Merry Christmas from Vietnam!

Hung Phuong Nguyen & His Libel Lawsuit

In his heyday, former State Assemblyman Van Tran, who was often referred by the media as  "The Godfather of Little Saigon Politics", used to have his henchmen roaming Little Saigon and attacking his political opponents (mostly Vietnamese-Americans)  as communist sympathizer, communist agent or traitor working for the communist.   These henchmen would be paid by his campaign coffer to terrorize political candidates (via radio shows, TV shows, and newspaper ads)  who Van deemed to be a threat to him regardless if they were running against him or not.  Some of the familiar faces showing up at anti-communist rallies and in the news about their anti-communist redbaiting are Nhon Ky Phan,  Ky Ngo, Hung Phuong Nguyen, etc..   

For these people, who also proclaimed themselves to be the community gatekeepers against communism in Little Saigon, everything can be concocted as an infiltration plot by the  communist to bring unrest to Little Saigon. 

Recently, the Little Saigon community has a brewing conflict created by one of these henchmen, a vocal anti-communist activist named Hung Phuong Nguyen.  Hung, as you recalled, was aslo a representative for Van Tran's campaign

http://bolsavik.com/2008/12/goodbye-hung-phuong-nguyen-hello-hung-phuong-nguyen/

Earlier this year, Hung attended a welcoming reception for the new Vietnamese consulate general, Nguyen ba Hung.  His wife was one of the singers for the event.  He also decided to go back to Vietnam after 36 years.  He travelled to Vietnam as part of the overseas delegates invited specially by the communist government to attend a conference on "Presevation of Vietnamese Culture and Language for Vietnamese Overseas Community".   Along with him were the 3 people from Viet Weekly newspaper.

It was an emotional moment for him as he started bawling the minute he arrived at the Tan San Nhat International Airport.  Later on he would explain in his many interviews with Viet Weekly: " I was overtaken with emotion.  I left Vietnam 36 years ago and vowed never to come back until the country changes.  Because I was an anti-communist activist, I did not come back to Vietnam to even say goodbye to my parents before they passed away. Now I realized I was wrong for the country is much different than what I had envisioned..."

During the long two weeks trip, the overseas delegates were the VIP of the communist government.  They were taken to to see tourist places, talked to various vice ministers (including Nguyen Thanh Son, vice minister of Foreign Relations) and attended a reception at the US Consulate in Vietnam.   Viet Weekly reported their trips on their newspaper and it was posted on Hung's Website for a broader audience.

Well, of course this did not sit well with the dwindling anti-communist activists.  How could one of them, who actually was the leader of the protest against Viet Weekly in 2008, is now collaborating with Viet Weekly to write op-eds that are favorable to the communist government while openly attack the overseas community for being extreme in its anti-communist stand.

http://bolsavik.com/2008/06/protesting-viet-weekly-the-end/

http://www2.ocregister.com/articles/community-viet-weekly-1781601-protest-vietnam

And worse, Hung is using his Website to poke fun of his former comrades-in-arms.  He even displays the communist flag side by side with the so called Freedom Flag on his Website, http://kbchn.net/
The idea is that since the war is long over, it is time to come together and do whatever is best for the country, no matter what side you are with.   This is the same policy that the communist government has been pursuing with the overseas community over the last 20 years.  The official propaganda lingo is hoa hop, hoa giai.  It means to come together, unite and to reconcile the differences with the goal to help rebuild the country.

The anti-communist crowd reacted swiftly with their public declaration that Hung is an agent of the communist government trying to spread communist propaganda.   The written declaration was signed by 64 well known anti-communist activists in the community.  They also held demonstration against Viet Weekly with signs denouncing Hung.   There were about 30-40 people showed up for the demonstration.   Viet Weekly, sensing the lack of support of the community for the demonstrators, decided to have a demonstration of their own against the demonstrators.   They brazenly called out Phan Ky Nhon and Nguyen Xuan Nghia, two of the leaders of the anti-communist demonstrators, as anti-democracy and trying to suppress the freedom of the press.

