Join us on Friday, July 15, at 7:00 pm EST for an exclusive preview of the new documentary film, “Silent War: Asian American Reckonings with Mental Health” by award-winning filmmaker Changfu Chang!
In this documentary, members of the community share their own battles with mental illness. Their stories highlight the unique challenges that Asian Americans face and the unspoken toll it has taken.
UCA to Join Asian American Communities on June 22nd, in Houston, Texas
In Honoring Heroes in the Midland Hate Crime and Host a Webinar on Anti-Racism Movements
On June 23rd, 1982, Chinese American Vincent Chin died in Detroit, Michigan after being attacked and fatally beaten by two white autoworkers for looking like Japanese, at a time of rising anti-Japanese and anti-Asian racial tension. Vincent Chin’s death has become a crucial turning point in Asian American history and civil rights movement led by Lily Chin, Vincent’s mother, who stood up courageously for her son’s justice.
Two months later, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis by a white policeman. His death and the recent killing of innocent African Americans, have fueled the rage of the community, already distressed disproportionally in the COVID-19 pandemics. The tragedies continue to rip the country apart and generated national and international outcries against systematic racism and institutional discrimination in the US against people of color.
UCA and many Asian American organizations have come out firmly and clearly immediately after George Floyd’s death, condemning such brutality and crimes. We stand up together with our brothers and sisters who have been tormented by the dark side of American’s history. We are here to unite with the vulnerable communities and to ask for the continuous push for racial justice and social progress in this country.
On June 22nd, 2020, the 38 anniversary of Vincint Chin’s death, UCA is joining Asian American communities and anti-hate-crime anti-racism organizations to host an award ceremony and an advocacy event in commemorating this historical moment. We invite all community members to join us on these special occasions to honor the Midland heroes and to participate in the community dialogue on how we can move forward from this point on.
Two Midland, Texas heroes, Zach Owen and Bernie Ramirez, who intervened in a violent anti-Asian stabbing of the Cung Family, a Burmese father and his two young sons, will receive the Lily and Vincent Chin Advocacy Award* on Monday, June 22 at 10:30 am CST at the Chinese Community Center in Houston, TX. Despite injuries to his leg and hand, Zach Owen, with the help of Bernie Ramirez, disarmed and subdued the attacker until the police arrived. Labeled a “hate crime”, the suspect said he thought the family was Chinese and spreading the coronavirus.
The award ceremony is organized by Asian American organizations including those in the Asian American Salute Front Heroes campaign Houston, UCA, and sponsored by many other local and national organizations. UCA will present a donation to the Cung Family to support the medical expenses for future surgeries and challenges the 2 and 6 year-old children may face due to the attack.
Please email steven.pei@ucausa.org for questions or comments on the donation and award ceremony.
From Vincent Chin to George Floyd:
A Panel Discussion
Monday, June 22 at 7:00 p.m. CST
A panel discussion will be held virtually via Zoom on the evening of Monday, June 22 at 7:00 pm CST, discussing the 38th anniversary of the brutal killing of Vincent Chin and the recent killing of George Floyd. Both deaths created and sustained a major movement to oppose racial hate and discrimination.
Please register the zoom meeting ahead of time at: https://form.jotform.com/201684865046057 , and email steven.pei@ucausa.org for questions or comments on this panel discussion.
“From Vincent Chin to George Floyd” will feature:
Moderator
Gordon Quan
Attorney and former Houston Council member
Panelists
Helen Zia
An award-winning journalist and community activist who has covered Asian American communities and social and political movements for many years. She is a founder in the movement for justice for Vincent Chin and is outspoken voice for human rights.
Zach Owen
Recipient of the Lily and Vincent Chin Advocacy Award* for risking his life to save the Burmese family from hate crime committed at Midland, TX on March 14, 2020.
Reagan Hognojos
Friend of the Cung family.
Mark Touban
Attorney and serves as the Regional Director for the ADL’s Southwest Regional Office in Houston, Texas.
Cherry Steinwender
Co-Executive Director and co-founder of the Center for the Healing of Racism.
Annie Tan
Special education teacher and storyteller in New York’s Chinatown. She has been a fighter for public education, unions, tenants and Asian American rights. She is a cousin of the late Vincent Chin.
*AASFH has been authorized by the Estate of the Chin family to use the name “Lily and Vincent Chin Advocacy Award” for this special recognition of two Frontline Heroes on June 22, 2020. Photos used with permission (c) All rights reserved.
UCA Student Scholarship on Racial Justice
“From Vincent Chin to George Floyd” in 2020 Summer Semester
UCA is announcing a student scholarship to be awarded to Chinese American students who are actively engaged in fighting against racism and hate crimes, and propel the progress towards civil rights protection and racial justice. The summer 2020 scholarship to honor the “From Vincent Chin to George Floyd” event will be given to a high school student led project in the amount of $1000 and to a college student led project in the amount of $1000.
The winners will be invited to a UCA national forum to discuss their work, and present their essays and materials. Content of their projects including the essays, media, and presentations will be promoted on UCA website and social media channels
Projects will need to commence after June 22nd, 2020, and last throughout summer 2020. The scholarship application must be submitted by 11:59 PM August 31st, 2020. The winners will be announced by September 22nd, 2020, selected by a panel of judges of UCA.
UCA “Chinese American Food of Love Day” Donation Drive
全美华人联合会“华人爱心中餐日”捐款
50 States, 100 Cities,
One People United!
五十个州，一百座城市，万众一心！
That
is what our community is doing on May 10 to donate food to the needy people all
across the country. Never have we done that together before!
5月10日这一天，我们华人社区将向全国各地需要的人们捐赠食物。 这是前所未有的集体行动！
United
Chinese Americans, partnering with many organizations and the Salvation Army,
is kicking off “Chinese American Food of Love Day,” to show that Chinese
Americans care (for more, visit: https://ucausa.org/food-of-love/).
Your
donation of $100 or more will also double as your membership fee to UCA. Every
dollar you donate will be used exclusively for the food program and the
pandemic relief. (See different levels of UCA membership and
benefits: https://ucausa.org/membership/)
I would like to thank you for your generous contribution to the UCA! We made it together!! Again!
In less than 4 days (August 18 through 21), we have raised over $60, 000 online! And our Los Angeles fundraiser raised $42,120! With a total of over $100,000! Which is way above and beyond anyone’s expectation! This is a fun UCA weekend, a weekend that made a difference!
On behalf of United Chinese Americans (UCA), our executive team and our devoted volunteers, I would like to thank you all for your generous contribution. And more importantly your care and trust in us! With you behind us, or working together, we will build a better and stronger Chinese American community together, where we all can serve, lead, and inspire each other, our community and this country!
Should you have any questions about your donation or UCA in general, please do not hesitate contacting us at donate@ucausa.org or call us at 609.575.2187.
Once again, thank you!
With deep gratitude,
Haipei Shue, UCA President
Steven Wang, Chair of Fundraising Committee
Bonnie Liao, Chair of Member & Donor Services
