June News Roundup: LAT 2018 highlights, staff musings, work with SEARAC, and more

NEWS ROUNDUP

June 2018 - In This Issue:

Immigration

Education

Health

Spotlight

Announcements

IMMIGRATION

Standing in solidarity with families separated at the border

The president signed an executive order in June replacing his devastating policy of family separation with another harmful policy of indefinite family detention. SEARAC Leadership and Advocacy Training 2018 participants joined DC advocates to demand the end to inhumane incarceration of asylum seekers.

Anti-immigrant bills fail in Congress
SEARAC opposed two anti-immigrant bills making their way through the House in June. The Securing America's Future Act (H.R. 4760) and the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act (H.R. 6136) would have cut legal immigration into the United States and increase deportation enforcement in exchange for very limited protections for undocumented youth. H.R. 4760 failed to pass the House, with all Democrats and 41 Republicans opposing the measure. A vote on the Ryan-supported bill H.R. 6163 also failed. Read SEARAC's statement/action alert and vote recommendation sent to members of Congress.

EDUCATION

Harvard lawsuit

The New York Times made waves when it published an article about a lawsuit alleging discriminatory admissions practices against Asian Americans at Harvard University. News outlets and columnists picked up the story with gusto, playing up the narrative of the scorned Asian American student. In response, SEARAC issued a statement calling attention to the importance of race-conscious policies, especially in supporting our low-income and disadvantaged community members. Like the large majority of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, we support affirmative action and acknowledge the necessity of thinking beyond test scores.

HEALTH

Protecting the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid

Participants from last week's Leadership and Advocacy Training program marched into the offices of their legislators, demanding accessible and affordable health care and reducing health disparities for the Southeast Asian American (SEAA) community. Advocates held their representatives accountable for the way they voted in 2017 amidst the efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA and Medicaid expansion have cut uninsured rates in SEAA communities in half. Recently, conservative groups have renewed efforts to repeal the ACA and Medicaid expansion, outlining a new proposal called the Health Care Choices Proposal, which would essentially:

Eliminate Medicaid expansion for low-income adults.
Lead to sharply increased health care costs for millions of moderate-income, individual-market consumers, especially older people.
Eliminate consumer protections for people with pre-existing health conditions.
Provide even fewer federal resources for coverage.

SEARAC opposes any attempt to repeal the ACA and defund Medicaid. Any attack on the ACA and the Medicaid is an attack on the SEAA community.

SPOTLIGHT

Staff Additions

We've been busy growing the SEARAC team and are thrilled to announce new promotions and hires. Learn more about these committed Southeast Asian American advocates by reading their posts on our official blog.

Katrina Dizon Mariategue has been promoted to Director of National Policy. In "Lessons from the heart," Katrina describes the emotional toll that immigration policy advocacy places on a person.
	Elaine Sanchez Wilson is SEARAC's new Director of Communications and Development. In " The hook ," Elaine explores the power of storytelling in moving people to action.
Luke Kertcher is SEARAC's summer field and outreach intern. In "Finding community, finding myself," Luke discusses his mission to establish cultural competence and empower minority communities at his university.
	Trinh Q. Truong is SEARAC's summer immigration policy intern. In "From Vietnam to Utica and back again: Reflecting on my refugee journey," Trinh analyzes how her family's past has shaped the activist she is today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Work with SEARAC

SEARAC seeks a full-time Education Policy Advocate and a full-time Immigration Policy Advocate to lead our national advocacy initiatives. The ideal candidates will have experience in issues affecting SEAA communities and other communities of color. The ideal candidates will also be able to execute legislative and community awareness campaigns effectively, as well as work productively in coalitions and partnerships. Click here for details.

Looking to gain hands-on experience in policy and advocacy? SEARAC also has a field and outreach internship position available in our Washington, DC, office this fall. The application period closes on July 1st. Click here for details.

Fundraising campaign

Our T-shirt campaign has been extended to July 4. Proceeds will go toward furthering our advocacy for Southeast Asian communities and other immigrants.

T-shirt options include:

Fellowship opportunity

The Bloomberg Fellows Program, part of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, provides fully funded m aster of public health degrees at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health . The program accepts applicants who are currently working with organizations on the front lines of one or more of five challenges the United States is facing: addiction and overdose, environmental challenges, obesity and the food system, risks to adolescent health, and violence. Students have the option of attending full time on-campus in Baltimore, or part time online. Click here for more details.