In the meanwhile,  Hung has decided to take these people to court for smearing his good name.  He declared that he is now a free-lance journalist and not an activist anymore.  He filed a libel lawsuit against 31 people who signed the declaration.  The other 33 people decided to drop their names from the declaration out of fear when Hung confronted them with the lawsuit. 

This week, the court ruled that Hung failed to establish a case against the first defendant.  Hung apparently is suing each signer individually.  The judge granted the motion to strike against Hung's complaint.  The anti-communist group held a press conference to explain the court decision on the same day. 

So what does it mean for Hung?  For now he is not responding to the press inquiry about his next step.   At the hearing, he was by himself.  His English was weak and his grasp for the law was weaker.   A month before, he  declared on his Website that he had retained the service of "one of the top legal firms in the country".  He was referring to the same one that just won a multi-million dollar judgement in Virginia for a defamation lawsuit brought on by Vietnamese-American woman.   In this case, she was libeled as a communist agent.

Christmas Cheers in Little Saigon

In the wonderful Chrismas spirit of sharing and giving, three organizations within the Vietnamese-American community in San Jose have been giving out gifts to families with kids in the Bay Area.

Last Sunday,  Viet Dreams and Viet Tribune gave out 200 toys at the headquarters of Viet Tribune. Dave Cortese (President of Board of Supervisors, Santa Clara County) stopped by playing Santa Claus to the kids and then honored  Vivian Truong Gia Vy (Publisher of Viet Tribune)  with a commendation for her longtime contribution to the community in general

The day before, Asian American Center of Santa Clara County handed out 1,200 toys in their annual toy-for-kid event.  The nonprofit foundation is headed by Mylinh Pham who used to be the director of Viet Volunteer Foundation.

This coming Saturday, the Viet-American Voters Coalition will also have their first Christmas celebration where toys will also be given to low-income families.  It will be from 9 AM to 12 PM on 2290 Tully Road.

Vietnamese American Business Association Gala - Dec 2, 2011

Chamber Music - November 20, 2011

Grants For NGO Work in Vietnam

Center for the Encouragement of Self-Reliance (CESR)

Announcement

The Center for the Encouragement of Self-Reliance (CESR) wishes to announce its intention to award grants worth between $1000.00 and $10,000.00 to selected members of the VA-NGO Network, other NGOs, and individuals inside and outside of Vietnam that work to help needy fellow Vietnamese. 

The grants will be awarded before December 31, 2011, and are expected to total $200,000.00.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for award, an organization or individual shall meet the following criteria:

1. Has been working to help the needy Vietnamese inside or outside Vietnam for more than one year with proven financial records and tangible results.

2. Can match the grant dollar-for-dollar with funds from other sources or with in-kind contributions that could be clearly monetized.

3. Has an on-going program that could use the grant in 2012.

4. Submits electronic applications before November 30, 2011.

Who Could Apply?  

• A member of VA-NGO Network or any NGO anywhere operating a program that helps needy Vietnamese in improving the seven human security (which CESR calls happiness) factors promoted by the United Nations. These are food, health, economic, individual, community, environmental, and political security.

• A citizen or group of citizens that operates inside or outside of Vietnam, independently from the government, with the goal of helping needy fellow Vietnamese.

Applications

Applications shall be no more than 10 pages, font 12, 1.5 spaced, with the following sections:

1. Eligibility. Affirmation that the applicant satisfies the four eligibility criteria listed above. Monetization of in-kind contributions that is not clear, realistic and reasonable could be reason for elimination.

2. Description of the organization or individual(s). The description shall be made specifically for this application. Off-the-shelf material that is less than 10 pages could be included in an appendix that needs not follow the font and spacing criteria of the main application. Exceeding the page limits could lead to elimination. 

3. Plan to use the grant. Emphasis shall be put on encouraging self-reliance and empowering the honor of recipients. Emphasis shall also put on the use of money in a reasonable, controlled, and transparent fashion. Expected results shall be described.

