Organization of Chinese Americans
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1973, the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) is a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific American
s in the United States. OCA aims to embrace the hopes and aspirations of nearly 12 million Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.
in Washington, D.C. and serves as the headquarters for OCA. The national office and staff monitor legislation and policy issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans. In addition, OCA is able to build national support and to work in coalition with other national groups around issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans.
OCA takes no collective position on the politics of any foreign country, but instead focuses on the welfare and civil rights of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.
To achieve these goals, OCA is engaged in organizing its 80 chapters and affiliates across the nation to develop both leadership and community involvement. OCA chapters and our organizational and college affiliates are establishing strong local programs in all parts of the country.
s across the United States into one representative voice. Interest and concern had been stirring in different pockets of the country since the late 1980s. The movement started to grow as numbers of the Chinese American communities began to rally together. Many OCA leaders deserve recognition. However, Kung-Lee (K.L.) Wang is one individual who was instrumental in the creation of OCA. There was a recognized need for a group to be a voice for Chinese Americans as the NAACP
and the JACL
were for their respective ethnic groups. While this vision of a united representative voice was shared with all founding members, more importantly, they decided to focus on Chinese American issues and concerns in the U.S., instead of the divisive issues concerning their "homeland."
With this vision and strong determination, in September 1971, K. L. Wang and others established the Chinese American Leadership Council, the precursor to OCA, in Washington, DC. K.L. Wang then personally traveled through many cities in the U.S. to promote a national advocacy organization for Chinese Americans. In November 1971, at the urging of K.L. Wang, Alex Mark chaired a steering committee to establish a national organization for Chinese Americans in Detroit. By February 1972, the Association of Chinese Americans was established and incorporated in Detroit, with Alex Mark as its first president.
A group of about 20 Chinese Americans in the St. Louis community gathered for their first meeting with K.L. Wang in late 1971. As a result, the League of Chinese Americans was formed in St. Louis in early 1972. Shortly thereafter, the bylaws were adopted and William Chang was elected its first president. On May 3, 1973, invitation letters to join OCA were signed by Alex Mark and K.L. Wang and sent to Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Washington, DC and other Chinese American communities. Pauline Tsui of Washington, DC, served as the convention committee chair. Anna Chennault was instrumental in recruiting support from Congress and the Administration.
The first National Convention was held on June 9, 1973, which became the official inception date of OCA. One hundred twelve delegates from across the nation attended the convention, in which the constitution, bylaws and the name of the organization were adopted. K.L. Wang was elected as its first national president. The Association of Chinese Americans in Detroit, while retaining its name, became a chapter. The original OCA in Washington, DC evolved as a distinct chapter with Harry Woo as its first president. The League of Chinese Americans in St. Louis also joined in becoming one of the three founding chapters of OCA.
circulated online in which she had the corners of her eyes pulled back, displaying a slant-eyed expression, while friends, including an Asian male, surrounding her posed in other manners. OCA was one of the first groups to respond to the photograph, by offering criticism and disapproval, hoping that "...Miley Cyrus will apologize to her fans and the APA community for this lapse in judgment and takes the opportunity to better understand why the gesture is offensive." A few days later Miley responded on her website defending her actions, saying that "in NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity!" OCA Executive Director George Wu responded to Miley's response, by adding that, "It's not a real apology. We’re not backing down without a fuller apology."
, Youtube
co-founder Steve Chen
, and Congressman Mike Honda
.
The 2010 OCA National Convention was held in Houston, Texas
on June 2010 with the theme of "Diverse Communities - United Commitment."
The 2011 OCA National Convention will be held in New York City
, New York
on August 4 - 7 2011 with the theme of "Advocacy Through Compassion - A New York State of Mind". . This year the convention will be honoring BD Wong, Tammy Duckworth
, and Dr. Bobby Fong.
, visits colleges and universities to conduct a college leadership training program for Asian Pacific American student leaders and activists. This unique training keeps in mind the viewpoints and experiences of APIAs and students of color. The program focuses on the development of leadership and organizational skills that are relevant to APA campuses and communities.
