UCA Releases Statement Regarding the White House Executive Orders
Dear
President Trump,
The
undersigned organizations would like to express our grave concern about the two
Executive Orders you issued on August 6th, 2020, effectively banning the WeChat
and TikTok applications.
If
fully implemented, these Executive Orders will likely violate constitutional
protections for all Americans and erode the American rule of law. In addition,
these orders will most certainly harm American business operations and their
ability to compete in China. But most importantly, these orders will tarnish
America’s moral standing in the world, and certainly have an adverse and
disparate impact on the lives of many Americans, including millions of Chinese
Americans, by chilling their ability to freely communicate with others
throughout the world. As such, we respectfully request that you rescind the two
Executive Orders.
WeChat
and TikTok are popular applications owned by companies in China that are used
by hundreds of millions of people globally, not just in China. In the case of
WeChat, a mobile communication and commercial platform, many Chinese Americans
rely on the application for daily communication with their families and loved
ones in China, for conducting business internationally, for civic participation
and free political expression in America, and also for exchanging news and
opinions that may not be easily available inside China. Thus, these Executive
Orders would severely disrupt and uproot the way of life for millions of
Americans, as well as limit the free exchange of ideas and facts both here and
abroad.
While
we recognize the privacy and cyber security concerns noted in the Executive
Orders, to dictate and control the way Americans choose the Internet platforms
and access information would fly against the openness and democratic values
that are at the core of the American spirit. This unnecessarily restrictive and
imperious action is out of sync with our core values and American
constitutional principles like freedom of speech, and the right to due process
under the rule of law. Furthermore, by banning these popular platforms
according to the dictates of US government, we are moving dangerously close to
the very censorship we so much loathe and often condemn in autocratic
societies.
Mr.
President, the United States has long stood for an open and free Internet.
These Executive Orders, coupled with the Clean Network initiative your Administration
has taken targeting China, would effectively create two separate and decoupled
internets, which will only serve to restrict the free flow of information to
and from China, and reverse the long-held national policy of an open and free
Internet held by all previous administrations.
At
a time of global pandemic and economic crises, this world needs more free and
open communication and cooperation among the nations, not less. Starting an
all-out Cold War on the technology front with China during a pandemic is
certainly not in the best interest of the United States and this world.
As
such, we respectfully request that you revoke the two Executive Orders.
“Creativity against COVID-19” Young Creative Artists Contest Complete
9-Year-old Justin Koo of California Wins $1,500 Grant Prize
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lily Chen, Email: lily.chen@ucausa.org, Tel: 1-630-863-5579
Washington,
DC (August 11, 2020) – The Organizing Committee of “Creativity
against COVID-19” Young Creative Artists Contest proudly presents the winners:
$1,500 Grant Prize
Winner:
Justine Koo, 9, Castlebay Lane Charter School, CA
$500 Second Prize Winners:
Kevin Lou, 14, Kent Denver School, CO
Vanessa Lin, 7, Montemalaga Elementary School, CA
Anda Xie, 12, Hawthorne Elementary School, UT
Ziyao Zhuo, 16, Mark Keppel High School, CA
Rachel Liang, 17, Clayton Highschool, MO
Justin Goh, 16, Stargate High School, CO
Adam Yeung, 18, Cranbrook Schools, IN
Prudence Peng, 8, Prairie Trace Elementary School, IN
$250 Third Prize Winners:
Peter Yu, 11, Westhoff Elementary, CA
Danielle Riss, 15, Kent Denver School, CO
Winston Lin, 11, Astra Nova, CA
Teamwork of Mandarin Playground, Seattle, WA
Sabrinna Yeh, 14, Troy High, CA
Yian Shao, 14, Olympia High School, WA
Emily Zhao, 16, Naperville North High School, IL
ANNA WANG, 17, Louisville High School, CA
Richard Geng, 13, Central Middle School, IN
Huixi Wang, 16, Saint James School, China
Jessica Zhao, 17, North Penn High School, PA
Alice Yu, 16, Torrey Pines High School, CA
Biyi(Chloe) Shi, 16, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, CA
Linda Xu, 8, Legacy Christian Academy, CA
Kelly Cheng, 11, Solana Pacific Elementary School, CA
Alicia Li, 14, Lake Oswego High School, OR,
Best Teamwork Prize Winners ($600 each team):
Teamwork of Mandarin Playground, Seattle, WA
Youth online TV, CT
60 young artists won “My Favorite” Prize. Each of them will receive a $100 Amazon gift card. For a detailed list of the “My Favorite” Prize winners, please visit the official website of the contest:
The “Creativity
against COVID-19” Contest is a COVID-19 public health education program
co-hosted by UCA, Chinese American Engineers and Scientists Association of
Southern Californian (CESASC) and Xing Memorial Fund (XMF).
