Facilitator/Organizer Trainings for Listening Circles

APANO’s Many Rivers Project

Asian and Pacific Islander communities are the 2nd fastest growing population in Oregon, and APANO is working hard and thoughtfully to build a strong coalition. We have intense diversity within “Asian” and “Pacific Islander” cultures, with different languages, religions, customs and immigration experiences. Yet we have much in common, our family story of immigration to America, our relationships with our family “back home”, and the discrimination we overcome through education and social change in the US.

Through a small grant from the MRG Foundation, APANO is convening 12 “Listening Circles” to better understand the experiences and issues facing key Asian and Pacific Islander groups in Oregon. We come from many rivers, and together through APANO we seek to build unity in our diversity. APANO’s Many Rivers Project is hosting an orientation-training for persons interested in organizing and facilitating a “Listening Circle” in Fall 2009.

APANO Many Rivers Organizer and Facilitator Training
(options: July 21, July 28, Aug

As a way to increase APANO’s accountability to the communities within our communities, we are holding twelve Listening Circles.   They are intended to:

• Bring people together to listen to one another, get to know each other, share stories and build trust
• Identify the people most affected, most marginalized, most vulnerable among our communities and surface their experiences
• Develop/ articulate shared values and shared understanding of our diverse experiences Affirm, recognize our community strengths
• Empower and educate one another, particularly about the community we are building through apano Gain relationships among and across communities, to build solidarity
• Use their input and feedback to inform apano actions and policy recommendations

Training Purpose: An orientation to APANO’s Listening Circle process, and training on organizing and facilitation. The training will introduce key resources, discuss best practices for bringing together Asian/Pacific Islander communities, and offer experiential learning in facilitation.

Organizer Training
Tuesday, July 21 6:00-9:00 PM
APANO Office 311 N Ivy, Portland

Facilitator Training
Tuesday, July 28 6:00-9:00 PM
APANO Office 311 N Ivy, Portland

Organizer Training
Saturday, August 8 9:00-12:00 PM
IRCO Asian Family Center, 4424 NE Glisan St, Portland

Facilitator Training Saturday, August 8 1:00-4:00 PM
IRCO Asian Family Center, 4424 NE Glisan St, Portland

Application: Please complete an online application to participate in this project or call APANO’s Field Organizer Chom Soucsou@apano.org or 503-896-7560.

50+ Attend in Portland

Tuesday evening over 50 Asian and Pacific Islanders from across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties, and from as far as Eugene and Salem, gathered for APANO’s Metro-Portland annual regional membership meeting.  Highlights included:

• Makerusa Porotesano sharing his experience working across API communities and building Pacific Islander Student Association of Oregon
• Thach Nguyen, former Chair, discussing the origins of APANO
• Kurt Jun, Portland Public Schools Workforce Diversity and Equity Director encouraging participation in schools to close the racial achievement gap and strengthen the future of our educational system
• Corey Chan presenting a short video of API Legislative Day

June E-News

APANO Electronic News June 2009
—

Members & Friends Update

1. Portland-Metro APANO Membership Meeting June 16 7-9pm at Liberty Hall 311 N Ivy, Portland
2. Give $25 for new APANO Office Space
3. Calling Central and Southern Oregon APANOStrategic Objectives
4. Safe Schools Act Signed by Governor Kulongoski
5. Health Equity and Policy Training July 1 6-9pm at Urban League 10 N Russell, Portland
6. Legislative Day Next Steps (Interest Form)
7. IRCO Engage Graduation June 13 (RSVP)

Community Events

8. Community Strategic Training Institute July 31-Aug 2
9. DisOrient Film Festival Comes to Portland June 26

DisOrient in Portland June 26

DisOrient, an annual Asian Pacific Islander film festival in Eugene, OR, is holding its first shows in Portland June 26 at the Hollywood Theater showing White on Rice and Manilatown is in the Heart.  Hat tip to Jason, Anselmo, Reagan and Mimi from Eugene!

APANO Portland Meeting June 16

At left, newly elected APANO Co-Chairs Pam Phan and June Arima Schumann take charge at the April 25th APANO Mid-Valley Meeting in Woodburn, OR.

APANO is hosting its annual Portland-Metro membership and network meeting on Tuesday, June 16th from 7:00-8:30 PM at 2407 SE 49th Ave (South of Division) Liberty Hall 311 N Ivy **please note new location**.  Portland Public Schools Workforce Diversity Director Kurt Jun is keynote speaker, along with a brief APANO history presentation.  Members and interested friends are encouraged to attend.  Childcare and dinner are provided.  RSVP Online

APANO will be celebrating, and honoring volunteers who led APANO’s exciting and successful Policy Advocacy work including the Health Equity and Reform Conference and Capitol Legislative Day.  40+ people are expected from across generations and ethnic Asian and Pacific Islander communities.  Please RSVP Online or by calling 503-896-7560.

National APA House Party May 31

Are you interested in learning what is happening across America with

Asians and Pacific Islanders? 

 

Would you like to give input directly to the White House and elected officials?

