[Immigrantrightsnynj] Voices That Must Be Heard

[Immigrant Rights NYNJ]

For full coverage and links, go to: http://www.indypressny.org

Voices That Must Be Heard
Edition 382 23 July 2009
Tomasz Deptula, Editor of Nowy Dziennik/Polish Daily News, is the guest editor and Sharan Harper is the Multi-media Associate Editor of this issue

NEWS
Spin and substance: The numbers behind the DOE's "Good News"
By Helen Zelon, NYCMA, 22 July 2009. 
The gains celebrated by Bloomberg and Klein - and carefully promoted by the Department of Education press office - are challenged by outcomes on national achievement tests, largely regarded by academics and researchers as the "gold standard" of educational assessment.

The heat is on to elect the first Korean-American to NY City Council
By Jae-ho Yoon, The Korea Times, 17 July 2009. Translated from Korean by Sun-Yong Reinish.
The Korean community has been outspoken in their concern that a Korean be elected to the City Council and are calling for Asian voters to come together in support of the Korean candidates.

VIDEO :: Kevin Kim candidate for New York City Council District 19 thanked his supporters for helping meet his July filing goals.

Chinese-Americans divided on Obama health care reform
By Rong Xiaoqing and Liao Guowen, Sing Tao Daily, 17 July 2009. Translated from Chinese by Austin Woerner.
The reactions from Chinese Americans to Obama's plan were many and varied. Compared with the extremely positive attitude from those directors or CEOs of companies, unemployed workers might think it is still hard to make the plan work because of the high costs.

Deadbeat employers
By Yevgeny Novitsky, Russian Bazaar, 16 July 2009. Translated from Russian by Lucy Gunderson.
The prominent case of the up-scale Lemongrass Restaurant in Manhattan, whose owner owes over $1 million in wages to his employees, is just one of many complaints filed daily with city agencies by people who have been exploited and cheated by their employers.

AUDIO :: In May NPR's "All Things Considered" reported on New York State's efforts to tackle wage theft against immigrants.

Sending children back to China leads to psychological difficulties
Via World Journal, 11 July 2009. Translated from Chinese by Austin Woerner.
An increasing number of Chinese immigrants are sending their babies back to China to be raised by relatives because they are too busy making a living in the United States. Child psychologists express dismay that parents are taking these unusual measures.

Blacks feel the wrath of job loss in NYC
By Stephon Johnson, Amsterdam News, 16 July 2009. 
Black unemployment has risen four times as fast as it has among the rest of New Yorkers in the first quarter of 2009; moreover, the unemployment rate for Blacks in New York now stands at 14.7 percent.

VIDEO :: City Unemployment Gap Widening Among Blacks.

EDITORIALS
Health reform over politics
Via El Diario La Prensa, 21 July 2009.
 
Federal legislators, who enjoy their own health insurance and access to medical care, should work to accomplish healthcare reform instead of trying to derail it. 

Lets stop playing the lottery with our children's' health
By Marian Wright Edelman,, Daily Challenge, 16 July 2009. 

Fifteen-year old Carlos was enrolled in Medicaid but lost it when his family, who could no longer afford the cost of housing in D.C., moved just across the state boundary line into Maryland. 

BRIEFS
Sikh Coalition grades New York City Department of Education on school bullying
Via South Asian Times, 24 July 2009. 

Paying to get jobs that don't exist
By Carmen Alarcon, EDLP, 15 July 2009. Translated from Spanish by Emily Leavitt.
Fil-Am torture victim seeks justice, asks U.S. Congress to cut military aid to Philippines
Via Filipino Reporter, 16 July 2009. 

VIDEO :: In the first of a two-part video press conference, Melissa Roxas tells the story of her abduction and torture.

CA group tries to deny citizenship to US-born children of undocumented immigrants
Via Diario de Mexico, 16 July 2009. Translated from Spanish by Marissa Billowitz.

VIDEO :: Congressman Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus in the House of Representatives, explains the Birthright Citizenship Act and how it clarifies the issue of citizenship. MORE>

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Ippies Awards 2009: Call for submissions! (July 29)

Education Fellows Meeting (July 23)
Understanding Statistics and Results
Press Briefing on minimum wage increase on July 27th (July 27)

New York Community Media Alliance in Collaboration with CUNY TV, Department of Labor and National Employment Law Project is organizing a press briefing on increase in minimum wage on Monday, July 27th at 2:00 pm.

NYCMA ANNOUNCEMENTS
Census data not to be shared with immigration authorities, NYC Ethnic Media assured

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