The contest was open to
K-12 students age from 6 to 18. Team is encouraged. Artwork was submitted in
the forms of picture, video, animation or other multi-media formats with a
story based on content from “COVID-19: Tracy’s Guide for Families”.
It was posted on social media and is viewable to the public. The artworks
submitted were reviewed and graded by a selected committee of youth education
experts and community leaders.
The purpose of this
contest is to encourage K-12 students in America to learn and share essential
knowledge about COVID-19, such as how we can protect individuals and their
family members from being infected by coronavirus. Young artists who entered
the contest were highly creative in producing COVID-19 educational content
using digital media and in promoting this content on social media. Congratulations
to all contest winners!
All artwork from the
young artists who entered the contest can be found on the following page:
“Creativity against
COVID-19” Young Creative Artists Contest is a part of UCA’s hallmark public
education program on COVID-19, “Tracy’s Guide”,
and one of its many projects to help America fighting against COVID-19.
UCA gratefully thanks
CESASC and XMF for co-hosting the Contest with UCA, Himalaya Capital, Chinese
CEO Organization and C2 Education for their generous sponsorship, Chinese
University of Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California, Peking
University Alumni Association of Washington State, Asian Culture and Education
Society USA and Mandarin Playground for
being our community partners, and Chinesedaily.com, Huarenone.com, UCA-BMXSJ and
NewsAgencyAmerica.com for their media support.
United Chinese Americans (UCA)
UCA
is a nationwide nonprofit and nonpartisan federation and a community civic
movement; inspired and dedicated to enriching and empowering Chinese American
communities through civic engagement, political participation, heritage
sharing, youth development and a greater understanding between US and China for
the well-being of all Americans and this world. For more information about our
organization, please visit our website: https://ucausa.org/. For more
information about Tracy’s Guide for Families on COVID-19, please visit its
official website: https://tracysguide.blogspot.com.
Organizing
Committee of “Creativity against COVID-19” Young Creative Artists Contest
Advisory committee:
Lily Lee Chen, former Mayor of Monterey Park, CA
Dr. Cun-Yu Wang, Member, Institute of Medicine of National Academies
Haipei Shue, President, UCA
Dr. Hui Su, Chairwoman of the Board, CESASC
Joy Chen, former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles, CA
Xiaodong Zeng, former Managing Director of Z-Park & World Bank officer.
Mingdi Yang, Founder of Xiaoduo & Publisher of Front Vision
Hei Feng, Chinese American artist
Steve Chiang, Publisher of Chinese Daily Newspaper.
Yue Rong, Chairman of the Board, CUAAASC
Liam Li, Managing Director of Himalaya Capital
Joey Zhou, Chief Editor of UCA-BMXSJ
Jing Yang, President of NewsAgencyAmerica Winner selection committee: Lily Lee Chen, Dr. Cun-Yu Wang, Haipei Shue, Dr. Hui Su, Joy Chen, Xiaodong Zeng, Mingdi Yang, Hei Feng, Steve Chiang, Yue Rong, Liam Li, Ying Zhan, Jun Sun, Tao Jiang, Sun Liu, Zhang, Dr. Helen Shih, Lily Chen, Jian Ruan, Dr. Jingyi Xi
As immigrants and minorities in the United States, Chinese Americans may be subject often to prejudice and discrimination. Children may face bullies at school. Women often encounter such situations in workplaces and professional life.
The rising anti-Chinese sentiment and increased incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes have been of great concern to our community recently. The situation has exacerbated during the COVID pandemic and in the 2020 election season when political tactics such as blame game, racial hate, xenophobia, and international conflicts are being deployed in full swing to distract voters and instigate tension. Unfortunately, the Chinese community is caught in between the racial attacks and deteriorating US-China relationship, and is suffering as a scapegoat and bargain chip amid the national crises and global conflicts.
Racist remarks used by some US officials, with labels such as “Chinese virus” and “Kung Flu,” along with broad-stroke accusation under the name of national security and intellectual property theft have further inflamed hostility and incite mistrust towards the Chinese American community.
According to a US-based coalition, hate crimes and other racist incidents have surged to more than 2,000 reported cases since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conceivably, there have been far more unreported cases occurring everywhere in the country and affecting many, many families.
