Protests around the country regarding gun violence
The Right to Bear Arms
The Congress passed and President Biden signed the toughest gun control bill in decades. Yet the Supreme Court reaffirmed the Second Amendment the right to bear arms. The rampage of gun violence across the country has not stopped. The necessity to bear arms over 230 years ago was justified when hunting meant bringing food to the table and defending the country. However, the right to possess automatic weapons nowadays over public safety concerns is beyond any rationales.
Gun violence has risen dramatically as the number of firearm possessions goes up. Sadly, we are desensitized and feel powerless against gun violence. We have over 40,000 firearms deaths annually in the US. We feel more insecure than ever to be victimized by gun violence.
Gun violence is attributed to mental health, easy access to guns, and the rise of social media but we seem to have ignored the upbringing of generations of violence. From TV cartoons to action movies, an average child is exposed to over 200,000 acts of violence before the age of 18. Hollywood glorifies justified violence. We are brainwashed by violence.
Over 70% of all AAPI ethnicities and over 60% overall in the US believe gun control is an important issue to be addressed. However, the failure to pass stronger gun control legislations and improve public safety is a mockery of the US democracy. As Americans, we need to change the culture of violence and unite to demand more public safety in the ballot box.
*It's good to know that President Biden is proposing the ban on automatic assault weapons after this article was submitted.
Eulogizing Norman Mineta – A Giant of an Asian American
By Joel Wong, President, Asian American United
Hundreds attended the service at the San Jose Civic Auditorium to eulogize the late Bay Area native who was forcibly taken to an internment camp with his family as a child but broke through glass ceilings at every step of his storied political career.
Norman Yoshio Mineta (November 12, 1931 – May 3, 2022) was the first non-white person who served as the mayor of San Jose, CA (1971 – 1975). The first person of East Asian descent to serve as a U.S. Cabinet secretary. He was a Democrat who served as the Secretary of Commerce for Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton, and as the Secretary of Transportation for President George W. Bush, a Republican.
“He was a man of conscience,” said former San Jose Congressman Mike Honda, who was also interned with his family when he was only 1 year old. “He was my North Star, my moral compass.”
“None of us believed we would ever lose Norm because in many ways, he was life itself,” said former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. “He wrapped both arms around those he loved and life itself. He never let go.”
President Clinton who attended the service said “I think he decided that he would not live as a victim, that he would not let (his internment) define his whole life. Norm spent a lifetime trying to be a builder, not a breaker. A uniter, not a divider.”
Lieutenant Governor of California – Mona Pasquil Rogers:
Mentoring Youth Gives Her Immense Joy
By Angela Anand
AAUC Vice President, President of SAWN and former President of NFIA
It is a desire of all professionals to get hired or get promoted to C- SUITE position and get an opportunity to be at the decisions making table. And if that happens to be an Asian American in mainstream politics and a female that is truly a great honor. NCLF 2022conference in Las Vegas is presenting many stalwarts who have earned not only the coveted positions in policy making but also the admiration of their community and leaders. Mona Pasquil is one individual who has many first assigned next to her name. Mona Pasquil Rogers (born Simeona Fortunata Pasquil is an American politician who served as the 47th lieutenant governor of California from November 4, 2009 to April 27, 2010. Upon taking office, Pasquil Rogers became the first woman, Filipina, and person of Pacific Islander heritage to hold the role. Prior to that, she served as Chief of Staff to former Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi.
On March 24, 2022, she was named Woman of the Year for Sacramento County by Senator Bill Dodd.
Some people rise to stardom at once and some people keep shooting again and again like stars from time to time and always keep shining for younger professionals who want to emulate her footpath. She says she likes to work with youth and feels that is what she enjoys the most.
Mona grew up in a small farming town in California. She is a third generation Filipina and truly a trailblazer. She was deputy political director for John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004, political director for Governor Gray Davis’ gubernatorial campaign in 2002, California political director for Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000 and western political director for the White House Office of Political Affairs from 1996 to 2000. Pasquil Rogers was deputy chief executive officer of the Democratic National Convention in 2000. I remember her working very hard and mobilizing Asian Pacific voter base. She is the president of the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Institute, vice president of California Women Lead and a member of Women in Philanthropy.
AAUC Update
2022 National Civic Leadership Forum (2022 NCLF)
Besides the 4 keynote speakers and 6 breakout sessions on various civic leadership topics, the 2022 NCLF program is studded with special sessions on
Fundraising for Nonprofits and Political Campaigns
We are soliciting strong youth leaders also to organize the Youth Program. As soon as we gathered these youth leaders who are willing to organize the Youth Program, we will provide details on the youth program as a pre-conference event.
For entertainment, AAUC will be featuring multicultural performances and Bollywood Dance following our Award Gala.
2022 NCLF will be fun learning event. Take advantage of the early bird savings and register now.
Donate generously to AAUC to continue its work. help AAUC grow
AAPI Community Hub Project
All 450+ AAPI nonprofits registered with the IRS are identified in the State of Minnesota. We will use this to be our pilot Hub Project using ESRI ArcGIS technology to present at the NCLF 2022.
The ESRI User Conferenceheld in San Diego July 11-15 was a 14,000 in-person event with over 10 million users around the world. Our project lead attended the first two days of the event. We now have a much better understanding of the technology. We also have made important contacts with ESRI staff, users and developers who can help us develop our Hub project. The theme of the ESRI conference "Mapping Common Ground" is very much in resonance with AAUC missions and goals.
Contact Dr. SK Lo at admin@asamunitycoalition.org if you are interested to learn more and help with this project.
Donate generously to AAUC to continue its work. help AAUC grow
AAUC Podcast on Building Our Collective American Dream
The AAUC podcast project is led by our board member, Jack Hanna. The next few episodes we will be interviewing our 2022 NCLF speakers to learn more about them before the conference in September. Our first guest speakers are Maeley and Ron Tom interviewed by Rajeev Singh, AAUC Board Member. These mini podcasts will be posted in the Whova event speaker center as a way to get to know them.
AAUC podcasts are launched on the last Sunday of each month at 8 pm ET. All episodes are available on the Apple, Google, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Copy RSS and Anchor as well as on YouTube.
Please tune in and enjoy the refreshing perspectives from our outstanding guests!
Donate generously to AAUC to continue its work. help AAUC grow
2022 National Civic Leadership Forum (2022 NCLF)
AAPI Community Hub Project
AAUC Podcast on Building Our Collective American Dream
