Asian Avenue Magazine - April 2022

Volume 17 | Issue 4

April 2022

Looking Back:

12 Years of Honoring Asian American Heroes in Colorado

Annie Lee leads Colorado Access

Korean BBQ Chef provides in-home dining

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PRESIDENT’S NOTE

This month, we go down memory lane to remember the 70 awardees that have been honored with the Asian American Hero of Colorado award since 2009. As I updated their information and read through obituaries, I took a moment to reflect on how extraordinary their lives are—war veterans, public servants, community leaders—and the tremendous impact they have made on our Colorado communities. I feel incredibly humbled to have been able to share their inspiring stories and provide them with this deserving recognition—some who passed away only a few years after being awarded.

The Asian American Hero of Colorado awards program was cancelled in 2021 and will be back this Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month to recognize six awardees in our May issue. We invite you to join our awards celebration on Saturday, May 21 from 10am to 12pm at our office in Aurora.

For more information and tickets, go to cacendenver.org.

Annie Guo VanDan, President Asian Avenue magazine Connect with us! hello@asianavemag.com @asianavemag Please join us on Saturday, May 21 to celebrate this year’s Asian American Hero of Colorado awardees. More info: cacendenver.org.

In this issue, we also spotlight two outstanding women stepping into their leadership to improve inequities. Thai Nguyen, who came to the US with her family as Vietnamese refugees, founded the nonprofit Kaizen Food Rescue to eliminate food waste. Korean American Annie Lee started her role as CEO of Colorado Access in February. She is the first woman to lead Colorado Access, the largest health plan in the state.

On April 16, the City of Denver will pass a resolution apologizing to the Chinese immigrants and their descendants and acknowledging its role in nearly a century of violence and discrimination, including the dismantling and destruction of Denver’s historic Chinatown. More information next month!

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April 2022 | President’s Note

The All of Us Research Program is a large research program from the National Institutes of Health. The goal is to help researchers understand more about why people get sick or stay healthy.

Learn more and enroll at: JoinAllofUs.org AllofUsARC@asianhealth.org Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice is the regional partner. Learn more at cahep.org or e-mail admin@cahep.org.

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c o nAPRIL t e2022n t s Publisher & Founder CHRISTINA YUTAI GUO President ANNIE GUO VANDAN

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EVENT: April events EVENT: Green Mask. America’s Voice - AAPI Social Equity Project with Colorado State students

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EVENT: A Celebration of API heritage through food at History Colorado on April 16

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Editorial Director MARY JENEVERRE SCHULTZ

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SPOTLIGHT: Thai Nguyen, founder of Kaizen Food Rescue works to elimate food waste SPOTLIGHT: Annie Lee steps into role as President & Chief Executive Officer of Colorado Access COVER STORY: Looking back at 12 years of honoring Colorado’s Asian American heroes

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Graphic Designer/Videographer LIJIN ZHAO Web Designer JASON ZHANG

FOOD: The Korean BBQ Chef brings healthy Korean meals to your home for a private dining experience MOVIE: Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh, receives stellar reviews for its sci-fi absurdity ON SCENE: Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival highlights stunning Asian films, while creating space for community dialogue and good eats ON SCENE: Penelope Wong of Yuan Wonton shares her inspring story with students of Asian Girls Ignite NATIONAL NEWS: Camp Amache, the WWII Japanese American internment site, joins the National Park System

Marketing Manager JOIE HA Editor DAMIAN SIU Staff Writer PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG

Contact us at hello@asianavemag.com or visit our new office at 14015 E. Evans Avenue Aurora, CO 80014 on the cover Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network, along with Colorado Asian community organizations, celebrate 12 years of honoring individuals with the Asian American Hero of Colorado Award.

Asian Avenue magazine (ISSN 1932-1449) reserves all copyrights to this issue. No parts of this edition can be reproduced in any manner without written permission. The views expressed in articles are the authors’ and not necessarily those of Asian Avenue magazine.

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April 2022 | Table of Contents

Asian Avenue magazine offers businesses a cost-effective way to reach consumers in the Denver/Boulder metro areas and beyond. For more information, call 303.937.6888 or e-mail hello@ asianavemag.com for our media kit and ad rates.

