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The Bay Area Tamil Cultural Center project is the result of our recognition
that Tamils are here to stay and we need to initiate a long term project to
serve the evolving needs of the community. Principally, we have the following goals:
- To provide the Tamil community of the greater San Francisco Bay Area
with a physical base for cultural activities, where a sense of belonging
and unity are strengthened.
- To teach the younger generation of Tamil Americans about their culture
expressed through the Tamil language, history and traditions in order to
nurture pride in their heritage and identity.
- To provide other Tamil organizations with the support they need to
carry out their programs in serving the community.
- To provide community members with the support they need to address their
emotional and educational needs to become productive citizens. This will
include citizenship and ESL classes, senior citizen support, help for
abused spouses, etc.
- To disseminate information and assist all who are seeking to learn about
Tamil language, culture, and history.
- To provide a library of Tamil and Tamil related books.
- To provide a Tamil Computing Center where people can get training on
using Tamil on the Internet and Tamil software, and access Tamil Virtual
University materials.
- To provide physical space for Tamil cultural and educational institutions
to conduct their classes and events
Rationale
Tamil Manram has always been a leader of Tamil
community and has been serving it for the past 25 years. It is time for
it to move to a higher plane and meet changing needs of the community. Tamil
Manram should represent the affluent Tamil community and be its voice. It
should be the first stop for any one with social, personal, immigration or
any other problem. Having a Tamil Community Center will help Tamil Manram
set up a Tamil library, and a Tamil computing center; it can also provide
resources for language and cultural studies; it can offer a variety of
onsite services like childcare, fitness center, senior center etc. It can
harness its experience and provide various services like event organization,
accounts management etc. to other organizations. Tamil Manram is positioned
to be a true umbrella organization.
Formal Announcement
The Bay Area Tamil Cultural Center was formally
announced during the Pongal Vizha of 2004. On that day, the Tamil Cultural
Center got its seed funding from the Tamil Internet 2002 conference committee.
The TI2002 Organizing Committee's vice-chairman Mr. Kumar Kumarappan formally
gave a check for $12,000 to the Tamil Manram President Mani M. Manivannan, to
be set aside for the Tamil Computing Center of the BATCC.
Fundraising Efforts
In addition to the seeding fund of $12,000, Tamil Manram
has conducted fund raisers for the Cultural Center. Tamil Manram's Silver Jubilee
event was one of such fund raisers. It has set aside $5000 from its funds for
the cultural center project. Krea Creations donated $250 towards the Cultural Center
project during the Silver Jubilee celebrations.
Executive Director Appointed
Mr. Manivannan tapped Mr. Siva Seshappan to be the
founding executive director of the Tamil Cultural Center to take it from the
concept stage to reality. To give Mr. Seshappan adequate time to accomplish this
formidable task, the Tamil Manram gave him a 3 year appointment, to be ratified
later by a Board of Directors for the BATCC once it is nominated.
Formation of Senate and Board of Directors
To bootstrap the Tamil Cultural Center and to establish
the legal relationship between the Cultural Center and the Tamil Manram, the
Tamil Manram decided to create a new body called its Senate, to consist of Tamil
Manram life members and its former executive committee members. The senate would
review the constitution and bylaws of the BATCC as well as the required constitutional
changes for the Tamil Manram. As a body the senate consists of a wealth of experience
and community leaders who have led the Tamil Manram over a period of 25 years.
The first Tamil Manram Senate meeting was conducted
on November 20th, 2004 at the Milpitas Community Center where several Tamil
community leaders gathered to discuss the Bay Area Tamil Cultural Center project.
The following were nominated for the inaugural board
of the Bay Area Tamil Cultural Center(BATCC):
- Dr. M. N. Tamilan
- Mr. Kumar Kumarappan
- Mr. Prabakar Sundarrajan
- Mr. Andy Nallappan
- Mr. Kamal Kannan
- Mr. Mani M. Manivannan
- Mr. Thillai Kumaran
The Bay Area Tamil Cultural Center(BATCC) Constitution
and the Bylaws changes for Tamil Manram were discussed. The full presentation
made for the meeting is available
here.
Please look out for additional announcements from both Tamil Manram and
the Tamil Cultural Center as we move forward.
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