Sunday, September 27, 2009

Welcome Week Festivities!

Hey all! It's a brand new year and VSU is ready to get the wheel rolling with our welcome week events!

Tuesday 10/6
We Run L.A.
a night out on the town with VSU, so useeLA.
6PM at De Neve Turnaround

Wednesday 10/7
General Meeting
see what VSU's all about, free food, free spirits
6PM TBA

Thursday 10/8
VSU Kickback
more FREE FOOD and good times with good company
6PM at De Neve Turnaround

Friday 10/9
TGIPho
what the pho?! come make some wonder-PHO memories with us.
6PM at De Neve Turnaround


Please RSVP with Michelle:
ph: 909-499-9959
email: trangxnguyen90@gmail.com

or Justin:
ph: 626-487-7237
email: justinsamtran@gmail.com

VSU's Webmaster,
Webkipunji, Steven

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Asian American Journalists Association- Los Angeles 2009 Journalism Scholarships

Need some extra cash to make it through the current school year? Apply for a Stimulus Scholarship from the Los Angeles Chapter of AAJA! AAJA-LA is offering up to $10,000 in scholarships to full-time students attending Southern California colleges and universities right now. Grants of $500 to $1,500 will be awarded at a reception on October 2, 2009. Winners will be introduced to industry professionals at AAJA's Trivia Bowl on October 9. Your application and samples of your work will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges led by scholarship committee chairs Frank Buckley, co-anchor of the KTLA Morning News, and Henry Fuhrmann, assistant managing editor of the Los Angeles Times.

**Applications must be postmarked by midnight Friday, September 18, 2009. Winners will be announced on September 28.
**Application is available here: http://aaja-la.org/2009/08/aaja-las-2009-scholarship-information/

White on Rice - starring Hiroshi Watanabe & James Kyson Lee - Sept. 11

Jimmy (Hiroshi Watanabe, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA) loves dinosaurs and sleeps on the top bunk. Unfortunately, Jimmy is 40, and shares the bunk bed with Bob, his 10-year-old nephew. Freshly divorced, Jimmy has moved in with his sister Aiko and her family while boldly searching for a new wife. His brother in-law, Tak, thinks he’s a disaster. And although Jimmy may lack social grace, he is convinced the best years of his life are just beginning. His plan seems like it’s all falling into place when Tak’s beautiful niece Ramona moves in. But once Jimmy sets his sights on her, he finds he has competition from his handsome co-worker Tim (James Kyson Lee, HEROES), and his intentions begin to go hilariously awry.

Check out the official website for more info: www.whiteonricethemovie.com

Sunday, August 23, 2009

The Fight Against Human Trafficking

On behalf of UCR VSA

We regret to learn about the detention of 11 Vietnamese women and 1 Vietnamese man in the recent prostitution arrest. This news is not only an unfortunate case of criminal activity in the Vietnamese community but also a call for attention to the reality of Human sex trafficking of Vietnamese women in America. Women and children from Vietnam and neighboring Southeast Asian countries are targeted in illegal human trafficking, most of which trade amongst each other to house victims in brothels as they are forced into either intense labor or domestic work.

Due to the recent nature of this event, UCR VSA is devoting itself to fight against human trafficking and discouraging any events that may promote the selling or trade of humans. Therefore, UCR VSA will cease to hold our annual Charity Date Auction. However, UCR VSA will continue its efforts to raise money for a worthy charity by a different fundraising means. We strongly encourage all schools with relations to the Vietnamese or Asian Pacific Islander community to join us in the fight against human trafficking and sex trade by discontinuing any events that may promote the selling, trading, or auctioning of a human being. We full heartedly believe that by taking these small steps we can channel the message of unity within our Asian American community to emphasize the pressing issue of this illegal industry.

UCR VSA will be glad to provide support and ideas for fundraisers in lieu of Date Auction or events of the like. Please feel free to contact UCR VSA’s co-presidents

Kimmy Nguyen – knguy040[@]ucr[.]edu
or
Lisa Tran – dtran023[@]ucr[.]edu

University California, Riverside
Vietnamese Student Association
2009-2010

Injustice in Laos

http://www.persecution.org/suffering/ICCnews/newsdetail.php?newscode=10702&title=lao-soldiers-decapitate-two-month-old-girl-ahead-of-senator-webb-s-visit


Infant used as target practice during military attacks that leave 26 civilians dead

8/20/09 Laos (International Christian Concern) Lao soldiers captured, mutilated and decapitated a two-month-old girl during recent military attacks against Hmong and Laotian civilians. Survivors of the attack said the infant was used for target practice.

“We are told, by some of the Lao Hmong survivors of the recent military attacks in Laos, that the LPDR (Lao Peoples Democratic Republic) soldiers of the LPA (Lao Peoples Army) used the … Lao Hmong girl, while she was still alive, for target practice … once she was captured and tied up; they mutilated her little body and continued to fire their weapons, over and over … until her head just eventually came off after so many bullets severed her head,” recalled Mr. Vaughn Vang, the Director of the Lao Hmong Human Rights Council.

The Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) reported the incidents, claiming that 8 children were captured and 26 Hmong and Laotian civilians were murdered during a series of four major attacks over the past month apparently designed to stifle “religious and political dissidents” ahead of a visit by U.S. Senator Jim Webb. Christian Hmong were mostly certainly among those attacked as they are often targeted specifically by the regime.

