IN THIS ISSUE:

Guidelines: story must reflect aspect of your life experience in the U.S., should be between 1,000-1,500 word count, have to be writer's own personal experience, writers must have Filipino ancestry (including blended backgrounds, 2nd-5th generation FilAm, as well as Philippine-born & with the majority of life spent in the U.S.), no plagiarism, no profanity, no horror or graphic or gratuitous violence, no disrespect towards any race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation.

How to Submit short story: e-mail as PDF to sevencardstudwith7manangswild.gmail.com with the subject line as "7 Card Stud with 7 Manangs Wild"

For questions, please e-mail Vangie Canonizado Buell at vangiec@berkeley.edu, or Jeanette Gandionco Lazam at lazamjg@gmail.com.

For their March Women's Month issues, Positively Filipino (LINK www.positivelyfilipino.com) would like to know, in 100 words or fewer, the One Awesome Filipina Womanundefinedliving or deadundefinedwith whom you would share a meal, and why. Send with a photo to submissions@positivelyfilipino.com.

Our editor Rene wants to dine with Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago:"My famous awesome woman dinner guest has got to be Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. She's quite controversial but is easily among the most intelligent in the Senate. She is also quite eccentric. Recently, she was elected judge of the International Criminal Court of the United Nations. For dinner, I would prepare something delicious that would not worsen her high blood pressure, like grilled fish and veggies. Too bad that she probably doesn't drink alcohol, because of

her health. But I would really like to pry into her thought process. What's behind the sometimes brilliant, sometimes absurd statements she has been known for…"

There has been an important and TIME SENSITIVE development with VAWA.

Your Congress Members are listening to you!  We only have a few hours to act so please call today and tomorrow morning. Members must hear loud and clear that they need to pass the bipartisan Senate version of VAWA!  Your work has gotten us this far - let's get this done!

URGENT ACTION ITEM:

To reach your Congress Member, call the Capitol Switchboard at (202)-224-3121 or look them up here: http://www.house.gov/representatives/. When you're connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA. 

MESSAGE:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is ________. I'm calling about the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). I urge Congress Member _______ to vote NO on the House substitute bill and then vote YES on the bipartisan Senate version of S. 47.  VAWA can and must protect all victims.

On Dec. 7 Senator Sebelius at Human & Health Services (HHS) rejected the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to make Plan B available over the counter for women of all ages. FDA experts reviewed scientific medical data and analysis and found no reason to deny women below 17 full access. http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2491/p/dia/action/

• Young Asian/Pacific Islander (API) women, who are often uninsured or do not have access to a regular health care provider, will have difficulty obtaining prescriptions. 
• API women 17 and older who are unable to provide documentation to verify their age will need to continue to need a prescription.
• The age restriction affects all women because everyone will continue to need to go to a pharmacist to access the medication.

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Activities Reach Youth City-Wide

February 1st kicks off Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and La Casa de las Madres' Teen Program is geared up to reach out to teens all month long across San Francisco and the wider Bay Area. Read full text.

California

Providing Mental Health and Wellness Services to the Filipino Community, February 27, 2013, Wednesday at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM - Bayanihan Community Center, 1010 Mission Street, San Francisco. RVSP to Sheila Rivera at sm.rivera@gmail.com

Women 2013: Lessons Learned and What's on the Horizon, February 28, 2013, Thursday at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM - Latham & Watkins, LLP, 500 Montgomery St, San Francisco. Click for info.

Train-the-Trainers on Because We Have Daughters (BWHD) Program, March 28-29, 2013 - The California Endowment Conference Center, Oakland. Click for info.

Most Influential Women in Business Awards, June 6, 2013, Thursday at 5:30 PM - Hilton San Francisco Union Square, 333 O' Farrell St, San Francisco. Click for info.

Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence 2013 National Summit, June 30 - July 2, 2013, San Francisco. Click for info.  

Washington, D.C.

2013 Americas NeuroLeadership Summit, November 5-8, 2013. Washington, D.C. Click for info.

New York

Brand Yourself for Leadership and Business Success, February 28, 2013, Thursday at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Microsoft, 1290 Avenue of Americas, 6th Floor, New York City. Click for info.

The Next Big Thing: Economic Empowerment Conference - Asian American Entrepreneurs Network, March 28, 2013, Tuesday at 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM - CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York. Click for info.

Oregon

APPAC March Workshop: Business credits, deductions, & protecting yourself from identity theft, March 13, 2013, Wednesday at 5:30 PM -  APPAC Community Room, 1125 SE Madison St. Suite #103B, Portland. Click for info.

APPAC and PDC Present: Business & Lenders Connect: Make Connections to Grow Your Business, March 28, 2013 Thursday from 2-4:00 PM - PDC Commission Room, First Floor, 220 NW 5th Avenue, Portland. Click for info.

Philippines

Asian Publishing Convention, July 11-12, 2013, Thursday - Friday, Manila. Click for info.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier calling for Volunteers for Speier Corps Day! - http://speier.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=909

City of El Cajob - Seeking (3) Police Service Officers. Deadline March 6, 2013 by 5:00 PM. Click for info.

Call for Applications: Covered California Outreach and Education Grant Program

Deadline: March 4, 2013

http://www.healthexchange.ca.gov/Pages/OutrchandEdProg.aspx

Small Business Forum Radio Wants to Promote Your Business to +35,000 Listeners Worldwide! February 7-28, 2013. - http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5470454276/

Coast Colleges District Job Opportunity: http://www.cccd.edu/employment/

Oakland Asian Cultural Center - Seeking Executive Director. Deadline: March 4, 2013. http://www.oacc.cc/

Job Position: CUNY Thomas Tam Visiting Professorship for 2013-2014 Academic Year in Asian American Studies

Organization: The City University of New York 

Applications Due: February 28, 2013.

http://cunyportal.cuny.edu/cms/id/cuny/documents/AdditionalJob/

Webcast: The Health Care Series

Everything You Wanted to Know About Health Care Reform* 

*And You Weren't Afraid to Ask

February 28, 2013 at 2 PM E.T. / 11 AM P.T.

Speaker: Gary Kushner & Co.

http://www.shrm.org/multimedia/webcasts/pages/0113healthcare

Send comments to epahayagan@ffwn.org