More on: API youth
If it doesn’t bleed…
Feb 08, 2011
» Reflections
it doesn’t lead… as the saying goes.
A 16 year old Asian teenager was stabbed and passed away last night in San Francisco. One of my Case Managers notified me of the incident and I verified the facts with a staff who works in the wraparound service in SF General. So I went on SF Gate news online to read the news reporting. The staff writer wrote that a 16 year old teenager was stabbed to death by a 18 year old man. That statement made me pause to think how media can portray things base on what it wants readers to feel and believe. How can a 16 year old be called a teenager and a 18 year old called a man? The last time I check Sixteen and Eighteen both end with teen. So they should both be Teenagers. Where’s the man comes in? I’m just saying… Then when I look at the same news again at night time, the whole story changed. That’s online media for you.
On another note, a Chinese World Journal reporter expressed to me that in her 20 or year career, this is the youngest Asian homicide victim that she’s aware of. The Asian community is definitely shaken up by this tragedy since there’s very few murders in its history. Unlike the African American and Latino American communities where young people are killing young people all the time. That’s another reality.
It’s a sad reminder that life is short. I hope everyone gets that message.
Violence prevention is…
Jan 28, 2011
» Reflections
… Sharing with about 40 diverse immigrant students in San Francisco’s International High school about the importance of education and the potential they have to become future leaders.
… Outreaching in the hot spots of Chinatown and talking with youth about finding better activities than hanging out and smoking.
… Challenging a group of youth on the streets to play basketball in the Chinatown YMCA against staff from the Community Youth Center (CYC) and offer them, “If you win, we will buy all of you dinner. If we win, you will have to do community service with us.”
… Having about 15 youth taking up CYC staff’s challenge, boasting that they will run us off the court, ending up losing by 21 points and taking a group picture when the game’s over and wanting a rematch.
… Coming home exhausted from the basketball game before midnight and having to coordinate staff to handle the reporting of an attempted suicide by a youth.
3rd Annual API Youth Summit, Moderator
Oct 01, 2010
» Engagements
“Invest In Your Community”
California State Building
Milton Marks Conference Center
San Francisco, CA.
Moderated and presented the workshop, “Keeping It Real: Image vs. Reality”, to over 250 youth.
About the event:
3rd Annual API Youth Summit
Presented by State Senator Mark Leno, CYC & AYAN
A day-long conference to empower Asian and Pacific Islander youth (age 14-20) through
workshops and presentations on topics including self-esteem, identity, conflict mediation,
violence prevention and building coalition.
Stop the Violence! Start the Healing, Speaker
Apr 08, 2010
» Engagements
San Francisco, CA
Spoke about racial tension and ending the cycle of violence, to approximately 150 people.
About the event:
Community Vigil to Address Violence and Racial Tension in Southeast San Francisco and Honor Life of Huan Chen
Chinese for Affirmative Action announced details of a Thursday, April 8, 6:30 p.m., community vigil to honor the life of Huan Chen, who passed away on March 19, and to raise awareness about the need to address violence and racial tension in Southeast San Francisco. Chen was attacked on March 22 on a light rail platform.
The vigil is being organized by a group of community members – Sally Chan, Allison Chen, Linda Chu, Calvin Hom, Edward Hom, Sharon Hom, Norman Fong, Joe Huang, Michael Leung, Vincent Pan, Roger Tan, Michael Yip, Emily Yuen, Eddy Zheng – who met at the offices of Chinese for Affirmative Action to discuss the recent violence along the Third Street light rail in Southeast San Francisco on April 4th .
The theme of the vigil is “Stop the Violence, Start the Healing” and will begin at 6:30 p.m. at 3rd Street and Palou Avenue. The organizers are inviting all members of all communities to participate. The organizers see the vigil as an important step in the community’s healing process and a way to demand that the recent violence stop.
Edward Hom, one of the active organizers, said “The point of the vigil is to show that we are united against violence. There will be more actions to come because these are long-term problems, but for right now, we want the community to come together to start the process.”
Joe Huang, who lives in the Bayview, said “All of us who live in this neighborhood and this City are safer and stronger if we support one another. Coming to the vigil is just one way of doing that.”
Allison Chen, a resident in Southeast San Francisco, said, “Those of us who live in this area know that there are many problems that are difficult to talk about and difficult to address. But if we don’t start now, when will we ever?”
Vincent Pan, executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, expressed, “Our organization is doing what we can to support these new leaders — we believe that tremendous untapped power and potential is in the community and with the people.”
AYPAL’s Ethnic Studies Retreat, Speaker
Feb 28, 2009
» Engagements
Oakland, CA
Led a workshop for approximately 35 Asian and Pacific Islander youth.
AYPAL
Asian and Pacific Islander Youth Promoting Advocacy & Leadership
AYPAL is a community organizing project dedicated to building the grassroots leadership and power of low-income Asian Pacific Islander youth in Oakland. Our mission is to transform school and neighborhood inequities so that all youth can be healthy, safe and thriving members of their communities.