To help the Asian community, especially women and students, address these issues and learn how to deal with the situation, UCA Houston has teamed up with the Global Federation of Chinese Business Women (GFCBW) in Southern USA and hosted a webinar on Tuesday, July 28, at 7:30 PM – 9 PM, entitled, “Dealing with bullying, hate crimes, and discriminations during the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Panelists of the webinar include Dr. Helen Shih, a member of UCA Houston and Alice Hsiao, a member of GFCBW Southern USA. Dr. Helen Shih, an expert in holistic health, has spent many years on scientific studies and professional development. As a UCA board member, Dr. Helen Shih leads the organization’s efforts in Houston. She has also been an advocate and community organizer committed to the social progress, civic engagement, and social-emotional wellbeing of the Asian community.
Alice Hsiao, AIHCP Certified, Nutritional Science, B.S., M.A., is a spiritual counselor. She is an active member of GFCBW Southern USA and the Houston Chinese community. She helps individuals and families deal with mental-spiritual issues related to bullying, discrimination, abuse, and social and domestic violence. She is also a certified floral designer at the Houston Floral Art Institute, where she uses floral arrangements to relieve mental stress and promote healing and trauma release.
Ms. Nancy Chen and Ms. Dawn Lin, the leadership of GFCBW Southern USA, moderated the webinar along with Professor Steven Pei, former chairman of UCA, who provided technical guidance. The webinar focused on the harm of bullying, hate crimes, and discrimination, as well as effective ways to deal with them. Bullying can lead to mental health issues such as depression and self-harm among Chinese youth. Mental health has been recognized as an important aspect of community wellbeing, especially among the youth as the second generation of Chinese families. The webinar also made connections with the conflicts arising from different cultural traditions and with the civil rights concerns.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Houston Chinese community has organized numerous relief efforts and humanitarian events. When Asian businesses were impacted and anti-Asian sentiment was on the rise, the community organized the “Asian Americans Salute Frontline Heroes” (AASFH) events with a great impact. Both UCA Houston and GFCBW Southern USA played key roles in these activities.
UCA, a leading national organization for the welfare and civil rights of Chinese immigrants, has been actively engaged in pandemic relief efforts and in promoting the social status of Chinese Americans. During May, the Asian American Heritage Month, UCA organized a nationwide donation drive to deliver free Chinese meals to frontline workers and needy families in a “Food of Love” campaign. Recently, UCA has filed an amicus brief to join Harvard University and MIT in their lawsuit to stop the execution by the Trump administration in its ill-conceived visa restriction policy on international students.
Founded in Taiwan in 1994, GFCBW has helped women compete and succeed in the business world by providing training, networking, and marketing opportunities. Today, with 74 branches worldwide, GFCBW is the only international association that was started from Taiwan for Chinese women in business (http://gfcbw.org). The Southern USA chapter, the first chapter of GFCBW, has been established in Houston for 35 years. The chapter is not only a platform for business activities to serve overseas Chinese, but also a nonprofit organization to promote community welfare. It has actively contributed to Houston relief efforts during the pandemic, including donating PPE supplies and meals. For more information, please visit http://gfcbw-houston.org.
When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something, to say something and not be quiet.
—- John Lewis
United Chinese Americans (UCA), a leading coalition of Chinese Americans, joins our nation in mourning the loss of a civil rights legend, an untiring champion for justice, and a dear friend to the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities: Congressman John Lewis.
Mr. Lewis risked his life and was brutally beaten by Alabama police while leading a march for voting rights with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on what became known as Bloody Sunday. His courage and brave leadership for Americans protesting across the nation was a key driving force to spur the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Since then, Mr. Lewis has never wavered from his life-long dedication to protecting civil liberties and has never stopped marching and fighting for freedom, justice, and basic human rights.
Many Chinese Americans have faced racism and discrimination and we, too, have joined the fight for social and racial justice. We owe our deepest gratitude to leaders like Mr. Lewis for their shining example and steadfast drive to ensure justice and equality for all Americans.
America is facing the unprecedented challenges of an escalating pandemic, a looming economic downturn, and the persistent challenge of troubled race relations. In this time of historic crisis, let us Chinese Americans, and indeed all Americans, come together to heed his clarion call and honor his memory by always standing up against all injustice.
Were it not for the heroic efforts of civil rights leaders like John Lewis and the recently passed CT Vivian, we as Chinese Americans would not enjoy so many of the rights that we take for granted today. Our own Grace Lee Boggs, a Chinese American civil rights leader, activist and author, would encourage us to continue these efforts.
