On March 3 I reported that the Pan Asian Community Alliance is sponsoring a half day conference at Pima Community College West campus: the 2011 Southern Arizona Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Conference (click here.) It will be on Sat. March 19, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Here’s a listing of some of the diverse, interesting workshops on health, immigration, culture, etc. for youth & adults.

You can get the registration form online at www.panasiancommunityalliance.org and still mail it in with your registration fee. And you don’t have to be an Asian American or Pacific Islander to attend, all are welcome.

SESSION “A” 9:00 to 9:50 a.m.

Workshop 1: Youth Track – “Get Involved!”
Learn how to become involved with your school, your community and your heritage through various public programs that will help you grow and give you much community service experience.
Presenter: Margaret Pasquet, TUSD Pan Asian Studies

Workshop 2: 2010 Census Computer Lab – Instructor led hands-on workshop looking at the 2010 Census findings, especially the AAPI distribution, and how that information can help schools, businesses, et al.
Presenter: Pamela Lucero, Denver Regional Census Center

Workshop 3: Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) Overview – Two graduates of this program talk about what is taught in the week long workshop, how it ties into our Asian roots, and how it helps individuals grow in their careers. Speakers reflect the engineering and university/college disciplines. LEAP brochures will be available for interested parties.
Presenters: Patricia Summers (Raytheon Company) and Daisy Rodriguez Pitel, Ph.D. (Pima Community College)

Workshop 4: Mixed Race – A popular 2009 workshop returning this year. The presenter will talk about how she and others grew up as mixed race children, how the experiences shaped her adult professional life, how to grow positively with the lessons learned, and how they integrate into society.
Presenter: M. Craig, Japan-America Society of Tucson

Workshop 5: Secrets of Successful Asians – This workshop will address one of the more recent controversies of “Tiger Moms” (and Dads) as discussed by Author Amy Chua. Successful local Asians nurtured by “Tiger Moms” will share their stories. Come learn and share your thoughts.
Presenters: Lily Sanford

SESSION “B” 10:00 to 10:50 am

Workshop 1: Youth Track – “Let’s Talk About Race!”
Insight on racism and anti-Asian sentiment as the youth see it in schools and in their close knit communities. Young attendees will be encouraged to talk about personal experiences; workshop will also look at some ways to resolve these type of problems
Presenter: Daisy Rodriguez Pitel Ph.D., Pima Community College

Workshop 2: 2010 Census Computer Lab – See write-up in Session A, Workshop 1

Workshop 3: Employment Tools Workshop – An overview about the job seeking process … the new trends of scannable resumes, dangers of social networks, age discrimination, making your resume “talk” about the exciting you, networking tips, and so much more. Workshop will touch on the important points. Follow up is encouraged. There will be handouts and a list of places where one can get free professional help. A concurrent Youth Employment Workshop will also be held.
Presenter: Bob Millner (Department of Employment Security)

Workshop 4: Asian Immigration – An overview of Asian immigration, why it differs from other US immigration policies, and a look at current day immigration activities of APIs. Follow up is encouraged. Handouts and points of contact will be available.
Presenter: Jennifer Huang J.D. and James Stoller J.D.

Workshop 5 (updated from website): “Paper Sons” is about the Chinese Exclusion Act, the “paper sons” and their detention at Angel island in the San Francisco Bay area. Dr. Gee presents the story of his father (and countless others) as part of the Chinese American immigration experience.
Presenter: Paul Gee, M.D.

SESSION “C” 11:00 to 11:50 am

Workshop 1: Youth Track – “Get a Job!”
Tools and tips to prepare one’s self to look for work; learn the importance of a good education and career planning, goal setting, the value of community service, how to network, the good and bad of social networks and more.
Presenter: Lily Sanford, LDS Employment Resources

Workshop 2: 2010 Census Computer Lab – See write-up In Session A, Workshop 1

Workshop 3: Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Issues – A distinguished professor from the University of Arizona will go over the issues of AAPI health…how language barriers, folk medicine, diet, lifestyles, professions, and distrust make it a very difficult group to educate and treat
Presenter: Howard W. Eng, Ph.D., Southern Arizona AAPI Health Coalition

Workshop 4: Generation GAPS – This highly interactive workshop will explore generational differences in a fun way and how they impact our relationships and opportunities at home, work, and in the community. Learn about your peers, your “elders”, your children, and siblings. Extremely fun workshop.
Presenter: Michael S. Bellotti, Linda Taylor, Eric Stapp

Workshop 5: Growing Up Asian – Best told by two examples of APIs who grew up in the United States….a Japanese woman brought up in Hawaii and an East Indian woman brought up in the northeast (Massachusetts).
Presenters: Carolyn Classen J.D. and Cheryl Biagini

Come listen to me relate what it was like to grow up Asian in a Hawaiian, multi-cultural world. And more importantly, attend this conference to listen & learn from the keynote speaker Rear Admiral Colin Chinn.

Conference sponsors are the Pan Asian Community Alliance, Raytheon, Pima Community College, Chinese American Citizens League.

Pima Community College, West Campus
2202 W. Anklam Road, Tucson 85709

Keynote speaker: Rear Admiral Colin G. Chinn, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy Director – Tricare Regional Office (West). Chinn is one of the highest ranking Asian Americans in the military. For bio/photo of Chinn, click here.

Workshops: special youth track, hands-on computer lab on the AAPI Census, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) overview, new AZ AAPI Health Coalition, immigration, anti-Asian sentiment, Growing up Asian, Mixed-race, more.

Registration fee $40 up to March 4, 2011, thereafter $50, and $10 for all students (middle, high school & college). Registration fee includes breakfast snack, workshops & lunch.

The purpose of the conference is to bring together community members, business owners, students, and employers to share common goals, life/work experiences, history and commitment ,and to power individuals to build a healthy & productive community.

The first Southern Arizona AAPI conference was held in April, 2009 at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, with financial guru Robert Kiyosaki as the keynote speaker.

Registration form online at Pan Asian Community Allliance (PACA), www.panasiancommuntyalliance.org , or call Dorothy Lew at 520-512-0144, or email info@panasiancommunityalliance.org.

Sponsored by Raytheon, PACA, and Pima Community College.

And Happy Girl’s Day today to all girls & women, which is part of my Japanese-American culture. Enjoy sushi.