Amin David

A fair shake. Some frank dialogue and a fair shake is what Amin David says he wants for Orange County Latinos. In return, he'll buy you breakfast. For 17 years, policy-makers and other local leaders have had a standing invitation to meet over morning eggs and coffee with Los Amigos of Orange County, a group of Latino business leaders. Each Wednesday since 1977, the group has met at an Anaheim restaurant to discuss any and all issues that affect the Latino community.

Re "For Rep. Sanchez, a hot-tomato label means a hot potato," March 5 Everything positive in your article about our beloved Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana) is true. I have known Sanchez since she first ran for an Anaheim City Council seat (she was then a Republican and was ignored by the Republican Party -- fortunately for us Democrats in Orange County). She has been exceedingly accessible to her constituents. People who work in her office convey the feeling that Sanchez is a real and caring individual willing to listen.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to friends and family of postal worker Joseph Ileto, allegedly slain by a 37-year-old anti-Semitic racist. We thank God that none of the children the shooter reportedly thought he massacred at the North Valley Community Center in Granada Hills actually died. We are brutally reminded where racial, ethnic and religious hatred leads. Again we see the importance of opposing the toxic pockets of rage that fuel insane fantasies in sick minds. Respect for our diversity is not just a "feel-good" exercise.

We wish to commend State Librarian Kevin Starr for his excellent article, "Time to Rethink the Golden State" (Jan. 12). He is not exaggerating when he declares that, in the face of our monumental state budget crisis, "one can legitimately say that the state of California is being more than renegotiated. It is being re-founded, if not reborn." We wholeheartedly agree, especially with his references to the creation of California's original constitution -- a bilingual document accomplished within a month.

Barely a month after Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos of Orange County, was named Man of the Year by one Latino activist group for his work in the community, another organization has announced that it will honor him for the same reason. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County will give David an Estrella award for community service at an awards banquet in April. The award is given each year to someone who is involved with the Latino community, Chamber President Raul J. Medrano said.

Dana Parsons' article, "Gaddi Vasquez Again Takes the Noncommittal Way Out," (June 16) hit the nail on the head. Los Amigos of Orange County was greatly puzzled as to the silence of Gaddi (Guadalupe) Vasquez regarding the "kick the children out of school" Proposition 187. To this date we cannot bring ourselves to understand why the son of a minister did not join nearly all of the clergy and ministers of California in denouncing the proposition. It was about two months ago that Supervisor Vasquez spoke at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce luncheon and stated that he would no longer be silent on the issue of the bankruptcy, and that he would start fighting the press that had so distorted the truth.

In his letter (Feb. 21), Harold Ezell, regional commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, suggests that he is hurt that Los Amigos of Orange County and other human-rights organizations have asked for his resignation. But let's look at the record. According to Ezell's own figures, just a third of those immigrants eligible have registered for amnesty. If Ezell's original estimates of the undocumented population are correct, he has therefore failed to reach the vast majority of those eligible for amnesty.

Re "For Rep. Sanchez, a hot-tomato label means a hot potato," March 5 Everything positive in your article about our beloved Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana) is true. I have known Sanchez since she first ran for an Anaheim City Council seat (she was then a Republican and was ignored by the Republican Party -- fortunately for us Democrats in Orange County). She has been exceedingly accessible to her constituents. People who work in her office convey the feeling that Sanchez is a real and caring individual willing to listen.

Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos of Orange County, will be named Man of the Year this month because of his activism as a Latino advocate. The Anaheim chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens will honor David at an awards banquet Dec. 9 at the Grand Hotel, 7 Freedman Way in Anaheim. David is a longtime member of LULAC and numerous other Latino organizations, in which he helps promote awareness of Latino issues. He also serves as chairman of the Orange County Housing Corp.