“When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something, to say something and not be quiet.” These are the words, and enduring legacy, of John Lewis. This is an iconic example for UCA to follow as we continue on the fight for a more perfect Union.
UCA Statement on Trump Administration’s New Visa Rules Regarding International Students
Washington, DC July 9th, 2020
Update on July 14th: Under the huge and growing pressure from and multiple legal complaints by universities, corporations and civic organizations, and one day after UCA joined the lawsuit supporting Harvard and MIT by filing its own amicus brief on July 13 against the government, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withdrew its new regulation regarding foreign students in America. This allows foreign students to continue their study in America uninterrupted. UCA would like to thank those Chinese students and scholars who helped UCA preparing its amicus brief. UCA will continue to monitor the developments of this matter and others impacting Chinese students in America.
United Chinese Americans (UCA), a national organization representing people with Chinese heritage in America, condemns the recent directive by the Trump Administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that would strip the international students of their U.S. visa or compel them to leave the United States, if their coursework were entirely online.
The ill-conceived directive would adversely impact more than one million international students in the United States. Having the largest share of the international student body, with 369,548 students or about one third of the total foreign students in America in 2019, Chinese students would undoubtedly bear the brunt of such a decision. Many Chinese students have reached out to UCA, expressing their concerns, such as experiencing anxiety, fear of possible deportation, lack of safe or easy international travel options, and potential interruption to complete their education in America.
“It is shameful the Trump Administration continues to use foreign students to politicize the pandemic and score political points. These students, thousands of miles away from their families and loved ones, deserve our outmost sympathy and support during this pandemic. They should have the option to remain in this country to complete their education in the safest and most undisrupted manner possible,” says Haipei Shue, President of UCA.
UCA calls on Chinese student and scholar associations as well as individual students throughout the United States to contact UCA immediately to share their concerns and consider joining UCA for probable legal actions against the Trump Administration. UCA would like to offer more support to Chinese students and their associations during this most difficult time of the pandemic. Please call us at (202) 642-5060 or e-mail us at info@ucausa.org
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.
An Educational Seminar: How to Cope with Pandemic-related Anxiety and Bullying
Many of us have been impacted by COVID-19 in more ways than we’ve ever anticipated, including the toll on our mental health. The social pressure facing Chinese and other Asian American youths, in particular, has been challenging to many families. To help our youth and families cope with mental stresses during the pandemic, United Chinese Americans (UCA), UCA Illinois Chapter, Cornerstone Education, and the Calvin J Li Foundation are organizing an educational webinar titled: “How to Cope with Anxiety and Bullying During Covid-19,” to be held on Friday, June 12, 2020 @9 p.m. EST. The webinar will be conducted in Chinese, and an English version will be available at a later date. Please register here: http://june0713.mikecrm.com/1ouzmt0
The first part of the webinar features Dr. Weiyang Xie, a licensed clinical psychologist and a consultant for UCA’s youth mental health initiative. Dr. Xie will discuss coping strategies related to anxiety and bullying. The second part of the panel will feature a group of young students and professionals who will share their experience, including Jeff He, Tim He, Connor Hu, Frank Li, Zachary Wu, Andy Yu, and Sophie Zheng. The discussion will be hosted and moderated by Dr. Paul Li. Dr. Li is the founder of the Calvin J Li Foundation, and is also a UCA board member and UCA youth mental health co-coordinator.
Announcement of Food of Love Celebration & Tri-Community Solidarity Conference and Registration Link
May 29, Washington, D.C For Immediate Release
On Sunday, May 31, 2020 at 1pm EST, United Chinese Americans (UCA) will hold a special conference on COVID-19 relief efforts and hate crimes in the United States. The conference will first spotlight the achievements of its inaugural “Food of Love” program and then feature a panel dialogue between leaders from Chinese, Jewish, and African American communities.
When certain political leaders began inciting anti-Chinese sentiment with their racist and incendiary remarks, Chinese Americans all across the country became victims of hate crimes. Channeling Michelle Obama’s philosophy, “When they go low, we go high,” the Chinese American community decided to take the high road.
Americans, regardless of race or creed, LOVE Chinese food. There are 41,000 Chinese restaurants in America, 3 times the number of McDonad’s and at $17 billion in annual sales, which is on par with the fast food giant. To combat hate, Chinese Americans chose love by launching the Food of Love program. The motto: 50 states, 100 cities, One People United. Since early May, Chinese American communities have served tens of thousands of meals to tens of thousands of frontline workers and fellow Americans in need.
