A New Era of Civil Rights Enforcement

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm
Place: Room TBD

Under the Obama-Biden Administration, federal civil rights enforcement has taken center stage for the first time in more than a decade, not just in the Department of Justice, but also in other key agencies such as Housing and Urban Development, Education and Homeland Security. The first year of the new administration saw an increase in funding for civil rights agencies and a heightened commitment to civil rights protections.  Panelists will discuss current and future civil rights activities, as well as the impact of these developments on AAPI and immigrant communities.

Speakers:

	Karin Wang Vice President of Programs Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Moderator)		Margo Schlanger Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Homeland Security Department (Panelist)
	Julie Fernandes Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Justice (Panelist)		Sunil H. Mansukhani Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy U.S. State Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (Panelist)
	John Trasviña Assistant Secretary Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (Panelist)

Immigrant Workers’ Rights at a Crossroads

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 2:15pm - 3:45pm
Place: Room TBD

A fundamental issue facing AAPI communities is the abuse and exploitation of low-skilled workers, who are often new immigrants with limited English skills.  Indeed, many of the AAPIs most in need of protection and advocacy live in the shadows of our society with no ready access to legal help (e.g., domestic and home-care workers, migrant teachers and nurses, construction workers, and service employees). This session will examine how civil rights priorities can encompass these workers’ rights, how the Asian American civil rights movement can best reach and serve these populations, and what policy and legislative successes are most critical to improving the well-being and quality of life of these workers.

Speakers:

	Malcolm Amado Uno Executive Director Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (Moderator)		Judy Chu Member of Congress U.S. House of Representatives (Panelist)
	Paul Igasaki Chairman and Chief Judge Administrative Review Board, U.S. Department of Labor (Panelist)		Yungsuhn Park Staff Attorney Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Panelist)

Listening Session with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 2:15pm - 3:45pm
Place: Room TBD

On October 14, 2009, President Obama signed an executive order restoring the White House Initiative on AAPIs with the mission of increasing participation of AAPIs in federal programs. The Initiative is currently housed at the Education Department and has undergone several changes in its mandate and programmatic focus since it was first established by President Clinton in 1999. However, the unique attribute of this Initiative is its expansive, federal government-wide scope. Kiran Ahuja, its new executive director, and members of her staff will engage participants in a thoughtful discussion about their work.

Speakers:

	Kiran Ahuja Executive Director White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (Luncheon Plenary, Closing Remarks)		Kate Moraras Advisor on Health Policy and Community Engagement White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (Panelist)
	Christina Lagdameo Deputy Director White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (Panelist)

Making Our Voices Heard through Civic Engagement

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm
Place: Room TBD

As our community grows, it is imperative that our voices be heard.  That takes power and power requires leverage. One of the key avenues to building leverage for AAPI communities is through increased civic engagement and participation in the political process. In this briefing, hear about three major opportunities to engage our communities in civic work that builds power and develops leverage. Panelists will discuss election reform, upcoming redistricting, and the 2010 Census.

Speakers:

	Howard Shih Census Programs Director Asian American Federation (Panelist)		Terry Ao Director of Census & Voting Asian American Justice Center (Moderator)
	Meina Banh APAICS Congressional Fellow Office of Representative Mike Honda (D-Calif.) (Panelist)		Deanna Kitamura Statewide Redistricting Manager Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Panelist)

Pacific Islanders in the U.S.: The Impact of Relationships Between the Pacific Islands and the American Government

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 2:15 – 3:45

Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are a community as vast and diverse as Asian Americans. However, they face a unique set of socio-economic disparities based on the relationships between their home islands and the U.S. government. In this briefing, we explore key differences between some of the political designations for Pacific Islands such as states and territories (Hawai‘i and American Samoa), sovereign states under the Compacts of Free Association (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau), commonwealths in political association with the U.S. (Northern Mariana Islands) and independent nations (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa). Speakers will discuss specific issues stemming from each of these designations (e.g., immigration, access to government programs, etc.).