4. Recommendation. Letters of recommendation by two respectable individuals who have known the application’s work for more than a year. These two letters do not count in the page limitations described above.

Scope of Work

Any work that benefit needy Vietnamese, inside or outside of Vietnam. 

Who is CESR?

CESR is a small private charity organization established in 1997 by Dr. Doan L Phung and Ms. Thu-Le Doan using their personal savings. CESR has assisted members of VA-NGO Network for many years, and, since 1999, has operated Trung Tâm Khuyến Khích Tự Lập (TTKKTL) in Hue, Vietnam. TTKKTL has helped more than 20,000 families in over 35 communes to pursue a trade to be self-reliant. 

The United Nations has conferred CESR the UN Habitat- Civil Society Innovation Award in 2008.  Many members of VA-NGO Network have also conferred CESR awards of Compassion or Achievements. The current policy of CESR is to assist others to help needy fellow Vietnamese in accordance with the principles upon which CESR was established.

Contact Information: doanlphung2@gmail.com

Vu Trinh for San Francisco DA. November 8, 2011

http://informant.kalwnews.org/2011/10/qa-candidates-for-district-attorney-part-v/

http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/08/new-da-contender-piques-san-franciscos-interest

Vu Trinh, a graduate of University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, is a former deputy public defender and veteran trial lawyer who has served for over twenty years in the state and federal criminal justice systems, in his community, and in government. He is the current Commissioner for the State Bar of California's Criminal Law Advisory Commission (CLAC) to the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.



Like so many others, Trinh and his family immigrated to America in 1975 to pursue the promises of a better life, a life free from government oppression and corruption. Since then, Trinh has been able to achieve the American dream. Upon receiving his law degree and passing the bar in 1992, Trinh worked as a deputy public defender in Orange County where he handled a high volume of criminal law cases. Even after his tenure there, he continued to represent indigent clients by serving on the Orange County Homicide Panel, an organization that appoints attorneys for indigent defendants facing homicide charges.



Trinh is dedicated to finding ways to improve his legal skills and knowledge. In 2000, Trinh was certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in the area of criminal law and began building his private criminal defense practice, handling cases investigated by some of government's best investigative agencies. Within the legal community, Trinh has established a reputation for being a tenacious advocate for those whose voices are often ignored by society. Throughout his career, Trinh has not merely taken on cases, but causes. In 2009, due to his vast experience in the criminal justice system, the State Bar of California Board of Governors appointed Trinh as a commissioner for the Criminal Law Advisory Commission (CLAC) to the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. His term ends in 2012. Trinh is committed to fighting for truth, equality, and fairness in the criminal justice system.



As the only candidate that is a certified criminal law specialist and has extensive criminal defense experience, Trinh has seen first-hand that the phrases "innocent until proven guilty" and "to serve and protect" are law enforcement mottos that have long been forgotten. Rather, by fault of both prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys, the criminal law field has become more adversarial, unconcerned with finding the truth and more concerned with winning the case. Trinh has the well-being of others firmly in his heart and truly believes in establishing justice. This is why he is running for district attorney: to achieve justice and ascertain the truth.



Vu and his wife, Helen Phan, live in the SOMA district of San Francisco with their two children, Chloe and Daniel, both of whom are attending San Francisco public schools.

Agent Orange Conference in Berkeley - Oct 28 - 29

http://makeagentorangehistory.org/conference/

VN Help Fund Raising Concert - Oct 22, 2011

Vietnamese American Business Association Gala

Joe DoVinh Running for Assembly District 72nd

It seems that Joe DoVinh has made up his mind for now to run for the newly created Assembly District 72nd seat in next year nonpartisan primary.  He will be running as a Democrat against at least 3-4 more candidates.  One of the candidates is of course Tyler Diep Truong (R), a Van Tran's disciple or "The Trannie" as the main media would refer.  Joe DoVinh is a court translator and used to work for Viet Star, a small local tabloid in Little Saigon.

