August 29, 2006President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific IslandersThe President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders advises the Administration on how federal resources can be better utilized and more effectively delivered to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the United States. Commissioners Kenneth Wong (Pennsylvania) and Jeff Sakaguchi (California) are Co-Chairs of the Final Report Committee. The Commission will issue the Final Reports to the President by the end of CY 2006. The Final Reports will reflect the priorities of the Commission:1. Economic and Community Development in AAPI communities;2. Progress of Federal agencies in relation to the health disparity recommendations submitted by the previous Commission;3. Federal services to the AAPI community in the Gulf Coast; and4. Accessibility of Federal programs for Pacific Islanders.The DC Summit and NEXT Regional ConferencesThe DC Summit stands for Developing Communities in the Asian American nd Pacific Islander Community. The DC Summit will give participants an opportunity to network, benchmark best practices among similar organizations, and gain tools that will increase their capacity to serve communities. Highlights of the summit include interacting with members and staff of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, panels about effective corporate and government partnerships, and opportunities to establish relationships with federal agencies.The DC Summit will take place on September 29, 2006 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. It is free, and members of chambers of commerce and economic development organizations serving Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are encouraged to attend.The NEXT Regional Conferences are designed to establish mutually beneficial working relationships and partnerships among community based organizations, governmental agencies, and corporations to serve the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community more effectively. The purpose of NEXT Conferences is to help minority and small AAPI businesses reach the NEXT level of growth; help community based organizations reach the NEXT level with regard to capacity; and help small businesses develop a more international focus to prepare for the NEXT generation.NEXT Regional Conferences are scheduled for Chicago, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.Interagency Working Group (IWG)Executive Order 13339 established the Interagency Working Group on AAPIs, which is composed of Administrators and Deputy Secretaries of federal departments and independent agencies. The IWG will be chaired by the Deputy Secretary for the United States Department of Commerce and will work with the WHIAAPI to create strategies and goals for the federal agencies to serve AAPIs more effectively.Through the IWG, The WHIAAPI established a web-based federal reporting tool so that federal agencies can compile and submit their three year plans for effective outreach and programs and services for the AAPI community. This tool will allow governmental agencies and community based organizations to view the plans and programs of outreach, thereby holding each agency accountable to their plans.Gulf Coast Assessment and Disaster PreparationA Committee on Gulf Coast Assessment and Disaster Preparation assesses the work that US Federal Agencies did in reaching out to AAPIs affected by the Gulf Coast hurricanes. The mission of this committee is to identify tangible ways that agencies can serve AAPIs and help them be better prepared for any future disaster. This committee is chaired by Commissioner Derrick Nguyen (California).Seven trips have been made by the Commissioners or WHIAAPI staff to the Gulf Coast. A report on the findings, an assessment of federal agency work, and ways that services can be improved have been sent to the White House and the House Committee on Government Reform.The WHIAAPI has acted as a facilitator among stakeholders involved with the Chef Menteur landfill issue facing the Vietnamese community in New Orleans East. In the end, Mayor Nagin issued an affidavit allowing the landfill permit to expire in mid-August. The WHIAAPI is now contributing technical assistance to the local community, training them in community development and coordinating environmental justice education for the local youth.PartnershipsIn partnership with the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the Asian Pacific Revolving Loan Fund and the WHIAAPI is embarking on a Revolving Loan Fund Gulf Coast Assistance Program that would assist fishermen and shrimpers who were not eligible for SBA loans.The Asian American Alliance, a small business development center funded by the SBA in Chicago, IL, has committed resources to translate SBA materials into various Asian languages so they are more accessible to AAPIs with limited English proficiency.Working with the US Department of Labor, the WHIAAPI co-sponsored the 2006 Asian Pacific American Federal Career Advancement Summit for federal career employees in Washington, DC. The summit provides training and leadership development for career employees in the federal government.Partnership between the United States Department of Labor, local federal agencies, community based organizations and the WHIAAPI to help bridge the gap between the community and the programs and services available through the federal government. The WHIAAPI will help in organizing another Opportunity Conference again this coming fiscal year, to be held in Philadelphia, PA on October 17, 2006.WHIAAPI will co-sponsor the Minority Business Development Agency's annual Minority Enterprise Development Week (MED Week) in Washington, DC. Commissioner Howard Li (New York) is also the Chairman for the 2006 MED Week. The WHIAAPI helped the MBDA to identify AAPI invitees.Working with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), a partnership was established to provide a hotline in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean to assist limited English proficient seniors with questions regarding Medicare Part D. This hotline is managed by NAPCA and funded by HHS.The WHIAAPI partnered with the Social Security Administration to host an event in Maryland for AAPI small businesses, to inform them about contracting opportunities and services available in the Social Security Administration.
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