The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), the National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP) and Asian Health Services (AHS) held a community forum on health care reform and what a public plan option would mean the community. More than 300 members of the community attended the forum. Sherry Hirota, CEO of Asian Health Services hosts the forum and County Supervisor Keith Carson, Co-chair of the Alameda County Health Committee, speaks about how equal access to health care is crucial to our communities. There were translators for six different languages at the event: Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Khmer, Korean, and Tagalog.

Deeana Jang, Policy Director of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum in Washington D.C., gives a presentation about some of the ideas and key concepts that are critical in understanding health care reform.

Leading professionals in the health care field share their knowledge about the progress and challenges of health care reform. Panelists include: Dr. Ricky Choi, a pediatrician at Asian Health Services Dr. Ho Luong Tran, President and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum. Deeana Jang, Policy Director at the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.

Community members share their stories and ask questions to the panel.

Neera Tanden, Senior Advisor at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington D.C. calls in to give a message from the White House.

Featured song: Change the World by Too Short (feat. B-Rad) Town Business Network (TBN) has assembled a group of artists from the San Francisco Bay Area “to change the face of American politics.” The hip-hop album, “Wake Yo’ Game Up!” promotes social change and empowerment through community awareness and the act of voting. Artists are free to explore the theme of “Voting and Social Change” with two limitations: songs must be non-partisan and must not contain curse words. All artists agreed to donate their time and creative talents to this project. The album has been distributed to a variety of venues in the East Bay, such as high schools, colleges, shopping centers, barbershops, and community events. Through a generous in-kind donation 5,000 copies of the album have been provided to TBN for distribution. These copies have been distributed at no charge to prospective voters throughout the East Bay. Songs are available to download for free at http://wakeyogameup.org

Proposition 6 will be on the November 2008 ballot. If passed, the initiative would increase funding by nearly sixty-one percent for various law enforcement activities including gang intervention, detention, probation, narcotics enforcement, education, prevention and rehabilitation. The proposition will require a minimum of $965,000,000 each year to be allocated from the state general fund for police, sheriffs, district attorneys, adult probation, jails and juvenile probation facilities. Opponents believe Proposition 6 will lock-in taxpayer money to fund failed, "get-tough" policies and programs. The initiative earmarks state general fund dollars which would mean less money for education, senior services, and heath care. Proposition 6 will drain communities of much-needed resources and will make neighborhoods and streets less safe. Proponents believe Proposition 6 is an anti-gang and crime reduction measure that will increase public safety and bring greater efficiency and accountability to programs and agencies that spend taxpayer money. Funding will be ensured for local police, sheriff, district attorneys and probation officers while creating tougher punishment for violent and gang crimes. To learn more about Proposition 6 go to: http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/prop/6/ Guest Speakers: Jakada Imani Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center http://www.ellabakercenter.org Bill Fenton President of the California Probation, Parole, and Correctional Association (CPPCA) http://www.cppca.org Guest Host: Denise Tejada Youth Radio

Oakland Youth Movement is a group of youth trying to get their voices heard. Their purpose has been to get opinions from Oakland youth about the challenges in their communities and obtain their input about what resources are most needed to address these issues. The City and County Neighborhood Initiative brought together several Oakland youth in 2007 to develop and conduct youth surveys in two neighborhoods. The survey explores what youth think about their neighborhoods, including: what they like, what they want to change, what kinds of resources they need, and how they feel about health and violence in their community. The young people worked with staff from the Alameda County Public Health Department’s Community Assessment, Planning and Education/Evaluation Unit and conducted 200 youth surveys. After a few months of working together, the youth group named themselves the Oakland Youth Movement because they wanted to “become a movement to fight for change in our communities.” Guest Speakers: LaToya Carroll, a native Oaklander and was born in West Oakland. She attended Hoover Elementary, and McClymonds High School, and graduated from Berkeley High School in 2006. Nakia Dillard, a native Oaklander and was born in West Oakland. She attended Hoover Elementary and graduated from McClymonds High School in 2005. Nakia is in her second year at Laney College.

Pre–K students are expelled at a rate more than three times that of children in grades K–12, according to Yale University’s, Walter Gilliam, study, “Pre–kindergartners Left Behind: Expulsion Rates in State Prekindergarten Systems.” Keith Carson moderates a discussion about the ways Alameda County early education programs are addressing the issue of Pre-K expulsion. Guests speakers: Margie Gutierrez-Padilla, LCSW, Program Supervisor Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services Early Childhood Consultation & Treatment Program http://www.acgov.org/childcare Pamm Shaw, Executive Director Berkeley-Albany YMCA Early Childhood Services http://www.baymca.org/early.aspx Sujata Bansal, Early Childhood Mental Health Manager First Five Alameda County, Every Child Counts http://www.ackids.org