How Not to Welcome a Brown Person

I was at a recent convening of middle-class, well-educated liberals. This being a Washington, DC area group, it was predominantly White, with a spattering of African Americans, a couple of Latinos, and one Asian. Me. Now this is a pretty welcoming organization and they do try hard to promote diversity. One woman, however, simply went overboard and ended up alienating the very people she set out to embrace.

During lunch, I found myself the only person of color at a table. The woman, who looked like she’s been fighting the system since Woodstock, took a chair close to me. Then, with the smug look of a child who was about to show off what she just perfected, addressed me in Spanish. Flabbergasted, all I could muster was “I’m not Latino, I’m Asian.” Without any sign of embarrassment or remorse, she pointed to my name tag. “But your last name is Spanish.”

So, let me get this straight. Just because I’m Brown, appear Latino to you, and have a Spanish last name, then I must be Hispanic? And English has got to be my second language?

Sensing that I was about to burst into an angry Asian man, I decided to join my African American friends at another table. They readily empathized and insisted that I finish my meal with them. One White person got enraged on my behalf and said I should I have called the woman out. The other White people at the table had interesting responses. Most changed the topic immediately and talked among themselves. The silver-haired man next to me, decked in head to toe Georgetown pastel prep, got paler and stiffer. He excused himself as soon as he could.

Over breakfast the next day, I recounted what happened to actual Latinos. One said, “yeah, I get that a lot,” in fluent English. The other said, “it’s just as bad as being asked ‘where are you from?‘” This led to an attempt at explaining to our White friends why all this bothered us. I’m not sure if any of  them really got what we were trying to say. Before long, they were back to their comfortable and polite conversations. The three people of color were left to commiserate among themselves in this very White and very liberal space.

But not to fret, the group is really trying hard to attract more of the minority du jour, Latinos. It’s official policy.

Reposted on the Huffington Post.

“Most Important Legislation for Immigrant[s]” in 2012 Vetoed

September 28, 2012; Source: CNN

Late last night, California Gov. Jerry Brown had the opportunity to sign the TRUST Act but he opted to veto it instead. The bill was seen as the antithesis of Arizona’s approach to illegal immigration. A federal judge gave Arizona law enforcement officials the green light to ask individuals whom they suspect of being in the country illegally for their papers. The controversial provision, which critics view as essentially sanctioning racial profiling in Arizona, was one of the only aspects of the state’s hardcore immigration law that was not overturned by the Supreme Court in June. In contrast, the California law would have limited the ability of local law enforcement officials to cooperate with federal officials, allowing them to share information only on those undocumented immigrants who are convicted of major or violent felonies.

In a letter explaining his decision, Brown said he was “unable to sign the bill as written,” pointing out that “the list of offenses codified in the bill is fatally flawed because it omits many serious crimes.” Prior to Brown’s veto, Jose Antonio Vargas, the award-winning immigrant journalist who gained notoriety when he admitted to not having papers himself, penned an op-ed extolling California’s TRUST Act as a better way for states to deal with undocumented immigrants. He characterized the bill as “the most important piece of legislation for immigrant communities this year,” arguing that signing the bill into law “can prevent the separation of thousands of families, establish an alternative to Arizona’s approach and send a powerful message to the nation: In a state built and replenished by generations of immigrants, fairness and equality matter.”

While Gov. Brown chose to veto the TRUST Act as currently written, he did not slam the door shut on the bill. Brown ended his statement by stating that “the significant flaws in this bill can be fixed, and I will work with Legislature to see that the bill is corrected.” We hope he does so, as the TRUST Act would, as its name suggests, foster trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement officials. It would have freed the latter to focus on crime prevention and safety. It would have made California a more welcoming place for immigrants who have been integral to its past and who are vital to its future.

Ultimately, however, state-by-state measures are a poor substitute for Congress tackling the issue of unauthorized immigration on the federal level. Nonprofit advocacy organizations should encourage (or continue to encourage, in some cases) our federal lawmakers to produce comprehensive immigration legislation that includes a fair and reasonable path to legalizing the status of millions of people who live and work in the U.S. without papers.

Originally posted on Nonprofit Quarterly Nonprofit Newswire, October 1, 2012.

Political Endorsement Reveals Rift in Filipino Community

September 15, 2012; Source: Boston Globe

Last week, the Filipino American Families of America in Politics (FAFAP), a new group in the Filipino-American stronghold of Nevada, endorsed Republican U.S. senatorial candidate Dean Heller and in the process revealed fissures in the Filipino community.

Some Filipinos have protested Heller’s endorsement, arguing that FAFAP does not represent the community. Democratic challenger Rep. Shelley Berkley’s campaign said Heller’s camp is exaggerating FAPAP’s size and importance.

