Asian, Pacific Islander Forum Unites Groups

About 100 members of the San Fernando Valley’s Asian and Pacific Islander communities celebrated their differences and similarities at a forum that brought together more than a dozen of their organizations for the first time.

The forum, held Saturday at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center, included the Tongan Community Center, the San Fernando Valley Vietnamese Community Center and the Valley Korean American Assn.

“I’m so excited to see our different ethnic groups can be here together to share our food, our songs and our future together,” said forum participant Alfred C. Foung, president of the San Fernando Valley Chinese Cultural Assn.

Following introductions, people broke into groups to discuss common problems that the community shares and suggest possible solutions. The issues ranged from establishing an ethnic day-care center and a common phone directory to expanding the community’s annual health fair and thinking of new ways to help seniors.

Many of the attendees suggested that the organizations unite for meetings so that they can begin addressing common issues. A debriefing meeting is scheduled June 1 at the Japanese American Community Center in Pacoima.

“We need to figure out what we can do together as a community to help our community,” said Phil Shigekuni of the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, which sponsored the event with the Asian & Pacific Islander Council of the San Fernando Valley.

Other participants included the Asian Indian Network and Advocacy, the Evergreen Senior Center, the Filipino American Assn. of U.S.A., Thai Health and Information Services Inc., and the Ohana Kahou in the San Fernando Valley.