Video of Kickoff Campaign Event

Local API Coalition Works for a Complete Count

On Saturday a broad coalition of local Sacramento, state and federal elected officials, community leaders and government entities held a press conference to make a call for Asian & Pacific Islander Americans to complete and submit their Census form. Speakers discussed the importance of a complete count of Asian & Pacific Islander community members in the 2010 Census.

To read more, please click here.

API EQUALITY-LA GENERAL COALITION MEETING

API EQUALITY-LA GENERAL COALITION MEETING
Learn about exciting projects that API Equality-LA has coming up, and how you can get involved!

How are same-sex couples being counted on the Census this year? How can we get questions added on sexual orientation and gender identity? What can the Census tell us about the API LGBT community? With the 2010 Census right around the corner, please join API Equality-LA and the US Census Bureau for an API community forum on LGBT issues and the Census. The presentation will be led by Matt Weinstein, LGBT Partnership Specialist at the Census Bureau's Los Angeles Regional Census Center.

Furthermore,the amazing Gina Masequesmay will be discussing her experience as one of the organizers of the first LGBT contingent in the Orange County Tet Parade! Come hear of the obstacles and successes by our brothers and sisters as they work toward equality in Orange County!

Where: The Community Room, Asian Pacific American Legal Center
1145 Wilshire Blvd., 1st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017
(ROOF parking accessible on Lucas Ave.)
When: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
6:45 PM | Dinner
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Meeting
RSVPS/Questions: contact@apiequalityla.org | (323) 860-7348

Please note new starting time: Arrive by 6:45 PM for a light dinner

APALC Urges API Community – Do Not Throw Away the Census Advance Letter

APALC Urges API Community – Do Not Throw Away the Census Advance Letter
Next Week, Every U.S. Household Will Receive Important Letter Explaining the 2010 Census

LOS ANGELES, CA – With Census Day quickly approaching on April 1, 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau is preparing to notify households of what to expect in the upcoming weeks, and the community should respond by carefully reading all Census-related materials sent to their households and seeking help if they have any questions about Census 2010.

During the week of March 8, 2010, every household in the United States will receive an “Advance Letter” from the Census Bureau. The letter, which is written in English, will inform household residents that they should be receiving their Census forms on the week of March 15, 2010, and emphasizes the importance of every household completing their forms. The letter also provides the following short written message in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian, and Simplified Chinese: “Go to 2010census.gov for help completing your 2010 Census form when it arrives.”

For the nearly one out of 10 individuals in the U.S. who have limited proficiency with the English language, community organizations are fearful that the Advance Letter will not be read. “The Census comes around only once every 10 years, and there is a lot at stake for our communities,” said An Le, Statewide Network Manager of Asian and Pacific Islander 2010 Census Network (API Count), a statewide project anchored by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC). “The Census is used to determine how much our communities receive in federal funds, and what critical social services that are available for our communities. But because of fear, distrust, and language and cultural barriers, there are so many Asians and Pacific Islanders who do not get the message about how participating in the Census benefits our communities. That is why we are urging our community read next week’s Advance Letter – it is critical they understand the importance of the Census forms that will arrive the following week.”

Starting on March 15, Census forms will be mailed out to all households. The Census Bureau is asking for everyone to complete the forms and mail them back by Census Day, April 1. Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs), operated by Census Bureau staff, will be open in various community locations from March 19 to April 19. Common QAC locations include libraries, community organizations, churches, and small businesses. At every QAC, there will be official Census Bureau staff available to help individuals complete their forms, oftentimes in languages of the local community.

Anyone who needs assistance or has questions about how to fill out the Census forms can go to a QAC, which can be found on the Census Bureau website at www.2010.census.gov, or they can also contact a local API community-based organization by going to www.apicount.com.

The Census Bureau has an array of materials and services available for communities that do not speak English. There are four categories of help provided by the Census Bureau or through community partnership with the Census Bureau. These four types of assistance are translated forms, toll-free hotlines, language assistance guides, and QACs.

Those who speak Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Spanish are able to request Census forms translated into their languages by calling a toll-free number. For Korean call 866-955-2010, for Chinese call 866-935-2010, for Vietnamese call 866-945-2010, for Spanish call 866-928-2010, and for Russian call 866-965-2010. For those that request a translated form in any of these languages, it is important to save the English form that was originally sent in the mail, in case the translated forms do not arrive on time or get lost. There is also an English assistance line available at 866-872-6868.