Ranging from two months to eight years old, the captured children remain a concern to Mr. Vang, who said that their whereabouts were unknown and that they would likely be tortured and killed by the soldiers. The decapitated child’s body was found next to her mother, who had also been tortured and killed by Lao soldiers. A number of the female victims were raped and tortured before they were killed. The most recent attack occurred last Thursday, August 13.

Unfortunately, this level of brutality against women and children is not uncommon for Lao soldiers. It is standard procedure for soldiers to surround and isolate pockets of Hmong people and starve them out to be killed when they venture out to forage. Philip Smith, the Executive Director of CPPA, told ICC of video footage smuggled out of Laos in 2004 that documents the aftermath of the killing and brutalization of five Hmong children, four of them girls, on May 19th of that year. That footage was used in an extremely graphic documentary, “Hunted Like Animals,” by Rebecca Sommer. Clips from the documentary can be viewed at rebeccasommer.org, but please be advised that the clips contain highly graphic content.

Natalia Rain, ICC’s Regional Manager for East Asia, said, “Rights groups have rightly called the acts the Lao military commits against children and civilians war crimes. Let the international community not be guilty of the same by its silence in the face of a regime who has already been allowed so much room that it has reached the heights of sadism in the torture and decapitation of a two-month-old little girl.”

VSU's Webmaster
Steven

Thursday, August 13, 2009

UVSA Summer BBQ

The Intercollegiate Council is hosting the annual summer BBQ this Sunday. Food is free, games are free, and the people are free to converse with, mingle, and get to know one another in anticipation of future events. And for Sunday morning, Rides will be offered first come first serve until there is no room left. Any other drivers would be very much appreciative.

What: UVSA Summer BBQ
When: Sunday, August 16th, 2009 10AM-5PM
Where: Gillespie Park
Description: free food and fun

Contact mp.quocminh[at]gmail.com for transportation or other questions

VSU's Webmaster
Steven

Friday, June 26, 2009

Bruins For Change

Progressive Brothers and Sisters,

OFFICIAL LAUNCH EVENT FOR BRUINS FOR CHANGE is this Saturday!


In March, nearly 100 progressive UCLA alumni spanning through the
decades came together to discuss the continuation of the progressive
movement we experienced during our days together at UCLA. The
overwhelming support for this idea -- the creation of a network based
on the core political values that once brought us together on campus
that could serve as a catalyst for positive social and economic change
-- has brought us to this point: the KICK-OFF OF BRUINS FOR CHANGE.

Bruins for Change is an inter-generational network of progressive UCLA
alumni dedicated to the development, support, and continuation of the
progressive student movement at UCLA and beyond. Taking our
experience as former student activists and organizers, we will
continue to building a movement for a world where the needs of people
take precedent over economic interests, and the values and spirit of
change and activism are penultimate in our priorities as human beings.

Join us for an afternoon of good company and exciting announcements,
as we present the initiatives that you as alumni have prioritized for
Bruins for Change!

WHAT: Bruins for Change Kick-Off Event

WHEN: June 27 @ 4-6pm

WHERE: New Los Angeles Theater Center, Downtown Los Angeles (514 South
Spring Street, Los Angeles) -- parking is $6-$8 per car, so carpooling
and public/alternative transportation is highly encouraged

HOW MUCH: $10 (strongly) suggested donation at the door

RSVP TODAY at http://tinyurl.com/bruinsforchange or by emailing
bruinsforchange@gmail.com

Thursday, June 11, 2009

VSU Appointments

For those interested in applying for one a position on staff next year, appointment applications are up now!

To recap, positions still open are-
College Coordinator
Cultural Coordinator
Fiscal Coordinator

ALSO, we'll be introducing a new staff position,

Community Ally Coordinator!

Look to the right for the applications :)

Monday, June 1, 2009

Nhip Am - With a Little Help From Our Friends!

Hello Dear readers!!!

If you’re reading this then that means you care about us!! Thank you!!

You have been cordially invited to Nhip Am’s (meaning Rhythm in Vietnamese) FIRST ANNUAL SHOWCASE!! Yes that’s right, you get to have Nhip Am all night, all expenses paid, the whole shebang! In a night to remember, members and friends of Nhip Am, VSU, and VNLC celebrate the performing arts through the display of song, poetry, dance, comedy and much more in beautiful Tom Bradley International Hall! We promise you’ll get what you paid for! Don’t miss out on this supercalifragilisticexpialidocious experience that will BLOW you ALL THE WAY to heaven, but if you do Robin will be very sad and start growing pimples on her sexy face.

...Did we say it's FREE?!?!

Doors open at 7, show starts at 730.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

V-GRAD Volunteering Opportunity

Hey everyone!

The Vietnamese Graduation Committee (V-Grad) is in need of your help! We need students who are available to volunteer on the day of the graduation-Sunday June 14th from 2-6:30 PM. This includes setting up and cleaning up. There will be free (Vietnamese) food provided! There will also be a mandatory volunteer training this Thursday of week 10 (June 4th) from 6-7 PM in the SAC basement. Please contact us ASAP if you can make it!


Too lazy to read?

· Need volunteers on June 14th from 2-6:30

· Free Vietnamese food

· Tasks include: making balloons, decorations, signing in, food serving

· Volunteer Training: Thurs of Week 10 (June 4th) from 6-7 PM in SAC BASEMENT.



Best,

Tuyen Bui
Vgrad2009@gmail.com
Vietnamese Student Union, Administrative Coordinator
Vietnamese Graduation, chairperson