Honoring Community Heroes
May 7, 2008
Over the 20 years that I have written this column in AsianWeek, I have found that many who work tirelessly for the betterment of their community are role models who often go unrecognized. With that in mind, let’s celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month by calling to your attention some who are deserving of our applause.
Business Impact awardee Dr. Chi-Foon Chan, Community Impact honoree Dr. Michael Chang and Legal Impact awardee My-Le Jacqueline Duong were recognized recently at the 31st annual Partnerships in Community Awards Celebration of the Asian Law Alliance of San Jose. As president and COO for Synopsys, Chan manages the company’s internal operations and worldwide field organization. Former Cupertino Mayor Chang is the founder of the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute and chairman of Asian American studies at De Anza Community College. Named by San Jose Business Journal as one of the “80 Women of Influence in Silicon Valley,” Judge Duong is the first Vietnamese American woman appointed to the bench in Northern California.
When Ballet San Jose School presents Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on May 24-25 at San Jose’s California Theater, Angela Ma will star as the young Snow White in this production for young audiences. Bouquets to San Francisco’s Max Nugus, who brought his Haute Couture Collection to a fund-raising fashion show for the ballet at the Silicon Valley Capitol Club, assisted by Doris Grover, Esther Li, Maggie Wong and Darlene Mar.
Actress Nancy Kwan was honored by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i at the 59th annual Narcissus Festival event, “A Stage Production of Flower Drum Song,” in Honolulu. Her lovely appearance charmed the sold-out theater audience, as well as a fund-raising group of supporters, at the private home of Dr. Lawrence Tseu the following evening. Seen in her admiring throng were Vera Ing, Ginny Gong, Dr. Eddie Wei, Ronald and Sylvia Young, Bunny Look, Reuben and Vera Wong, Anthony Chang, Doreen Ako, and events chairs Laisin Lee and Linda Louie.
Other unsung heroes are Dr. William Lowe and Warren Chin, who have chaired the weekly senior lunch programs for the Berkeley Chinese Community Church Senior Center. Meeting members Shirley Foo, Edison and Shirley Chan, Frank Young, Jennie Chin, Pearl Chin, Alice Ong, Chester Wong, Josephine Wu and Phyllis Lowe, I saw the Christian fellowship of this “young” senior group.
New grandparents Richard and Vicki Woo celebrated the arrival of their first grandchild, Carson Davis Woo, with a red egg and ginger party in the Los Altos Hills. Former San Franciscans Joe and Lorraine Young celebrated the marriage of son Marshall to Cindy Wong in Newport Beach.
Read more about local Asian Americans deserving kudos, as well as the upcoming Chinatown YMCA groundbreaking and Vision New America’s youth leadership kickoff, on asianweek.com.
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