San Newsletter, Fall 2009

South Asian Network Bridging Communities, Empowering People

Welcome to SAN’s first online quarterly newsletter! Look out for updates once

Fall 2009, Volume 1, Issue 1

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IN THIS ISSUE

AWAZ Online Release of Public Service Announcement

UNIT UPDATES:

- By Saima Husain, AWAZ Associate Coordinator and Preeti Sharma, Communications Associate The AWAZ Voices Against Violence unit and the survivor’s support group are proud to announce both the television release

* Online Release of PSA! – pg. 1 * Worker’s Rights Project Launched! – pg. 1 * Isolation and Belonging – pg. 1 * Koreatown Residents Host Unity Townhall – pg. 5

and online release of their jointly created Public Service Announcement (PSA)! Starting mid-September 2009, the PSA

ACTION ALERTS:

began screening on the U.S. version of the national Bangla

* ICE and Police Scaring Communities, Not Securing – pg. 4

channel, Ntv, and is now available for viewing on youtube here. The PSA plays a large part of AWAZ’s efforts to prevent domestic violence and to develop leadership amongst survivors Continued on Page 3.

COMMUNITY STORIES: * Survivor Battles Systemic Violence – pg. 6

Pioneer Blvd. Worker’s Rights Project Successfully Launched - BY Sannah Rahim, SAN Intern Forty workers attended SAN’s official launch of the Pioneer Blvd. Worker’s Rights Organizing Project. The event took place at Heritage Park in Cerritos on Monday, August 3rd, 2009. Held in response to the prevalence of labor rights abuses impacting low income workers, the event is a part of a larger goal to end the exploitation of South Asian and Latino workers on Pioneer Blvd., and build relationships between them. Continued on Page 1.

Wo rkers spea k ou t at Laun ch o f Orga nizing Project

Isolation and Belonging: SAN’s Older Adults Walk it Off!

- BY Preeti Sharma, Communications Associate On Wednesday, September 30th, twenty-five older adults stretched near the benches outside the Artesia Senior Center. Like longtime friends, many chatted about their children, their children’s children, and family matters. Amidst the camaraderie and laughter, everyday activities suddenly transform into moments of excitement. A group of seniors gather outside the center two times a week –Wednesdays and Fridays – to walk. Continued on Page 2. Wa lking Club Memb ers Play Games

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Wa lking Club Memb ers and CHAI Sta ff Ga ther Tog eth er After a Po tlu ck

(From Isolation and Belonging, Pg. 1) The “Walking Club,” as addressed by both SAN

attends the club because “it helps me deal with my depression. I don’t feel stuck at home anymore.”

staff and the seniors, is a space where elderly This is the first formal South Asian walking club

members of Artesia’s South Asian community participate in exercise and social activities.

to form across the country.

South Asian Network’s Community Health Action Initiative (CHAI) began case management with the elderly South Asian community in late 2003.

In between case management visits and

intake questions, lead advocate Farhana Shahid constantly heard undertones of isolation and

“In the beginning, some members were quiet. They never shared anything,” says Prakash Ghimire, a SAN Lead Community Advocate, “These days, they are speaking more, visiting each others homes, and bringing other people who live alone to the club. We don’t even have to outreach about the club.”

longing. In late 2008, older adults clients, community

However, the club’s walking path has not been an

leaders, and CHAI staff researched ways to gather

easy one. While community partners, like the Asian

the seniors in the area. They decided upon forming a

Pacific Islander’s Older Adult Task force commend

space where elderly can both walk and talk.

SAN’s walking club, building bridges with the Artesia

Elderly play games like cards or antakshari (a popular Desi singing game), engage in light exercise

Senior Center has been a challenge in terms of integration due to language and cultural activities.

of stretching aerobics and walking, and also participate in workshops on nutrition and health. Santosh, one of the walking club members,

Despite the differences, SAN’s walking club continues to meet twice a week to share their stories and to go for a walk.

The South Asian Network (SAN) is a grassroots community-based organization dedicated to advancing the health, empowerment, and solidarity of persons of South Asian origin. Fundamental to SAN’s mission is equality for all. SAN is a 501 c(3) Non-Profit Organization * Tax ID No. 33-0608166

SAN Artesia Office: 18173 Pioneer Blvd. 2nd Floor, Suite I Artesia, CA 90701 Phone: (562) 403-0488 Fax: (562) 403-0487 www.southasiannetwork.org email: [email protected]

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Timelin e fo r Wo rkers Righ ts at Disp la y

(From Pioneer Blvd., pg. 1) Low income workers in this area

face

many

challenges

barriers, immigration status, age,

Many workers shared their stories,

problems finding transportation,

willingness and strength to fight

fear of retaliation, the pressure of

against these injustices and to

the economic crisis, isolation from

demand their rights.

mainstream

America

and

In the last two years, SAN

discrimination

comprise

other

helped workers obtain over $75,000

obstacles for workers.

in back wages and penalties. SAN’s

During part of the picnic,

strategies include: writing demand

staff and workers made plans for

letters, holding settlement meetings,

the next year to challenge and end

and organizing visits and public

exploitation

actions in front of violating stores.