Since this is nonpartisan primary, anything could happen.   Joe DoVinh is banking on the fact that Tyler Diep Truong is a controversial candidate in the eye of the mainstream and has a high negative in the Vietnamese-American community.   With the usually strong turnout of the Vietnamese-American voters,  he hopes that they will choose him instead of Truong and this will be enough to carry him at least to the run-off.    He gave Phu Nguyen (D) a run for his money in the democratic primary for the 68th assembly district last year without even putting in any effort.   And Phu Nguyen was the darling of the Democratic Party with all the supports of the unions and political heavyweights. 

Joe DoVinh is a smart candidate and knowledgeable journalist and he understands the sentiment within the community.   It is very clear that they are still sick and tire of the Trannie.  Tyler Diep Truong has a job cut out for him to distance himself from Van Tran even though he still needs Tran to help raising fund.   Joe DoVinh can run as a "Anti-Trannie Candidate" and most important of all, a fresh breed of  candidates free from the shenanigans and gangster-like politics of Tyler Diep Truong and Van Tran.

However, Little Saigon politics is unpredictable.   As mentioned at the beginning of this article,  Joe DoVinh for now is planning to run.   However,  Van Tran and his cronies will likely try their best to cut a deal with Joe DoVinh.  Little Saigon insiders are already whispering the possibility of Van Tran buying Joe DoVinh out  - How about some ad money to support your newspaper so that you would not run? 

It is unlikely that Joe DoVinh will back down for he understood that this is his biggest chance.  After all, this is race where everybody is a wild card in the primary.  And if Joseph Cao could beat the odds in 2008,  why couldn't he?  Fortune will lie with those who take chances

Three Successful Mid-Autumn Festival Events

http://www.freevietnews.com/tintuc/detail.php?subaction=showfull&id=1315800274&archive=&start_from=&ucat

Great job by all three organizers!

Mid-Autumn Moon Festivals - Sept 10, 2011

This year in San Jose, there are three major Mid-Autumn Festivals planned for on the same day - Sept 10, 2011.   LSI is listing them all here for those who are interested.   All of them are free except for  the event at Independence High. 

Feasting Meets Philanthropy Event - Sept. 18

http://go.onevietnam.org/streeteats/

Billing as a charity gala,  the organizer is transforming the historic Ferry Building on the San Francisco waterfront into a  culinary experience with the help of two dozen local chefs and vintners.  Expected to be an exciting event as star chefs are rolling up their sleeves to bring favorite street eats from their home country to benefit OneVietnam Network. 

OneVietnam Network is a nonprofit social network designed for Vietnamese all over the world.  Co-founded by James Bao and Uyen Nguyen, the organization received various grants to support its mission.  The largest grant so far came from the Ford Foundation.  Here is an excerpt from its blog announcement a year ago sending out to its supporters

" OneVietnam.org is launching on Monday, July 19. We are a new online network dedicated to connecting Vietnamese communities worldwide. In celebration of our public launch, we will host a release party at Butterfly restaurant in San Francisco on Sunday, July 18. We invite you to come join us in the celebration and help us spread the word.

The Ford Foundation Grant

OneVietnam recently received a $100 thousand grant from the Ford Foundation as part of the “Special Initiative on Agent Orange/Dioxin.” Ford Foundation has distributed nearly $16 billion in grants worldwide since it’s inception. We will work with the Ford Foundation and other special initiative grantees to raise awareness and help ease the harmful effects of Agent Orange."

Vietnamese-American Politics and Redistricting

Unless there are serious legal challenges, the redistricting map will be set for the next 10 years as finalized by The California Citizens Redistricting Commission for  Santa Clara County and Orange County.  At first glance, there are many opportunities for Vietnamese-American candidates to be in a favorable position to run for offices at city, county, congressional and assembly levels.  So at least for now, the general conventional wisdoms are -

Council Office in San Jose and Little Saigon OC

In San Jose,  District 7 will always be a stronghold of Vietnamese-Americans where they make up about 1/3 of the electoral votes.   In 2014, the overall strongest council candidates are Thai Buu and Khoa Nguyen.  They both currently serve as board members of Franklin Mckinley School District. 

