GOAABA Donates to the Relief Efforts in the Philippines
GOAABA joined forces with the Young Lawyers Section of the Orange County Bar Association and the Hispanic Bar Association of Central Florida to pool resources and make a joint donation to those who are suffering from the devastation resulting from Typhoon Haiyan. We are proud to announce that together, our organizations and private contributors donated a total of $4,000.00 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts in the Philippines. The money will be used to provide assistance and aid to the victims and their families during the ongoing recovery...
read moreFlorida’s Alien Land Law: The Last Vestige of Discrimination
By: Christine M. Ho, Esquire Chair of the Alien Land Law Committee, Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association Tom, a Vietnamese restaurant owner, worked hard all of his life and saved up some money to buy a house. Every weekend, he shopped with his wife and two small children for their dream home in a suburb of Orlando. With the help of his realtor, he finally found the house. It had four bedrooms with a pool and a white picket fence. At closing, the seller said, “Wait a minute. I am not going to sell this house to you because Asians cannot legally own a house in Florida.” You would think the seller is crazy and is not telling you the truth. Shockingly, the seller is correct. In Florida, a little known law holds that people of Asian descent cannot own real estate in Florida! This law prohibiting Asians from owning real property is known as the “Alien Land Law” and was passed in 1926. The Alien Land Law targeted Asian immigrants and was intended to prevent them, as well as other immigrants, from owning real estate in the State of Florida. Many other states in the Union also passed similar alien land laws as a result of the increasing racism against Asian immigrants during the first quarter of the twentieth century. In 1913, California was the first state to pass an alien land law. California’s alien land law stemmed from the racial animosity against Japanese farmers who had recently moved to California and had started acquiring and owning agricultural land. By the end of World War II with anti-Asian sentiment at an all time high, Arizona, Washington, Louisiana, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Kansas, Wyoming, Utah, and Arkansas had all passed their own versions of the alien land law. Since that time, all of these states have repealed their alien land laws. Florida is the only state in the United States that has not repealed its Alien Land Law. Florida alone retains this discriminatory and racist law in its Constitution. Even more surprising is that the recent attempt to repeal Florida’s Alien Land Law failed. In November 2008, Florida voted on the proposed Amendment 1, which attempted to repeal Florida’s Alien Land Law. The ballot title was “Declaration of Rights,” and the text was as follows: Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to delete provisions authorizing the Legislature to regulate or prohibit the ownership, inheritance, disposition, and possession of real property by aliens ineligible for citizenship. Ultimately, Amendment 1 failed by a vote of 47.9% (3,369,894 votes) to 52.1% (3,669,812 votes). Sixty percent (60%) was required to pass the ballot measure. In hindsight, supporters of Amendment 1 have admitted that the language of Amendment 1, which contained the term “aliens ineligible for citizenship,” may have confused the public into believing that Amendment 1 concerned illegal immigration. Moreover, recent legislative efforts seeking to repeal the Alien Land Law in 2009 and 2010 have failed to get the issue on the ballot. Given its unusual and ambiguous name and the prior confusion of the Alien Land Law being related to illegal immigration, the public needs to become more informed and understand what the Alien Land Law is and the history behind it. In June 2010, the Greater Orlando Asian American Bar...
read moreU.S. Census Results: Orange County Asian Population Grows to Second Largest in Florida – Orlando – June 7, 2012
Florida’s Asian Pacific American population grew 71% from 266,256 (in 2000) to 454,821 (in 2010). This explosive growth since 2000 makes Florida one of the fastest-growing Asian populations in the United States. There are now Asian populations recorded in all 67 Florida counties. The largest Asian populations by county are: Broward County (56,795), Orange (56,581), Hillsborough (42,076), Miami-Dade (37,669) and Duval (35,901).