in

Zrucky,

SAN hopes that the Pioneer

Senior Attorney at Legal Aid

Blvd. Worker Right's Organizing

wage, lack of overtime pay, long

Foundation

Angeles,

Project will bring together diverse

work hours, denial of meal and

Employment Law unit, conducted

communities and create change,

rest periods, and a general lack of

a

Rights”

ultimately allowing the employer-

health

presentation around CA labor

worker relationship to be supportive,

laws.

rather than exploitative.

safety

in

the

workplace. In addition, language

Steve

area.

including: denial of minimum

and

Additionally,

the

of

“Know

Los

your

(From Online Release, Pg. 1) Addressing the prevalence of domestic violence in the South Asian community, the PSA shares the story of a young South Asian family. The family appears in “marital bliss” on the outside, yet, behind close doors, their conflict escalates and violence occurs. Through dialogue and positive behavior, the PSA encourages violence prevention and healthy relationships. After a feedback session for the PSA, an anonymous survivor asserted, “I wish my in-laws and ex-husband

PS A Acto rs Dep ict Fa mily Add ressing Vio lence

could have seen this PSA. It openly deals with poor family dynamics and how to change.” In addition to the PSA’s new availability online, and its current run on channel Ntv, the PSA was shown at Naz’s Artesia Theater through summer 2009. It also played on local Los Angeles South Asian television programs earlier in the year. AWAZ estimates that over 50,000 people have already viewed the PSA. The PSA, from the start, remained a community-wide effort. While survivors and staff came up with messaging, a local production group (the Narra Group) wrote, directed, and edited the PSA, and a local musician, Manisha Shahane, provided the music.

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ICE and Police Scaring Communities, Not Securing Them

- BY Tamia Pervez, Policy Organizer During the last couple of years, many troubling

has been in contact with the immigration system in any

enforcement strategies have been introduced by the U.S.

way, will now be referred to ICE. ICE can then decide

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency

to place an individual in deportation proceedings, either

that

and

after any jail time is finished or even without being

communities of color. Since August of 2007, ICE has

charged with a crime. So far, ICE has not provided much

provided local law enforcement agencies the opportunity

information about how it is implementing this policy.

have

negatively

impacted

immigrants

to partner with it to carry out federal immigration law

A few initial areas of concern include immigrants

enforcement under a program called ICE ACCESS

who were covered by the Special Registration Program

(Agreements of Cooperation in Communities to Enhance

(in effect from after September 11, 2001 until December

Safety and Security). While not mandatory, many states

2003) or persons who are questioned by the FBI and

and counties have started to take up these offers.

whether ICE would decide to hold these people for

Los Angeles County is one of the most recent ones.

deportation proceedings as well.

Another cause for

Now, almost a year and a half after its introduction

concern is that this policy has the potential to allow our

nationally, L.A. County has decided to implement

communities, especially immigrants, to be targeted for

“Secure Communities,” which is one of the programs

how we look rather than any wrongful or criminal

under ACCESS.

behavior.

This policy requires that everyone

arrested by any local law enforcement agency also get

Another subprogram included in ACCESS is

checked to see if he or she is in the Department of

287(g), which allows local law enforcement officers to

Homeland Security (DHS) database, in addition to the

enforce civil immigration laws. This program is also

usual check with the FBI’s database for any past

troubling due to many issues of racial profiling and

criminal history records.

misuse of discretion because local officers are still

While some of this has been on-going for quite

largely untrained and culturally insensitive.

some time, the main difference now is that the double-

For the time being, we advise community members

checking of backgrounds applies to everyone who is

to know their rights, stay vigilant and avoid contact with

simply arrested (whether guilty or innocent, whether

ICE or local law enforcement agencies as much as

charged with a crime or not), and that both the FBI and

possible.

DHS databases are checked.

community and fight against these types of policies that

This means that anyone picked up by Los Angeles Police who is here without immigration status or who

Additionally, we must come together as a

target and discriminate against immigrants under the name of “national security.”

SAN Upcoming Events October Sunday, October 4th: Free Health Fair, 8am – 1pm, SAN Artesia Office Sunday, October 11th: Visibility March in Little India, 2pm4:30pm, Meet at SAN’s Artesia Office Parking Lot Monday, October 12th: Health Workshop, Time TBD, SAN Artesia Office g Tuesday, October 13th: Free Housing Legal Clinic, 6:30pm 8pm, Legal Aid Office (1102 Crenshaw Blvd.)

To Jo in Us, Plea se email S ANin fo @s outhAs iann netwo rk .o rg

Saturday, October 18th: Residents Committee Meeting, 6pm, SAN Koreatown Office Saturday, October 24th: Right to the City Los Angeles, Leaders Gathering, 10am -2pm, SAN Koreatown Office November **SAN Annual Fundraising Dinner: November 7th ** 7pm, USC Town and Gown Hall Have you bought your ticket yet?