 In District 8 and District 4, the Asian voters are about 35% (District 8) and 40% (District 4), any single Vietnamese-American candidate can have a very good chance of winning the election if they can form a coaltion among the Asian electorates.   In each district, the Vietnamese-American registered voters  make up about 20%  of the total voter registration.  

 LSI would not be surprised to see Lan Nguyen and Van Le vying for the council seat again in 2016.  They both lost in 2008.  Lan Nguyen and Van Le are currently serving as trustees of East Side Union High School District.  Van Le, as you recall, is part of the Madison Nguyen Recall effort during the naming of Little Saigon controversy.

In Orange County,  Westminster already has the first Vietnamese-American majority council.  Ta Tri Duc will run for mayor in 2012 and he is the strong favorite to win.   Garden Grove has enough Vietnamese-American population to have at least 2 city councilmembers (out of 5).   Andrew Do resigned early this year from his seat and that left Dina Nguyen as the lone Vietnamese-American council member.

Supervisor Office in Santa Clara County and Orange County

The redistricting has made  Orange County 1rst District a favorable seat for Asian-American.    The Hispanic voters were the dominant voting bloc (~39% overall)  but now with the reshuffle, the Asian votes and in particularly the Vietnamese-American votes made strong gains.   There are now  about 4% difference between the two voting blocs instead of 10% previously.  With a typical high turn out to vote by Vietnamese-Americans,  the Hispanic voting bloc will be less influential.  The seat is currently occupied by Janet Nguyen who will be termed out by 2016.   Look out for at least 3 Vietnamese-American candidates vying for the seat. 

In Santal Clara County,  District 3, which is now occupied by Dave Cortese, is the district made for an Asian-American candidate.   Dave Cortese won it because of his strong tie with the Vietnamese-American and Chinese-American communities.  He will not term out until 2022. 

However, there are rumors that he might put his hat in the ring for the mayoral election in 2014 against potential candidates like Madison Nguyen and Sam Liccardo.  It is too early to tell but Nguyen already hinted her  intention to run when asked by Viet Tribune.  She told Viet Tribune that it is her destiny.  She is talking about setting up her campaign headquarters in the new shopping mall Vietnam Town.

State Assembly in Little Saigon SJ and  Little Saigon OC

In the South Bay, the most promising seat for any Vietnamese-American candidate is the 27th which will be occupied by Nora Campos.  With the redistricting, the newly formed assembly district will have about 15% Vietnamese-American voters since it will cover most of San Jose District 7 and District 8 where the majority of the Vietnamese-Americans reside.   She will be termed out in 2016.

The new 72nd District in Orange County is designed to favor an Asian- American candidate.  Since this will be a contested race in 2012,  LSI will dedicate a whole article to break down the district and the potential candidates.

State Senate In Orange County

State Senator represents an area of covering 1 million residents and so this is a major race for any candidate.   Unlike the assembly district and congressional district which represpen about 500,000 and 750,000 residents respectively,  there are no foreseable  Vietnamese-American candidates that have the ability to raise money or strong enough base to be seriously taken in the Bay Area. 

However, in Orange County, this might be a different story.  It is too far out to predict but the cards are there for a first Vietnamese-American to be elected to the State Senate.

Congressional District in Santa Clara County and Orange County

With Van Tran soundly defeated by Loretta Sanchez last year and the reshuffling of the congressional districts in Orange County, it is unfavorable for any Vietnamese-American candidate at the moment.  Sanchez's new district is more Hispanic than ever and it is unlikely that she will be challenged.

However, in the Bay Area, the newly formed 17th District is favorable for a Vietnamese-Amerian candidate.  This is a district that gerrymanders Morgan Hills, most of San Jose District 7 and District 8.  It currently composes about 10% Vietnamese-American registered voters.   Zoe Lofgren is looking to serve this new district as Mike Honda has declared his intention to run for the 19th District.  Lofgren will be serving at least 8 to 10 more years since she will be only 65 years old in 2012.    By that time, the district should be even more heavily dominated by Asian-American voters, in particulary, Vietnamese-Americans. 

