July 23, 2004

 Washington D.C.— The National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies (NAVASA) will host its annual National Conference to honor Vietnamese American community leaders and develop future leaders in the nonprofit sector. The Conference will be held from September 30 to October 2, 2004 at the DoubleTree Hotel Allen Center in Houston , Texas .

The national conference, with “ Building a Community of Leaders ” as its theme, will highlight different leadership styles, recognize leaders and their contributions to the community, and promote young Vietnamese American leaders. The three-days event will feature training workshops and seminars to a diverse audience that includes current and potential leaders, as well as activists and staff members from the ethnic community-based and faith-based organizations across the country.

“After a series of conferences in the West Coast and East Coast, we felt a tremendous demand to organize one in Texas , where the second largest Vietnamese Americans population resides,” said NAVASA's Executive Director, Huy Bui. This will mark the first time NAVASA conducts its national conference in the South.

In addition to the training workshops, NAVASA will nationally recognize pioneers and emerging leaders from the Vietnamese American community at the Recognition Banquet.

Among notable conference partners are the Southeast Resource Action Center , Vietnamese Culture and Science Association , Research and Development Institute , United Refugee and Community Services , Alliance of Multicultural Community Services , Linh Son Buddhist Temple , and Our Lady of Lourdes Church .

The annual conference and the featured banquet are supported by federal agencies as well as national and local partners. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services) and the Substance Abuse of Mental Health Services Administration are the primary funders of the three-days training workshops that provide in-depth technical assistance to ethnic CBOs and FBOs.

“Our staff is thrilled with the overwhelming support from organizations and individuals and we look forward to working with our partners in making this conference another memorable and successful one,” Mr. Bui said.

Further information on conference registration and banquet sponsorship can be obtained from www.navasa.org .