As their numbers increase in Nevada, Filipinos and Asians in general have been courted by both political parties, which compete for increasingly narrow margins. Since 2000, the Asian community has grown 116 percent in Nevada and Asian American and Pacific Islanders now count for 8.4 percent of the state’s population.

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations, citing U.S. Census figures, reports that of the more than 3.4 million Americans of Filipino descent in the U.S., close to 100,000 call Nevada home.

Luke Perry and Ceasar Elpidio, founders of FAPAP, ignored criticism and were not concerned about the possible rift they are causing within the Filipino community. They argue Heller has been a staunch advocate for World War II Filipino American veterans and their families. The issue of proper compensation and recognition for the veterans’ military service is a crucial one for Filipino Americans.

It remains to be seen if FAPAP will be able to deliver the Filipino vote to Heller and the Republican Party. Filipino Americans, like other Asians, tend to lean Democratic.

Originally posted Nonprofit Quarterly Nonprofit Newswire, September 18, 2012. Also on the Huffington Post, September 19, 2012.

Asian American Groups Decry Gurudwara Attack

 

The terrorist attack on a Sikh temple in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek Sunday sent shockwaves throughout the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

“A crime like this should be condemned, regardless of what ethnic or religious group is targeted,” said Sapreet Kaur, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition. “The shooting is no less or more reprehensible if it was directed against Americans attending a mosque, synagogue, or church. This type of attack is not an attack on one community; it’s an attack on us all.”

“As our nation still struggles to comprehend what happened and we continue to support the victims and their families it’s important to send a clear and unified message to those who attempt to divide us with these senseless acts of violence,” he added. “We will not be divided, we will find hope in a moment of great tragedy, and we will move forward in the belief that freedom of religion remains a fundamental tenet of our great democracy.”

The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), a coalition of 31 national Asian Pacific American organizations, including the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), released a statement expressing its deepest condolences to the victims and their families and condemning the shooting which left seven dead, including the alleged White Supremacist attacker.

“For centuries, Asian Pacific Americans, including Sikhs, have made their homes in the United States,” said Deepa Iyer, Chairperson of NCAPA and Executive Director of SAALT. “Yet incidents such as this one remind us of the need for greater understanding surrounding our diverse communities.”

Sikhs have been in the United States for over 100 years with an estimated population of 500,000. But they have always been singled out, especially after the September 11 attacks.

“It is important to note that this is only one of a growing number of incidents of violence that Sikhs have experienced in recent years,” said Kaur. NPR reports that the Sikh coalition has received more than 700 requests for legal assistance from Sikhs asking for help with such cases as hate crimes, employment discrimination and school bullying.

“As we continue to struggle with what happened and support victims and their families, we hope America will be as outraged as we are and urge leaders to take steps to do more to prevent these crimes, promote tolerance and protect the rights of all people,” Kaur said.

The Sikh Coalition, in collaboration with local Sikh leaders and partner Sikh organizations, will be holding interfaith vigils across the country on the evening of Wednesday, August 8, in an effort to coordinate a nationwide invitation to a remembrance for the victims and their families. The coalition has also partnered with other leading organizations on the ground in Milwaukee to raise funds for the families of the victims and those who were seriously injured in the shooting.

Originally posted on the Huffington Post, August 8, 2012.

If You Have the Opportunity and Means to Become a U.S. Citizen, Take It

On July 4, President Obama delivered remarks at anaturalization ceremony for active duty service members, immigrants from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The President was right in saying that these ceremonies – held from Monticello in Virginia to the Seattle Center in Washington – are “a perfect way to celebrate America’s birthday.”

“With this ceremony today — and ceremonies like it across our country — we affirm another truth:  Our American journey, our success, would simply not be possible without the generations of immigrants who have come to our shores from every corner of the globe,” Mr. Obama said. “We say it so often, we sometimes forget what it means — we are a nation of immigrants.  Unless you are one of the first Americans, a Native American, we are all descended from folks who came from someplace else — whether they arrived on the Mayflower or on a slave ship, whether they came through Ellis Island or crossed the Rio Grande.”

The Office of Immigration Statistics reports that last year 694,193 individuals became citizens. While that might seem like an impressive number, 8.1 million legal permanent residents were eligible to naturalize in 2010. Why didn’t more immigrants naturalize? Why do so many choose not to become U.S. citizens?

For one thing, the $680.00 total cost for fees is prohibitive and the entire process intimidating. Some experts also cite limited English skills, lower education levels and lower income levels as barriers to naturalization.

