Over 300,000 Asian Immigrants in L.A. County Currently Eligible to Naturalize and Become a U.S. Citizen
Eligible immigrants strongly urged to take the first step now to have a chance of becoming a U.S. citizen before November election
LOS ANGELES – Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA), in close partnership with community-based organizations and local government, announced an unprecedented campaign to encourage and increase the number of Asian American immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship. Community based organizations serving the Asian American community will receive additional funding and support to process citizenship applications. In addition, Asian ethnic media will be invited to join the effort as official campaign partners, to promote the benefits of citizenship. In Los Angeles County, over 300,000 Asian American immigrants are currently legal permanent residents who are eligible to naturalize and become U.S. citizens.
“The United States was founded by immigrants and continues to thrive because of the contributions of immigrants,” said Stewart Kwoh, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA. “For many Asian Americans, the risk of leaving their native countries in pursuit of better opportunities outweighed all their fears of the unknown. Today, we are launching ‘Endless Possibilities. Citizenship Now!’ in seven Asian languages, drawing on an unprecedented partnership between nonprofits, government, and media, with the purpose of reminding immigrants that citizenship is a pathway to the many benefits and opportunities many hoped to achieve for themselves and their families by coming to America.”
“More than 1 million people in Los Angeles County speak an Asian language and their main source of information is ethnic and in-language media. We are asking that our Asian-language media step forward to be a part of this campaign, alongside our nonprofit partners, government agencies, and elected officials who are leveraging their collective voice to raise awareness about the opportunities and resources available to anyone who is eligible and interested in becoming a United States citizen,” said Nasim Khansari, Citizenship Project Director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA. “Not only are media critical to informing our communities about what they need to know, but media can also empower our community to achieve what they may not know is possible.”
“Endless Possibilities. Citizenship Now!” is a coordinated effort of more than 10 nonprofit organizations serving multi-ethnic communities as well as government agencies and the offices of elected officials. The first partnership event is a free citizenship workshop taking place on Sunday, April 10th at the Long Beach Convention Center. For an appointment, call the Advancing Justice-LA helpline:
English 888-349-9695
Mandarin/Cantonese 800-520-2356
Khmer 800-867-3126
Korean 800-867-3640
Tagalog 855-300-2552
Thai 800-914-9583
Vietnamese 800-267-7395
All who are interested in citizenship assistance or legal services are encouraged to call the toll-free helpline service. Callers can reach helpline staff between 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. When unable to speak with a live helpline staff, callers are encouraged to leave a voicemail message including their name and contact information. Calls will be returned within one business day.
The campaign is made possible through funding and support from the California Community Foundation in an effort to break down the myths and barriers preventing more L.A. County residents from applying. “Endless Possibilities. Citizenship Now!” is a coordinated campaign operating in conjunction with ¡Protégete!…¡Ciudadanía Ya!, a campaign taking place in Spanish-language media and is led by a strong coalition that includes Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles and several other nonprofit organizations.
CONTACT:
Randy Bunnao, 213-241-0227
rbunnao@advancingjustice-la.org
Lisa Thong, 310-289-5526
lisa.thong@iwgroupinc.com
Tackling L.A.’s homelessness epidemic, Housing works, Donor Spotlight on Robert and Barbara Klein, Unsung Hero Spotlight on Mollie Lowery
By John E. Kobara for The Huffington Post
LOS ANGELES – October 29, 2015 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) has awarded $2,127,000 through 22 grants to Los Angeles County nonprofit organizations working to address the wide-ranging needs of our region. CCF supports this critical work in the community through funds entrusted to the foundation by donors throughout its 100-year history.
Grants this quarter support the foundation’s diverse priority areas in the arts, civic engagement and public policy, housing and economic opportunity, education, health and immigrant integration. Beyond our core grantmaking areas, CCF also houses the Opportunity Fund, designed for special grants that may not fit into these priority areas, but are meant to respond to needs in Los Angeles. This quarter, the L.A. River Revitalization Corporation received a grant for planning efforts through the Opportunity Fund. A full list of grants is below.
“We are inspired by the enthusiasm and generosity of countless Angelenos who want to build a better Los Angeles together by advancing equity and prosperity,” said CCF President and CEO Antonia Hernández. “We are proud to partner with many dedicated donors and nonprofit organizations that have not only recognized the needs in our community, but have shown leadership to address these issues.”
CCF is committed to improving the quality of life of all Los Angeles County residents by addressing the root causes of the county’s most urgent problems. The foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in transforming Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.5 billion in assets and manages nearly 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies.
For more information, please visit www.calfund.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/calfund and follow us on Twitter @calfund.
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CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANTS BY FUNDING AREA
October 2015
|
PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES |
NUMBER |
AMOUNT |
||
|
Arts |
||||
|
Ebony Repertory Theatre |
5 |
$295,000 |
||
|
Civic Engagement |
||||
|
Alliance for Justice |
1 |
$150,000 |
||
|
Education |
||||
|
Community Asset Development Redefining Education (CADRE) |
7 |
$615,000 |
||
|
Health |
||||
|
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County |
4 |
$627,000 |
||
|
Housing & Economic Opportunity |
||||
|
Los Angeles Urban Renewal Network (LURN) |
2 |
$150,000 |
||
|
Immigrant Integration |
||||
|
Southern California Education Fund (One L.A.) |
1 |
$130,000 |
||
|
Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund |
||||
|
California College Guidance Initiative |
1 |
$60,000 |
||
|
Opportunity Fund |
||||
|
L.A. River Revitalization Corporation |
1 |
$100,000 |
||
|
TOTAL |
22 |
$2,127,000 |
||
CONTACT
Taleen Ananian
tananian@www.calfund.org
(213) 452-6203