The interactive college leadership training program involves hands-on exercises, small group discussions, and presentations led by two qualified APIA facilitators. The one day training assembles 60 students from each region and focuses on self-awareness, team-building, and direct action organizing. Participants will be asked to challenge themselves, share their experiences, and develop leadership tools in order to effectively serve as catalysts for change.
s (particularly APIA affiliated organizations).
In the past, the summer program has offered interns the opportunity to participate in brown bag lunches on key issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans such as immigration reform and health care, and has included visits to congressional office buildings
, where interns meet with representatives, APA staffers, and members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
. Interns have also met with members of various government agencies
such as the United States Department of Justice
, the United States Department of Defense
, and even White House
staff members and directors to discuss issues concerning civil rights
and voting rights, especially as it pertains to the APIA community. In addition, summer interns have also assisted the OCA National staff and the host OCA chapter staff at the annual OCA National Convention.
The main internship placements are:
expand BAC engagement, best practices and mentoring; and leverage venue for corporate employee resource group.
It was recently launched in the Fall of 2009.
Asian Pacific American
Asian-Pacific American or Asian-Pacific Islander is a term sometimes used in the United States to include both Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans....
s in the United States. OCA aims to embrace the hopes and aspirations of nearly 12 million Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.
Organization
The OCA National Center is located in Dupont CircleDupont Circle
Dupont Circle is a traffic circle, park, neighborhood, and historic district in Northwest Washington, D.C. The traffic circle is located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue NW, Connecticut Avenue NW, New Hampshire Avenue NW, P Street NW, and 19th Street NW...
in Washington, D.C. and serves as the headquarters for OCA. The national office and staff monitor legislation and policy issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans. In addition, OCA is able to build national support and to work in coalition with other national groups around issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans.
OCA takes no collective position on the politics of any foreign country, but instead focuses on the welfare and civil rights of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.
Goals
The goals of OCA are to:- Advocate for social justice, equal opportunity and fair treatment;
- Promote civic participation, education, and leadership;
- Advance coalitions and community building; and
- Foster cultural heritage.
To achieve these goals, OCA is engaged in organizing its 80 chapters and affiliates across the nation to develop both leadership and community involvement. OCA chapters and our organizational and college affiliates are establishing strong local programs in all parts of the country.
History
In 1973, OCA catalyzed into being with the vision of uniting Chinese AmericanChinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
s across the United States into one representative voice. Interest and concern had been stirring in different pockets of the country since the late 1980s. The movement started to grow as numbers of the Chinese American communities began to rally together. Many OCA leaders deserve recognition. However, Kung-Lee (K.L.) Wang is one individual who was instrumental in the creation of OCA. There was a recognized need for a group to be a voice for Chinese Americans as the NAACP
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
and the JACL
Japanese American Citizens League
The was formed in 1929 to protect the rights of Japanese Americans from the state and federal governments. It fought for civil rights for Japanese Americans, assisted those in internment camps during World War II, and led a successful campaign for redress for internment from the U.S...
were for their respective ethnic groups. While this vision of a united representative voice was shared with all founding members, more importantly, they decided to focus on Chinese American issues and concerns in the U.S., instead of the divisive issues concerning their "homeland."
With this vision and strong determination, in September 1971, K. L. Wang and others established the Chinese American Leadership Council, the precursor to OCA, in Washington, DC. K.L. Wang then personally traveled through many cities in the U.S. to promote a national advocacy organization for Chinese Americans. In November 1971, at the urging of K.L. Wang, Alex Mark chaired a steering committee to establish a national organization for Chinese Americans in Detroit. By February 1972, the Association of Chinese Americans was established and incorporated in Detroit, with Alex Mark as its first president.
A group of about 20 Chinese Americans in the St. Louis community gathered for their first meeting with K.L. Wang in late 1971. As a result, the League of Chinese Americans was formed in St. Louis in early 1972. Shortly thereafter, the bylaws were adopted and William Chang was elected its first president. On May 3, 1973, invitation letters to join OCA were signed by Alex Mark and K.L. Wang and sent to Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Washington, DC and other Chinese American communities. Pauline Tsui of Washington, DC, served as the convention committee chair. Anna Chennault was instrumental in recruiting support from Congress and the Administration.
