A Place to Call Home (Feature) Justice Department Releases Excerpts of Wen Ho Lee Report (in National News) Ex-Dot-Commers Make the Move to Teaching (in Bay Area News) Get Ready for Cyberwars (in Business) Your Dream Vacation - Softball? (in Sports) Surf's Up (in A&E) Emil Amok: No Evidence of Racism? (in Opinion)

Justice Glows in Portland

Portland’s new Chinese Garden. photo by Carolyn Gan

The passion for equal rights and justice still glows fervently as members and delegates from 16 lodges across the nation belonging to the Chinese American Citizens Alliance met at their 46th Biennial National Convention in Portland, OR, Aug. 1-4.

Established in 1895, the CACA stands at the forefront as the oldest civil rights organization dedicated to fighting discrimination and unfair legislation aimed at immigrants and people of Chinese descent.

With plenty of ammunition from the recent unraveling of the government’s accusation of Dr. Wen Ho Lee stealing nuclear secrets, and the outrageous questioning of U.S. Representative David Wu at the DOE, Asian Americans have many points to raise about being targets of scapegoating in times of uncertainty.

The convention’s opening night’s speaker was attorney Brian Sun, one of the two Asian American attorneys who worked alongside two teams of Jewish American Republican attorneys to secure Dr. Lee’s release, and knocking down the 59 charges to one minor charge. “It was not easy as one individual to fight the U.S. Government,” commented Sun.

CACA Convention’s opening night (left to right): newly elected Grand Lodge President Saykin Foo, speaker attorney Brian Sun, Outgoing President Nancy Gee and Executive Director Laurence Wong. Photo courtesy of Virginia Gee

Not all the days were work sessions, as Portland Lodge planned a generous number of fun events for spouses, guests, and non-working delegates: city tours of the beautiful Rose Garden, shopping trips, casino entertainment, and an exquisite Chinese garden highlighting the city kept everyone happy.

Hats off to the generous hospitality shown by Portland’s civic organizations chairperson Betty Yuan Lee, President Helen Ying, and the entire Portland Lodge.

Credit for the well-planned convention also go to the dedicated Executive Director Lawrence Wong, outgoing Grand Lodge President Nancy Gee, and her entire board of officers.

CACA also announced the successful formation of two new local lodges with the chartering of a new San Gabriel Lodge and the formation of the new Mississippi Lodge. In the works are two more lodges that will be ready in time for the next National Convention.

The next Biennial Convention will take the CACA members to the City of Angels, with newly-elected President Saykin Foo taking the lead.

And Many More...

“Happy Birthday Day” to a charming lady who celebrated a milestone birthday with 75 friends at the Silver Dragon Restaurant in Oakland, community activist Rhoda Wing. An instructor at Laney College, she is a wonderful chef demonstrating at community even5s and catering at private parties. Congratulations!

Introducing...

Two adorable babies made their debut into the social scene recently. Amanda Paige Yen was welcomed by several hundreds of friends and relatives of grandparents James and Emily Mark-Gates and parents Tommy and Carolynne Yen at a Red Eggs and Ginger buffet at Mings of Palo Alto, July 22.

Dinner and Dancing celebrating the arrival of Baby Garren Hampson Lum at the ballroom of Empress of China, also July 22. He is the son of the Grande Lums and the grandson of the Hampson Lums.