Overview of the Collection
Historical Note:
Access Terms
Administrative Information
Arrangement of Materials:
Scope and Contents
Overview of the Collection
Collection Title: Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC) Records
Dates: 1967-1985
Bulk Dates: 1974-1982
Identification: MS-0258
Creator:
Union of Pan Asian Communities
Physical Description: 78.30 linear ft
Alternate Extent Statement: 185 standard manuscript boxes;1 flat box (9x12)
Language of Materials:
English
Vietnamese
Chinese
Hmong
Lao
Repository:
Special Collections & University Archives
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego, CA, 92182-8050
URL: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua
Email: askscua@mail.sdsu.edu
Phone: 619-594-6791
Historical Note:
The Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC) was first organized in 1972, and incorporated in 1974, by founding Executive Director
Beverly Yip and leaders of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. UPAC is a community service agency providing programs
for a vast range of Asian and Pacific Island linguistic groups, including Japanese, Samoan, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Chinese,
Chamorro, Khmer, Ilocano, Hmong, and Lao groups in addition to others. During the 1970s and early 1980 UPAC was, funded with
federal, state and private foundation support.
UPAC Historical Highlights, 1973-1982
1973
UPAC is created in response to the need to unite the small and geographically dispersed groups of Pan Asians.
1974
The City/County Human Care Service Program awarded UPAC with its first grant of $36,000; The Pan Asian Bulletin, UPAC's first
newsletter, is sponsored by Lamb Chevrolet.; UPAC incorporated as a private, non-profit organization on December 16, 1974.
1975
UPAC and COPAO (Council of Pilipino American Organizations) created the Employment Consortium Project (now known as Occupational
Training Services) with an initial manpower contract.
The first wave of Southeast Asian refugees arriving at Camp Pendleton participated in cross-cultural adjustment programs develop
by UPAC staff and volunteers.
The PacFinder, a directory of individuals and services available to Pan Asians, was compiled and distributed.
UPAC staff provides income tax assistance through the federal VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program.
Pan Asian Senior Services (PASS) was funded by the Area Agency on Aging.
UPAC moved to 2459 Market Street, San Diego - its home for the next five years.
The City of San Diego awarded funding to UPAC to operate a summer youth program for Pan Asian youths.
A Senior Nutrition Program jointly sponsored by UPAC and Operation Samahan/COPAO was funded by the Area Agency on Aging.
UPAC sponsored its first annual Culture Fair in May.
UPAC was funded by the City to operate the Pan Asian Family Shelter, which provided emergency housing for families in distress.
The County's Department of Human Services awarded UPAC with a $10,000 grant for Vietnamese Adjustment Services (VAS); eventually
these services were expanded to all refugees under the Indochinese Service Center (ISC).
The Tiny Tots Christmas Program provided gifts and treats to several hundred low income Asian children.
The Pacific Asian Preventive Program (PAPP) was funded for $100,000 by the County to provide mental health services to Pan
Asians.
1977
The Convair Contrib Club's donation of $1,600 for building improvements was utilized to renovate the main office's basement
into more office space.
1978
Four conferences were sponsored by the California Council on Humanities and Public Policy on education, affirmative action,
human care services and immigration.
The Indochinese Community Health/Education Project (ICHE) was awarded $150,000 from the Department of Health, Education and
Welfare to train Southeast Asian mental health paraprofessionals.
1979
Two research studies were completed; one on Pan Asian Youth and the other on Samoans in San Diego County.
The Pan Asian Parent Education Project (PAPEP) was funded for three years from the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect
to develop a model of parent education services for Pan Asian families.
PAPP, ICHE and Trabajadores de la Raza joined forces to create the Pacific Asian/ Latino Training Center (PALTC), which was
eventually funded for five years by the National Institute of Mental Health to develop a mental health training model for
Latino and Pacific Asian paraprofessionals.
1980
PAPP received one-time-only funding with which to develop an audio-visual preventive mental health slide presentation and
to translate mental health materials.
Social Assault Workshops were funded through the Office of Criminal Justice Planning for other service providers to learn
more about working with Pan Asian social assault victims. Updating and re-issuing Understanding the Pan Asian Client was possible
through this funding, also.
The Pan Asian Senior Nutrition Program was funded through the Area Agency on Aging.
The Indochinese Youth Corps was funded through the California Department of Youth Authority to provide delinquency prevention
services for Southeast Asian youths.
1981
UPAC moves into its own building at 1031-25th Street, San Diego, with the financial backing of hundreds of individuals.
A Handbook on working with Asian Wives is funded by the Office of Domestic Violence.
1982
The National Clients Council funds a leadership training class for the foreign-born.
Ethnographic Studies on Vietnamese and Khmer Adjustment are completed.
Refugee Title XX Type Services funded by the Department of Social Services.
Access Terms
This Collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Topical Term:
Asian
Americans
-- California -- San Diego County -- History
Asian
Americans
-- California -- San Diego County -- Medical Care
Asian
Americans
-- California -- San Diego County -- Mental Health Services
Asian
Americans
-- California -- San Diego County -- Services for
Community-based social services -- California -- San Diego County
Indochinese -- California -- San Diego County -- History
Indochinese -- California -- San Diego County -- Medical Care
Indochinese -- California -- San Diego County -- Mental Health Services
Indochinese -- California -- San Diego County – Services for
Refugees -- California -- San Diego County -- Medical Care
Refugees -- California -- San Diego County -- Mental Health Services
Refugees -- California -- San Diego County – Services for
Refugees -- California -- San Diego County-- History
Vietnamese Americans -- California -- San Diego County -- History
Vietnamese Americans -- California -- San Diego County -- Medical Care
Vietnamese Americans -- California -- San Diego County -- Mental Health Services
Vietnamese Americans -- California -- San Diego County -- Services for
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information:
Gift.