The first National Convention was held on June 9, 1973, which became the official inception date of OCA. One hundred twelve delegates from across the nation attended the convention, in which the constitution, bylaws and the name of the organization were adopted. K.L. Wang was elected as its first national president. The Association of Chinese Americans in Detroit, while retaining its name, became a chapter. The original OCA in Washington, DC evolved as a distinct chapter with Harry Woo as its first president. The League of Chinese Americans in St. Louis also joined in becoming one of the three founding chapters of OCA.
Chapters
OCA has over 50 chapters across the United States. Each chapter develops its own outreach programs ranging conducting educational seminars and operating Chinese language schools to spearheading voter registration drives. OCA chapters address a number of issues including inaccurate media portrayals of APAs, failed employment practices, hate crimes, and educational access.2009: Miley Cyrus Incident
In early 2009, a photograph of Miley CyrusMiley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
circulated online in which she had the corners of her eyes pulled back, displaying a slant-eyed expression, while friends, including an Asian male, surrounding her posed in other manners. OCA was one of the first groups to respond to the photograph, by offering criticism and disapproval, hoping that "...Miley Cyrus will apologize to her fans and the APA community for this lapse in judgment and takes the opportunity to better understand why the gesture is offensive." A few days later Miley responded on her website defending her actions, saying that "in NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity!" OCA Executive Director George Wu responded to Miley's response, by adding that, "It's not a real apology. We’re not backing down without a fuller apology."
National Convention
OCA annually holds the largest conference completely dedicated to APA issues every year and has done so since 1973. At convention, unsung heroes of the APA community are recognized, in addition to summer interns, exemplary local chapters, sponsors, and current individuals making a difference in the APA community. Past recognized individuals and speakers have included former Secretary of Labor Elaine ChaoElaine Chao
Elaine Lan Chao served as the 24th United States Secretary of Labor in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. She was the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Chinese American to be appointed to a President's cabinet in American history. Chao was the only cabinet...
, Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
co-founder Steve Chen
Steve Chen (YouTube)
Steven Shih "Steve" Chen is a Chinese Taiwanese American and a co-founder and previous Chief Technology Officer of the popular video sharing website YouTube.- Early years and education :...
, and Congressman Mike Honda
Mike Honda
Michael Makoto "Mike" Honda is an American Democratic Party politician. He currently serves as the U.S. Representative for , encompassing western San Jose and Silicon Valley...
.
The 2010 OCA National Convention was held in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on June 2010 with the theme of "Diverse Communities - United Commitment."
The 2011 OCA National Convention will be held in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on August 4 - 7 2011 with the theme of "Advocacy Through Compassion - A New York State of Mind". . This year the convention will be honoring BD Wong, Tammy Duckworth
Tammy Duckworth
Ladda Tammy Duckworth was formerly Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and formerly the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former U.S...
, and Dr. Bobby Fong.
APIA U: Leadership 101
Every Fall and Spring semester OCA, with the sponsorship of State FarmState farm
State farm can refer to:*Sovkhoz, a type of state-owned farm in the Soviet Union*Volkseigenes Gut, a type of state-owned farm in East Germany*Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne, a type of state-owned farm in People's Republic of Poland...
, visits colleges and universities to conduct a college leadership training program for Asian Pacific American student leaders and activists. This unique training keeps in mind the viewpoints and experiences of APIAs and students of color. The program focuses on the development of leadership and organizational skills that are relevant to APA campuses and communities.
The interactive college leadership training program involves hands-on exercises, small group discussions, and presentations led by two qualified APIA facilitators. The one day training assembles 60 students from each region and focuses on self-awareness, team-building, and direct action organizing. Participants will be asked to challenge themselves, share their experiences, and develop leadership tools in order to effectively serve as catalysts for change.
OCA Internship Program
The OCA internship program was first established in 1989 and has been a flagship component of OCA's involvement with college youth. The internship program enables college interns to learn firsthand about national issues and policies that affect Asian Pacific Americans in Washington, DC. In particular, the competitive summer program is known for attracting the best and brightest college students, as it is a 10 week long program that places interns on Capitol Hill, at federal agencies, or at non-profit organizationNon-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s (particularly APIA affiliated organizations).
