AACI Honors South Bay Heroes
May 25, 2007
SAN JOSE — Asian Americans for Community Involvement celebrated its 34th anniversary honoring community heroes and leaders at its San Jose Marriott fundraiser last week.
San Jose Japanese Community Youth Service, along with Nalini Shekar and Dr. Samuel So were bestowed with Community Star Awards.
The parent-run Japanese Community Youth Service, founded in 1961, helps children develop skills in dance and sports. “We’re trying to fulfill a dream of linking the youth with the seniors,” said Joyce Iwasaki as the group builds a center near the Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center in Japantown.
Nalini Shekar, Director of Advocacy at Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, credited her husband with “opening up our home to South Asian victims of domestic violence when there was no shelter available.”
Dr. Samuel So — founder of the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University — called on local elected officials to allocate $200,000-300,000 to save the imperiled Santa Clara Perinatal Hepatitis B Program, which he said was “model for the rest of California.”
“Ninety-five of the infected women are Asian American,” he said. 400 pregnant women were served, but 100 other women were turned away.
Lillian Gong-Guy and AsianWeek columnist Gerrye Wong received the Gordon N. Chan Leadership Award for promoting and preserving Chinese American history in Santa Clara County. Both have collaborated in organizing the Chinese Historical Cultural Project and organizing a forthcoming book.
“We envisioned a place where the story of Chinese American history in the Valley can be told for future generations,” said Gong-Guy after leading the preservation of San Jose Chinatown artifacts in 1987 during excavation of the Fairmont hotel.
“We are continuing [Gordon Chan’s] vision. Lillian and I have authored a book [for this fall], Chinese in San Jose and Santa Clara Valley,” said Wong. “This we hope will continue to inform our younger generation and our new immigrant communities about the proudest accomplishments and history and contributions of our past Chinese American pioneers for the past 150 years.
Mindy Chu of Monta Vista High in Cupertino and Gregory Lam of Lynbrook High in received $1,000 Ed Kawazoe/Helen Tao Memorial Scholarships.
With a $7.8 million budget and 120 employees, AACI serves more than 9,000 clients annually. In 2007, it will expand a community health clinic and expects to double its number of patients. AACI also offers services from its unique Center for Survivors of Torture, helping torture victims succeed in the U.S.
Comments
Got something to say?