Joe Arpaio: The Feds Get Their Man (Or At Least Sue Him)

If you need any more proof that I'm not going to travel into Arizona - because brown is brown is brown (and that probably results in things I don't even want to imagine) I give you some Daily Kos:

The U.S. Justice Department sued Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Thursday, saying the Arizona lawman refused for more than a year to turn over records in an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics. The lawsuit calls Arpaio and his office's defiance "unprecedented," and said the federal government has been trying since March 2009 to get officials to comply with its probe of alleged discrimination, unconstitutional searches and seizures, and jail policies that discriminate against people with limited English skills.

SACNAS Responds To AZ Immigration Law SB1

'Cause you gotta do what you gotta do - and that means boycotting the shit out of Arizona.

SACNAS eliminates Arizona as potential conference location citing likelihood of attendee harassment due to SB1070 immigration law

SANTA CRUZ, CA, May 10, 2010 - In a recent letter to Governor Jan Brewer, SACNAS formally withdrew Phoenix as a potential conference site for its 2012 national conference, stating the new Arizona immigration law virtually guarantees harassment of its conference attendees, most of whom are Hispanic. SACNAS, a national society of scientists advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in science, estimates the total loss in revenue to the local economy at $3 million.

"The leadership of SACNAS strongly believes the immigration law SB1070 will make the state inhospitable to people of color, especially Hispanics," says society president, Jose Dolores Garcia, PhD. "We have been seriously considering Phoenix as a site for our conference in 2012. However, we feel the passage of this law and the policies of Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio will lead to racial profiling of our students and faculty."

Each year, SACNAS holds a major annual national conference bringing together 3,000 student and professional scientists for a four-day meeting. Members of the organization are among the nation's brightest minds in science and represent over 300 leading research facilities, colleges and universities, government agencies and corporations.

The organization's executive director, Judit Camacho points out, "We are not only concerned for our Hispanic attendees, but also for the Native American populations we serve. The law's potential impact on the civil liberties of all Americans cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately, the state has simply become too hostile for the safety and well-being of our members."

If Arizona's current punitive immigration law is repealed, SACNAS may again consider Phoenix as a possible future conference site.

SACNAS is a 37-year-old professional society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American scientists-from college students to professionals-in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership. It has been recognized by the National Science Board as the premier organization promoting diversity in science careers and has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.

www.sacnas.org

The First Southern Arizona Asian American Pacific Islander Conference

Yes Arizona - you're being called. This Saturday the first Southern Arizona API Conference is happening down at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Road with best-selling author Robert Kiyosaki as the keynote speaker. Space is limited and apparently they only have about 50 spots left - so register while you can down at http://www.panasiantucson.org/.

Arizona - Get Your Mekong Plaza On

I guess I should really say "Mesa - Get Your Mekong Plaza On" - but you get my point. If you're in the West Mesa AZ area and you need Asian - anything Asian - apparently the new 100,000 square-foot Asian themed mall called Mekong Plaza is the place for you:

The mall is anchored by the 38,000-square-foot Mekong Supermarket, which opens into the rest of the indoormall. Other Asian-owned businesses already open include a hair salon and a gift shop. The plaza proprietors are banking on the climate-controlled feature to draw more visitors in the summer heat.

Two Vietnamese restaurants in the center were packed at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The next day, the afternoon lunch crowd spilled over outside into the corridor. Chan Tieu, owner of UnPHOgettable restaurant, moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona because he saw a good business opportunity, He's run out of the popular Pho noodle soup every day since Day One. "It's been a madhouse," said Tieu, who's looking for more help to cater to the patrons. Word of mouth, he believes, is drawing people in.

And yes - you can get a t-shirt that says UnPHOgettable.

ASU Teams Up With Asian Pacific Community in Action

To my Arizona Asian American peeps - you're getting some more help on the medical front:

The Center for Health Information & Research at Arizona State University has joined a coalition to improve the health of the Asian/Pacific Islander community in Maricopa County.

The center was awarded a subcontract to work with the Asian Pacific Community in Action, which received a four-year, $600,000 grant from the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation [...]

Grant funding will be used to develop a data system to track the health status and needs of the Asian/Pacific Islander community and its use of health services. The Asian Pacific Community in Action, or APCA, also will develop and implement a cancer screening and prevention plan, Hirano said. "One of the key components of our initiative is to build a solid understanding of the health behaviors and health care utilization patterns of the local Asian and Pacific Islander residents," he said. "With its massive database, CHIR will be a key source of this information."

Read more here.