In the past, the summer program has offered interns the opportunity to participate in brown bag lunches on key issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans such as immigration reform and health care, and has included visits to congressional office buildings
Congressional office buildings
The congressional office buildings are the office buildings used by the United States Congress to augment the limited space in the United States Capitol. The congressional office buildings are part of the Capitol Complex are thus under the authority of the Architect of the Capitol and protected by...
, where interns meet with representatives, APA staffers, and members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus founded on May 16, 1994, by former Congressman Norman Mineta, is a bicameral caucus consisting of members of the United States Congress who have a strong interest in promoting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders issues and advocating the concerns of...
. Interns have also met with members of various government agencies
United States Federal Executive Departments
The United States federal executive departments are among the oldest primary units of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States—the Departments of State, War, and the Treasury all being established within a few weeks of each other in 1789.Federal executive...
such as the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, and even White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
staff members and directors to discuss issues concerning civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
and voting rights, especially as it pertains to the APIA community. In addition, summer interns have also assisted the OCA National staff and the host OCA chapter staff at the annual OCA National Convention.
The main internship placements are:
- The OCA National Office (Summer, Fall, Winter & Spring)
- Capitol Hill (Summer only)
- Federal Agencies (Summer only)
- Non-Profits (Summer only)
Scholarships
For over 10 years, OCA has provided assistance to deserving APA students achieve the ultimate dream of a college education. OCA partners with UPS, Verizon, and the AXA Foundation to offer a diverse group of scholarships based on the criteria of achievement and financial need.College Affiliate Program (CAP)
OCA recognizes the need to support college student organizations and their communities, as they are the next wave of APIA leaders. In carrying out its mission, OCA has established the College Affiliate Program (CAP) to help provide foundations for networking, coalition building and activism in Asian Pacific America.Bamboo: Aspiring APA Professionals Program
This program aims to provide relevant professional development, peer networking and mentoring to aspiring APA professionals;expand BAC engagement, best practices and mentoring; and leverage venue for corporate employee resource group.
It was recently launched in the Fall of 2009.
A Portrait of Chinese Americans
In 2009, OCA and the Asian American Studies Program of the University of Maryland at College Park (UMCP) through a unique national nonprofit-academic partnership, present A Portrait of Chinese Americans. The portrait provides a 64-page, full color portrayal and analyzes the latest statistics, charts, tables, and maps about the diversity of Chinese Americans. The top eight Chinese American metropolitan areas have profiles that include voices from these communities, maps showing Chinese American concentrations from 1970 to 2000, and future projections of Asian Americans in year 2012.APIA Scholarship, Internship, and Fellowship Directory
In July 2009, OCA, in collaboration with the JACL, State Farm, and the Asian American Studies Program of UMCP, launched the 2009-2011 National Directory of Scholarships, Internships, and Fellowships for Asian American and Pacific Islander Students. The Directory provided a 140-page, full-color description of the mission, criteria, award amount, period, application deadline, and contact information of each scholarship, internship, and fellowship for Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Following the scholarship directory is an introduction to resources and tips for college students. The directory can also be obtained online at UMCP's Asian American Studies Program website.Notable members
- Helen ZiaHelen ZiaHelen Zia is an American journalist and scholar who has covered Asian American communities and social and political movements for decades.-Life and career:...
, Asian American scholar and civil rights activist - Judy ChuJudy ChuJudy May Chu, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
, Congresswoman of California's 32nd congressional districtCalifornia's 32nd congressional districtCalifornia's 32nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Los Angeles County. The district covers East Los Angeles and includes El Monte, Monterey Park and West Covina in Greater Los Angeles.... - Mike HondaMike HondaMichael Makoto "Mike" Honda is an American Democratic Party politician. He currently serves as the U.S. Representative for , encompassing western San Jose and Silicon Valley...
, Congressman of California's 15th congressional districtCalifornia's 15th congressional districtCalifornia's 15th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Santa Clara County west of San Jose and includes the cities of Los Gatos and Cupertino in Silicon Valley... - Christina Hsu, The Amazing RaceThe Amazing Race (U.S. TV series)The Amazing Race is an American reality game show in which teams of two or four race around the world against other teams, with the first-place team winning $1,000,000. As the original version of the Amazing Race franchise, the CBS program has been running since 2001 and is airing its nineteenth...
Season 12 and Season 18 contestant, 2000 OCA Summer Intern