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 to our readers:
May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. It is a broad recognition celebrating various Asian ethnicities and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. We chose to feature Vietnamese-Americans this month as they are one of the fastest-growing Asian ethnic groups in our nation. The Vietnamese community is a cohesive one, having settled in small close-knit neighborhoods exhibiting a proud solidarity and prevailing regard for their roots.
But don't forget to participate in Cinco de Mayo festivities across our nation. On May 5, 1862 Mexican soldiers arose victorious against French invasion in the Battle of Puebla. The day is meant to symbolize Mexican culture, pride, and strength.
-- From all of us at Améredia
 spotlight on: the vietnamese community
Large-scale Vietnamese immigration to the U.S. started relatively recently after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. According to the 2006 American Community Survey, more than 80% of Vietnamese in the U.S. are citizens. Most Vietnamese Americans are first, second, and third-generation. Orange County, California, home to almost half of the Vietnamese community in the U.S. leads in population statistics followed by the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area. One in three Vietnamese-Americans lives in the state of California. Houston, Dallas, and Washington D.C. also report a strong, thriving Vietnamese presence.
The Vietnamese have intuitively built neighborhoods and surrounding business districts like Oakland, California’s Little Saigon, where the majority live, work and socialize speaking in Vietnamese. For this very reason, Vietnamese Americans have the lowest rates of English language proficiency among Asian groups in California, according to a recent report by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. In America, more than 1 million people speak Vietnamese at home. Median household income for Vietnamese-Americans was estimated to be $55,667 in 2008. Twenty years prior, 34% of Vietnamese Americans had lived under the poverty line. The percentage fell drastically in another ten years to 16% compared to the 12% overall U.S. average. The Vietnamese traditionally value education and learning. As a community, they have experienced the inherent struggles characteristic of new immigrants but also display meaningful upward progression and development.
Little Saigon
The stretch of developments lining Bolsa Avenue between Brookhurst and Magnolia streets in Orange County, CA serve as the center of America's biggest Little Saigon. Supermarkets, shopping centers like the well-known Asian Garden Mall, strip malls, community services companies and organizations that provide healthcare, legal resources, etc. to Vietnamese speakers are accessible there. The area was officially named Little Saigon by city council in the late 1980’s. There are other small but distinct Vietnamese-American enclaves in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Denver, and Dallas to name a few.
Asian Pacific Heritage Events
Apr 29 -May 8: Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival @ Los Angeles
May 2: 31st Annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival @ NYC
May 8: Asian Cultural Festival of San Diego @ San Diego, CA
May 15: Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration @ San Francisco, CA
May 19 -Jun 5: APA Heritage Festival 2010 @ Oakland, CA
May 22: APAHA 2010 Festival @ Houston, TX
May 23: Pacific Rim Street Fest 2010 @ Sacramento, CA
Get more stats on the Vietnamese-American community on our website.
 to go: community events
Throughout the month of May, festivities are celebrated among the ethnic communities here in the U.S. Go out, experience, and enjoy!
May 1 -5: The 26th Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta @ Portland, OR
May 3 -9: Lucky Rice Restaurant Week @ NYC
May 6 -11: Hola Mexico Film Festival @ San Francisco, CA
May 7 -16: Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival @ Pittsburgh, PA
May 8 -9: Cinco In The Park 2010 @ Denver, CO
May 13 -16: Festival of Greece @ Houston, TX
May 13 -14: Hola Mexico Film Festival @ Miami, Fl
May 15: 12th Annual Haitian Compas Festival @
May 20 - 25: Hola Mexico Film Festival @ Miami, FL
May 22: Cleveland Asian Festival @ Cleveland, OH
May 22: Pasadena Dumpling Festival @ Pasadena, CA
May 28 -31: Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee @ Sacramento, CA
May 29 -31: Kentucky Reggae Festival @ Louisville, KT
 to go: professional events
Want to be more involved in the multicultural professional environment or learn about the ethnic markets? Here are some events you might be interested in.
May 4: 'How To Write A Diversity Plan’ Semnar @ NYC
May 7: ‘9th Annual Asian Diversity Career Expo’ @ NYC
May 7-8: 'How to Target the Multicultural Consumer” @ NYC
May 10-12: "Hispanic PR & Social Marketing Conference" @ Dallas, TX
May 13: ‘Latinas & Power Symposium” @ Hartford, CT
May 14 -15: TiEcon 2010 @ Santa Clara, CA
May 17: 2010 Diversity Leadership Forum @ NYC
May 18: 14th Annual Rosoff Awards @ Boston, MA
May 20 -21: 3AF Conference @ Las Vegas, NV
May 25 -27: 25th Anniversary CelebrAsian Business Opportunity Conference @ Washington, D.C.
 in the know: market research
For Chinese, Web Is The Way To Entertainment
A study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group found that people in China are far more 'connected' than Americans. This article examines the power of the world wide web and it's prevelance as top information and entertainment outlet for Chinese.
Source: NY Times
Hispanics and Arizona’s New Immigration Law
Arizona's recent immigration enforcement law has reset conversations about discrimination and popular attitudes toward Hispanics in the United States. This Pew Hispanic Center Fact Sheet explores these issues related to Arizona's new plan and its impact on the community.
United States Cenus 2010
The US Census is a survey of all the residents in the United States and Puerto Rico.The information collected is used to determine the number of seats a state occupies in the US House of Representatives and how billions of federal funding is spent. Historically, ethnic minorities have been undercounted and participation is extremely important and encouraged. Every member in the nation should be accounted for. To accommodate America’s ethnic melting pot, bilingual (English/Spanish) forms will be sent out for the first time and Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian forms are available upon request.