Processing Information:
Processed 2016-2017.
Conditions Governing Use:
The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with
the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections
is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be
submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available
for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including
but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Conditions Governing Access:
This collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation:
Identification of item, folder title, box number, Union of Pan Asian Communities Records, Special Collections and University
Archives, Library and Information Access, San Diego State University.
Arrangement of Materials:
The
Union of Pan Asian Communities Records are arranged into five series: UPAC Administrative Files (1967-1983), Indochinese Service center (ISC) Administrative Files
(1975-1982), Program Files (1974-1987), Subject Files (1970-1987), Audio Visual Media (1970-1981). Each series is arranged
alphabetically by file title. Series III: Programs is arranged into 31 subseries, alphabetically by program title.
Scope and Contents
The
Union of Pan Asian Communities Records document the organization’s social service programs for Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees (including Cambodian, Hmong,
Loation, and Vietnamese) in the San Diego metropolitan area. UPAC’s programming addressed the community organizing, health,
educational, employment training, housing, and mental health needs of the immigrant & refugee community. Several programs
placed special emphasis on services for the youth and the elderly. The collection includes a wide variety of documents, including
correspondence, meeting agendas and minutes, reports, service logs, project proposals, grant applications & grant progress
reports, newsletters & newspapers
The collection is arranged into five series: UPAC Administrative Files (1967-1983), Indochinese Service center (ISC) Administrative
Files (1975-1982), Program Files (1974-1987), Subject Files (1970-1987), Audio Visual Media (1970-1981).
The
Administrative Files (1967-1983) document UPAC’s internal operations, including the agendas and minutes of the Board of Directors’ meetings; staff
meeting agendas and minutes; correspondence; program and policy documents; staff training documents; and policy & program
planning materials.
The
Indochinese Service Center (ISC) Administrative Files (1975-1982) include agendas and minutes of Board meetings, including those of the ISC’s Advisory Board; Community Liaison
monthly reports; client outreach logs; correspondence; staff monthly reports; and logs of the ISC’s Title XX (Social Security
Act Block Grants) supported information and referral service. The ISC began in 1975 as the Vietnamese Information and Referral
Center sponsored by UPAC. UPAC acted as a contractor for the ISC, and UPAC’s Executive Director delegated personnel, program,
and financial responsibilities to the ISC Director. ISC’s Advisory Committee was composed of six members representing the
Indochinese communities and agencies serving Indochinese refugees. In 1976-1978 ISC’s funding increased with support from
San Diego County’s Human Care Services program, and then the State of California’s Department of Social Services’ Indochinese
Refugee Assistance Program (IRAP) funds provided under Title XX. The ISC’s initial programming focused providing refugees
with orientations on life in the United States, and information & referral services, but by 1979, the ISC shifted its focus
to the health needs of Indochinese refugees. By 1981, the ISC was serving over 500 families per month, and the ISC’s emphasis
had shifted to coordination of services with existing agencies and indigenous organizations, such as Indochinese mutual assistance
associations.
The
Program Files (1974-1987) document UPAC’s social service programs for Southeast Asian immigrants & refugees, including:
Community Organizing/Planning program, to “develop a community planning model in the first Supervisorial District, Administer a needs assessment survey
in National City to assess community needs and gaps, and to provide program and community development assistance to the Pan
Asian communities”. (Box 8/Fol. 2)
Indochinese Community Education and Health Project (ICHE), intended to impact the existing mental health services delivery system through the provision of Indochinese cultural
awareness training to 200 mental health practitioners and officials through seminars.
Indochinese Youth Corps, which provided developmental opportunities for youth in problem solving, organizing, and active participation in the community.
Indirect Services provided training workshops, coordination and information sharing with other agencies, and a resource library.
UPAC’s
Pan Asian Bulletin/Lua Viet
Newsletter program, which provided community news and social service information, and published Vietnamese, Loation, Hmong, and Cambodian
language editions.
Orientation program, providing audiovisual presentations on American culture, banking, consumer education, employment and job interviews,
housing & home utilities (gas, electric, and water), and transportation.
Pacific Asian Preventative Program (PAPP), providing preventive mental health services to Pan Asian residents in San Diego County.
Pan Asian Senior Services (PASS) program, providing home help and social services to limited English speaking seniors.
Pan Asian Youth Study, a needs assessment of Pacific Asian youth in San Diego County.
Project PACE (Pacific Asian Culture and Education), which provided a summer recreational/cultural program for Pan Asian youth.
Project Saladbowl, which provided a multicultural summer recreational for San Diego area youth.
Special Services program, providing “social services to individuals and families who because of language and cultural barriers do not utilize
or experience difficulty in obtaining services from traditional community resources, in order to obtain a more satisfactory
level of social functioning”. (Box 8/Fol. 1)
Several programs operated by other organizations partnered with UPAC include the
Asian
American
Mental Health Federation; California Council for the Humanities; Home Help (San Diego County Office of Senior Citizens Affairs);
National Pacific Asian Resource Center on Aging; and the San Diego Regional Youth Employment Program.
The
Subject Files (1974-1987) include issues and programs of interest to UPAC’s social service mission.
Notable subjects include: Southeast Asian immigrant & refugee communities in San Diego; the Community Congress of San Diego;
education at the state and local levels, including files on the San Diego City schools; bilingual education; services for
elderly, women, and youth refugees; health services; housing; Pendleton Refugee Education Program (Project PREP); San Diego
County’s Public Welfare Advisory Committee; Title XX services; and the United Way.
The
Audio Visual Materials (1970-1981) include 35mm color slides and audiocassette tapes used in UPAC’s orientation presentations (slide shows) for
immigrants & refugees.