According to the lunar calendar or Chinese zodiac, 2009 marks the Year of the Ox.  Many East and Southeast Asians believe that the ox is a symbol of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. While Asian and Pacific Islander Obesity Prevention Alliance (APIOPA) is not superstitious per say, we hope that our dedicated efforts this year can bring lasting success like the tradition of the ox.

APIOPA has been listening to the feedback that we get from our coalition members and partners and we are making changes accordingly.  When we saw that attendance at our monthly general meetings were dwindling to just those who were benefiting from our funded programs, we changed our meeting format to engage wider participation.  This year, those small monthly meetings changed to large quarterly meetings where all our coalition members could come and feel that they are both contributing and receiving valuable information about API obesity. 

We have also changed our meeting place from the Department of Public Health in Commerce to The California Endowment in Los Angeles for the convenience and comfort of our partners.

We hope you can join us at our next quarterly meeting on April 15, 2009, 10:00-12:00. APIOPA is honored to have guest speaker Dr. May Wang from UCLA to speak on "The impact of place of residence on childhood obesity risk".  This topic is particularly important as our Community Action Groups (CAGs) are tackling barriers in our environment that make it difficult for Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) to maintain healthy lifestyles.  As usual at our quarterly meetings, you will also get to network with others who share our goal of reversing the obesity epidemic and hear highlights about what our CAGs are accomplishing in LA.

In the spirit of this new year, together, “Yes, we can.”

- Jessica Lim, Project Director

PA CAG update: Pilipinos Empowering Pilipinos (PEP)

Since you’ve last heard from them, the Pilipino Community Action Group has been hard at work building a fresh produce cooperation (co-op) at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (Los Angeles). Firstly, they chose an appropriate name: Pilipinos Empowering Pilipinos, or PEP for short. Secondly, they collected surveys from the church congregation regarding what kind of produce they should buy. Thirdly, PEP has developed a training curriculum for coop volunteers outlining the co-op's goals and how to run the co-op.

PEP will hold a training for church leadership at the end of February. The co-op will officially open on March 1st.

PEP also has plans to expand the fresh produce co-op model to other Pilipino churches and organizations. They are currently building relationships with these other institutions and scoping out interest levels. We are excited to see all of PEP’s hard work come to fruition!

Update March 4, 2009: PEP may work with other churches/organizations instead of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Updates to come.

Victor tries out outdoor exercise equipment

JA CAG update: Get Fit

Get Fit is at a pivotal point in its work. When we last checked, Get Fit was working on a messaging campaign to promote fitness in Little Tokyo. The campaign would include developing a systematically distributed fitness resource booklet and posters to hang around the community with encouraging messages. Though Get Fit still wants to make exercise opportunities in Little Tokyo better known, they realize that the messaging campaign does not carry as much impact as they would like.

Because Get Fit wants to undertake a built environment or policy change project, it is now exploring other options. The team is holding

focus groups with the Little Tokyo resident and working community to discover how best to support good physical activity habits through environmental change. One of the proposed ideas is to build fitness paths in Little Tokyo. Get Fit welcomes the challenge of finding a project that will be relevant and useful to the community!

PI CAG: SAFE

SAFE (Safe and Active Family Environments) is right on schedule in implementing the objectives of its action plan. As described in the last issue of “Making Health Happen,” SAFE is working on park safety to provide secure public spaces for active family recreation. Since the last update, SAFE has expanded its target area to include 4 more parks in addition to Victoria Park: two in Long Beach, another in Carson, and a park in Lennox.

A SAFE meeting

SAFE plans to meet with Cedric Hicks, Recreation Superintendent, to gather more information about park lighting and discuss extending the period of time park lights are left on. Members of SAFE will also meet with Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas, and Assembly Member Warren Furutani and representatives of local faith based organizations (FBOs) and the gang community. SAFE will strengthen its work by integrating the community’s input into their objectives and working closely with their elected officials.

As part of their broader outreach plan, SAFE has joined the LA County Supervisors City Council Meeting email list, will open a SAFE Facebook account, and is discussing outreach opportunities at large community gatherings. SAFE is also developing a logo which will be inserted in all their leaflets and outreach materials. SAFE is building relationships all over the community and greasing the policy wheels of change.

APIOPA Quarterly Meeting: April 15, 2009

Save the date!

Come to APIOPA's Quarter Meetings to discuss hot topics in the field of API Obesity, hear guest lecturers, get an APIOPA update, and dialogue on how government and community based organizations can address the issue of API Obesity.

Guest Presentation:
"The impact of place of residence on childhood obesity risk"
May Wang, Dr.P.H., R.D.
UCLA School of Public Health

View the April APIOPA Quarterly Meeting flyer.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
10am-12pm.
The California Endowment’s Center for Healthy Communities
1000 N. Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

RSVP with Jessica Lim at jlim@ltsc.org or 213-473-3022.

“Making Health Happen,” a quarterly bulletin produced by the Asian & Pacific Islander Obesity Prevention Alliance (APIOPA), provides the latest APIOPA project news. Please send “Making Health Happen” comments and questions to msakata@ltsc.org. Your feedback and input is greatly appreciated!

APIOPA is a collaborative of community-based organizations, county, state, and federal health agencies.

Our Mission: To empower the A&PI community to improve their health by recognizing health disparities and to improve/address social, cultural, environmental, and political factors that contribute to the growing rates of obesity among A&PI residents in LA County.

APIOPA is fiscally sponsored by the Little Tokyo Service Center, CDC.

APIOPA is funded by Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and The California Endowment