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Asian Avenue magazine is in association with the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network.

upcoming events Power of Storytelling: Drawing Inspiration From Identity Friday, April 15, 4pm to 6pm Happy Living Adult Daycare 14015 E Evans Ave, Aurora, CO 80014 Tickets: $5 for children (under 18) and donation-based for adults (18+) More information at: asiangirlsignite.org

Reclaiming Our Past, Rebuilding Our Future: City of Denver’s Chinatown Apology Saturday, April 16, 12:30pm to 2:30pm UCD Lawrence Street Center, Terrace Room 2nd Fl, 1380 Lawrence St. Denver, CO 80204 More information at: coloradoasianpacificunited.org The City of Denver is passing a resolution apologizing to the Chinese immigrants and their descendants and acknowledging its role in nearly a century of violence and discrimination- including the dismantling and destruction of Denver’s historic Chinatown. This is a monumental milestone for our community as Denver will be the 6th city to issue an apology to the Chinese community in the United States, and 1st city outside of California.

Storyteller Joyce Wan, an award-winning author-illustrator, will share how identities can be used as an endless wellspring of creativity.

She will read from her books and lead a kawaii drawing demo. Attendees will also have a chance to reflect and connect with Joyce’s story and eat Asian snacks. The first 20 families to register will receive a signed book by Joyce.

This event is open to all ages.

P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222 Tel: 303.937.6888 Email: info@asianavemag.com Follow Us! @AsianAveMag

2022 Khmer New Year Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17 4/16: Wat Buddhamodol Rangsey, 595 Weld County Road 7, Erie, CO 80516 4/17: Cambodian Buddhists of Colorado, 2780 W. 65th Place, Denver, CO 80221 More information at: spiritofcambodia.org Celebrate Khmer New Year with performances

by Spirit of Cambodia.

Saturday, April 16, 5pm to 7pm Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center 350 S. Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80246 Tickets: $15 includes snacks, journal, and pen.

More information at: sakurafoundation.org Sakura Foundation is excited to host a reading + workshop with traci kato-kiriyama and her

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Event Calendar | Asian Avenue Magazine

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Green Mask. America’s Voice A Social Equity Project Colorado State University’s (CSU) RamEvents and Asian Pacific American Cultural Center (APACC), in partnership with artist, Eriko Tsogo hosted the Green Mask Project Workshop on April 5.

In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the Green Mask project emphasizes “green” and eco themes and materials to promote Earth consciousness, sustainability and recycling awareness amongst the youth generation.

“Green Mask. America’s Voice - A Social Equity Project” is a multifaceted eco-inspired humanities project designed for the CSU student body to help promote social equity, diversity and cultural empowerment in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month (May). Green Mask project seeks to build community and empowerment by way of dismantling the prejudge and hateful rhetoric made against the AAPI identities during the pandemic through the universal healing language of art.

The Green Mask workshop seeks to challenge how we perceive Asian Americans in relation to space and environment; and offers a diverse perspective of what it means to be an Asian American in America today through the examination of identity, culture and space.

Green Mask is a two-part project. On April 3, Eriko took CSU students to Meow Wolf Denver for a tour of the artist room Mongovoo and to study other rooms with masks. The second part of the project is for students to take inspiration from the field trip and participate in a workshop to make their own masks out of recycled materials. Eriko will work with the students to brainstorm their identity/origin stories into three-dimensional mask designs. Students then have three hours to make their mask creations using the provided recycled materials which were sponsored by three local recycling companies: Next Use Composting & Recycling, The Alliance Center, and SustainAbility Recycling.

The final recycled mask creations become mirrors that invite the viewer to see themselves in the humanness inside, thereby invoking connectivity in the sameness that we all share beyond social barriers. Green Mask project is a call for coexistence, for a more greener world, for an ideal world in which individuals can unite in celebration of our distinctions and of our common humanity.

Following the workshop, an art exhibition and ramen mixer will be held on April 7 at the APACC office. Eriko will share about the visions for the project and overall goals. Students and community members are welcome to join for ramen and games following the Green Mask Project exhibition. To learn more or connect with Eriko Tsogo, visit erikotsogo.com.

