National immigration reform ad campaign

On July 21, NAKASEC and its affiliates in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles held coordinated press conferences to launch the “Dollar-A-Person” National Immigration Reform Ad Campaign. This grassroots mobilization and education campaign seeks to place a prominent ad in the Washington Post by September, and rally the community behind comprehensive immigration reform.

Speakers for the press conferences included: Maria Elena Durazo, executive-vice president of UNITE-HERE; Courtni Pugh, political director of Service Employees International Union, Western Region; Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles; Linton Joaquin, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center; Danny Park, executive director of the Korean Immigrant Workers Advocate; Avideh Moussavian, program and legislative associate of the New York Immigration Coalition; and Lawrence Benito, regional organizer of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Since the launch, NAKASEC and its affiliates have garnered strong interest and support. Highlights include conducting “Dollar-A-Person” drives at local supermarkets, as well as creating Korean American CIR Committees in New York and Los Angeles represented by influential organizations and active community members to strategize on how to engage the community in this campaign. For more information, please visit the NAKASEC Action Fund Web site, www.nakasecactionfund.org.

KRC holds a meeting of community members to discuss plans to outreach to the Korean American community.

NYC Race For Mayor

On July 25, YKASEC organized the 2005 Mayoral Candidate Forum, the first of its kind for the Korean American community. Candidates Jose Adames, Seth A. Blum, Christopher X. Brodeur, Fernando Ferrer, C. Virginia Fields and Audrey Silk joined the event. Chung-Wha Hong, deputy director of the New York Immigration Coalition moderated. Immigration, education, social services and the economy were some of the issues raised. The forum provided the community with greater insight into the mayoral candidates’ positions and allowed the candidates to hear the concerns of the Korean American community.

Quick Updates

On July 9, NAKASEC and KRC, in conjunction with the Immigration Enforcement Coalition, brought together community members to discuss the detrimental impact of local law enforcement’s involvement with immigration law. More than 60 community members participated.

KRCC’s annual Summer Youth Program began on July 5 with a group of Asian American youth ranging in ages from 12 to 19. This year’s program focused on unleashing the kids’ creative potential, and building relationships with peers from diverse backgrounds. On July 28, the Summer Youth Program culminated with a show featuring youth-produced videos. Photographs by the youth were also mounted and sold in a silent auction. The funds gathered will be used to support the program.

YKASEC takes part in the coordinated press conference for the launch of the “Dollar-A-Person” National Immigration Reform Ad Campaign.

Across Southern California, between May and July, immigrant communities came together for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Roundtable discussions. More than 200 community members took part in the discussions on immigration reform, specifically the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act.

In front of the Commission on Voting Rights, KRCC Program Director Kat Choi spoke on the importance of the Voting Rights Act’s provision on language assistance and multilingual materials, and its impact on the participation of Limited English Proficient Korean Americans in the electoral process on July 22.