Dear Friends,

Congress has formally expressed regret for the passage of the Chinese Exclusion laws in the late 19th Century. The 1882 Project Foundation (recently established by several national organizations for the 1882 Project) would like the President to issue a statement or proclamation in May to reinforce the idea of America being built by immigrants from all countries. We urge you to join 1882 Project Foundation's effort in signing a petition asking the President to issue a statement or proclamation on May 10, 2013.

Share the link http://wh.gov/ssMz  with your contacts through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We need 100,000 signatures by April 20th! Please take action and help spread the word. For more information on the 1882 Project, please visit http://www.1882project.org/.

Thank you,

The 1882 Project Committee

A Life of Service

by Andrew Chang

It is with great sadness that we announce that Senator Daniel Inouye passed away on December 17, 2012 at the age of 88. Senator Inouye embodied APAPA’s goals of active participation and leadership by API Americans in civic and public affairs throughout his life. Born in Hawaii in 1924 as a son of working-class Japanese immigrants, Senator Inouye spent his life serving his country. 

During World War II when Japanese Americans were declared to be ‘enemy aliens’ and placed in internment camps enclosed by barbed wire and machine gun towers, Daniel Inouye enlisted in the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team along with other patriotic Japanese Americans at the age of 18. His military service earned him numerous medals and citations including the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor-which is the highest award for military valor.

Despite being subjected to racial discrimination upon his return from military service, his commitment to our country did not waiver. In 1959, he became the first Japanese-American elected to the US Congress. He then went on to become the second-longest serving senator in US history, serving on committees including the Intelligence Committee, the Indian Affairs Committee, the Commerce Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and the investigation committees for both Watergate and Iran-Contra. Senator Inouye was also a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) which was formed to promote the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Since 2010, Senator Inouye has been the Senate’s president pro tempore, which made him third in the line of succession to the presidency. 

In his unwavering commitment to serving our country, Daniel Inouye paved a path for other API Americans to follow into public office. His life is a reminder to all of us that active participation and leadership in civic and public affairs is both a duty and a privilege.

APAPA is expanding to New York and will be celebrating its Grand Opening with a luncheon on Sunday, December 2, 2012 at the Good Kitchen Restaurant in Flushing, NY. As part of the celebration, APAPA received two congratulatory letters welcoming all to the Grand Opening from Congress Members Judy Chu and Mike Honda. For details, please visit our website at www.apapa.org.

For Immediate Release

June 28, 2012

For more information, contact: Nelson Huang, Chair, APAPA-SCR

nhuang@aspus.com, (909) 860-4316

PRESS CONFERENCE INVITATION

Special Awards Ceremony and Press Conference

In Celebration of The Passage of H. Res. 683 "Regret for Chinese Exclusionary Laws"

City of Industry, CA: On Tuesday, July 3, the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA) will host a special awards ceremony to show the Asian Community's gratitude to the two great leaders, Congresswoman Judy Chu and Congressman Howard Berman, whom have been instrumental for the passage of the historic House Resolution 683 "Regret for Chinese Exclusionary Laws" on June 18, 2012 by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first major law that singled out and forbade a specific ethnic group, the Chinese, from immigrating to and becoming naturalized citizens of the United States. It first started as a law against the Chinese, later expanded against Asians, eventually against most immigrants. For example, the Geary Act of 1892 and the Alien Land Law of 1913 prohibited the immigration and property ownership of Asians.

APAPA is proud to be part of a nationwide coalition under the leadership of Hon. Judy Chu, and the critical backing of Hon. Howard Berman. The community worked diligently for many months together rallying support from Congress and the general public.

You are invited to join us in commemorating this historic event. Please see our attached flyer for more information.

Event: Special Awards Ceremony and Press Conference - In Celebration of The Passage of H. Res. 683 "Regret for Chinese Exclusionary Laws"

Date: Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Time: 2:00PM - 3:00PM 

Location: Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel, Santa Barbara Room (2nd FL)

225 West Valley Boulevard

San Gabriel, CA 91776

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Please click on the link below to read the full press release:

2012_Chu-Berman_Awards_Press_Release.pdf (298.58 kb)