Language assistance guides are available in 59 different languages. These materials are available from the Census 2010 website at www.2010.census.gov. Materials can also be found for the Asian and Pacific Islander communities at www.apicount.com or www.fillinourfuture.org

Beginning on April 22, Census Bureau workers will be visiting the households that did not complete and mail in their Census forms. “For every one percent of households that fail to return their Census forms, it costs the federal government $85 billion to send Census Bureau workers out to those households to follow up and assist those households in completing the forms,” said Le. “During this time of economic crisis, we encourage our community members to complete their forms by April 1 as a way to save taxpayers’ money. We want to make sure that people are aware of the resources that are available to our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to complete the Census, and the importance of mailing back Census forms by April 1. Participating in the Census is a safe and easy way to ensure that our communities count and get counted.”

HOW TO ENTER APICOUNT CENSUS PSA CONTEST

Asian and Pacific Islander Communities are underrepresented by Census numbers, but you can help change that! Help get the word out by making a 30 – 60 second video about how the Census is safe, easy and important. Your video could screen at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific American Film Fest 2010, be seen nationally, and win you the grand prize of $3000! Fill out an entry form and get started now!!!


Here what you need to do:

1.Know the Census 2010 Message. It’s safe, easy, and important.

- It’s easy because the 10 question form only takes 10 minutes
to complete.

- It’s safe because the information collected during census is
private and cannot be used against you. Census 2010 will not ask about
immigration status or for social security numbers.

- It’s important because for every person not counted your
community will loose $14,500 in federal funds over the next decade.
That means less funding for schools, job training, hospitals, service
programs and health programs...just to name a few.



2.You can enter in one of four categories:

- Asian Language Census Message

- English Census Message for Asian Audience

- Pacific Islander Language Census Message

- English Census Message for Pacific Islander Audience



3. Once you have decided on which category you would like to enter your PSA in, you are all ready to shoot your video. Make sure that your video falls between 30 seconds to 1 minute.


4. PSA entries should be uploaded onto the API Count YouTube Channel.


Start a Youtube account if you don’t already have one, and upload your video to our channel www.youtube.com/apicountcali Make sure you give your PSA the same title as in the entry form and put your full name in the description.


5. A mini DVD must to submitted to the below address in order to

qualify for the cash prize:


Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Attn: Census 2010 PSA Contest
1145 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017

6. Tell your friends and family to vote for your PSA on YouTube to win!!!

TOWN HALL Los Angeles and the and California Community Foundation present:

TOWN HALL Los Angeles and the and California Community Foundation present:

Everyone Counts: 2010 Census A Panel Discussion

Wednesday, March 3, 2010
12:00 PM Luncheon
12:30 PM Panel Discussion with
Audience Q&A


What is the Census?
• The Constitution requires the US
Census to take place every 10
years.
Why Does it Matter?
• The data collected by the census
also help determine the number of
seats your state has in the US
House of Representatives.
• The 2010 Census will enable
communities to receive more than
$400 billion in federal funds each
year for hospitals, job training
centers, schools, senior centers,
bridges, tunnels and other-public
works projects, as well as
emergency services.
How is it Conducted?
• The 2010 Census aims to count all
US residents—citizens and non-
citizens alike.
• The Census Bureau delivers a short
10-question form to every household
in America and requires that you fill
in the form to account for everyone
living at your address as of April 1,
2010.


Panelists:
The Honorable Mike Davis
Assembly Member – District 48
California Assembly Select
Committee on the Census
Sneha Desai
Assistant Regional Census
Manager, Partnership Program
Los Angeles Regional Census
Center
Sal Mendoza
Senior Vice President,
Community Reinvestment
City National Bank
Moderator:
Antonia Hernández
President and CEO
California Community
Foundation


Public Parking is available in lots at
First & Central, and at First & Alameda.


FREE Event, but Registration is Required. Visit:
https://dnbweb1.blackbaud.com/OPXREPHIL/EventDetail.asp?cguid=FA3EDE74%2D578B%2D4035%2D9406%2DEF88A0B7F6DC&eid=28072

Pan Pacific Photo Shoot in Santa Ana