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Issue: 1118 Date: 1/26/2012
Become A Fan, Like St. Louis Chinese American News
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Greetings from the 1882 Project
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We wish to thank you for your tremendous support during the last year and a half and to welcome the New Year as we have so much to look forward to. It was just a little over a year ago that we came together and initiated the 1882 Project with the goals to seek Congressional Resolutions addressing the Chinese Exclusion Laws, first enacted in 1882, and to educate the public and future generations the history, impact and continuing significance of these discriminatory laws. This non-partisan, grassroots project is spearheaded by a Steering Committee consisting of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, the Committee of 100, the Japanese American Citizens League, the National Council of Chinese Americans and OCA with pro bono support of Covington and Burling, LLP.
* Congresswoman Judy Chu from California took the lead to draft the Congressional Resolution and, shortly after, Senator Scott Brown from Massachusetts came forward to sponsor the Senate Resolution.
* In the following months, many community civil rights organizations have lent their support to the project, including the American Jewish Committee, the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice (the Asian American Institute, the Asian American Justice Center, the Asian Law Caucus and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center), the Asian American Federation, the Association for Asian American Studies and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and others.
* During the last 12 months, we reached out to stakeholders, supporters and our community by convening Roundtable Discussions around the country. So far, we have covered San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Portland and Seattle. At New Orleans, we participated in the annual conference of the Association for Asian American Studies. In New York, we made presentation at a panel in the annual OCA National Convention. We took part in public television programs in New York and Washington DC, and our project partners were interviewed in Houston. The Remembering 1882 exhibit produced by the Chinese Historical Society of America and hand-outs about the 1882 Project were displayed at several conferences and community events. These roundtables and opportunities to engage with the public raised public awareness of Chinese Exclusion Laws. More importantly, we heard from the stakeholders of their thoughts.
* The first milestone was reached when Congressional Resolutions were introduced in the House and the Senate simultaneously on May 26, 2011. We held a community reception in Washington, DC, in July to celebrate and to publicize the introduction. Our efforts now had focus as we continue to mobilize the community to reach out to their members of Congress to support these resolutions.
* Another historic milestone was achieved when the Senate Resolution 201 was passed on October 6, 2011 by unanimous consent. For the first time, Congress expressed regret for the discriminatory Chinese Exclusion Laws enacted more than 100 years ago and, by this action, demonstrated the strength of our democracy to correct mistakes. The 1882 Project hosted a community reception honoring this passage at the Capitol Building in November which was attended by Senator Scott Brown and Congresswoman Judy Chu.
* The companion House Resolution 282 was assigned to the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. We are now targeting members of the Judiciary Committee to move forward the resolution. Your effort in reaching out to those members will be essential for the passage of this House Resolution.
* In the next few weeks, please go to www.1882project.org, click on "Write Congress Now" and follow PopVox instructions to urge your Representative to support House Resolution 282. With your support, we will prevail and see the passage of the resolution in the coming year.
Thank you very much and have a wonderful New Year.
Michael C. Lin, Chair On Behalf of the 1882 Project |
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