Welcome to VAYA's Official Blog. This exciting new blog provides an opportunity for VAYA to engage in a dialogue with our members, the community, and those interested in our organization. This blog will feature commentary and observations from VAYA Executive Board Members, contributions by VAYA Staff and members, as well as approved guest bloggers from outside of VAYA. This blog will only be a true community if you participate, so please send your thoughts to eboard@vayasd.org. Please be respectful and considerate when posting comments and thoughts. All comments will be reviewed and approved prior to publication. Thank you for visiting this blog!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

VAYA Official Newsletter: 11/05/09 (Volume V1: Issue 13)

Dear VAYA Members and Supporters,

Please find the latest updates from VAYA in the following categories:

I. VAYA General Updates
II: VAYA Tet 2010 Updates
III: Community Relations Updates
IV: VAYA & Other Organizations Updates
V: Vietnamese Americans for the Cure

VI: Other Announcements & Information

I. VAYA General Updates
A. VAYA Special Thanks!

VAYA would like to thank Nick Tran for taking the lead on the "Vietnamese Americans for the Cure" / Breast Awareness Project. Your time and leadership is deeply appreciative.
(Above: VAYA at the "Susan G. Komen San Diego Race for the Cure" event on Sunday November 1, 2009)

B. 2010 Asian/Pacific Islander American Youth Conference (APIAYC)

VAYA is in the process of forming the committee for our 2010 Asian/Pacific Islander American Youth Conference (APIAYC), aimed for July 2010. Please visit our official website (www.vayasd.org) for further information and "Conference Coordinator" applications if you want to be a part of the organizing committee. Please email eboard@vayasd.org if you have immediate questions or concerns.

C. Ways to get MORE involved with VAYA

At VAYA, we work to promote youth leadership, cultural awareness, social activism, and community development. Therefore, we make every effort to provide our members the opportunity to lead and make a difference. Please visit our web site for more information. Please direct any questions or concerns to VAYA Secretary, Anthony (Vinh) Nguyen, at secretary@vayasd.org.

*** Access Application(s) @ http://www.vayasd.org/downloads/

II: VAYA Tet 2010 Updates
A. VAYA's 2010 Golden Voice (Giong Ca Vang) Singing Contest Audition
Music is the melody of language, fashion, and talent. Golden Voice opens up the opportunity to carry out these important elements, and at the same time, helps preserve the essence of the Vietnamese culture through music. We are each a flower of talents, therefore, in this opportunity garden of Golden Voice, everyone blossoms.

Think you can sing? Interested in auditioning? Please save the date(s) below (*** you only need to attend ONE of the two auditions). Interested contestants can download the application @ http://www.sdtet.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/VAYA_GoldenVoice10_Application.doc and email it to GoldenVoice@sdtet.com. For more information, please visit http://www.sdtet.com/program/golden-voice/.

  • Saturday November 14: VAYA's 2010 Golden Voice (Giong Ca Vang) Singing Contest Audition (Audition Choice #1) @ Tieng Nuoc Toi Radio Conference Room (4120 30th St # 104 San Diego, CA 92104). (1:00 - 4:00 PM).
  • Sunday December 6: VAYA's 2010 Golden Voice (Giong Ca Vang) Singing Contest Audition (Audition Choice #2) @ Tieng Nuoc Toi Radio Conference Room (4120 30th St # 104 San Diego, CA 92104). (2:00 - 5:00 PM).B. General Tet News & InformationFor more information about the 2010 VAYA Vietnamese Lunar Year Tet Festival, please visit: www.sdtet.com.

III: Community Relations Updates
A. Nguyen Tho Sinh's Arrival to San Diego
This Saturday, November 7th, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM, VAYA and other community organizations/individuals will honor and welcome Nguyen Tho Sinh at the Vietnamese War Memorial Museum in Balboa Park. Nguyen Tho Sinh is a Veteran that walked across America from coast to coast to honor those that serve. He started in Florida and his destination will end in San Diego at Ocean Beach. The San Diego Community, Vietnamese American Armed Forces Association, along with the Viet Nam War Vet are hosting a welcoming celebration for him, to honor his journey and show him support. Please come out and show your support if you can.

For more information about this event, please contact VAYA External Vice President, Nikki Lam, at nikki.lam@vayasd.org. For more information about Nguyen Tho Sinh, please visit: www.bacaytruc.com.

B. California Endowment /Mid-City CAN (Community Advocacy Network) Updates
The California Endowment has selected City Heights as one of 14 communities to invest significant resources over the next 10 years as part of its state-wide initiative on Building Healthy Communities. For more information or if you want to get involved, please contact:

For more information on the CA Endowment Initiatives, please visit www.calendow.org. For more information on the Mid-City CAN, please visit www.midcitycan.org.

IV: VAYA & other Organizations Updates
A. Vietnamese Alliance to Combat Trafficking (VietACT)

VAYA's very own Community Relations Coordinator II (Non-Vietnamese Community), Calix Vu-Bui, is currently in Taiwan as the latest VietACT Intern (www.VietACT.org). Follow her experience in Taiwan @ http://vietactintern.blogspot.com/.

V: Vietnamese Americans for the Cure
From Nick Tran:
We had a successful walk this past weekend (11/01/09). Fifty people helped out or registered to race, which resulted in more than $1,300.00 being raised for Susan G. Komen San Diego.

I would like to say thanks to Tracey Nguyen for assisting me throughout the process and being my Deputy Program Manager and liaison to the Vietnamese organizations in the community and at UCSD. I would like to thank Juliet Tran (External Vice President of VSA-SDSU) for helping me with some fundraising efforts that allowed for the shirts and food to be provided for our team. I would like to thank VONS for donating us $50 for groceries. I would like to thank David Thai and his company (Sempra) for donating $100 to the team. I would like to thank Thuy-Tien Diep and her organization (Gach Noi - UCSD) with the translation for the published materials. I would like to thank Nikki Lam and the Lam Family for letting us use their tables at the team booth. I would like to thank VAYA as a whole in providing me support and providing materials for the information booth. I would like to thank Kim-Hong Duong for singing the Star Spangled Banner at the race. We all understand how nerve wrecking it can be singing in front of 15,000 people on a scaffold when you are afraid of heights, so great job to her, that's courage!

For more information about "Vietnamese Americans for the Cure" and the race, please go to www.viet4cure.org or contact: Nick Tran OR Tracey Nguyen @ info@viet4cure.org.

VI: Other Announcements & Information

In 2010, the U.S. Census will define who we are as a nation. Taken every 10 years, the census affects political representation and directs the allocation of billions of dollars in government funding. As a 2010 Census partner, you can educate your community about the importance of participating in this historic event and help ensure no one is left uncounted. You can help your community receive the fiscal and social benefits to which it is entitled. Achieving a complete and accurate 2010 Census is in our hands.For more information about the U.S. Bureau of Census, please visit: www.census.gov.

For a complete listing of VAYA's upcoming events/meetings, please visit our official calendar at: http://www.vayasd.org/calendar/. Please direct any questions or concerns to VAYA Secretary, Anthony (Vinh) Nguyen, at secretary@vayasd.org.

On behalf of VAYA's Executive Board and Staff, thank you for your continual support.

About the Author: Anthony (Vinh) T. Nguyen serves as Secretary for VAYA.
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