LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS
- 2009 SB 67 – OCA, represented by Alfred Yin, was instrumental in a grassroots community effort in defeating GA’s Senate Bill 67 that would eliminate the option of taking the driver’s license test in 12 other languages. OCA testify to the Transportation Board, got local organizations involved to write letters and campaigned to the Governor and State Legislators convinced 8 senators to change their mind and killed this anti-immigrant bill in the Rules Committee.
- 2009 Fighting Stereotypes of Asian American – wrote to 11Alive News to protest against furthering the stereotype of a local Chinese restaurant having anything to do with a “Skinned Cat” that was sensationalized from a mere dead cat in the back alley.
- 2009 US Census 2010 Outreach – OCA will be helping the government count hard to reach Asian Americans for allocations of the Federal budget to our community.
- 2008 Gloria Cheng’s Case - Under the leadership of Alex Wu as Committee Chair OCA GA Chapter helped fought and won Gloria's case with Fulton County Board of Education for wrongful termination.
- 2008 Emelita Breyer's Case vs. GSU. Committee formed to assist her with petition and fund raising - GSU settled out of court. She became a board member and recently co-authored Senate Resolution 635 for APA Health Care Disparity Funding Study.
- September 2005, OCA issues landmark hate crime prevention manual: “Responding to Hate Crimes, A Community Action Guide”, sponsored by The Allstate Foundation.
- 2003, OCA launched its scholarship programs for APA students: OCA/ AVON Scholarship, OCA/UPS on Gold Mountain Scholarship, and the OCA/Verizon Scholarship Program.
- June 2002, OCA commemorated the 20th anniversary of the death of Vincent Chin by holding a press conference with the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC) and urged the support of the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA), which would strengthen current federal hate crimes.
- October 2001, OCA in partnership with Cathay Bank established the 911 Healing Hands Fund to raise $350,000 for recovery effort in the aftermath of terrorist activities that claimed the lives of thousand of Americans on September 11, 2001.
- September 2000, OCA was selected to be a Census Information Center, charged with analyzing data and disseminating the reports of demographic changes in the APIA communities.
- 1999, OCA announced the “Training the Next GenerAsian” leadership program (now called APIA U: Leadership 101) with funding provided by State Farms in partnership with college affiliates, to be conducted in 11 cities and training nearly 600 Asian American and Pacific Islander students nationwide.
- 1997, OCA was elected Interim Chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans.
- 1996, OCA coordinated a historic first national APIA voter registration campaign.
- 1993, OCA received $75,000 grant from U.S. Department of Transportation for “Don’t Drink and Drive” project.
- January 1992, OCA joined the United State Postal Service in celebrating the “Year of the Rooster” with the issuance of the first Chinese American commemorative stamp. OCA Georgia Chapter Founder Mrs. Jean Chen initiated the idea.
- 1988, OCA received its first grant ever to provide minority AIDS education program.
- 1983, OCA Georgia Chapter was formed.
- 1973, OCA National was formed with three initial chapters.
