AAPI Highlights, August 12, 2015
Welcome to this edition of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) Highlights. Below you’ll find information about WHIAAPI regional outreach to AAPI communities in July, agency announcements, engagement opportunities, and more.
Community leaders participate in grant-writing training held by WHIAAPI's Southwest Regional Network on July 15, 2015 on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. (Photo by Paul Chang)
WHIAAPI Announcements
July 2015 Event Roundup: Regional Outreach with the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community
The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) continued its outreach to communities across the country last month. One of the most important elements of the Initiative’s outreach is the Regional Network’s schedule of community events. Through these events, the Initiative is able to reach hundreds of AAPIs in their local communities in order to discuss federal programs and other opportunities. The Initiative facilitated a grant writing training program, conducted a mental health Twitterstorm, and held several notable community roundtables nationwide. Here are a few highlights from last month. Read more.
White House Announcements
President Obama Signs Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Disaster Declaration
The President last week declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands and ordered federal aid to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Typhoon Soudelor during the period of August 1-3, 2015.The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals on the island of Saipan. Read more.
President Obama, Congressman John Lewis, and Others Mark the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act
Fifty years ago, on August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law — a landmark piece of legislation breaking down barriers across the South that prevented countless African Americans from voting. Last Thursday, President Obama hosted a discussion here at the White House to mark the Act's 50th anniversary, featuring Congressman John Lewis, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry, and others. Read more.
President Obama's Iran Deal Speech Echoes John F. Kennedy
Last Wednesday, President Obama spoke on the Iran deal at American University's School of International Service. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy also delivered a historic foreign policy speech at American University. Just eight months after the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy had boldly entered into a diplomatic agreement with an adversary of the United States -- the Soviet Union. He faced criticism at home for choosing to pursue a peaceful weapons agreement with a country no one trusted. Read more.
U.S. Takes New Steps to Combat Wildlife Trafficking
The loss of Zimbabwe’s Cecil the Lion has dominated recent news coverage. What has received less attention is that five elephants were killed in Tsavo West National Park in Kenya as well last week. These incidents raise the question of how to best protect treasured wildlife. Poaching is a global problem and a focused effort is required to combat it, even when it's not in the headlines. And that's what we're committed to do. Read more.
Agency Announcements
Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Launches Second Chance Pell Pilot Program for Incarcerated Individuals
As part of the Obama Administration's commitment to create a fairer, more effective criminal justice system, reduce recidivism, and combat the impact of mass incarceration on communities, the Department of Education today announced the Second Chance Pell Pilot program to test new models to allow incarcerated Americans to receive Pell Grants and pursue the postsecondary education with the goal of helping them get jobs, support their families, and turn their lives around. Read more.
Department of Justice: 15th Anniversary of Executive Order 13166
Tuesday marked the 15th anniversary of Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,” requiring federal programs and activities to provide meaningful access to limited English proficient (LEP) individuals. In honor of this anniversary, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division (Division), is releasing several mapping resources that help identify the concentration of LEP populations at national, state, judicial district, and county levels. Read more.
Department of Housing and Urban Development: HUD Proposes Rule to Clarify the Equal Participation of Religious Organizations in HUD Programs
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is issuing a proposed rule that would amend its existing regulations regarding the equal participation of faith-based (religious) organizations in HUD programs.The amendments are being undertaken to implement Executive Order (EO) 13559, Fundamental Principles and Policymaking Criteria for Partnerships with Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations, which President Obama signed in November 2010. EO 13559 sets forth principles clarifying that religious providers are welcome to compete for Federal funding without loss of their religious identity. Read more.
Department of Health and Human Services: During National Health Center Week, HHS Announces an Additional $169 Million in Affordable Care Act Funding to 266 Community Health Centers
Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced today $169 million in Affordable Care Act funding to 266 new health center sites in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico for the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services in communities that need them most. These new health center sites are projected to increase access to health care services for over 1.2 million patients. These awards build on the $101 million awarded to 164 new health center sites in May 2015. Read more.
Funding & Engagement Opportunities
National Association of Community Health Centers: 50th Anniversary of Community Health Center Program Twitter Chat
Monday marked to the 50th anniversary of the Community Health Center program and the start of Community Health Center week. CHC is coordinating a series of activities next week to highlight the important role community health centers play in providing access to quality and affordable health care services for communities of color. CHC would like to invite you to participate in a twitter chat on Thursday, August 13th at 3pm EDT to highlight the role CHCs have played in becoming the essential primary care provider for America’s most vulnerable populations. Follow along and tweet @NACHC. Read more.
Federal Communications Commission: Supplier Diversity Conference and Workshop
The FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities (OCBO) will host a Supplier Diversity Conference and Workshop focusing on private sector business opportunities for small-minority and women-owned businesses. This important event will be held at FCC Headquarters, 445 12th Street, Washington, D.C. on Thursday August 20, 2015, from9:30 am until 4:30 pm in the Commission Meeting Room. Read more.
Department of Health and Human Services: Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hereby notify that funds are available for administrative supplements to improve the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research. Read more.
