Happy Holidays from AACS!!

December 2016


In This Issue
Education Workshop:
Understand Your Health Insurance

Want to learn more about how to use your health insuran ce? Join our FREE event!
01/21/2017 (Sat.) 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Asian American Community Services
4700 Reed Rd, Suite B, Columbus, OH 43220

Please RSVP to Chin-Yin Shih (614-220-4023 x224/cshih@aacsohio.org) or Yihong Dong (614-220-4023 x100/ydong@aacsohio.org)
Affordable Care Act

Open Enrollment Period for 2017:
11/01/2016 - 01/31/2017

Get free help signing up for health coverage (Obamacare and Medicaid)!
For more information, please call ( 614-220-4023 ) or email:  Chin-Yin Shih (ext. 224, cshih@aacsohio.org) (English/Mandarin), Yihong Dong  (ext. 100, ydong@aacsohio.org) (English/Mandarin), Asafu Suzuki (ext. 240, asuzuki@aacsohio.org) (Japanese/Mandarin).

**The recent election results DO NOT  affect open enrollment or your ability to sign up for health care coverage.**

ESL Winter Quarter
Starting January 9, 2017

10 am - 12 noon
Mondays (Beginner Level)
Tuesdays (Intermediate Level)
Wednesdays (Intermediate Level)
Thursdays (Advanced Level)

For more information, please call AACS for more information: 614-220-4023

Women's Quilting Group 
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Thursdays, 1pm-3pm @AACS

This project seeks to connect women, share stories of  courage, create beauty, and move towards healing in our lives with one another. 

All craft supplies will be provided, and take-home kits will be available. The group will be hosted at AACS (4700 Reed Rd., Suite B, Columbus Ohio, 43220).

To learn more about our quilting group or are interested in attending, please contact our Program Coordinator, Yihong Dong at ydong@aacsohio.org  or 614-220-4023 x 100 .
Ikebana Classes:
Japanese Art of Flower Arrangement

  
Mondays, 2pm-3pm or 3:15pm-4:15pm

Our current classes are full.
Please stay tuned for sign-ups in our next series.

To learn more about our Ikebana classes or are interested attending, contact our Program Coordinator,  Yihong Dong at ydong@aacsohio.org
or 614-220-4023 x 100.

Senior Benefits Program


If you have questions about:
-Medicare Part A, B, & D
-Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs)
-Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
-Food Stamp Program (SNAP)
-Where to go for help
-Other related questions

Please contact  Yihong Dong at  614-220-4023 x100 or  ydong@aacsohio.org

THE FORGOTTEN WAR
Korea 1950
11/11/2016 - 04/02/2017
Ohio History Center

See an extraordinary exhibit of Korean War photographs taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning  Associated Press photographer Max Desfor.

Admission:
Adult: $10
Youth(6-12): $5
Senior(60+): $9
Ohio History Connection member or Child(5&under): Free.
  
Free Health  Consultation

The second Sunday afternoon, every month
12:45pm - 1:30pm

Columbus Chinese Christian Church
4141 Maize Rd, Columbus, OH 43224

For more information, please contact: Changcheng Zhao, 614-715-2212
APIASF General Scholarship

The APIASF General Scholarship Application is now available!  This scholarship is a great opportunity for High School Seniors and Current College Students.

Deadline to Apply: Friday, January 11, 2017 at 11:59 PM EST

Contact applicant@apiasf.org for more information.

Lao Volunteer Donation Association:
Monthly Provisions Giveaway

1/21 (Sat) @ 11 am - 2 pm
1160 Alum Creek Drive
Columbus, OH 43209

Families who qualify can receive fresh fruits, veggies, and other staples. Bring your own Bag!

For more information, please call the Lao Volunteer Donation Association at 614-506-1167



 
   

AACS Celebrates 40-Year Journey at Anniversary Gala
Past and present board members and executive directors reunited for an evening of celebration.  Photo credit: Paul Wu

On November 11, AACS celebrated our 40th anniversary at our annual gala fundrasier with the theme "Our Journey, Our Stories." In addition to our current team and supporters, a number of past board members and past executive directors were in attendance to show their support, some even traveling from other parts of the country for the event. The evening was filled with entertainment from various Asian cultures, presentation of awards and certificates, and highlights of the Healthy Asian Youth (HAY) program which was the focus of this year's fundraising efforts.  AACS also unveiled the inaugural HAY scholarship, conceived and supported by a former HAY volunteer.

At the climax of the event, we aired a short film documenting our 40-year journey. The film was produced and generously donated by Burson Films. It can be viewed at this link.