For the last decade, the demographic has changed dramatically in the Bay Area as well as in Orange County.    In the South Bay, Asian-Americans and Hispanics represent more than 55% of the population.  Thus it is not suprising  to see the political power shifting rapidly toward these ethnic groups in the next 10 years. 

Field Rep for Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski

Note:  Due to the new redistricting, the new district will contain most of North San Jose and Santa Clara.  A typical assembly district has about 500,000 residents

__________________________________________________

Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski seeks a proactive, strategic, and community-oriented individual for the position of Field Representative in his Fremont District Office.

Basic Function: To act, within Southern Alameda County and Northern Santa Clara County, as an official representative and liaison to the Assemblymember. This is a FULL TIME, Entry Level position.



Primary Responsibilities:



• Establish relationships with elected officials, community leaders, business groups, and local organizations.

• Attend local meetings, events, and hold office appointments on behalf of the Assemblymember.

• Recommend and execute strategies to meet identified outreach goals, and track issues of importance to our community.

• Work in collaboration with staff to identify, plan, and coordinate events for the Assemblymember to attend and host.

• Resolve constituent concerns with state and local agencies.

• Complete various assigned tasks and projects, as directed.

• Provide administrative assistance, including: data entry, answering phones, writing correspondence, greeting constituents, and maintaining basic office

operations and systems.



Qualifications:



• Candidates MUST understand the basic functions and organization of the California State Legislature.

• Strong verbal and written skills are required. Must be comfortable with public speaking.

• Enthusiastic, proactive, and organized. Time management skills are a MUST.

• Must possess extensive computer skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office, Internet, Outlook Email.

• Professional demeanor.

• Willingness to be flexible in a small, team oriented office.

• Candidates must be team players that also work well independently.

• Must have a car and valid driver's license.

• Willingness to work nights and / or weekends as necessary to attend events with or on behalf of the Assemblymember.



Preferred Qualifications:



• Candidates with political experience or knowledge of local or state government are preferred.

• Familiarity with the East Bay Area, including San Jose, Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward, and Castro Valley.

• B.A. or equivalent degree.

• Additional knowledge of computer graphic programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and In-Design are a plus.

• Second language (Spanish / Chinese) is a plus.



Salary: Dependent upon experience. Excellent Benefits.



Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and one-page writing sample to:



Office of Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski

Attn: Trisha Tahmasbi, Chief of Staff

State Capitol, Room 4162

Sacramento, CA 95814



Or Fax: 916.319.2120

Attention: Trisha Tahmasbi, Chief of Staff



No telephone calls, please.







Compensation: Salary: Dependent upon experience. Excellent Benefits.

Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.

Please, no phone calls about this job!

Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

Ông Nguyễn Cao Kỳ và Hòa Giải Dân Tộc (Nguyen cao Ky and His Reconciliation)

 

The former South Vietnam Vice President Nguyen cao Ky passed away earlier this month .  He was 81 years old.   Just like his life, his death is a news maker.   There are numerous articles and discussions on the Web about his flamboyant life of booze and women, his rise briefly to power in a corrupted South Vietnam political system, his hardliner against communism and ultimately his return as a refugee in America to live in Vietnam (albeit part time) as a middleman trying to bring American investors to build a golf resort in a communist country. 

What livid a lot of the anti-communist groups is his condescending attitude toward them.  In an interview on 4/30/2005 in Vietnam by VTVI Hanoi as part of a program titled  "The Vietnam War In Retrospective after 30 Years", Nguyen cao Ky did not mince his words (see video).  The first few minutes of his interview is transcribed as follows -

"... I told many Viet Kieu (Overseas Vietnamese) and my former soldiers,  I used to fight along their side and just like them,  I wanted to have a final victory to unite the country.   I know that it is a responsibility of every Vietnamese citizen to unify the country. 