From left: An-Ping Yu, Eriko Tsogo, Carlos Rubio Regalado, JoAnn Yoshida Cornell

Artist Eriko Tsogo (center) took students to Meow Wolf to study masks for the project

Using concept art and symbolic materials meaning, this mask called “First Re/Generation East West,”narrates and celebrates Eriko’s identity as a 1.5 generation Mongolian American immigrant, woman and DACA/Dreamer

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April 2022 | Community Event

From left: An-Ping Yu, Eriko Tsogo, Rachel Wada

Cultural Roots Night Market and Mix-tape: A Celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Through Food April 16th, 2022 @ 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM at History Colorado Center Join us at the History Colorado Center as we celebrate the contributions of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community in Colorado through the sharing of food, festivity, community, and arts.

This event marks the opening of the interactive art exhibition Colorado’s Asian Food Culture: Rice and Resilience curated by the Japanese Arts Network.

The Cultural Roots Night Market will feature API food, craft, and beverage vendors from across the diverse spectrum of our community. Enjoy specialty foods and samples from the local API culinary scene, explore art, crafts and goods from API culture-bearers, and speak with local AAPI organizations about their work in the community.

7:30 PM - Join us for the inaugural Denver Cultural Mix-Tape program with emcee Ryan Foo and a broad range of global majority performers in music, dance, visual art, poetry, and more.

Presented by:

Pictured above (L-R): Jerome Sibulo, Aretha Chui, Grace Gee, Courtney Ozaki, Ryan Foo

FREE Tickets Available at: tinyurl.com/APImixtape or via QR

Night Market Vendors Include: Asian Avenue Magazine, CACEN, Career Catalyst, Colorado Cocoa Pod, CO Dragon Boat Festival, Denver Asian Collective, KOKORO Restaurant, Osaka Ramen, Flantopia, Jini Kimchi, Lisa Risa Studio, Loverboy Fine Chocolate, Soap Charmers, Taeko-san Takeout, Truong An Gifts and more!

Colorado’s Asian Food Culture: Rice and Resilience Exhibit History Colorado Center 3rd Floor mezzanine from April 16th, 2022 - April 2023

FOUNDER OF KAIZEN FOOD RESCUE WITH HER OWN LIVED EXPERIENCES OF WAR AND HUNGER, THAI NGUYEN NOW WORKS TO ELIMINATE FOOD APARTHEID AND FOOD WASTE

By Annie Guo VanDan “I know what it is like being on the receiving end of government and social services as a refugee and a first generation immigrant,” said Thai Nguyen, Founding Executive Director of Kaizen Food Rescue.

“Because of this path, I am confidently utilizing my qi to help create change. Not only in tackling our food waste issue, but also changing draconian ‘charity’ practices in our food system and working with, not for immigrant and refugee families and those facing food insecurity.”

This is what motivated Nguyen to establish Kaizen Food Rescue three years ago with a mission to prevent food waste and improve food justice and health equity in the Denver metro area. Kaizen Food Rescue provides community pop-up food shares, gardens, and meals to historically underserved communities.

At the intersection of motherhood and starting a new career, Nguyen joined Jeffco’s first Colorado State University’s Family Leadership Training Institute to learn about making a difference in her community through civic engagement.

Her capstone project for the 20-week training was to build a community garden at her children’s Montessori school, only to find that this was not possible due to high levels of arsenic on the land.

Becoming a family effort, she and her husband instead volunteered to pick fresh food from Food Bank of the Rockies to provide at their children’s school.

“It was very eye-opening to see all the food do-

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April 2022 | Spotlight

Connect with Kaizen Food Rescue on social: @kaizenfoodrescue Learn more about their work and support their programs through a meaning gift at kaizenfoodrescue.org Donate cryptocurrency: kaizenfoodrescue.eth

nations from grocery stores and the amount of food waste,” Nguyen said. She soon started the paperwork to become a nonprofit as her husband supported the family for a year before Nguyen made a salary.

“Now three years later, we are a disruptor in our local food system,” she said.

What makes Kaizen Food Rescue unique is the design thinking application focused on community-based power sharing. Community members engage in joint decision-making, planning, and the implementation of projects and programs to advance a collective vision that transcends organizational boundaries.

“The kaizen methodology is to do what our ancestors have done for thousands of years. Throughout generations, they taught us to bring people and community together by centering and sharing food. It’s the way we naturally show love - sharing food, sharing resources and sharing knowledge,” she said.