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Koreatown Residents Committee Host Unity Townhall to Challenge Economic Crisis

-BY Sannah Rahim, SAN Intern The thousands

economic of

people,

downturn

has

low-income

affected people

in

particular, across the country. In an effort to address the effects of the economic crisis, SAN held a townhall in partnership with the Bangladeshi community in Koreatown. Seventy-five people

Memb ers Ga th er for Townhall

gathered together to discuss how they were experiencing the downturn and ways to cope with the situation. SAN staff member, Riffat Rahman, began the townhall by affirming the community’s ability to rely on one another for support and resources, “Akota means unity. We are united here to discuss

Steve Zrucky, LAFLA (left) and Riffat Rahman (right)

our economic problems, to see what our rights and resources are; we are going to see what we can all

Tactics,

do together.”

Rights/Gentrification, Police Brutality & Mutual Aid

Through skits, community members learned about worker’s rights, tenant’s rights, and health

DV

and

Mental

Health,

Tenant’s

programs, and Health & Low-income Benefits. Community members discussed coping with job

Koreatown

loss stress, workers’ compensation, government

Resident’s Committee member, elaborated, “In

benefits, and challenging the Obama Administration’s

Koreatown there are problems with housing, we pay

bail out and how impacts on low income communities.

high rent and there are many issues with the

Concluding the townhall, youth members of the

apartments, things are broken etc and we know we

Resident’s

live in a kind of slum but we do not say anything to

community members to attend their organizing

the manager as we are afraid of being evicted.”

meetings, which are held once a month at SAN’s

access.

Aditi

Mahmud,

SAN’s

Local agencies across Los Angeles gave presentations on Unemployment & Job Search

SAN Board Aman Thind Asad Ayaz Binna Chahal Hamid Khan Manju Kulkarni Nitin Shah Reshma Shamasunder Sumun Pendakur

Committee

strongly

encouraged

Koreatown Office. For more information, please email Preeti Sharma at [email protected].

SAN Staff Asha Gandhi Bhasker Shah Dolly Husein Farhana Shahid Ghulam Ali Bashir Hamid Khan Joyti Chand Prakash C. Ghimire

Preeti Sharma Rajwinder Kaur Ramji Gautam Ranjeeta Chhetry Riffat Rahman Saima Husain Tamia Pervez Vrunda Merchant

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Survivor Battles Systemic Violence!

-BY Parul Mehta, Mental Health Consultant

he vengefully filed child abduction charges against

On a cold November afternoon last year, South

Maya, eighteen years after the fact. (Child abduction

Asian Network was approached by a demure individual,

has no statute of limitations, so it is enforceable at any

almost hesitant to ask for help with the situation she was

time.)

facing, fearing that she might be causing too much

Maya now faces several difficult decisions and

trouble for the other. Apologetic and shy in her

punishment for a crime she never committed. Will the

mannerisms, Maya* had and continues to have the

U.S. criminal court accept legal documents from Indian

weight of the world on her shoulders. Having had to take

courts? How can she prove abuse that occurred 18 years

her infant son and flee the country to escape abuse at the

ago? Why accept a guilty plea for something she had to

hands of her then husband, Maya was arrested at LAX

do to save herself and her child?

airport upon her return to the U.S. eighteen years later , in August 2008, with charges of abducting her child. After fleeing the U.S. in 1990, Maya went back to

After immense internal battling, seeking advice from professionals including lawyers, advocates and psychologists, and keeping in mind financial constraints,

her country of origin – India. In India, her family

Maya decided not to fight a court battle that might have

informed her husband that she relocated to protect

landed her a two-year prison sentence if she lost at trial.

herself and their child from his abuse. When initially

Instead, Maya reluctantly accepted a guilty plea, which

residing in the U.S. Maya and her husband were on

imposes three months of house arrest, followed by three

temporary visas. Thus, fleeing to India proved the only

months of jail time, after which she will be deported to

logical choice for Maya, where she felt she would at

India, and banned from ever re-entering the U.S.

least have the support of her family. Maya hoped for

Many questions arise as we examine Maya’s

reconciliation, so she did not inform the Indian police of

situation and realize that clearly the law does not afford

her situation. She wanted to save her marriage but not at

protection to women facing a predicament such as

the compromise of personal safety. The estranged

Maya’s. During the last several months, Maya has been

husband never attempted to visit, nor reconcile with her.

proactive in contacting several advocates and other

In 1995, Maya was granted a divorce, child custody and

women who have faced similar unfair charges for

child support by the Indian courts.

exercising the basic human right to protect their

Over the years, Maya’s ex-husband made sporadic efforts to establish contact with his son. In the

children. How, in the face of such unfairness, can we work

meantime, Maya focused all her energies in raising her

together to advocate for policy change and protect

son in a positive environment. Her parents helped

children and parents from unjust punishment? How

financially, but they still lived on a tight budget.

should the law be amended to recognize the plight of an

When her son was granted a full scholarship to an

abused woman who faces several barriers in a foreign

university in the U.S., Maya was elated. Little did she

country to ensure safety for herself and her child?

know that eminent disaster awaited. At Maya’s suggestion, her son contacted his father to give him the thrilling news. However, when her ex-

* A true story. Names have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the parties involved.

husband learned about their upcoming trip to the U.S., Newsletter Edited by Preeti Sharma

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