A Latino activist who has sued Anaheim's police chief over an internal background report that he claims defamed him and violated his civil rights, said Wednesday he hopes the action will serve as a wake-up call to police departments everywhere. "I think this was tremendously dishonorable," said Amin David, chairman of the Latino rights group Los Amigos of Orange County, who filed the lawsuit last week along with two other residents.

A Latino activist who has sued Anaheim's police chief over an internal background report that he claims defamed him and violated his civil rights, said Wednesday he hopes the action will serve as a wake-up call to police departments everywhere. "I think this was tremendously dishonorable," said Amin David, chairman of the Latino rights group Los Amigos of Orange County, who filed the lawsuit last week along with two other residents.

Election day mistakes by precinct workers last November could easily be repeated because of inadequate training, the leader of a Latino activist group charged Wednesday. Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos of Orange County, questioned whether the registrar of voters office is aggressively reaching out to minority groups and whether the county plans enough training for the more than 6,000 volunteers who work the polls during elections.

Josie Montoya is so used to giving help she had trouble asking for it. The Anaheim community activist has been suffering from worsening health problems that have strained her monthly budget of $700 from Social Security. Her arms had turned black and blue from repeated punctures for her twice-weekly dialysis treatments, the result of decades-old diabetes. In less than three months, she had undergone five operations to keep her blood properly filtered. She takes seven pills a day.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to friends and family of postal worker Joseph Ileto, allegedly slain by a 37-year-old anti-Semitic racist. We thank God that none of the children the shooter reportedly thought he massacred at the North Valley Community Center in Granada Hills actually died. We are brutally reminded where racial, ethnic and religious hatred leads. Again we see the importance of opposing the toxic pockets of rage that fuel insane fantasies in sick minds. Respect for our diversity is not just a "feel-good" exercise.

Saying that "Latino-bashing is alive and well in Orange County," a community leader Wednesday told a group of politically active women that he believes Latino voters have been attacked by the media and government investigators because Latino power is increasing. "The day will come when we manage the Southwest," said Amin David, leader of the Latino advocacy group Los Amigos. "Help us prepare for this. Don't keep bucking us down."

Dana Parsons' article, "Gaddi Vasquez Again Takes the Noncommittal Way Out," (June 16) hit the nail on the head. Los Amigos of Orange County was greatly puzzled as to the silence of Gaddi (Guadalupe) Vasquez regarding the "kick the children out of school" Proposition 187. To this date we cannot bring ourselves to understand why the son of a minister did not join nearly all of the clergy and ministers of California in denouncing the proposition. It was about two months ago that Supervisor Vasquez spoke at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce luncheon and stated that he would no longer be silent on the issue of the bankruptcy, and that he would start fighting the press that had so distorted the truth.

We wish to commend State Librarian Kevin Starr for his excellent article, "Time to Rethink the Golden State" (Jan. 12). He is not exaggerating when he declares that, in the face of our monumental state budget crisis, "one can legitimately say that the state of California is being more than renegotiated. It is being re-founded, if not reborn." We wholeheartedly agree, especially with his references to the creation of California's original constitution -- a bilingual document accomplished within a month.

Election day mistakes by precinct workers last November could easily be repeated because of inadequate training, the leader of a Latino activist group charged Wednesday. Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos of Orange County, questioned whether the registrar of voters office is aggressively reaching out to minority groups and whether the county plans enough training for the more than 6,000 volunteers who work the polls during elections.

Barely a month after Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos of Orange County, was named Man of the Year by one Latino activist group for his work in the community, another organization has announced that it will honor him for the same reason. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County will give David an Estrella award for community service at an awards banquet in April. The award is given each year to someone who is involved with the Latino community, Chamber President Raul J. Medrano said.

Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos of Orange County, will be named Man of the Year this month because of his activism as a Latino advocate. The Anaheim chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens will honor David at an awards banquet Dec. 9 at the Grand Hotel, 7 Freedman Way in Anaheim. David is a longtime member of LULAC and numerous other Latino organizations, in which he helps promote awareness of Latino issues. He also serves as chairman of the Orange County Housing Corp.