Nguyen’s ancestors and family are from the island of Hon Tre and Rach Gia. It’s in the Kien Giang province of Vietnam near the border of Cambodia and South Vietnam.

“We are boat people,” said Nguyen. “We fled oppression, violence and unspeakable war atrocities.

We drifted in the Gulf of Thailand searching for asylum. My mom, late cousin, older brother and I were in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, then transferred to Singapore before arriving in San Francisco, then Houston.”

“

My accumulated lived experiences with war atrocities, food insecurity, learning to cope with my past traumas scaffolded and evolved my healing journey, altruism and building my passion around spaces affected by food apartheid and food waste.

- THAI NGUYEN, KAIZEN FOOD RESCUE “During this series of transitions, my mom gave birth to me in Songkhla Thailand’s refugee camp with the aid of Doctors Without Borders. We eventually reconnected with my father in Houston in 1981 and we lived there for 10 years.”

To this day, Nguyen’s mom reminds her that she is small in size because she didn’t have enough to eat when she was little.

Through her lived experiences of war atrocities and food insecurity, learning to cope with her past traumas scaffolded and evolved her healing journey, altruism and building her passion around spaces affected by food apartheid and food waste.

Kaizen Food Rescue serves communities facing food apartheid, which are mostly historically underserved communities, at the cross section of systemic racism and gentrification. This includes: elders, immigrants, refugees, BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) families, communities of color, and opportunity zones.

“We share food with anyone who is in a tight spot, interested in reducing food waste, and saving up to $200 per visit,” she said.

“We go into communities with our pop-up food shares and redistribute healthy food to over 250-300 families at each event. Last year, we averaged 252 food share events. We see first hand the food insecurity epidemic in this pandemic and the effects of inflation.”

A Kaizen Food Rescue program participant said: “Kaizen helped my family when my husband and I got the covid. My husband could not work. I could not work. My kids stayed home for homeschool. We had no money. No money for food. Thai and Kaizen helped my family have good food. I volunteer now.

Thank you.”

Kaizen Food Rescue was awarded a multi-year Colorado Health Foundation grant for capacity building and supporting their Loretto Heights bodega project.

They are reactivating dormant leadership skills of community health workers, promotoras, and community navigators interested in creating change in the food system of Southwest Denver through networking and supplying a resource of shared knowledge.

Nguyen said: “I believe everyone has dormant

leadership skills that were passed on to us by our ancestors. It’s just learning how to confidently step into that power, naming it and harnessing it when we move into unfamiliar spaces. We are at the cusp of great change. I can feel the energy and am inspired daily by everyone I meet in my sphere of influence.”

Through a series of training: community organizing, ecological design, JEDI (justice, diversity, equity and inclusion), emotional intelligence, healthy communication skills, nutrition, food justice, and technology, the community decided on a project to reimagine and envision the Loretto Heights campus community center. This is where the first bodega will be.

Collectively, the community leaders are in the process of co-designing a flagship store in Loretto Heights to address low income housing, land access projects, employment pathways, sourcing local food, supporting local farmers, building gardens and the meaning of food sovereignty.

They plan to roll out their little bodega project into East Colfax, West Colfax and Montbello to help stabilize the effects of food insecurity, build food sovereignty and support the local economy.

Nguyen’s background is in product design and event marketing. Learning how to creatively solve problems, being resourceful, innovative and impatiently wanting to make change happen now has brought her to where she is today: a disruptor in the food system space.

What she finds most meaningful and joyful is learning and blossoming alongside children, youths and people helping to create a safe space for everyone to feel seen and heard. She values people over profit and believes in building a sustainable and thriving ecosystem for an equitable future for all.

Thai Nguyen | Asian Avenue Magazine

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Annie Lee steps into role as President & Chief Executive Officer of Colorado Access Lee is the first woman and first woman of color to lead Colorado Access, the state’s largest Medicaid contractor.

Learn more about Colorado Access at coaccess.com.

By Annie Guo VanDan “If you don’t have all the resources to communi- you don’t have your health?”

As a young child, Lee realized that you need basic cate your needs, while experiencing linguistic and cultural barriers and a whole confluence of chal- health and basic needs to live a fruitful life.