“We have made more friends in our communities,” says Haipei Shue, UCA President. “We have made a difference.”
Despite these efforts and triumphs in our local communities, on the national political stage, even more frightening developments are occurring. Recently, Senator Rick Scott has made inflammatory accusations that every Chinese person is a communist spy. Just this week, Senators Tom Cotton and Marsha Blackburn introduced divisive and discriminatory legislation, the Secure Campus Act, that would prohibit Chinese students from receiving visas to the United States for graduate or postgraduate studies in STEM fields. The new bill harkens back to the infamous Chinese Exclusion Act. Instead of denouncing this ill-conceived legislation, President Trump issued a proclamation that legitimizes the act.
At this very moment, the City of Minneapolis is engulfed in flames as a result of the murder of George Floyd, another victim of our nation’s seemingly never-ending and ever-increasing list of racial crimes. As we continue with COVID-19 relief efforts side by side with our fellow Americans, we must also fight racism on all fronts. At this time of crisis, history has called upon us to reach across communities to stand up and make America a country that lives up to its ideals.
During the second half of the conference, distinguished leaders from African American, Chinese, and Jewish communities will discuss challenges each community faces and ways to work together to address injustice. The guest speakers include:
Congresswoman Grace Meng
Congressman Bobby Scott
Derrick Johnson (President and CEO, NAACP)
David Harris (CEO, American Jewish Committee)
David Bernstein (President and CEO, Jewish Council for Public Affairs)
A Public Statement On the Death of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery
May 28, 2020, Washington, DC. For immediate press release.
United Chinese Americans (UCA), a leading Chinese American coalition and civic movement in the U.S., condemns in the strongest possible terms recent acts by Minneapolis policemen that resulted in the death of George Floyd, and by Georgia civilians that ended the life of Ahmaud Arbery. We deplore these grave injustices and stand with the victims’ families as they mourn their losses.
The families and the public deserve thorough, fair and independent investigations of both cases, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. If convicted, they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
In recent years, our society has become increasingly numbed to the repeated killing and maltreatment of African Americans at the hands of police or vigilantes. This cannot stand anymore and it has to change! As Asian Americans, we are well aware that neither we nor anyone else can enjoy true security and peace in our lives as long as African Americans cannot enjoy them in theirs. Far too often, we feel this killing or maltreatment could not happen in our own life or in our own community. But today, we are already victims of a spike of hateful and racist acts directed at Asian Americans during the current coronavirus pandemic.
As Dr. Martin Luther King famously asserted in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Despite significant progress made in recent decades, discrimination, glaring disparities and social injustice still haunt our society. United Chinese Americans (UCA) calls for all Americans, regardless of their race, ethnicity or political affiliations, to join us in condemning the brutality we have witnessed in these disturbing cases that has senselessly cut two lives short. We pledge to continue to work in solidarity with African Americans and, indeed, all Americans to bring positive and real social change and justice to all.
“Creativity against COVID-19” Young Creative Artists Contest
In conjunction with multiple partners, UCA is co-organizing an art contest to help illustrate and promote our beloved Tracy’s Guide COVID-19 educational series for families.
Prizes
Grand Prize: $1500 cash + award certificate, 1 winner
Second Prize: $500 cash + award certificate, 8 winners
Third Prize: $250 cash + award certificate, 16 winners
Best Teamwork Prize: $600 cash + award certificates, 5 winner
“My Favorite” Prize: $100 Amazon gift cards + award certificate, 60 winners
Ages 6-18, team encouraged! Artwork must be in the forms of picture, video, animation or other digital format with story based on the content from “COVID-19: Tracy’s Guide for Families“.
Artwork should be posted online with a social media platform viewable to the public. Artwork must be submitted online via Google forms: https://forms.gle/4H1NJbcYWUNv5pGe9
Rules
The contest opens to K-12 students age from 6 to 18. Teamwork is encouraged. Appropriate proof of age may be asked by the organizers. Parent/guardian permission is needed for students under age 13 to enter the contest.
The purpose of the contest is to encourage K-12 students in America to learn and share the essential knowledge about COVID-19 and how to protect individuals and their family members from infection of coronavirus. Use of social media is an important requirement of the contest. Participants are expected to post their work on social media to generate viewership. Viewership of the artwork on social media (a measurement of how popular it is) will be considered in winner selection.
