On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation (ACLF) I want to thank you all for your continued support of the organization. ACLF is beginning its 13th year of training and supporting the leadership of Asian Pacific Islanders with a commitment to social justice, community empowerment and public service.

Last year our 12^th Community Leaders Program (CLP) class came together from a diverse range of ages, cultures, backgrounds, and education levels to complete a group project to help the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) create an arts revitalization strategy by researching city models, identifying stakeholders, analyzing the current environment or trends for arts/culture funding and conducting surveys, interviews and focus groups. The CLP class’ experience culminated in the Graduation Dinner and Auction on Oct. 29, 2011. The event drew more than 200 people to recognize and celebrate these new leaders in the community.

Also in 2011, alumni from ACLF’s 2010 CLP class hosted the first Family Breakfast at the Nisei Veterans Clubhouse. The event was an opportunity to reconnect with ACLF alumni and supporters and showcase what ACLF does for the community. The breakfast was also a very successful fundraising event that we plan to host again this spring so watch for a save the date in the coming weeks.

Last year we also welcomed Office Manager/Program Coordinator Bao Nguyen. While the board is responsible for keeping its eyes on the big picture and supporting ACLF’s work committees, Bao will be handling the day-to-day operations of ACLF and coordinating the Community Leaders Program.

The ACLF Board and staff are committed to continuing the legacy of our founders and continuing the organization’s mission to promote social, economic and political justice by training and supporting a strong, sustainable community of civically engaged leaders that reflect the diversity of local Asians and Pacific Islanders. We are able to do this because of support from the community. Thank you again for your support. It’s because of you that we are a strong, thriving organization going on 13 years.

If you would like to learn more about ACLF or to donate please visit our website at www.aclfnorthwest.org.

Please feel free to contact me at craig.kanaya@gmail.com or Bao at baon@aclfnorthwest.org with any questions.

Best regards,

Craig Kanaya

ACLF 2012 Board President

OLYMPIA – The Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) and the Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation (ACLF) are pleased to announce the selection of the 2012 Fellow, Micah Bateman-Iino.

Micah Bateman-Iino is a recent graduate from the University of Washington (UW) where he was active in several Asian American and Pacific Islander community groups and projects. He is a 4th generation Japanese American from Shoreline, Washington. While in school, Micah worked with underprivileged high school students at the UW Dream Project and in bone marrow donor registration drives targeting Asian Pacific Islander donors. Most recently, Micah interned for the American Cultural Exchange Service. He plans to attend law school in Fall 2012.

Micah graduated with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.

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Attend our Information Sessions to learn more about ACLF and the CLP!

CLP Info Sessions

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 – 6 – 7:30 PM

611 South Lane St Seattle, WA 98104

Please RSVP to Bao Nguyen at baon@aclfnorthwest.org

Nicole Keenan has a wide variety of experiences with the common theme of using creative methods to build community and connection between people. Nicole believes that the arts can inspire people to take action, and is a fan of Theater of the Oppressed. Currently she is the organizer for the Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters. Prior to joining WEC and WCV, Nicole was the Outreach Manager at the Washington Bus where she built the volunteer committee structure and coordinated Candidate Survivor. Nicole has her MSW from the University of Washington where she was an ethnographic research assistant looking at how low income families interface with the earned income tax credit.  She is also a musician, playing keyboards for her current band Lucy Bland.  From 2006 – 2008 she played keyboards for Le Loup, NPR’s #1 unknown band of 2007.

At the dinner we celebrated the accomplishments of 14 emerging API leaders who successfully completed our Community Leaders Program.  These leaders spent the past six months learning essential skills such as community organizing, policy advocacy, environmental justice, and many others.  They applied their knowledge to help the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority solve real life challenges facing the local community.  We are confident that, wherever they go from here, all of them will continue applying their ACLF experience to expand their work and service toward the API community.

ACLF also awarded Quang Nguyen (CLP 2004) the Alumni  Achievement Award and presented Vera and Joey Ing with the Kip Tokuda Award.  These three figures have made important contributions to the API community and have been strong allies of ACLF.

Thank you again for your commitment and support of ACLF.

Click here to see more pictures from the event.

To learn more about what CLP 2011 did this year, please check out the links below.

Click here to view the Graduation Video made by the CLP 2011.

Click here to view the 2011 Project Report.

“This program will cultivate young leaders of today and tomorrow and I’m proud that the agency will be able to provide an opportunity allowing students to access the field of government,” said Kendee Yamaguchi, Executive Director of the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. “I want to commend all who apply for their desire to help through public service to forge a stronger future for Asian Pacific Americans in our state.”

In addition to normal office duties, the Fellow will supplement their learning experience by attending committee hearings during the legislative session and statewide community events. Fellows also have the opportunity to shadow an Asian Pacific American legislator.

“ACLF is proud to partner with CAPAA on this unique opportunity to develop and support new leaders in the Asian Pacific Islander community,” said Craig Kanaya, 2012 ACLF Board of Directors President.  ”The skills these new leaders learn and relationships they develop during their fellowship will help them positively impact our community for years to come.”

The 2012 Fellowship program begins in January, and application review begins December 1; priority given to applications received by December 15; after December 15th, applications are considered on a space-available basis. Fellows will be placed in the agency’s Olympia office.

More information on the CAPAA ACLF Fellowship Program, including application instructions, can be found at www.capaa.wa.gov and www.aclfnorthwest.org or by contacting our offices at 360.725.5667 (CAPAA) or 206.625.3850 (ACLF).

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Click here for fellowship description and application form.

Watch Here

About the Honoree: 
Quang is the Economic Development Specialist at Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda). Since graduating from the Community Leaders Program in 2004, Quang has been a driving force to help spur small business and economic development in the community while preserving the character, people, and history of the neighborhood we all love so much. He was recently named a Commissioner at the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and was instrumental in working with ACLF to develop its group project with SCIDpda.

Quang, front and center, with the CLP class of 2004 at the opening retreat.

About the Alumni Achievement Award

The Alumni Achievement Award recognizes an outstanding Community Leaders Program (CLP) alumni and their achievements and contributions to social justice in the Asian Pacific Islander (API), People of Color (POC) and/or at-large community since graduating from the program.

• Exemplifies the values and mission of ACLF including the perpetuation of leadership and civic engagement of API leaders with a strong commitment to social justice, community empowerment and public service.
• Demonstrated significant contributions, advancements and visibility in the API, POC and/or at-large community through their activism, workplace, volunteerism, board and/or committee service.
• Service and/or contribution to ACLF since graduating – may include board and committee service, volunteerism, mentoring, donation of expertise or some other form of contribution.

Please join us in celebrating Quang’s achievements and those of the 2011 CLP class at the 12^th Annual ACLF Graduation Dinner on October 29^th.  For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit aclfnorthwest.org/dinner/.