While she did consider medical school and had an lenges, navigating the healthcare system is especially difficult,” said Annie Lee, CEO of Colorado Ac- affinity for math and science, college pushed her in cess. Colorado Access is a nonprofit health plan, and the direction of political science to make change. It contracts with the state for both Health First Colora- was also a time to find her identity and consider professions that would work towards the greater good do and Child Health Plan Plus programs.

As a first generation Korean American, Lee expe- for others.

Influenced by her parents’ compassion which rienced these difficulties during her adolescence as she tried to help her parents navigate the healthcare stemmed from their Christian faith, Lee valued connecting with others and system. thinking about how the Her dad served in the US world could be different.

Army, which provided a path “My parents and grandparto citizenship for some Koents have a strong sense of reans. After Fort Carson, her service to your community parents poured everything and the greater good. They they had into their business want the world to be better that eventually would disfor all,” she said. solve. Thereafter, the famAfter graduating with a ily moved from Colorado political science degree Springs to Denver, where she from the University of Colgraduated from John F. Kenorado Boulder, Lee worked nedy High School. in management consulting “Watching your parents Lee and her husband, Eric Jaworski, and traveled to big cities give everything to realize the celebrate their son Elijah’s second birthday working with different cliAmerican dream and when as he wears a Hanbok, a traditional Korean that doesn’t come to fruition ents, which felt glamorized dress for special occasions and unfulfilling. the way it is mythologized, She said: “I’ve always wantyou see there are systems that our country has set up that don’t serve people ed to do something to contribute to the health system to make it work better for people like my family.” very well,” she said.

So Lee decided to go to law school to learn about “What can you do to realize the American Dream if

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April 2022 | Spotlight

how laws shape health systems and explore how she could contribute. Focusing on civil rights law, Lee believed healthcare is a human right.

She received her Juris Doctor degree (J.D.) from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and joined a civil rights firm before moving to Medicaid to serve the most vulnerable populations.

Her connection to Colorado Access began back then. As she shifted roles throughout healthcare organizations, including Kaiser Permanente Colorado and Children’s Hospital Colorado, she continued to work with Colorado Access. Providing a hospital

“I’ve always wanted to do something to contribute to the health system to make it work better for people like my family.” - Annie Lee, CEO of Colorado Access lens, she also served on Colorado Access’ governance council focused on engaging a diverse set of stakeholders, so she knew the organization well.

Joining Colorado Access in February 2022, Lee is the organization’s first woman president and CEO. She shares that in these past few months, she’s already been inspired by the deep dedication and commitment of the Colorado Access team and she looks forward to helping chart the future for healthcare.

“We are a health plan that works with the state’s Medicaid program. Ensuring that we are helping to deliver compassionate, equitable care that people can trust is really at the core of all of our work,” she said. “We need strong collaborations and need to make sure that the member voice is tapped into and amplified.”

She notes that it takes the member voice to understand what is needed and build services or programs that address their needs. Working with people in communities to transform those models is key. The healthcare industry also has a greater appreciation for social determinants of health, which are the factors that impact a person’s health such as housing, food, transportation, etc.

She adds: “If you aren’t able to access healthy food or shelter, your healthcare will not be a focus until you are forced to address a healthcare crisis. How the healthcare system can address needs more holistically to prevent crisis situations is a work in progress.”

Lee, a mother of a two-year-old, reflects on the shame and othering that immigrant children often feel about their culture when growing up. She said:

“It takes a long time to walk out of that and realize that your race and culture are things to be embraced and be a part of.”

“Definitely becoming a mom has been a game changer. How I think about and process the world is now centered on what kind of world I want to pass on for my kid and future generations.”

In her free time, Lee enjoys reading, movies, the arts, and Korean dramas. She loves Colorado and being outdoors, as well as hiking and traveling.

What motivates her is being around others that are working tirelessly to ensure people have certain rights, those who are fighting oppression and racism.

“I draw a lot now from the people that I look up to,” she said. “As much progress as we can reflect on, there is clearly an intensified call to action as we increasingly appreciate the immense gaps in our safety net systems. We have more information and technology to apply to our work than ever, and so much inspired work to build on. We have the ingredients for transformative change.

