The Chinese Honor Society of the IPSD School District 204 is hosting a Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 3 with fun activities and the viewing of a documentary, “Dear Corky”, sponsored by CAWA.
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Location:
Saturday, February 3
10:00am-11:00am
Eola Road Branch – 166
Consistent with CAWA’s mission of encouraging Chinese American women to engage and lead at all levels of government, CAWA is proud to announce that another Naperville resident has received an important appointment from the Governor of Illinois. The Illinois Council on Aging is an advisory body working in cooperation with the Illinois Department on Aging to provide a comprehensive and
coordinated service system for Illinois’ aging population.
Dr. Yu is retired after working as a Senior Vice President for Asia-Pacific Fuel Tech and serving with Ecolab-Nalco Water as the Lab Manager. Since 2013, she has volunteered as a Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) coordinator with the United Chinese Americans-Illinois (UCA-IL) Site. In addition, she is the founder of OPUS (Orchestra Parents/Patrons’ United Support), an organization based in Naperville that creates chamber and orchestral music for students of all ages and backgrounds.
CAWA encourages Chinese American women to engage and lead in our civic activities. We are very proud to announce that Lai So, a CAWA board member was appointed in November by the Mayor of Naperville to serve on the Special Events & Community Arts (SECA) Commission. The Commission
assists, informs and advises the City Council on matters pertaining to the arts, culture, and special events in the city of Naperville and provides recommendations to the City Council on the annual allocation of SECA funds, encourages arts, culture, and special events in Naperville.
Lai has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, leading and developing telecommunication products and services for U.S. and global customers. Currently, she is working on 5G technology deployment to major U.S. cities. Outside of her professional, Lai has devoted her time in pursuing photography, ballroom dancing and flower arrangement.
CAWA is joining a community press conference to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The purpose of this Press Conference is to recognize the landmark repeal decision and to protect the civil rights of Chinese Americans so that this exclusionary history will not be repeated.
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Location:
Saturday, December 16
1:00pm-2:00pm
Chinese American Museum of Chicago
238 West 23rd Street, Chicago, Illinois 60616
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 barred Chinese immigration and naturalization solely based on their race and national origin. The law denied Chinese workers’ legal entry into the United States and greatly impeded the assimilation and delayed the formation of Chinese American families and communities for over 60 years. President Franklin D. Roosevelt repealed the exclusionary act in 1943 when the United States and China were allies during World War II.
While we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the repeal, Chinese Americans today are again facing increased discriminatory policies including alien land laws and racial profiling against scientists and researchers as the result of worsening US-China relations. Against the backdrop of rising “anti-Asian sentiment” in the United States and the strained relations between the U.S.
and China, this press conference holds special significance. Please join us to commemorate the history, recognize the significant progress in equal rights, and reaffirm our commitment to equality and justice for all Americans.
Chinese American Women in Action is proud to be one of the DuPage County Small Nonprofit Grant recipients in District 5. Thank you, Board Member Dawn DeSart for your encouragement and belief in our program for CAWA Youth, and thank you to Board Member Patty Gustin for showing me the process. We appreciate the DuPage County Board’s recognition that a small grant for a small nonprofit can go a long way in serving and making an enormous impact in our communities.
Book Launch With Curtis Chin
Monday, November 6, 2023, 6pm – 8:30pm
North Central College, Naperville
Meet Curtis Chin
Author, Filmmaker
EVERYTHING I LEARNED, I LEARNED IN A CHINESE RESTAURANT
A MEMOIR BY CURTIS CHIN
1980s Detroit was a volatile place to live, but above the fray stood a safe haven: Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, where anyone—from the city’s first Black mayor to the local drag queens, from a big-time Hollywood star to elderly Jewish couples—could sit down for a warm, home-cooked meal. Here was where, beneath a bright-red awning and surrounded by his multigenerational family, filmmaker and activist Curtis Chin came of age; where he learned to embrace his identity as a gay ABC, or American-born Chinese; where he navigated the divided city’s spiraling misfortunes; and where—between helpings of almond boneless chicken, sweet-and-sour pork, and some of his own, less-savory culinary concoctions—he realized just how much he had to offer to the world, to his beloved family, and to himself.
“As a kid who also ran around in the back of a Chinese restaurant, this book is literary comfort food, so delicious and good for the soul. Curtis Chin’s story of coming of age and coming out is endearing and unforgettable.”
—JAMIE FORD, AUTHOR OF THE MANY DAUGHTERS OF AFONG MAY
2023 Naperville Community Survey
Your voice matters! The 2023 Naperville Community Survey relates to Naperville’s mission statement: To provide services that ensure a high quality of life, sound fiscal management, and a dynamic business environment while creating an inclusive community that values diversity.
Presented by CAWA YOUTH
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11TH
8 AM – 5:30 PM
After months of planning with our CAWA Youth Council, we did our Immersion Trip to Chinatown with a busload of students and parents from Naperville to learn and explore the history and culture of a community where we often only associated it to be a place to eat and shop.
We visited the Chinese American Museum, and listened to the oral history of many immigrants- their challenges and successes. We heard a presentation from Dr. Hong Liu from the Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA) about medical and mental health services for immigrants, youth, and the elderly. We heard from Grace Chan from Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC) about their fight for representation through voter registration and their fight to win the historic majority Asian ward and the first Chinese American Alderwoman to represent Chinatown. We visited the Chinese American Service League(CASL), the oldest and the largest community service organization in Chinatown to see the chef training program as well as the youth program. It was a full day with nonstop activities including a roundtable session led by our youth leaders where our suburban youth and several Chinatown youth explored issues important to them.
In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, CAWA is honored to Join State Representative Janet Yang Rohr on May 23 to share about our programs and activities and the positive impact we are creating in our community. The panel features our local Chinese American artist, Rich Lo, CAWA Youth leader, Alexandria Tang, CAWA board member, and treasurer, Lai So, and CAWA Founding President, Nancy Chen. Please register for this virtual event. We look forward to your participation.
April 30.2023 1:30 – 4:30 pm
95th Street Library
3015 Cedar Glade Dr, Naperville. IL
Join us for our first exhibition!
With this exhibition, we hope to bring the essence and emotions of young Asian artists’ works and help promote and showcase their talent!
NO ADMISSION FEE
For any inquiries email: asianyoutharts@gmail.com or info@cawaleads.org