The fundraising efforts for our 40th anniversary celebration raised over $35,000 including in-kind donations. AACS thanks our donors, supporters, and volunteers for making our continued work in the community possible.


Columbus City Councilman Michael Stinziano presents Chairman Yung-Hsien Chung a proclamation of behalf of the city congratulating AACS on its 40th anniversary.  Photo credit: Paul Wu


Stephanie Huynh, Kelly Nguyen and Vianna Luu share their experience as participants in our Healthy Asian Youth (HAY) program.  Photo credit: Tiong-Siu So


Guzheng by Alice Yuan.  Photo credit: Tiong-Siu So


Nepali-Bhutanese Dance by Pabitra Timsina and Nirata Bhattarai.


A love song by Soprano Melissa Fata.


Asian Indian Classical Music by Hans Utter and Utpola Borah.  Photo credit: Tiong-Siu So


Asian Music Band.  Photo Credit: Tiong-Siu So


Japanese tea ceremony and offerings of Chinese teas.
Community Members Discuss Consent and Empathy at Audrie & Daisy  Documentary Screening
 

AACS hosted a community screening of the documentary, Audrie & Daisy, on November 30. The film tells the real-life story of two young women in high school who had sexual assault crimes committed against them by their peers. It takes a hard look at the social landscape that young teens in America face today and examines gender expectations, cyberbullying, and social pressures that they experience from much earlier than many parents and adults expect.

After the screening, community members from different walks of life discussed their thoughts on prevention of unwanted sexual behavior, adults' need to gain understanding of social media, the role of boys and men, and how to talk about children and young persons (both boys and girls) on the issues of consent and empathy in an age-appropriate manner.

AACS thanks the filmmakers,  Futures Without Violence, and Film Sprout for making this screening possible. We also thank Trinity Catholic School for allowing us to use their space. Finally, we thank  the community members who attended the event and hope that they will continue the conversation with the people in their lives.

The Reality
Although a person's social and cultural background may affect whether and how they disclose, unwanted sexual behavior including sexual assault is an issue that affects all communities. Awareness of what constitutes sexual assault 1 and dispelling frequently repeated myths 2 are important steps in preventing these crimes, supporting survivors, and cultivating healthy community, personal, and family relationships.

In Asian communities, incidences of sexual violence may be under-reported to authorities and other sources of official statistics, particularly due to cultural factors. 3 Addressing these issues with young Asian women may be particularly important, given a study  finding prevalence of sexual assault among Asian women during college in spite of cultural reticence towards discussing such issues.4

Engaging the Young People in Your Life
The filmmakers of  Audrie & Daisy have expressed their hope that the film will present an opportunity for parents and adults to discuss the challenging issues of sexual violence in our communities with their children (both boys and girls) in a concrete manner. In light of this hope, they have made  educational materials for parents, teachers, and other community members available on their website.

The film  is available for private viewing on Netflix, and we hope that you will use it to engage the young people in your lives about this challenging issue. Though dealing with serious subject matters, the film can appropriately be shown to a teenage audience (especially older teens), and clips of the film can be appropriate for an even younger audience.* Parents can also draw on the movie website's resources to engage in age-appropriate discussions of issues raised in the film to younger children without showing them the film.

AACS Services
In addition to offering community education focused on prevention, AACS provides culturally appropriate support services to survivors and their families. Please call 614-266-4208 for assistance.

*AACS ultimately defers to the discretion of parents on age appropriateness.

Sources:
1. RAINN, Types of Sexual Violence. https://www.rainn.org/types-sexual-violence.
3. Shenoy, D.P., et. al. (2010). Breaking Down the Silence: A Study Examining Patterns of Sexual Assault and Subsequent Disclosure among Ethnic Groups of Asian American College Women. Californian Journal of Health Promotion 2010, Volume 7, Issue 2, 78-91.
  Koo, K. H., et al. (2013). The Cultural Context of Nondisclosure of Alcohol-Involved Acquaintance Rape Among Asian American College Women: A Qualitative Study. J Sex Res.
  National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum. Research Findings: Utilization of Women's Sexual Health Services and Disclosure of Sexual Assault. https://napawf.org/programs/young-womens-collaborative/cywc/uc-berkeley/.
4. Shenoy, D.P., et. al. (2010).
Holiday Office Closings

AACS will be CLOSED on the following days. We will otherwise operate according to our regular schedule of Monday through Friday, 9 am through 5 pm.

12/26/2016 (Mon.) (in observance of Christmas Day)

1/2/2017 (Mon.)  (in observance of New Year's Day)

1/16/2017 (Mon.)  (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)