read moreNew Officers and Board of Directors Sworn In for 2011-2012 – Orlando – June 30, 2011
Board of Directors 2011-2012 Magistrate Linh Ison (far right) swears in the new Board of Directors for 2011-2012 at Terrace 390 on June 30, 2011 (L to R): Don Nguyen, Donna Hung, Stephen Chong, Lisa Gong, Sunny Hillary, Kim Nguyen and Jessica Hew. (missing from picture: Wanda Reas and Agnes Chau) Four officers and three at-large directors raised their right hands on June 30, 2011, and were sworn in for the 2011-2012 term. General Magistrate Linh Ison recited the oath of office to new President Jessica Hew, President-Elect Kim Nguyen, Secretary Sunny Hillary, Treasurer Lisa Gong and Directors-At-Large Stephen Chong, Donna Hung and Don Nguyen. Two other Directors-At-Large who were not present, Agnes Chau and Wanda Reas, will be sworn in on another date. President Jessica Hew presented an appreciation plaque to outgoing former president Glenn Leong. The short ceremony at Terrace 390 in the Bank of America building was followed by free appetizers, drinks and a lot of sozializing among GOAABA members and guests. GOAABA’s fiscal year and most directors’ terms run from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012....
read moreStephen Chong & Angela Miller in New Leadership Positions – Orlando – May 20, 2011
Congratulations to GOAABA member, Stephen C.L. Chong, of Arnold, Matheny & Eagan, P.A., who has become President of the Central Florida Real Estate Council. Congratulations as well to GOAABA member, Angela M. Miller, of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A., who is the new President-Elect of the Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers (CFAWL). We also extend our best wishes to Christy Nash, who has resigned as a GOAABA Director. Christy and her husband, both lawyers, are relocating to Tampa to assume new legal...
read moreGOAABA Helps Raise $5,000 for Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund – Orlando – April 21, 2011
Approximately 200 people attended the multi-bar happy hour & fundraiser on April 21, 2011, at Mojo’s at Church Street Station. GOAABA and four other voluntary bars (Hispanic Bar, Paul C. Perkins Bar, Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers and the Central Florida Gay & Lesbian Bar Association) combined their efforts and raised over $2,500 from the silent auction and door donations. In addition, the Young Lawyers Section pledged a matching contribution of $2,500. Therefore, GOAABA and the other four bar associations will be donating a total of $5,000 to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Tsunami fund. GOAABA members and GOAABA law firms contributed approximately 2/3’s of all sponsorships. 100% of all funds raised at the April 21st fundraiser will go to the American Red Cross. For further information, contact Social Chair Lisa Gong at...
read moreGOAABA Participates in Investiture of Judges Mike Murphy, Donald Myers & Keith White – Orlando – March 4, 2011
GOAABA participated in the March 4, 2011, Investiture of new Circuit Judges Mike Murphy, Donald A. Myers, Jr., and Keith F. White at the Orlando Marriott Downtown Hotel. GOAABA and twelve other voluntary bar associations each presented a ceremonial or token “welcome gift” to the newly appointed judges. GOAABA President Glenn Leong and President-Elect Jessica Hew, on behalf of GOAABA, presented black-framed “Year of the Rabbit” wall art. Judge Murphy, formerly a County Judge of six years, was Governor Charlie Crist’s last appointment before Crist left office. Circuit Judges Myers and White worked in private practice before their appointments to the...
read moreTHE FLORIDA BAR SEEKS QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO SERVE ON LOCAL BAR GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE – Orlando – October 25, 2010
Local Bar Grievance Committee I am posting the following email from Attorney Daniel L. DeCubellis, who sits on the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar, and is seeking qualified applicants to serve on one of our local Bar Grievance Committees. I have served on one of the Grievance Committees for the last three (3) years, and strongly encourage all interested parties to apply. They would benefit from a more diverse committee: “Mr. Leong, I am writing to you in your capacity as President of the Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association. In my capacity as a member of the Board of Governors for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, I am the designated reviewer for 2 Florida Bar grievance committees. We have some openings coming up on these committees and I am reaching out to see if you would pass the word among your constituency. The committees meet once a month at the The Florida Bar’s offices in Orlando. I’m generally looking for lawyers who have some substantial experience in the practice as the members of the grievance committee play an important role in determining whether a lawyer is guilty (or not) of ethical violations and it generally takes some experience in the practice and in dealing with clients. Ask anyone who may be interested to give me a call. Thanks for your help, Dan Daniel L. DeCubellis Attorney At Law CNL Center at City Commons 450 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 500 Orlando, Florida 32801-3336 direct 407.244.8228 fax 407.648.9099 ddecubellis@carltonfields.com...
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