CALIFORNIA ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS

SACRAMENTO - The California Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus will convene its first annual policy summit, "Speaking in One Voice" on June 7, 2004 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento. The Summit, the first of its kind, reflects the growing political strength and consciousness of the API community. The Summit will bring API leaders together from around the state to have a dialogue with policymakers and elected officials, to assess the current state of API affairs, and to develop an agenda for the future of the community. Summit workshops will provide participants with an opportunity to discuss key policy and budget issues impacting the API community and learn how to advocate effectively at the state level.

The Summit will culminate in the "Community Legislative Heroes" Dinner MC'd by award-winning actor, Mr. Lou Diamond Phillips. The dinner will feature the recognition of Dr. Wen Ho Lee with the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus "Profile in Courage" Award presented by the chair of the API Legislative Caucus, Assembly Member Judy Chu. Dr. Lee spent nine months in solitary confinement and was subsequently exonerated by the courts in 2000, with fifty-eight of the fifty-nine charges related to allegations of stealing government secrets for China against him were dropped. Dr. Lee's case galvanized the Asian American community in a way not seen since the hate-motivated murder of Vincent Chin. The Summit dinner will honor Dr. Lee for the courage and strength he showed through the ordeal.

Four community heroes will also be honored for their advocacy efforts that led to the passage of recent legislation. Honorees include Ted Wang with Chinese for Affirmative Action (San Francisco); Peter Vang of the Hmong Educational Task Force (Fresno); David A. Lee of the Korean Rice Cake Association (Los Angeles); and Ismael Ileto, brother of Joseph Ileto – the postal worker who was murdered in 1999 by a rampaging white supremacist.