the whole deal!!! (from Thu)

In this e-mail:
i] historical review of campaign
ii] minutes from last A3C meeting
iii] To Do's for certain folks

Next meeting time will be announced via A3C listserve. To be added, e-mail Clara or Caroline (csn7, ch255). In the meantime, give us your input about meeting time:
http://doodle.ch/participation.html?pollId=eb5xpr7y2dbs76zv . I apologize for this message's length... -thu


Yes, yes ya’ll… This year has been one for the record book.

Intensively since the 1980s, we the Asian & Asian American (A3) students have been striving for an inclusive campus – one that allows us to explore and to develop our personal identity and critical consciousness. Out of a long overdue task force report in 2004, two recommendations were made: 1) to have an assistant dean to serve the need of A3 students and 2) to have an A3 community center. Both proposals were finally accepted this year! Without going into details, thank you for your hard work, support and love when there was a scarce amount around this place.

Yes, yes ya’ll… But, we’ve got a long way to go still.

“My wife and I have a love affair with Asia… We have been to many of the countries you and your families are from.” David Skorton, Cornell University President, 2008.

“Once I was American, but America made a foreigner out of me -- not a Japanese, but a foreigner -- a foreigner to any country, for I am just as much a foreigner to Japan as to America.” Kazuo Kawai, As Am student at UCLA, 1925.

There are more commonalities than differences to bring us together. Whether we or our families arrived here as diversity visa cardholders from the ‘60s, as refugees from a war-torn country, as hopefuls searching for a new opportunity, or as international students recently -- the goal of this community center is to simply create a beloved community.

Yes, yes ya’ll… And so, let's begin the real work to actualize this idea.


[1] The Central Goals of the A3 Community Center, decided by A3C work committee members:

1) A working budget/endowment
2) A wide range of programming & leadership training
3) At least one full-time staff member, and
4) A centralized location

[2] The Physical Space, a Charette of Ideas
This is a brainstorm of what we want:

~ Staff Positions: Program Director, Assistant Program Coordinator (at least one), work-study student interns (2-4)
~ A Library: The current collection of Asian American books at Rockefeller is weaksauce and smaller than some of our own personal collections.
~ A Professional Kitchen: Because we love to eat & use food as a method to build community.
~ Programming/Multipurpose/Meeting Space: An space open to student clubs to hold meetings, workshops, et. for 30 students or so.
~ Office: Depending on the centrality of the place, an office with computers for student use.
~ Lounge/Chill space: Smaller than the mtg space for students to hang out.

[3] Education
We are determined to use this opportunity to build an Asian American and Asians in America consciousness. To begin, please start using the Blog site that Ding formed. Please share your information/insight. All minutes from meetings will be there so that this process can also be as transparent as possible.

[4] Mission Statement of Our Group
The following is a draft: To serve as a student voice during this process. To uphold the original purposes for this need. To work towards unifying all groups that this community center will primarily serve.

[5] Long Term Goal
To actualize the proposal for an A3 community center.

[6] Should this be a separate building?
Pros: Establishment of an endowment, operating budget, increase in staffing, larger space
Cons: Most likely, cannot be centralized, administrative policy constraints

[7] Timeline of a Proposal
A working draft to be presented to A3C asap. Write out phase process for the end of this year, i one year, three years, etc & a way to evaluate progress.


[8] Short Term Goals (Internal for A3C group]/THE "TO DO" LIST
~ To create timelines (internal & external)
~ To raise an Asian American consciousness/to educate
~ To hold ourselves accountability that all AAA groups are inclusive to the planning process/To reach out and have working committee reflect the diversity of the AAA community on campus
~ To establish & clearly define what our community looks like/the constituency of this center
~ To serve as a student voice for administration & to provide a forum for all AAA to provide input
~ To bridge the outgoing and incoming leadership


[9] For Next Meeting (TBA, sometime by next Friday)
EVERYONE: go to
Thu (me) will make a presentation of other school's current models
Selected 6 A3C representatives: Perhaps meet to discuss timeline & otr short term-goals?


Thu-Huong Nguyen