2023 January Newsletter

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441 4th Street NW,
Suite 721 North
Washington, DC, 20001
202-727-3120
www.apia.dc.gov


ben de guzman

Contact us at: oapia@dc.gov


MOAPIA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for District Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through advocacy and engagement. MOAPIA advises the Mayor, the Council, and District agencies on the views, needs, and concerns of the AAPI community. We also provide recommendations on District programs and initiatives affecting the AAPI community, and help coordinate programs and initiatives within the government that promote the overall welfare of the AAPI community.

Letter from the Mayor


Bowser newsletter

A Message from the Director


January is always a special time. This year, in particular, we were proud to join Mayor Bowser for the slate of activities surrounding the Inauguration of her historic third term.

As we start 2023, Team MOAPIA begins the New Year refreshed and hitting the ground running. We are excited to gear up for the resumption of the in-person Annual Lunar New Year Parade on January 22, 2023. This tradition is over fifty years old, and our friends at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) are excited to bring the event back to Chinatown after holding virtual observations in 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic. It is one of the first major events on the Mayor’s calendar in the year, and we get to join her, the City Council, and our friends in Chinatown, along with thousands of attendees coming in from across the region.

We also look forward to other special events with the Mayor, including the annual observance of Martin Luther King Day. We join our colleagues at the Mayor’s Office of African American Strategic Engagement and Serve DC to celebrate the holiday as a Day of Service.

Join us for these and other events and activities throughout the month- you can get the latest information on our social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as YouTube and LinkedIn).

 

In Partnership,

Ben de Guzman


DISTRICT UPDATES


123

Polish Your Resumes for the Ward 7 Hiring Fair!

Join the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs and the Donohoe group for a hiring fair!

Interviews and on-the-spot job offers for positions in the following industries as applicable:

• Restaurant

• Hotel

• Construction

• Operation and Maintenance

Register: tinyurl.com/Ward7HiringFair


DISTRICT RESOURCES


Mental Health

Help is a Phone Call Away

If you are feeling depressed, anxious, stressed, or just not yourself, remember that you are not alone & help is only a phone call away. The District’s Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential mental health support 24/7. Talk to someone at 1-888-793-4357 or call 988.

Alert DC

As cooler temperatures continue in the coming months, stay safe by subscribing to Mayor Bowser or Alert DC's Twitter to receive updates about the District’s  Hypothermia Alert . Check on unsheltered neighbors, seniors, and other vulnerable individuals. If you see someone in need of shelter call:  202-399-7093 or 311 or call 911 if there’s an immediate safety risk.


COVID-19 RESOURCES


booster

Flu Shot & New COVID Booster Available at All COVID Centers

DC Health is encouraging DC residents to receive their annual flu shot and the new bivalent COVID-19 booster – also known as the Omicron booster – at the same time. These vaccines will be available at pharmacies and clinics throughout the District of Columbia beginning next week.

The annual flu shot is recommended for anyone six months and older.

The Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster is recommended for individuals 12 years of age or older if it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or at least two months since they received a booster dose.

The Moderna bivalent booster is recommended for individuals 18 years of age and older if it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or at least two months since they received a booster dose. 


COVID Center

Flu Shot & New COVID Booster Available at All COVID Centers

Monkeypox Clinics Merge with COVID Centers in Wards 2, 3, and 8

DC Health is encouraging DC residents to receive their annual flu shot and the new bivalent COVID-19 booster – also known as the Omicron booster – at the same time. These vaccines will be available at pharmacies and clinics throughout the District of Columbia beginning next week.

The annual flu shot is recommended for anyone six months and older.

The Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster is recommended for individuals 12 years of age or older if it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or at least two months since they received a booster dose.

The Moderna bivalent booster is recommended for individuals 18 years of age and older if it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or at least two months since they received a booster dose. 

Beginning October 15, monkeypox clinics are collocated with the COVID Centers in Wards 2, 3, and 8. For more information about monkeypox: https://dchealth.dc.gov/page/monkeypox


MOAPIA UPDATES


LNY 23

2023 Lunar New Year Parade

Join Mayor Muriel Bowser and team MOAPIA for the 2023 Lunar New Year Parade on January 22, 2023! The parade is finally back in person after a 3-year hiatus and we’re excited to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with Washingtonians. Get ready for vibrant performances and a magnificent firecracker finale!


MOAPIA in the Community


Joint Outreach with MOCRS

MOAPIA hosted a joint public outreach with MOCRS on December 13, 2022, and met with several business owners in Chinatown. During the visits, MOAPIA shared various programs, including Bridge Fund 3.0 and Food Waste Innovation Grant, that may benefit businesses and discussed business owners’ challenges.

MOCRS

Community Outreach

2022 was another year full of community outreach works for MOAPIA! MOAPIA’s Outreach Specialists visited and engaged with many different business owners and residents across our great city and connected them with critical DC resources and programs.  

Community 2
Community 3
Communty 5
Community 1

Fresh Start 5K Race T-shirt Distribution

On December 30, 2022, Team MOAPIA distributed t-shirts to more than 110 attendees who ran the Mayor’s Fresh Start 5k Race at Wilson Aquatic Center.

A Day of Honor and In Memoriam of Dr King

In celebration of the light and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., MOAPIA and other MOCA offices marched in the Coalition for Peace’s 42nd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade. We thank all of the community members and families for helping in celebrating and honoring Dr. King's memory and work.

MLK Parade

MOAPIA State of Affairs


We are hiring

MOAPIA is hiring!

The Mayor's Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs has job openings for Community Outreach Specialists for candidates with language skills in Chinese, Vietnamese, or Korean. To apply and learn more about the qualifications and duties of these positions, please visit here. Apply today! 


Grantee Spotlight


dvrp

A/PI DVRP is Open for Services

DVRP was founded to ensure that abused Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) survivors reaching out for assistance would have access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

DVRP provides free and confidential services, in over 20 Asian/Pacific Islander languages.  We aim to improve the safety of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, regardless of income level, immigration status or English fluency.

Speak with an advocate at their Confidential Helpline: (202) 833-2233


Civic/Community Engagement


K Kard

Be A Part of DC's Comeback!

DC's Comeback Plan is a tool for setting goals and priorities, guiding action and investments, and aligning stakeholders to achieve a shared vision.  In 5 years, 6 bold goals, 3 focus areas:

  1. Successful businesses
  2. Opportunity-rich neighborhoods
  3. Thriving people

We will come back, we will win, and we will do it together.  Read DC’s Comeback Plan and share your big ideas at comeback.dc.gov