But there are others who face no such barriers and have opted not to naturalize, dodging any responsibilities to a country they are reaping from. I personally know of a few who simply could not be bothered. These are folks who have been here for many years, with no intent of returning to their homelands any time soon.

On the flip side of the coin, there are millions of immigrants who want nothing more than to become full-fledged members of our society, particularly the undocumented youth and other unauthorized immigrants who consider America their home but are not eligible thanks to our broken immigration system.

The act of naturalization not only confers the rights and benefits of citizenship, it is also a ceremony in which immigrants commit to the responsibilities that come with the privilege of being an American. Choosing to become a U.S. citizen brings obligations such as voting, paying taxes, and when necessary, fighting for our country. The President saluted the new Americans for being “willing to work hard, play by the rules, and meet their responsibilities,” just like generations of immigrants before them.

If you have the opportunity and means to become a U.S. citizen, take it. It’s your responsibility as an individual to join generations of other immigrants who have committed to their adopted homeland and made it great.

Originally posted on Feet in 2 Worlds, July 6, 2012.

Second National Latino Organization Backs Gay Marriage

June 30, 2012; Source: The Village Voice

The League of United Latino American Citizens (LULAC) passed a resolution in support of equal marriage rights for same-gender couples at their 83rd annual convention Saturday. LULAC becomes the second national Latino organization to endorse marriage equality. The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) issued a similar resolution earlier in June.

“Today the LULAC national membership reaffirmed its commitment to equality for all by voting in favor of marriage equality,” Jesse Garcia, LULAC member and co-founder of the organization’s first LGBT Council, said in a statement. “LULAC stands with great Latino leaders like Dolores Huerta, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis who believe discrimination of same-sex couples should not be tolerated. This is a historic day for LGBT Latinos everywhere, plus this vote is another bond that reaffirms the partnership between the LGBT and Hispanic communities.”

The statement released by the group also affirms its support of President Obama’s statement in favor of marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples.

“Since its inception, LULAC has fought for the equality of minorities,” said Brent Wilkes, LULAC Executive Director. “All individuals, regardless of their race, ethnicity, country of origin or sexual orientation, deserve equal rights. Everyone should be granted the freedom to marry their partner be protected under the same laws that are established for heterosexual couples.”

The LULAC meeting drew over 20,000 participants from all over the country including top leaders from government, business, and the Hispanic community. LULAC and NCLR’s unabashed support of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people flies in the face of claims that Latinos are homophobic and against the LGBT community.

Originally posted on Nonprofit Quarterly’s Nonprofit Newswire, July 3, 2012.

Landmark Gathering of Filipino-American Leaders in D.C.

Filipino-American leaders from across the country convened for a series of meetings in Washington, D.C. Friday.

The landmark gathering began with the first-ever White House briefing for the Filipino-American community. Participants heard from goverment officials about what the Obama administration has accomplished on issues of importance to the Filipino American community. Representatives from various federal agencies, including the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Homeland Security, and the Small Business Administration spoke at the event.

The briefing was followed by panel discussions on the state and future of the Filipino community, and culminated with the celebration of Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) a solid ally who retires after 36 years of service in Congress.

The series of events was organized by a group of Filipinos in government, advocacy, and research in tandem with Kaya DC. The organizers sought to mobilize participants and raise the visibility and influence of the second largest Asian group in the United States.

Filipinos have been in the U.S. since the 18th century but have remained mostly invisible at the highest levels of government, commerce, the military, and civil society. This gathering marks a new beginning for the next generation of Filipino-Americans who aspire to make a difference and be known not only as world-class singers or boxers but as national leaders.

Originally posted on the Huffington Post, June 26, 2012.

Pew: Reprieve for Undocumented Youth Could Impact as Many as 1.4 Million

June 15, 2012; Source: Feet in 2 Worlds

President Obama acted on behalf of undocumented youth because “it is the right thing to do,” he said, during a press briefing at the White House Rose Garden on Friday. “It makes no sense to expel talented young people, who, for all intents and purposes, are Americans,” Obama said of U.S. policy towards those sometimes referred to as DREAMers (due to their desire to see the DREAM Act passed). “They’ve been raised as Americans \[and] understand themselves to be part of this country. It makes no sense…to expel these young people who want to staff our labs, or start new businesses, or defend our country, simply because of the actions of their parents—or because of the inaction of politicians.” This major immigration policy shift could affect up to 1.4 million children and young adults, based on Pew Hispanic Center estimates.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano acted on the president’s call for a “deferred action directive” and issued a memorandum explaining how prosecutorial discretion will be used. Individuals under 30 years of age can benefit from this directive if they can prove: that they were brought into the country when they were younger than 16; that they have been living here for at least five years; and that they are currently in school, or have graduated from high school or obtained a GED certificate. Also, those who were or are honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Coast Guard or Armed Forces and have no criminal record or pose no threat to national security or public safety could also be covered by the reprieve.