Speakers:

	Christen Hepuakoamana’a Marquez 2010 Census Media Coordinator Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Panelist)		Anthony Babauta Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas U.S. Department of the Interior (Panelist)
	Sela Panapasa Research Investigator Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan (Panelist)		Maile Taualii Director Native Hawaiian Epidemiology Center, Papa Ola Lokahi (Panelist)

Race Consciousness: Challenges in Minority Contracting and Education Access

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm
Place: Room TBD

This session will focus on the need for AAPIs to be included in race-conscious higher educational policies and government contracting programs as a result of continuing racial discrimination.  Speakers include experts from the federal government, academia, and civil rights organizations.

Speakers:

	Yungsuhn Park Staff Attorney Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Panelist)		Alejandra Castillo National Deputy Director Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) (Panelist)
	Anthony W. Robinson President Minority Business Legal Defense and Education Fund (Panelist)		Irene B. Bueno Co-Founder and Partner NVGLLC (Moderator)

Racial Profiling In Immigration Enforcement

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm
Place: Room TBD

As our government continues to strengthen enforcement of our immigration laws, we ask how this can be accomplished without resorting to racial profiling.  The problematic designs of many immigration enforcement programs provide the motivation—even if implicit—for federal, state and local law enforcement to employ such tactics.  This panel explores to what extent racial profiling occurs in this context and the reforms that can combat it in a meaningful way.

Speakers:

	Nadia Firozvi Staff Attorney Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (Panelist)		Jumana Musa Policy Director Rights Working Group (Moderator)
	Melissa Crow Senior Advisory Office of Policy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Panelist)		Keenan Keller Senior Democratic Counsel Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives (Panelist)

The Foreclosure Crisis in AAPI Communities: Current Response and Future Action

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm
Place: Room TBD

This panel will address Asian Americans’ access and ability to secure loan modifications and the targeting of immigrant communities by loan-modification scammers, among other topics.  Legislative and community-based solutions will be discussed, including an overview and assessment of available resources to assist with loan modifications in immigrant communities.

Speakers:

	Esther Ro Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Recovery Fellow Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Moderator)		Deborah Goldberg Director of the Hurricane Relief Project National Fair Housing Alliance (Panelist)
	Lisa Hasegawa Executive Director National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (Panelist)		Florence E. Yu Equal Justice Works/AmeriCorps Legal Fellow Internship Co-Coordinator, Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Panelist)

The Human Rights Perspective in Asian American Advocacy

Date: Wednesay, June 23, 2010
Time: 2:15pm - 3:45pm
Place: Room TBD

The Korematsu Institute for Civil Rights and Education is proud to release its report Domestic Dignity: Human Rights in Asian American Advocacy at the conference. This landmark report analyzes how human rights frameworks—which have traditionally been invoked internationally, while under-utilized domestically—can be tailored and integrated into Asian American social justice work. Panelists will provide an opportunity for leaders in the human rights field to react to the report and offer recommendations on how activists can take the lessons from the report back to their communities.

Speakers:

	Priya Murthy Policy Director South Asian Americans Leading Together (Panelist)		Margaret Huang Executive Director Rights Working Group (Panelist)
	Titi Liu Executive Director Asian Law Caucus (Workshop Moderator)		Miriam W. Yeung Executive Director National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) (Panelist)

The Impact of Health-Care Reform on API Communities

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 2:15pm - 3:45pm
Place: Room TBD

This panel discussion will provide an overview of how the historic health-care reform legislation passed in March offers both immediate and long-term benefits for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Panelists will explore the legislation's health-disparities provisions as they relate to minority and immigrant communities. Find out what you can do in your community to improve access to our nation's health-care system and win coverage for more people in our communities.

Speakers:

	Scott Chan Community Advocate Immigrant Rights Project, Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Moderator)		Sonal Ambegaokar Health Policy Attorney National Immigration Law Center (Panelist)
	Alice Dong Senior Policy Analyst Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (Panelist)		Rea Pañares Director, Minority Health Initiatives Families USA (Panelist)