Harry Belafonte, Art Chong and Seymour Hersh to Receive 2008 Justice in Action Awards at AALDEF's Annual Lunar New Year Gala

(New York, NY) The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) will honor activist Harry Belafonte, Art Chong, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Safeco Corporation, and investigative journalist Seymour Hersh with the 2008 Justice in Action Award at its Annual Lunar New Year Gala on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at PIER SIXTY, Chelsea Piers, in New York City. Author Walter Mosley, Harvard law professor Charles J. Ogletree, Jr. and retired U.S. Army Major General Antonio M. Taguba will be presenting the awards. ABC News Correspondent Juju Chang will be the emcee for the evening.

The AALDEF Justice in Action Awards are presented to exceptional individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions in advancing justice and equality. Past recipients include the late civil rights icon Fred Korematsu, Maya Lin, David Henry Hwang, Lani Guinier, Yoko Ono, Mira Nair, Harold Koh, and Deval Patrick.

Proceeds from the Lunar New Year Gala benefit AALDEF's legal and educational programs in immigrant rights, economic justice for workers, voting rights and civic participation, affirmative action, language access to services, youth rights and educational equality, and the elimination of hate violence, police misconduct and human trafficking.

Date: Thursday, February 21, 2008

Kelly Hu, Yul Kwon, and Deputy Secretary of Southern Nevada Chris Lee are manning phone banks for the AAPI vote.

(Las Vegas, NV) Actress/Model Kelly Hu, Winner of Survivor: Cook's Islander Yul Kwon, and Deputy Secretary of Southern Nevada Chris Lee join local community members and volunteers at phone banks in Henderson, NV, a day before the caucuses on Friday, January 18th at Noon for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to attend this Saturday's Caucuses.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is a key electorate in Nevada and the Asian population is the fastest growing population, highest of all races, in Clark County, Nevada. There are about 130,000 Asian Americans and 17,000 Pacific Islanders in Clark County. In 2004, 75% of Clark County's AAPI registered voters turned out to vote and 77% of Nevada's AAPI registered voters turned out to vote.

"Kelly, Yul, and Chris are prominent members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community who have contributed their time to ensure that many more AAPIs will caucus this Saturday." said Daphne Kwok, APIA Vote Board Member. "We hope that our community members will join them in their efforts-- whether it's to phone bank, to caucus, or to canvass, and ensure that our voices get heard in the electoral process."

Celebrity Phone Banking
WHO: Kelly Hu, Yul Kwon, Chris Lee and volunteers
WHAT: Phone Banking to get AAPIs out to the NV Caucuses this Saturday
WHEN: Friday, January 18, 2008, Noon to 1PM

The nomination deadline for Aspire's 1st Annual Outstanding Woman of the Year Award is March 1, 2008.

Asian Sisters Participating In Reaching Excellence (ASPIRE) is looking for young Asian American women who are role models for their community and is committed to ASPIRE's mission of empowerment for their 1st Annual ASPIRE Outstanding Woman of the Year Award. The award will be presented at the 2008 ASPIRE Asian American Women in Leadership (AAWIL) Conference on April 26, 2008 at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. This year's keynote speakers include SuChin Pak, Correspondent, MTV News and Kyung Yoon, Vice Chairman, Heidrick & Struggles.

ASPIRE's Outstanding Woman of the Year award celebrates a female high school or college student of Asian American decent that is a proven leader with the initiative and determination to make a change in her community.

International Public Policy (IIPP) Fellowship

(U.S. ASIAN WIRE) April 28, 2008

Asian Pacific Americans are underrepresented in U.S. international affairs despite the many contributions they have made. To help increase diversity in this growing field, the Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP), a prestigious fellowship of the UNCF Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP), prepares Asian Pacific Americans and other college students of color for a wide range of international careers.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is an opportunity to honor the global contributions of some Asian Pacific Americans and to highlight how that legacy continues in the U.S. international arena with younger generations who are IIPP fellows.

"These are enormously challenging and exciting times in international affairs and public policy," says Darryl Crompton, IIPP Director. "The contributions that Asian Pacific Americans make are crucial because diversity in the international arena is imperative."

Valued at almost $100,000, the IIPP fellowship, now entering its 14th year, is the hallmark of UNCFSP. Nearly 300 minority students have been placed in over 50 countries. Applying during the spring of their sophomore years in college, IIPP Fellows later study global issues through a well-structured curriculum. Currently, 16 percent of IIPP program participants are Asian Pacific American.

A NUMBER OF 'FIRSTS'

REBTEL Offers Free Calling to China, Myanmar Disaster Areas through May 22.

REBTEL offers free calling to China, Myanmar disaster areas through May 22, due to the recent tragedies in both countries. This would be helpful for families, non-profits trying to contact people in those countries to distribute aid and
journalists looking to call these countries. A typical one hour call to either country would cost over $100. Rebtel works without use of a computer to make calls. Anyone can add their contact's phone numbers to the site and get a local 415 or 510 number that they use to call contacts abroad.

1. Sign up at http://www.rebtel.com/callforhelp
2. Enter your mobile number and your friend's mobile number in China or Myanmar
3. Rebtel will send a local number where you live
4. Dial the local phone number to speak with your friend in China or Myanmar

Available to anyone in 47 countries

About Rebtel
Rebtel is a global calling service for individuals and business. With Rebtel it's possible to call any phone, anywhere in the world, for just pennies per minute. Rebtel's services can be used with any mobile phone without modification or software downloads. There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account. No monthly fees, no connection fees and no hidden costs. Anyone may make a free 10 minute call to test the service. Thereafter, customers only pay for the minutes they use. Smart Calls between the 47 counties served by Rebtel are always free and only one of the two