The president made it clear that “this is not amnesty [and] this is not immunity. This is not a path to citizenship. It’s not a permanent fix. This is a temporary stopgap measure that lets us focus our resources wisely while giving a degree of relief and hope to talented, driven, patriotic young people.”

There is no reason to doubt that his feeling that “it is the right thing to do” drove the president’s decision However, Obama was also spurred by relentless pressure from the DREAMers themselves and their advocates, including very vocal advocates within the Democratic Party. This was also a brilliant political move that took the DREAM Act discourse back from Marco Rubio and the GOP, likely locking in the Latino vote and cornering Mitt Romney, who has yet to say whether he would rescind this reprieve or not if he wins the presidential election.

Originally posted on Nonprofit Quarterly Nonprofit Newswire, June 18, 2012.

First Lady Discusses Gay Marriage

June 1, 2012; Source: The Advocate

In a video released by the White House, Michelle Obama responded to Twitter questions sent her way. Topics ranged from how to best mobilize a community to who the First Lady admires most. Another tweet read, “Please tell us about your family discussions about marriage equality and thank President Obama for his support.” In response, the First Lady says she supports the freedom to marry because it is consistent with traditional values she and the president are trying to impress in their daughters.

In a YouTube video response, the First Lady said, “For Barack and me, it really comes down to the values of fairness and equality that we want to pass down to our girls…I mean, these are basic values that kids learn at a very young age and that we encourage them to apply in all areas of their lives. And in a country where we teach our children that everyone is equal under the law, discriminating against same-sex couples just isn’t right. So it’s as simple as that. … We’re proud to have your support.” You can watch the full video response here:

This is no doubt the Obama re-election campaign is sending their best spokesperson forth here. After all, Michelle Obama is one of the most popular people in the United States, enjoying a 66 percent favorability rating. The Obama team needs to fire up the troops in what is expected to be an extremely tight race. Endorsing same-gender marriage, they hope, will re-energize the Democratic base. They are also banking on winning the support of Americans who believe in the fair and equal treatment of all. Just last month, the president announced his full support of marriage equality.

Originally posted on Nonprofit Quarterly Nonprofit Newswire, June 5, 2012.

The Sheer Meanness of Amendment 1

Next week, North Carolinians will vote on a measure that will define marriage in the state constitution as between one man and one woman. It is no secret that the authors of the amendment are singling out loving and committed gay couples who are already not allowed to legally wed in North Carolina.

My husband, who is the rector of an Episcopal congregation and a native North Carolinian, writes about Amendment 1 in our church bulletin:

All Souls Weekly                 

Volume 5, Number 24, May 6, 2012

Married Life

Though June is traditionally the month for marriage, it seems as though I am officiating and speaking to people more about marriage in the month of May.  As with teaching a class or preaching a sermon, I always find that when I’m offering counsel to a couple, I end up learning more than I could ever possibly impart or extend.

It so happens that I am talking and praying with couples about marriage at the same time that politicians are also talking a lot about marriage.  On May 8, North Carolina will vote on a proposed amendment defining marriage in the state constitution as between one man and one woman, and would ban any other type of “domestic legal union” such as civil unions and domestic partnerships.  Since same-sex marriage is already illegal in the state of North Carolina, this simply underscores and puts it in the constitution.  To me, not only does it seem bizarre (Is this really what state lawmakers need to be spending their time on?), but it also just seems mean-spirited.  I wonder about the married lives of the people who would craft and support such laws: is there any love in their marriage?  Does marriage for some require so much energy, effort, and work that there is no more love left over?  If so, this would be unfortunate and un-Biblical.

Marriage is about “love left over.”  It is never just about two people.  Jesus performs his first miracle at the wedding at Cana, but he does so not to point to marriage in any particular way.  He performs a miracle of abundance to illustrate the overflowing, uncontrollable, and unpredictable love of God.  The miracle at Cana is consistent with the parables Jesus tells about the kingdom of God—that wherever God’s love is let loose, we had better look out, because anything is liable to happen.  Mustard seeds grow into giant trees.  Mountains are moved.  Bread is made to feed multitudes. And one person falls in love with another, hoping to share that love with others.

When it comes to dim-witted and mean-spirited politicians, I am trying to follow the words of Jesus and pray for my enemies.  When it comes to marriage, I will continue to encourage, bless, and try to live the kind of marriage that creates overflowing love, love that imitates and reflects the ever-reaching love of God.  John Beddingfield