Cross-posted from Asian Americans for Obama - thanks to Jenn Fang of reappropriate for her hard work in putting this together!
Weekly Web Pitch
Asian Americans for Obama is a grassroots organization of concerned Asian Americans from all over the country who are working to help elect Senator Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.
Though our coalition includes members of diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic, class and gender backgrounds, we are united in the belief that Senator Barack Obama is the best candidate to bring this country together and enact change for all Americans.
Part of our mission has been to communicate the support for Senator Barack Obama within the Asian American community, particularly through new media/blog outlets. You have received this press release because we believe you are a powerful voice on the blogosphere and we hope you will find in this release writings, news stories, and link of interest to your readership.
We hope that you will post on your blog some or all of the links included in this release.
Philadelphia Chinatown Obama HQ Opens Doors
Obama Philadelphia Chinatown Headquarters to Open on Saturday, March 22 at 11:30 AM
(link includes images)
Mr. Lee Deng, a softspoken Obama supporter, donated the office space. When asked what motivated him to support Senator Obama, Mr. Deng said Senator Obama's message of inclusion and hope had touched him deeply. He said simply, "I want to help in any way I can."
The office will provide voter registration forms in Korean, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cambodian/Khmer, English, and Spanish. Those interested in volunteering or donating office supplies should contact Anna Perng at (484) 557 – 2411, or anna.perng@gmail.com.
Philadelphia: Chinatown Office Open for Business
Anna Perng of United People for Obama says that the March 22nd grand opening of the Chinatown Obama office in Philadelphia was "a blast."
Volunteers registered over 100 voters, including many of AAPI and Latino descent. Participating groups included AAPI for Obama, South Asians For Obama, NJ for Obama, Asian Pacific Americans for Obama, Latinos for Obama, and United People for Obama.
We had voter registration forms in five languages, Obama literature in four languages, and over 30 volunteers, including folks from Virginia, Washington, D.C., NYC, NJ, and Delaware.
We canvassed South Philly, Chinatown, West Philly, North Philly, and Upper Darby. In addition to English, the languages spoken by our volunteers included Korean, Cambodian/Khmer, Mandarin, Fujianese, Portuguese, Cantonese, Bengali, and Spanish.
Obama’s Speech on Race
Earlier this week, Senator Barack Obama delivered a ground-breaking speech on race in America. Several Asian Americans have written about how this speech intersects with our identity as Asian Americans. Here are a few examples:
A rare moment to build on: Sen. Obama’s speech on race and what its means for Asians in America
As a first-generation Filipino American, Sen. Obama's speech made me feel simultaneously content and yearning. Content that there are enlightened leaders in front of me; and yearning for an America that will finally look beyond race, class, gender, and other convenient divisions of people. The speech, in its intelligence, reflects the man: a brilliant, courageous, 'once-in-a-generation' leader who truly understands America, a simultaneously rare and common American for wanting a genuinely 'perfect union' and reinvigorating others to want the same, as well.
Obama Speaks to A New Generation of AA/PIs
Ashley’s story is similar to Kevin’s story. Kevin, a Korean American student taking an Asian American Studies course I was teaching, told me how his mother selflessly worked long hours to care for him and his sister. She always prioritized her children, including forgoing doctor’s visits so that the money can be used for them.
Finally, after worsening health problems, she saw a doctor. Kevin found out that she had cancer and she died 6 months later. Kevin and his sister endeavored to study harder and got into UCLA. He expressed, "Someday, I want to be the type of person who can touch and influence other people’s lives in good ways just like how my mom inspired my family." Kevin’s story repeated itself in various forms in a number of the Asian American / Pacific Islander students in the class. There was Felicia, Arami, Baron, Judy and several more who recognize and are emboldened by the sacrifices of their parents. There are also those like Irene and Monica who had no choice but to help their monolingual parents as interpreters and representatives to various utilities and banks and could not rely on their parents for the same things like other children. Monica explained, "My friends never have to go through this; my family relies on me so much. I can’t be a normal kid." Another student also named Monica summed it up best for all of them, "We aren’t Asian Americans because we’ve experienced immigrant struggles, downward mobility, or moderate ‘model’ success. Rather, we take the identity of Asian American because our families, our communities, and our people are Asian American."
5 Years Later
With honesty and humility, he was able to speak to us—Black, White, Brown, and Asian—about the complex fears and resentments that animate and distort our politics. His words did not talk down, but instead dug deep to lift us up from the distractions that divide us in the face of our common challenges.
Asian American Narratives on Obama
The following are blog posts written by Asian Americans discussing their support for Senator Barack Obama.
Obama: A Proven Leader Who Gets Things Done
Obama has led on issues that matter to the AAPI community: the first bill he introduced in the Senate was to raise the amount of federal aid for college tuition, and as a member of the Veterans Affairs committee, he supported the Filipino Veterans Equity Act.
Obama turned down lucrative jobs to spend 20+ years putting his nose to the grindstone and pushing consistently for reforms that would build power in the lives of working people. He brings to the presidency the rare perspective of someone who worked with working class communities as a community organizer and represented women and people of color to combat discrimination as a civil rights lawyer. He is also the only candidate with immigrant roots, who lived in Asia and is the product of a multicultural family with Asian Americans in its fold and relatives who follow the election from Hawaii and a rural town in developing Kenya
John's Narrative
I felt a rekindling of something warm inside me that I have forgotten. This is more than a sentimental feeling, but a remembered epiphany. Change will not come from the purity of our political stands but the unleashing of a movement of new people into the process. We build transformative community through a common set of values, not issues. I realized that I wasn’t listening to another politician but a brother organizer who saw crises as teaching moments and opportunities for everyday people to emerge as leaders.
Cristina's Narrative
Some say he's too idealistic. I say: give me your idealist. I'm tired of politicians who understand that the only way to get into power is through some pulling some political deals. There are times when you have to set a line for yourself. And while Obama is imperfect, he is nevertheless the closest candidate to having a people-powered campaign.
YouTube
Asian Americans for Obama have worked to incorporate Asian language subtitles to several existing video clips. We did this to help ensure that Obama’s message can reach a multicultural audience.
English subtitling
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Korean
Vietnamese
Spanish
We would also like to publicize the following YouTube clips/channels:
Captioned Media for Obama
Barack Obama Donor Mario Bonifacio
A Message from Ham Tran to Philadelphia Voters (Vietnamese)
United for Obama
Rinku Sen
Other Links
The following are other posts written by Asian American supporters of Obama:
Pitting Race Against Gender
I’m a Feminist for Obama
Why My Mama's for Obama
Why We Can’t Wait. Barack’s Ready. I’m Ready. Are you?
Filipino Bloggers & Columnists on Obama
If you have any questions about the content of this release, please contact jenn@reappropriate.com.
Thanks for reading,
Jenn (reappropriate)
Web Team Coordinator for Asian Americans for Obama and lead blogger for Asian Pacific Americans for Progress