Make yourself count for your future. http://2010.census.gov/2010census/
 in the news: our clients
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center to Open New Computer Center and Receive $50,000 Grant From Comcast Foundation on Monday, April 12
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo to Speak at Ceremony Focusing on Small Business Training in the Bay Area
"The Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center and Comcast will announce a new Computer Center and training available in East Palo Alto and San Francisco to support small business owners. Many of Renaissance’s clients, especially among the mono-lingual Spanish speakers, lack computer literacy skills and therefore avoid the use of technology. With Comcast’s help, Renaissance will help close the digital divide that keeps many women and men from achieving their potential as entrepreneurs. The aspiring entrepreneurs will be able to learn both business and general computer literacy skills that will help them to create businesses, improve their livelihoods, create jobs and stimulate the local economy. More ...
 about us: agency report
These are exciting times at Améredia. New clients, new campaigns, new business pitches and new team members all create an environment of thrill and passion for what we do best. The agency is busy working on many new multicultural campaigns and reaching out to various ethnic communities in so many different ways. Our strong presence and growth in the market has enabled us to be selected as one of the fastest growing Asian American businesses in the nation by the US Pan Asian American Chamber Commerce.
Recent Work: See what we've been up to lately; take a peek at our current creative campaigns.
 Honors: AMÉREDIA CONTINUES WINNING STREAK AT 2009 EXCELLENCE IN MULTICULTURAL MARKETING AWARDS
Améredia received two first-place and one second-place title for marketing tactics devised in various campaigns with Comcast Corporation. Read more.
Updates: We enjoy producing exciting multicultural campaigns. See our agency updates and news.
We would love to hear from you! Submit tips and contributions to newsletter@ameredia.com.
We love multiculturalism and it shows. Call, email us or fill in this form for new business inquiries.
Sources: United States Census Bureau (2000), Census Factfinder, Creative Commons, iStock |
“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength."
- Maya Angelou
multicultural snapshot
Têt Nguyen Dan, (most commonly referred to as Têt) Vietnam’s lunar new year holiday was introduced by the Chinese and endured the test of time and political changes to remain the singular most important holiday of the year. It marks the arrival of spring and includes most of the same cultural rituals and customs including ancestral worship, visits to the temple, full cleaning and decorating of the home, gifting money to children, and sending greetings of good luck and well wishes to all.
media sheet
Saigon Broadcasting Television Network (SBTN), headquarted in Orange County, California since 2002, was the first 24-hour Vietnamese television network specifically programmed to meet the needs and tastes of the Vietnamese audience living in North America. SBTN offers a range of English and in-language programming including news, drama, movies, documentaries, variety shows, music, talk shows, kids programming and more. Top SBTN productions include Vietnamese Family Life In America, Vietnam Close Up, he Viet Model Project, and more.
bite-sized language Vietnamese, the official and national language of Vietnam is spoken by roughly 80 million people worldwide. Much of the vocabulary exhibits Chinese and French colonial influence. Today, the Vietnamese written language is greatly derived from the Latin alphabet with some modification. More than one million Vietnamese speakers span the U.S. It is the third most spoken language in the state of Texas.
'You're Welcome' = Không có gì'
good eats
Banh chun, the traditional Vietnamese rice cake, is an absolute must have treat during Tet New Year celebrations.
ingredients:
2 cups sticky rice
1/4 cup of dried, hulled mung beans
(Soak rice and mung beans overnight in separate bowls)
6 oz. boneless pork or roast, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 teasonpoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 cup water
Plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and string
1. In large bowl, combine pork, onions, fish sauce and pepper, Set aside for 30 min. Drain rice and beans. Add salt to rice and stir well.
2. In a skillet or wok heat oil over medium heat. Add pork mixture and stir-fry for -6 min. remove from heat and set aside.
3. In medium saucepan, combine mung beans and 1 cup of water. Simmer over low heat until soft. Remove from heat, drain, and mash beans with masher or fork.
4. Spread a square piece of plastic wrap of about 17" on a table or counter. Place a sheet of alumnium foil of the same size on top.
5. Place half of sticky rice in the middle of foil and shape into a square layer. Top rice with a layer of half of the bean mix. Place pork slices on top. Add remaining beans and top off with the remaning rice.
6. Wrap rice cake by bringing together two edges of the wrap. Fold edges over and flatten against the side. Fold the open ends like wrapping a gift. Place packet, folded side down on another sheet of plastic wrap tightly and secure with a piece of string.
7. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Let cool and enjoy!
creative
Here's a recent print creative from our Vietnamese market campaign for Comcast California and SBTN.
global calendar
May 1: May Day (U.S., Intn'l)
May 3: World Press Freedom Day
May 4: Youth Day (China)
May 6: Hidirellez Festival (Turkey)
May 8: World Red Cross Day
May 9: Mother's Day (U.S.)
May 9: Victory Day (Russia)
May 18: Yom Ha'Atzma'Ut (Israel)
May 20: Simbi Blanc (Haiti)
May 21: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
May 22: Unity Day (Yemen)
May 24: Liberation Day (Eritrea)
May 25: Africa Day (Africa)
May 26: Mother's Day (Poland)
May 27: Reconciliation (Australia)
archives
April 2010 Updates
March 2010 Updates
February 2010 Updates
January 2010 Updates
Happy New Year
December 2009 Updates
November 2009 Updates
October 2009 Updates
September 2009 Updates |
