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Vietnamese-American Organization--Washington State Chapter.

Dear Everyone,

I am writing this article to invite interested individuals to join the Vietnamese-American Organization, Washington State Chapter. The mission of the organization is to advocate and educate disadvantaged communities of color on how to get involved in the political process, in addition to informing them of their civil rights. Ultimately, communities of color will attain economics justice through their participation in the political and legal process, as well as grass-roots community organizing.

I propose that we begin by outreaching to the Vietnamese Community, thus establishing an effective model for reaching out to other communities of color. I suggest the following as the means of achieving our mission.

1. Begin the Vietnamese Organization Toward Empowerment (V.O.T.E. Project). I suggest each State in the U.S. to begin forming its own chapter of Vietnamese-American Organization to register Vietnamese voters. The Vietnamese-American.org website is the means to educate and link these organizations together.

2. Advocate for the building of a Vietnamese Community Center in Seattle. The community center will be the cultural, educational, and social center of the Vietnamese community. Without a strong political base of active registered voters, I doubt if this objective can be met. I hope each major city in each State will get involved in advocating for the building of a Vietnamese Community Center.

I hope you can join me in this effort. I believe that equality, justice, and inclusion are worthwhile goals. We hold the power in our hands, and whether we want to exercise that power is the choice we all have to make.

Tuan Tran