Artwork must be in the forms of picture, video, animation or other multi-media format with a story based on the content from “COVID-19: Tracy’s Guide for Families”. It should be posted online and is viewable to the public. Participants should submit the URL to us by the end of June 15, 2020 (Monday).
The entry artwork must be original and may not violate U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo, image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) or video that was created by someone other than the student is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted.
Entries to the competition of participants under age 13 should be supervised by parents/guardians.
Artwork should be submitted online at: https://forms.gle/4H1NJbcYWUNv5pGe9. The entry form asks for the following information: Participant’s name, age, school, contact information, URL of the artwork, and a short essay on what you want to achieve through your artwork (no more than 500 words).
For any participant under 13 years old, artwork must be submitted by a parent/guardian of the participant.
Submitted artworks will be reviewed by a selection committee. Committee members are appointed by United Chinese Americans and Xing Memorial Fund. The committee members will evaluate the artworks by the following categories:
Creativity/Imagination (rating based on age group)
Popularity (based on viewership on social media)
The names of the prize winners will be announced before the end of June 2020 and the winners’ prizes and certificates will be mailed out to the winners at the same time. All participants of the contest will receive participation certificates. Top 3 prize winners will have the opportunity to present their artworks in the next United Chinese Americans (UCA) Convention.
UCA Partners with Salvation Army on “Food of Love Day”
Center Design
At this time of national crisis, when many in the United States are out of work and struggling to make ends meet, United Chinese Americans (UCA) launches a nationwide “Food of Love” Day of Charity initiative. UCA is working with participating Chinese American partner organizations and other entities to coordinate an effort by Chinese communities in all 50 states and more than 100 cities to donate food to needy people and institutions hit hard by the new coronavirus.
The Salvation Army has just entered into a partnership with UCA and become a co-sponsor for “Chinese American Food of Love Day.” We will work together for COVID-19 relief efforts across the country. This is a rare opportunity where a national Chinese American organization has partnered with the Salvation Army for a common cause, a highly respected American and international charity that has done so much to help the poor and the needy. UCA pledges to do its best to promote charitable giving spirit among our community, starting from the COVID-19 relief efforts that so many in our community have done so much for.
Washington, DC (April 10, 2020) – United Chinese Americans (UCA) proudly announces the
publication of an educational series for families: “COVID-19:
Tracy’s Guide for Families” (the “Guide”) on its website https://ucausa.org/tracys-guide-on-covid-19/ (official blog: tracysguide.blogspot.com). The Guide is a running online series aimed to provide
useful knowledge and tips for protecting our loved ones and our home as we work
together to “flatten the curve”. As more
than 80 percent of Americans are now under stay-at-home orders, learning how to
take care of our homes and protect family members is a critical part of the national
effort to control the pandemic. In this
Guide, UCA is gathering valuable experiences from Chinese-speaking regions that
are recovering from the COVID-19 epidemic, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
and Singapore, so their hard lessons-learned can be shared with the rest of the
world.
Materials in the guide are collated and distilled from the
official medical guidelines, prevention books, and published materials, from
China and other regions, then adopted into English literature based on American
custom by freelance writers, translators and artists. They are also
cross-checked and referenced, and combined with those from CDC and various
state public health departments, with an aim to bring out these contents to
American families and communities in a timely fashion. The guide is the product
of teamwork and collaborative effort by more than 40 volunteers and UCA
members, both in the US and China. Many of them are healthcare professionals,
biomedical scientists, and medical doctors involved in fighting the COVID-19
pandemics since the beginning.
Through a factitious character named “Ms. Tracy”, the key steps
in COVID-19 prevention, how to disinfect common household items and areas such
as kitchen and bathroom, and how to take care of the sick, are addressed by a
lively question-and-answer dialog fashion. The materials are specially
organized and illustrated to make it easy to understand, attractive to
children, and relatable to the general public. More than 40 articles will be
forthcoming, addressing questions and providing know-how in the most commonly
encountered situations at home and in community settings.
UCA and its members have been actively engaged in the relief
effort and public health education since the beginning of the pandemics in
China. “Projects like “Tracy’s Guide for
Families” to contribute to the fight, initiated and organized by UCA volunteers,
are happening in every city and township in America.” commented by UCA
President, Haipei Shue. “This is the time for us to work together, to put aside
our biases on race, politics, religions, or anything that could divide us. The
war against COVID-19 pandemic is a global one. People all over the world must
work together side by side to win it at the end!”
For more information on the Guide, as well as other efforts by UCA members and the Chinese-American community to combat Covid-19 in America, contact Helen Shih/ helenshih1111@gmail.com.
