white auto workers, photographed police brutality against Chinese residents in Chinatown, worked with Sikh Americans, Japanese Americans, Korean Americans and others, co-founded the Asian American Journalists Association and so much more.  OCA WHV had a long relationship with Corky.

Stay tuned for more information on the Mosco Street Corky Lee Way co-naming effort.
EVENTS + OPPORTUNITIES
Association of Chinese Americans 2023 Immersive Summer Internship Program
 
Have ideas for the future of Asian Pacific Americans (APA) in the United States?  Curious about how a Non-profit organization operates on a day-to-day basis? Aspired to become a next-generation community leader?  The ACA Immersive Internship Program is for you.  Providing practical skills and applicable professional experience through our 10-week-long challenging but rewarding Summer Internship Program is our ultimate goal for the applicants of 2023.  The qualified candidates will have the opportunity to apply their school-learned knowledge in real-life action, and gain hands-on experience in social work,  events, and marketing campaigns.  The APA community in the great metro Detroit area is crying for your input, and we are ready to mentor you and help you grow.
APPLY NOW
March 26: Bad Axe: A film Screening + Panel Discussion
 
Join OCA-DC and friends for a screening of Bad Axe, a film documenting one family’s story to build a livelihood in America, followed by a community conversation about our common struggle to ensure a future for ourselves and the ones we love. Bad Axe director David Siev and other community members will be joining us for the panel.

The event will be held on Sunday, March 26 from 2-5 pm at the MLK Library Auditorium. 901 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001

March 9: AAPI Texans Building Power
It's time to take the next step and build our power by showing up in Austin for the upcoming Texas Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Advocacy Collective on March 9th, 2023. Texas legislature meets only once every 2 years for a total of 140 days. It's critical that we show our presence and develop long-term relationships with our elected officials.

Click here to register

March 15: Our State, Our Stage
We are once again calling for Youth Artists in Texas. Join us on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at The Texas Capitol: Great Walk to share your art and vision for Texas, support your peers, and make change! We’re taking on 88th TX Legislature with a day full of art, community, and YOUth power.

Click here to RSVP

March 21: Situational Awareness Workshop
This year join OCA-Greater Houston's free, 1.5-hour, interactive training to gain tools & knowledge on how to intervene and become a confident and effective bystander against racism and discrimination. Our next workshop will be on March 21st.

Click here to register

March 25: Maker's Market
OCA is sponsoring a Maker’s Market in honor of Women’s History Month! Swing by Artillery AG in San Francisco on March 25th to shop from 10 hand-picked women & AAPI vendors who are pledging a percentage of their profits to the San Francisco Asian Women's Shelter.

Click here to RSVP

March 28: Celebrating AAPI Women Pioneers!
To honor Women's History Month, OCA's National Conversation Series next webinar is entitled 'Celebrating AAPI Women Pioneers!' We’ll be featuring AAPI women leaders of different backgrounds and experiences. Please join our conversation to hear from exceptional modern-day 'sheroes' who paved the way in their respective fields to open doors for AAPI women everywhere.

Click here to RSVP
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