http://blog.myspace.com/norcaluvsa
I woke up from a nap, heavy from the UVSA Olympics we had the Saturday
prior, in front of my laptop with notes and papers scattered across the
table of various UVSA-related things. My friend messages me over the
Internet to watch the video of Barack Obama's "A More Perfect
Union<http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vdmlkZW8uZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS92aWRlb3BsY...>"
speech. Towards the end Obama said, "And today, whenever I find myself
feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most
hope is the next generation -- the young people whose attitudes and beliefs
and openness to change have already made history in this election."
Recognition. Sometimes that is what we the youths are looking for. Just
recognition for our deeds and efforts. The jarring letter we received weeks
ago who questioned what youths have done to serve the Vietnamese community
still ruminates in my mind. Maybe that is why I am a writer; there are too
many untold stories of our struggles as youths, unnoticed by our parents and
grandparents. Ever since I began to regularly talk to my mother about the
service work that I do, things have been better between us -- there were no
longer questions as to why I stayed up late all the time (well, school too,
of course).
A week ago weather reports from all over the Internet were forecasting that
thunderstorms were to hit San Francisco on Saturday, March 15th, the day our
Olympics would happen. What was particularly encouraging was comments
mounting on our website of individuals tossing their fear aside, enthused at
the possibility of playing in the rain and mudpits. Both fortunately and
unfortunately, we were rewarded with near-perfect weather that day, bringing
in close to 150 attendees!
Olympic Results and Thank
You<http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcmVjcmVhdGlvbi5ub3JjYWx1dnNhLm9yZ...>
Although issues began to accumulate over time, the one thing I had hoped
from before the Olympics began, was that spark of indomitable spirit.
"There is in this world no such force as the force of a man determined to
rise. The human soul cannot be chained," W.E.B. DuBois once said.
Indomitable spirit is that part of a person which makes them unique, that
part of a person which provides hope, strength and courage to get up and
face each day with a smile. Indomitable spirit is perseverance on a long
term basis. And during that day, hundreds of youths pushed their limits,
strengthened their bonds, cheered their heart out.
We will need that indomitable spirit in the times ahead of us.
I promised my friend I would write about the economy. With forecasts of a
recession impacting our country, and severe budget cuts within the
government. I have started to hear reports of Vietnamese organizations
around me losing funding, having their programming cut. Several events that
have become the cornerstone in our community for years, have been cancelled.
And sponsors from the financial industry which my VSAs once relied on have
gone belly-up, forcing a considerable number within the Vietnamese community
to undergo job retraining. For the first time ever, I awoke to the grave
concern of where the community was heading. "Can you help us with funding?"
a few have asked me. "Do you have any leads?" There were many questions as
to what we needed to do in this community to set priorities, to maximize
impact, and to strategize in procuring and sustaining resources. But who
could answer these questions?
A friend called me up last night about the Vietnamese immigrants who stood
to be deported beginning this Saturday, and why our community have not
mobilized around this issue with as much concern as other things in the
community. I could not answer that question adequately. But what I have
started to do was to collect contacts and information pertaining to this
issue, when it became clear that no one was doing so, and making it
available for public benefit. A week ago, Huy and I arrived at a meeting
with other advocacy organizations and Congressional aides to Mike Honda to
ascertain what was already being done, what basically amounted to as warning
the community. The efforts of Congressional representatives, spearheaded by
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, to delay the deportation date did not become
widespread public knowledge. The two of us began drafting up a petition and
information resources to support this Congressional effort, but with only a
few days before the deadline, we may need to consider a long-term fight on
this issue. The issue is complex, and has implications for a substantial
portion of the Vietnamese community. According to US Census, an estimated
18% of the Vietnamese community are non-citizens. If they commit an
aggravated felony (the definition of which is questionable), they could
stand to be deported back to Vietnam. How can this not be a cause for
concern?
UVSA Deportation
Committee<http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vY2l2aWMubm9yY2FsdXZzYS5vcmcvZGVwb...>
Among other issues, UVSA just recently published its report from the Youth
Forum that discussed the Vietnamese Naming of the San Jose Retail District.
The good news is that there has been a compromise, so Little Saigon
advocates can put up signs provided that they are privately funded.
Therefore the report is rather a moot point on this issue. However, what it
underscores is a prevailing need for youths to connect with others.
There is a need for Vietnamese youths to connect with the older generation.
There is a need for Vietnamese youths to connect with other communities, not
just the Vietnamese. And perhaps what was important to them in this issue,
was to see role models who served the Vietnamese community who would lead
the way for our future. Perhaps this explains their conflict over supporting
a recall for Madison Nguyen. She was supposed to be our role model.
January 2008 UVSA Youth Forum
Report<http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vY2l2aWMubm9yY2FsdXZzYS5vcmcveW91d...>
But I wish for you to read the letter on the third page of the report by a
17-year-old student who attended our forum. She writes, "I find it extremely
important for the youth community to help the Vietnamese community figure
out their issues. I really believe that UVSA should take the initiative of
this. I am not saying that UVSA is doing nothing. I know that UVSA is
holding a Yogurt event in late January to help VOICE. I am stating that UVSA
should take action about the issues of OUR community. We should be helping
the community we live in FIRST, rather than overseas."
Perhaps she has some sensibility. During the Paracel & Spratly Island Forum
at UC Berkley, I told Ailien, a member of the group VietWill who looking to
protect Vietnam from Chinese military aggression concerning these islands,
"We need you to be the torchbearer; there are so few of us working on so
many issues." And with failing organizations and a falling economy, our
ability to address these issues become harder.
On Sunday, however, I attended a workshop that discussed Vietnamese
philosophy and the origins of our Vietnamese identity. Most people know our
origin myth. Au Co, the fairy princess, gives birth to an egg sac from which
100 children hatched. Lac Long Quan, the dragon lord, discussed with Au Co
one day that they were too different, and both agreed to take half of the
children, Au Co to the mountains and Lac Long Quan to the sea. But there was
a term that piqued my interest. We are familiar with the term "Hung Vuong",
or the Hung kings that gave rise to the Hong Bang dynasty, but there is
mention of the term "Lac Vuong", or the Lac kings, obviously a reference to
Lac Long Quan's children. It was then I had a rather interesting
interpretation of the myth: Au Co's 50 children going to the mountains could
represented the 50 kings that operated at a "federal" level, and Lac Long
Quan's 50 children going to the sea represented the kings that operated at
the local level. One may think of this as 50 senators (Hung Vuong) and 50
governors (Lac Vuong). Although there is no proof that this was how our
ancestors were politically organized, it's compelling to think that that is
how our community is organized: collective leadership. It somewhat mirrors
how UVSA is organized, with an Intercollegiate Council of representatives
from each school operating at the regional level, and each VSA having its
own President overseeing campus affairs.
Another interesting point (and unfortunately I am not doing justice by
highlighting snippets from the presentation) is the agricultural origins of
Vietnamese civilization. There are numerous maxims that mention our
philosophical notion of being in harmony with our environment because of our
agricultural roots. The concept of dłng-dưỡng is the equivalent sustainable
development. Even though we are far removed from our days as being farmers,
to resolve the issues within our community is no different than tending to
the fields and caring for the crops. Except the fields in this case is the
Vietnamese community, and the crops are leaders. What we need is a way to
grow a crop of new leaders that can creatively and collectively tackle the
challenges of our society in the new century.
With the upcoming April 30 Commemoration and Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month, I wanted to see how we can move forward, what is necessary to
reorganize our disparate efforts and to make every drop count, and every
action with a purpose that pushes forward a greater plan.
Long live our indomitable spirit!