But we could not do it.  The people on the other side did it.  This is now history and we have to accept it.  The country is now united after 30 years.  I cannot understand why some people still talk about the country is lost and we have to take back the country.  The country is not lost to China or France.  Why we have to regain our country?  From what?  Even the 3 million Vietnamese people overseas cannot say they represent the true Vietnam.  They are not representing Vietnam.....................

There are extreme elements in the community who always claim that they are in the name of nationalism, freedom and democracy (to fight to take back the country).  These people are crooks who hide under these worned-out jingoisms to take money from the people.  To manipulate people's good will for their own agenda.   Don't be fool by them I tell you...........  These anti-communist extremists are making a lot of noises even though they only represent a very small minority.  The majority of the community ignore them.  That is the saddest thing about our Viet Kieu community.  These anti-communist people are a bunch of clowns.........."



Lou Correa vs. Janet Nguyen for OC Supervisor?

There are a lot of rumors within the Vietnamese-American community in Little Saigon about the upcoming 2012 race for the First District OC Supervisor seat currently occupied by Supervisor Janet Nguyen.  An often mentioned contender for the seat  is the current State Senator Lou Correa.  With Nguyen receiving strong support from the community and being an incumbent, the conventional wisdom is that this is an unlikely matchup.

Couple weeks ago, Viet Herald Daily sat down with Lou Correa and the subject was brought up.  The interview was done by the reporter Doan Trong.  Here is an excerpt as translated into English:

VH:  Earlier this year in an article in  the OC Regiter, columnist Martin Wisckol disclosed that you are fundraising in Sacramento to potentially run again for the "1st district supervisorial" in 2012.   Would you care to comment on the speculation since your state senate term doesn't end until 2014?

Correa: My fundraing in Sacramento is for the attorney general of California in the future. That is the seat that I am aiming for and not any other position at the moment.

VH: If in the future, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez leaves her 47th district seat, Are you ready to replace her for that position?

Correa: In politics, anything can happen. However, as I just mentioned,  I would like to be able to run for the AG seat after my term is over.

VH:  Is it safe to say that your name will not appear on the list of candidacy for either congressional or OC supervisor race in 2012?

Correa:  It is safe to say for now that my next political campaign will be for the AG position.

A Conversation on Vietnamese American Literature

Bridging Cultures  & Generations:

A Conversation on Vietnamese American Literature

Saturday, May 7  3-5 p.m.



Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

Second floor, Rooms 225-229

150 East San Fernando Street

San José




FEATURING AWARD-WINNING & CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED AUTHORS:



Angie Chau, Quiet As They Come

Andrew Lam, East Eats West

Isabelle Pelaud, This Is All I Choose to Tell


The San Francisco Chronicle described ANGIE CHAU'S Quiet As They Come as "a powerful mix of tragedy and kindness, of miscommunications and all-too-painful empathy, which bound together are a resonating homage to many an immigrant." She was born in Vietnam and now lives in Eddie Money's former studio in Oakland.


ANDREW LAM is a writer and a co-founder of New America Media. Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora has won the Pen American "Beyond the Margins" Award in 2006, and was short-listed for "Asian American Literature Award."East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres was published in October 2010 and listed as top ten indie books by Shelf Unbound Magazine.


ISABELLE PELAUD is associate professor in Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University and author of This Is All I Choose To Tell: History and Hybridity in Vietnamese American Literature. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network (DVAN).

Survey on Court Administration in Viet Nam

Request for Proposals


Research Team to conduct Survey on Court Administration in Viet Nam

United Nations Development Programme- Vietnam

Full RFP for this and other activities at the link below.

www.undp.org.vn/get-involved/undp-opportunities/current-tender-opportunities/?contentId=0&languageId=1


UNDP Viet Nam seeks proposals from individual consultants and consulting firms/institutions/organization for a Research Team to conduct Survey on Court Administration in Viet Nam, under the Project “Strengthening Access to Justice and Protection of Rights in Viet Nam”.

The overall objective of this survey is to describe and capture a detailed and comprehensive picture of court administration in Viet Nam.