 

Then please join us in Eugene, Salem or Portland this Sunday May 31st for the National Asian Pacific American House Party sponsored by APA for Progress, a national advocacy organization.  We will be connected to one another by teleconference.  Guest speakers include Konrad Ng (brother-in-law of Barack Obama), Tammy Duckworth, Tina Tchen, and Sonal Shah from the Obama Administration.

 

Please respond directly to this email, or contact the host directly at the information below.  This is a great opportunity to have a summer social, and get more engaged in the civic process.

 

National APA House Party (Teleconference)

Sunday, May 31st

12:00-2:00 PM

 

Eugene (Host: Reagan Le, Mimi Nolledo)

University of Oregon Many Nations Longhouse

reaganl@uoregon.edu

 

Salem (Host: Rosie and Will Peters)

rowctap@comcast.net

 

Portland (Joseph and Aimee Santos-Lyons)

jsantoslyons@post.harvard.edu

 

An Impressive 75 Register for Health Equity Event

APANO and the API Health Network are pleased to have 75 Asians and Pacific Islanders pre-register for Saturday’s Health Equity and Reform Conference at Portland Community College Southeast Center. Organized in part thanks to small grants from the NW Health Foundation and United Way, and support from IRCO the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, this “community meeting” involves a day of education, social action, and important opportunities to share our health stories.

Breakfast, lunch and childcare are all available, please register online at www.apano.org. Parking is free, and check-in is in the Mt Tabor Great Hall. Conference runs from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Saturday, May 2nd. Call 503-896-7560 for more information.

APANO Membership Mtg April 25

You are invited to APANO’s Spring Membership Meeting April25th, Saturday, from Noon to 1:00 PM in Woodburn, OR.  APANO’s Board has established a Spring (April 25 - Salem/Woodburn), Summer (June 16 – Portland), and Fall (Oct 24 – Eugene) Membership Meeting schedule for 2009.  We hope you will join us for one of these meetings.  

APANO Members are the volunteer backbone of our statewide advocacy network.  Your ideas and energy are important as we build a democratic, issue-driven organization of Asians and Pacific Islanders.  

Membership Meeting Agenda:

*Welcome from New APANO Co-Chairs!

*Personal and Professional Networking with Asians and Pacific Islanders

*Keynote Address by Professor Vivek Shandas of Portland State University on Why API’s Care About Equity

*APANO History Remarks by Dr. Phyllis Lee, one of APANO’s founders

*Celebrate APANO’s successes - Membership Drive of 100 New Members - New Funding - Major Events

A wonderful lunch is provided.  Please RSVP to APANO at 503-896-7560 or info@apano.org.  Join the 25 folks who have already confirmed, particularly if you live in the mid-Willamette Valley/Clackamas County/Salem/Corvallis area.

For folks coming from Portland, we will be arranging carpools, so let us know so we can work together.

Health Equity and Legislative Day

APANO is proud to announce two major Spring Events.  Email us if you’d like to receive posters and flyers for the event, or print your own by downloading the pdf (health-and-legislative-brochure-2009).

API Health Equity and Reform Conference May 2nd, Saturday

• how can we improve our health outcomes?
• how can health care reform help our families and communities?
• under what circumstances are API at-risk for early death?

Saturday, May 2nd 9:00-4:00 PM
Portland Community College
SE Center (82nd and SE Division)
Free/Donations accepted

APANO and the API Health Network invite Pacific Islander and Asian community members to a Saturday conference to improve your personal knowledge, build community relationships, and strengthen our ability to advocate for our communities in the current legislative debate around Health Equity and Reform. Register online today!

API Legislative Day May 8th, Friday

• API’s are the 2nd fastest growing community in Oregon, and continue to be under-represented in civic life and elected officials.
• API’s are become more diverse with new immigrant and refugee communities
• Be a part of a collective day of learning about the legislative process and meeting Senators and Representatives at the Oregon Capitol in Salem!

Friday, May 8th 9:00-5:00 PM
Oregon Capitol Building, Salem OR
Cost: $10.00 (lunch included)

APANO and the Oregon Commission on Asian Affairs are co-sponsoring this popular day-long event at the Captiol for the Pacific Islander and Asian communities of Oregon.  Participants will learn the basics of the legislative process, have the opportunity to meet their elected officials and staff, and be a part of a powerful pan-Asian and Pacific Islander event.  Register online today!

—
APANO is an emerging 501c3 membership based organization. We invite interests persons to visit our website www.apano.org and consider joining or donating to support our organization’s mission and goals.

API’s Redesign Portland Schools

Portland Public Schools High School Redesign
Coalition for Educational Excellence
Thursday, March 12, 6:00-8:00 PM
IRCO Main Office 10301 NE Glisan

APANO extends a special invitation to Asian/Pacific Islander parents who have, or will have children in Portland Public Schools, to attend a meeting with the local school district to raise our visibility and learn about the massive High School Redesign plans.  The Portland District has been in long-term discussions about how to create effective learning high schools as part of the planned upgrade, remodel or complete rebuild of area high schools.

This event is being organized by the Coalition for Educational Excellence, a Portland-based coalition of communities of color engaged in Educational Equity, of which APANO is an active member.  For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Dr. Phyllis Lee or Thach Nguyen (info@apano.org).