Asian Law Alliance Annual Report 2005-06

Over the past 29 years as a non-profit corporation, the Asian Law Alliance has helped tens of thousands of people in obtaining decent housing, justice in the immigration process, and access to basic human and legal rights.

 Today, Asian/Pacific Islanders continue to be denied fundamental rights. ALA continues to keep its doors open for those individuals, who are limited in English, do not understand the legal system, cannot afford legal fees and who face the reality of discrimination.

ALA programs are designed to make legal services accessible to Asian/Pacific Islanders and low-income people in several ways:

·        Delivering services in Asian/Pacific Islander languages.

·        Providing consultation and legal representation on a free or low-cost basis.

·        Doing extensive outreach and providing preventative information on basic legal rights and obligations.

Services are provided by staff attorneys, support staff, and volunteers who are multilingual in various Asian languages.

Housing: Ensuring access to decent housing, preventing and combating against illegal and discriminatory housing practices.

Public Benefits: Assisting the elderly, families, and disabled individuals in ensuring their opportunities for Social Security, family maintenance and disability benefits.

Employment: Educating workers on minimum wage, overtime, and unemployment insurance rights and regulations.

Immigration: Reuniting families, assisting with citizenship and informing new citizens and recent immigrants of their legal rights and responsibilities.

Domestic Violence: Aiding battered women and their children in escaping physical and emotional abuse in both the civil and immigration arenas.

Civil Rights: Defending and promoting laws that afford Asian/Pacific Islanders full rights and opportunities. The passage of regressive laws in recent years have threatened these ideals. In response, ALA has worked with diverse community groups to protect the rights of the immigrant, the family and the poor.

Board of Directors

Dorian Cartwright (Treasurer)

Mel Chan (Secretary)

My-Le Jacqueline Duong

Nathan Huynh

Kenny Luu

Hugh Matsubayashi

Hope Nakamura

Bhana Sadsivan

John Shen

Catherine Shiang

Alexandra Smith (Vice President)

Henry Su

Sam Su

Greg Sueoka

E. Ivan Trujillo

Nitaya S. Yamamoto

Stanley Young (President)

Staff

Leha Bui

Holly Duong

Erin Gangitano

Salina Huang

Daisy Hung

Richard Konda (Executive Director)

Jackie Maruhashi

Donnalynn Rubiano