The key objectives of the survey are:


2.1. To assess normative framework of court governance and administration (including the reviews of Party’s policy, guidance and legal normative documents) and identify the gaps and shortcomings in practice

2.2. To examine the practical situation in which independence and impartiality of the court and judges are enhanced or undermined

2.3. To provide new data aggregated from available and independent sources and to possible extent to capture the impacts and changes in court governance and administration as resulted from the newly extended jurisdiction of district courts over the past few years

2.4. Drawing on the overall assessment of court administration (both from normative and reality perspectives), to identify key factors which appear significant in relation to enhancing (or undermining) the impartiality, accountability and independence of judicial decision-making, and to provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancement of independence of court and judges in adjudication


Submission deadline: February 11, 2011; 5:00 pm Hanoi time (UTC/GMT +7 hours)

New Year Celebration in The Bay Area - The Year of Cat

There are different New Year Celebration events in the Bay Area organized by various community groups during the last week of January and first week of February.  All will attract thousands of people.  With the economy rebounding,  the community is excited and ready to celebrate big to bring in the new year and getting rid of the old.  To everyone,  A Happy and Prosperous Year of the Cat!

Diasporic Vietnamese Artist Network Fund Raiser - January 14 in SF

Here is an excerpt of the event as posted on DVAN Website - http://diacritics.org/2011/01/06/dvan-holiday-fundraiser-silent-auction/

"....So hopefully you all know that diaCRITICS is part of the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network. Our mission is to promote the arts of the Vietnamese at home and abroad. For the second time, we are hosting a holiday fundraiser at Andrew Lam’s condo complex in San Francisco. Last year we raised a big chunk of money, due to the generosity of our supporters. We had some music, some author readings, a lot of good wine and food, and a silent auction of some very nice artwork. So more of the same this year, EXCEPT:



We have a reading and book signing by Andrew Lam and Isabelle Thuy Pelaud, for Andrew’s not-as-new book East Eats West and Isabelle’s brand-new book this is all i choose to tell.: History and hybridity in Vietnamese American Literature, with proceeds benefitting DVAN.

We announce a project that’s been well under way, our Southeast Asian Women in the Diaspora anthology of literature and art. Unfortunately, a book with high-quality art images is expensive to produce, and this is one big reason for the fundraiser–to raise crucial funds to subsidize this important book, the first of its kind. The anthology is done. We just need some extra money for printing! Meet several of the authors, who’ll be reading that evening.



Even if you don’t have a lot of money to give, we hope you have $10. That’s the price of admission, and you can eat all you want and listen to all the readings and hobnob with the authors.
......And once you’re there, if you can’t afford the silent auction, or a book by Andrew or Isabelle ($20), we know you can afford to have a drink–a few bucks for a glass of wine, which you’ll actually enjoy. The wine is not from Trader Joe’s or Costco or Safeway, but from a pretty darn good source who’s cutting us a deal for some very nice bottles.



So please help spread the world for a good cause. We’ll see you on January 14.

Scholarship Programs For Vietnam

The San Francisco Foundation (SFF)

Multicultural Fellowships 2011-2013:

Arts and Culture, Civic Engagement, and Community Health
http://www.sff.org/programs/multicultural-fellowship-program
Deadline - January 20, 2011.

Compensation: $46,000-$50,000 annually


Special Information Sessions at 225 Bush Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94104.

Jan 11, 2011 – 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.



Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF)
Fellowship program

Visiting Scholar Program

U.S. Faculty Scholar Program
http://www.vef.gov/

Deadline: Various depending on programs Feb 7 – April 10, 2011
Compensation: Various financial support.



The Institute for Vietnamese Culture & Education (IVCE)

Vietnam Teaching Assistantship (ViTA)
Vietnam Education Development (VED)

http://www.ivce.org/

Deadline: various

Compensation: stipend for housing



Friends of Hue Foundation (FHF)

The VASF Cultural Bridges Fellowship (Summer 2011)


http://www.vietscholarships.org/fellowships.html#

Deadline: Jan 17, 2011

Compensation: $2500 - travel expense and stipend