Highlights of Our Work
The C.A.C.A. Portland Lodge's mission is to develop leadership, serve the community, and promote civil rights
Leadership Development
2010 - Present: Asian American Youth Leadership Conference
The Portland Lodge continues to support the Annual Asian American Youth Leadership Conference (AAYLC) in sponsorship and planning.
In 2010, the founder of the conference, Paul Duong, appointed the Portland Lodge to spearhead the event.
This conference serves as an annual summit and an on-going mini-gathering aimed at inspiring Asian American youth to value the importance of self-discipline, self-confidence, self-esteem, and the overall rewards of perseverance and achievement. We believe that when youth are provided with the resources, empowerment, and opportunities, they can become role models for others in their communities. You can lean more about AAYLC by going to their website.
Retired 2017: Youth Basketball Program
Retired 2003: Youth Lion Dance Program
Community Service
1998 - Present: Toy, Food, and Holiday Drive
Our first Toy and Food Drive was held between December 19 - 20, 1998. Fong and June Yee and Keith Lee helped spearhead this successful project. We received donations from individuals, businesses (Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Kienows), and the local food banks. We also received $370 in cash donations. The cash was used to buy more food and toys. Sixty-five food boxes and packages of toys were delivered on the 20th to families residing in low income housing areas.
The Annual Toy and Food Drive now takes on a much more simplified process. We now donate funds to the Asian Health and Services Center (AHSC), allowing AHSC to determine the most equitable way for the funds to be distributed during the holiday season.
1980s - Present: Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) Server Permit Classes
In the early 1980’s, Oregon passed a law requiring businesses that sell alcohol to pass a test in order to receive a liquor license. The state did not consider that many of the Asian restaurant owners and servers did not speak English. As a result, we worked with the OLCC to support the education of Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking individuals by helping with translation for free. Initially, we had monthly classes with as many as 12-15 students in attendance. Recently, Stephen Ying, has been teaching students to obtain their licenses online with computers and tablets. OLCC now recognizes the benefit and need for translation.
Promoting Civil Rights with Civic Engagement
2000: City of Portland Community Budget Forum
In February 2000, Keith Lee and Helen Ying attended a City of Portland Community Budget Forum, where they advocated for increased ethnic minority representation in leadership positions and the promotion of safe communities.
2000: Civil Rights Workshop
On August 25, 2000, we co-sponsored a civil rights workshop with the Chinese Service Center. Ms. Faye Dow, an Equal Opportunity Specialist from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, along with the Office of Civil Rights, presented valuable information to an audience of more than 100 attendees. The workshop covered Title VI of the Civil Rights Act 1964, rights for individuals with limited English proficiency, provider responsibilities, immigrant access to health care and social services, and protections against discrimination based on disability, race, age, sex, & religion.
2000 - 2003: Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS)
In September 2000, C.A.C.A. Portland Lodge, in collaboration with twenty other organizations, submitted a letter to the editors of The Oregonian expressing outrage over the recent mistreatment of a Chinese visitor. In response, the INS regional office organized a series of meetings with the community representatives as a part of their investigation. During the meetings, concerns were raised about racial profiling and uncivil treatment of clients. Additional issues were addressed including the need for diversity and cultural sensitivity training, improved accessibility, and more user-friendliness services.
In 2001, Helen Ying served on the INS Community Roundtable, where she played a key role in restructuring the group to make it more equitable.
On March 1, 2003, the functions of immigration and customs were divided among three separate bureaus within the Department of Homeland Security. For several years afterward, our Portland Lodge continued to serve as a 'watchdog,' working to ensure proper services for immigrants.
2000: OLCC Hearing
In November 2000, Bill Chin represented C.A.C.A. at an OLCC hearing. He also wrote letters expressing our concerns about equal access to various government agencies, including the City Commissioners, the Attorney General’s Office, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, and the Office of Neighborhood Involvement. His advocacy led to an invitation to serve on the Liquor License Advisory Council.
2000s: Classical Chinese Gardens in Chinatown
Over 20 years ago, Betty Jean Lee, Suenn Ho, and several other members played a key role in turning the dream of a Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown into reality.
2000s - Present: Voter Registration, Civic Education, and Engagement
Voter registration, civic education, and engagement have become integral to the work of the Portland Lodge. Gloria Lee currently leads this program, collaborating with funders and building partnerships with organizations such as the Asian Health and Service Center, League of Women Voters, Japanese American Citizens League, local libraries, Asian markets, and the Lee Family Association.
2012 - present: Block 14
Since 2012, the Portland Lodge has fought to transform a barren gravel lot, the site of the neglected graves of Chinese sojourners, into the Cultural Heritage Garden at Lone Fir Cemetery. As a memorial, it will honor the Chinese sojourners buried in Block 14 and seek to right the historic wrongs they endured.
2016-present: Voter Registration
In 2016, we partnered with APANO as a VOTE partner to launch our civic engagement and education program. Thanks to generous re-grants from APANO, we have been able to hire contractors, train volunteers, and further develop sustainable programs. Since then, we have registered over 380 new voters and followed up with hundreds more through ballot measure translations, phone banking, Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts, and facilitated listening circles. Over 30 native language speakers were recruited and received additional training on voting-specific vocabulary—terms not commonly used in everyday speech. Ongoing recruitment and development of trained translators are foundational to our efforts to build trust and provide effective service to voters. These programs have inspired both new and established voters to engage deeply in civic education and the democratic process.
2016- present: Ballot Party
On November 6, 2016, we held our first election ballot party, where 13 trained translators worked one-on-one with 125 voters, assisting with the translation of voter pamphlet information to ensure greater accessibility and understanding. We have continued this service, and since 2016, have seen an increase in voter turnout.
2017: Recognition of the First Chinese Residents
In 2017, the Portland Lodge was lauded for its efforts to advance public recognition of the city’s earliest Chinese settlers. The Lodge gifted the city a plaque commemorating more than 5,000 Chinese residents who lived and worked in Portland’s original Chinatown between 1863 and 1900. “The plaque was designed by Suenn Ho and it took two years of perseverance and raising small donations to memorialize the
contributions of past generations of Chinese Americans,” said Betty Jean Lee, the plaque’s visionary. Commissioner Dan Saltzman and Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Leah Treat dedicated a bronze plaque in the heart of the City’s original Chinatown.
We also initiated and advocated for Senate Bill 280, meeting with lawmakers to ensure that Oregon students learn about the history and incredible contributions of Chinese Americans and other communities of color, whose stories seldom appear in history books.
2019: First Transcontinental Railroad
In 2019, we advocated for Mayor Ted Wheeler to issue a proclamation commemorating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad, in recognition of the sacrifices and contributions of the Chinese railroad workers.
2020: We Count Oregon Campaign
In 2020, we received funding from United Way of Columbia-Willamette for the 'We Count Oregon Campaign.' We conducted outreach in several counties considered hard-to-count communities, completing four of six planned events before the COVID-19 lockdown. During the pandemic, we pivoted our outreach efforts to phone calls, YouTube, and social media platforms.