August 11 - August 17, 2000

	About This Special Section
	Every four years, Asian Pacific Islanders have a unique opportunity to express our concerns and showcase the accomplishments of our community to mainstream America. This year, the Democratic National Convention will give our community instant access to America’s leaders, in a setting that allows for maximum exposure of the issues and concerns that are important to us. For 21 years, AsianWeek has been part of this pursuit—chronicling the Asian American experience, providing a forum for API issues and seeking to involve all of us in the American democratic experiment. In celebration of the Democratic National Convention with this special issue, AsianWeek also applauds Asian American political activism. The following pages highlight some diverse views from API Democratic leaders, including those who are seeking our vote this election. We also celebrate API political activism with a profile on one of the Democratic Party’s most valuable fund-raiser, Mary Miyashita, as well as other APIs who hold key leadership positions under the Clinton administration. As the Asian American contribution to the American political process becomes larger and more pronounced, it is vital that our community has a forum in which Asian Americans are able to not only exchange ideas and experiences, but also to voice these concerns and issues to mainstream America. AsianWeek believes that this special Democratic National Convention issue provides such a forum.		Bill Lann Lee Named Official Assistant Attorney General (in National News) Saving S.F.'s Japantown Bowl (in Bay Area News) E-Privacy (in Business) Venture Frogs Restaurant (in A&E) Voices: Matt Fong's Not Applauding Just Yet (in Opinion)

In This Section

An Unwavering Democrat in the Heart of Republican Territory Mary Miyashita’s half-century in political activism “I get teased that I’m the only Democrat in my tract... but I get a lot of support,” quipped 79-year-old Mary Miyashita from her home in Whittier, Calif.—the birthplace of Richard Nixon and an anchor for Republican politics. “Since I’ve lived here, there’s only been one Democrat in Congress voted from here, when the opponent was from the John Birch Society; even Republicans have their limits [of how far right they’ll go],” she laughed. Miyashita and her husband Kuzuo have hosted countless fund-raisers for big-time Democrats since moving into East Whittier’s Friendly Hills area in the early ’50s, often packing a thousand Democrats into their backyard for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. COMPLETE STORY... Emil Amok: It Really Is Just One Big Tent From the floor of the Republican Party Convention last week, the most enthusiastic delegate I ran into wasn’t the one with the biggest elephant on her straw-boater. It wasn’t even the loony-looking Asian guy in the big Uncle Sam hat dancing to Jon Secada. It was an unassuming Asian American woman from Hawaii. You could tell she was from Hawaii by the floral lei. She was totally hooked by the new Republican message. COMPLETE STORY...

Asian American Democrats in Congress: A historical retrospective of Asian Americans in the U.S. Congress. A Diverse Cabinet: President Clinton’s has appointed more Asian Americans into his cabinet than any other president. A listing of many of those appointees. The Presidential Election Process: A Primer. How the President and Vice President of the United States are selected. Viewpoint by Rep. Robert Underwood: Building a National Community. Representative of Guam challenges Asian Americans with the tasks we face to achieve political impact and solidarity. Viewpoint by Rep. David Wu: A Challenge for the Future. Representative of Oregon encourages political activism and participation. Viewpoint by Assemblyman Mike Honda: Experience Brings Balance. Congressional candidate’s personal story as a life-long educator and public servant. Viewpoint by Rep. Robert Matsui: Are Minorities This Year’s Swing Voters? Representative of California stands behind the Democrats’ message of true inclusion.

Resources for YOU

Chinese American Democratic Club of San Francisco 1670 Pine Street San Francisco CA 94109 Filipino American Democratic Club 361 Oak Street San Francisco CA 94109 415-468-5339 Japanese American Democratic Club of San Francisco 1674 47th Avenue San Francisco CA 94122 Japanese American Democrats 272 Los Robles Avenue Pasadena A 91101 818-792-9828 Democratic National Committee 430 S. Capitol Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 202-863-8000 Indo-American Democrats of Georgia P.O. Box 2054 Peachtree City, GA 30269 770-631-8500 Fax: 770 631-0553 Filipino American Democratic Caucus of Metro DC 24 Oneill Drive #5 Gaithersburg, MD 20877 301-963-6250 fax: 301-963-6250 Asian American Democrats of Texas 4104 Rice Boulevard Houston, TX 77079 713-669-9902 fax: 713-669-1682 Korean American Democrats of Virginia 6816 Ben Franklin Road Springfield, VA 22150 703-866-9306  Asian American Political Education Foundation 139 Mitchell Avenue, #232 San Francisco, CA 94080 415-589-1199 fax: 415-589-1720 Chinese American Voters Education Committee 915 A Grant Avenue San Francisco, CA 94108 397-3296 Filipino American Political Assoc. of Oakland 6710 Wilton Ave. Oakland, CA 94611 415-482-4721  Filipino American Political Assoc. of San Francisco 706 23rd Ave San Francisco, CA 94121 415-221-3356

Filipino AmerIcan Political Assoc. of Ventura County P.O. Box 2554 Oxnard, CA 93034 Filipino American Voters League of San Francisco 833 Market Street, Ste. 404 San Francisco CA 94103 Filipino American Women Political Movement, Inc. 4811 Rosewood Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90004  Nisei Voters League 374 Ewing Terrace San Francisco CA 94118 Asian American Political Coalition P.O. Box 113 Mt. Freedom, NJ 07970-0113 201-328-4112  Chinatown Voter Education Alliance 39 Bowery, Box 859 New York, NY 11013 212-925-4518  Chinese American Voters Assoc. of Queens P.O. Box 521433 Flushing, NY 11352-1433 718-461-0830 fax: 718-457-0822 Asian American Voter Alliance 6231 Leesburge Pike, #506 Falls Church, VA 22044 703-237-2800 fax: 237-6203 Asian American Voters Coalition 4937 Grafton Street Alexandria CA 22312 703-345-4723 fax: 703-354-4549 National League of Indochinese American Voters 1915 Kennedy Drive McLean, VA 22102 703-847-0823 fax: 703-237-7509 Vietnamese Political Action League 6166 Leesburg Pike, #B-208 Falls Church, VA 22044 703-903-3809 Indian American Political Awareness Committee P.O. Box 315 New York, NY 10021 917-744-6209 Indian American Political Awareness Committee P.O. Box Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-587-2778 fax: 215-898-0581 Source: National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac 2000-2001

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