Lee with her husband and Pastor Tuhina Verma-Rasche at City Park in Denver after her son Elijah’s baptism in summer 2021

Lee and her son Elijah being silly in San Diego Annie Lee | Asian Avenue Magazine

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LOOKING BACK: 12 YEARS OF HONORING COLORADO HEROES Beginning in 2009, Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network, in partnership with Colorado’s Asian organizations, has honored a total of 70 individuals with the Asian American Hero of Colorado Award. In its first year, the recipients were recognized at a Colorado Rapids game. Thereafter, the award ceremonies were held over a dim sum brunch. In 2012, the Young Hero Award was established to recognize individuals under age 35; and in 2014, the “Ally Award” was added to recognize those who are not of Asian descent but have played a significant role in the Asian community.

Cancelled in 2021, the awards program will be back again this May in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Learn more about this year’s awardees in our May issue and celebrate them on Saturday, May 21, 10am to 12pm, with a dim sum brunch at Happy Living in Aurora (cacendenver.org).

The impressive compilation of awardees include volunteers and philanthropists, as well as leaders in their field.

Some awardees have passed away and we remember their incredible lives dedicated to the service of others.

2009

In the first year of the award program, Asian American Hero of Colorado awardees were recognized at a Colorado Rapids Soccer Game in May 2009. From left: Daniel Oh, Dr. Christina Chao, Captain Felix Magalong, Jim Hada, and Kerry Hada.

Asian American Hero of Colorado Award Recipients

Ron Abo (2018), Japanese, Founder of The Abo Group; founding member of Tomiki Sports Aikido Association, USA; President, Board of Trustees, Savio House; Founding President, National Organization of Minority Architects, Colorado Chapter Dennis Apuan (2010), Filipino, former Colorado State Representative in Colorado Springs (passed away in 2020) Gil Asakawa (2019), Japanese, Chair, Denver Takayama Sister City Committee; past President of Mile High Japanese American Citizens League; past Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commissioner Drucie Bathin (2011), Burmese, Burmese community leader; coordinator for Colorado Rangers Organization Soyon Bueno (2015), Korean, Director of Asian American Student Services at University of Colorado Denver; former

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April 2022 | Cover Story

Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commissioner Fran Campbell (2015), Filipina, President of Asian Chamber of Commerce, Founder of “This is Me” Program for Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families Dr. Faye Caronan (2019), Filipina, Chair of Department of Ethnic Studies at University of Colorado Denver Eed Cefkin (2018), Thai, community leader, teacher, interpreter; Founder of Thai Cultural Connection; boardmember of Wat Buddhawararam Thai Temple Dr. Christina Chao (2009), Iu Mien (Southeast Asian tribe), pediatric endocrinologist at Kaiser in Sacramento Yang Chee (2015), Hmong, founder of Lao-Hmong American Coalition, Hmong community advocate David Chen (2020), Chinese, leader for Bike Lane Safety and Safer Streets in

Denver; Advocate for Justice for Victims of Traffic Violence Maria Cheng (2017), Chinese, cofounder, artistic director, playwright and actor of Theatre Esprit Asia (now Insight Colab Theatre), former Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commissioner Angela Cho (2013), Korean, retired CFO, Asian Pacific Development Center; past treasurer and boardmember of Theatre Espirit Asia; past financial advisor Cambodian Cultural Center and Laotian Temple Mani Dahal (2017), Bhutanese Nepali, Sustainability Program Manager at ECDC African Community Center Dr. Rachele Espiritu (2019), Filipina, Founding Partner of Change Matrix, former Denver Public Schools’ School Board Member, past Chair of Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commission

YOUNG HERO AWARDEES

2012: Pakou Xiong, Hmong, cultural consultant for language interpretation, healthcare; former Executive Director, Hmong American Association of Colorado 2013: Joie Ha, Chinese-Taiwanese, community activist; Founder, Community Organizing for Radical Empathy; Vice Chair, Colorado Asian Pacific United 2014: Harry Budisidharta, Indonesian, Executive Director, Asian Pacific Development Center; past President of Mile High Japanese American Citizens League 2015: Dr. Suzuho Shimasaki, Japanese, Deputy Director, Pitkin County Public Health; past President of Mile High Japanese American Citizens League; past President of Colorado Public Health Association; Member, Taiko with Toni 2016: Bryan Yee, Chinese, National Association of Asian American Professionals Leadership Team, Colorado Dragon Boat Festival Operations Team; Outdoor Asian Colorado Event Coordinator

Jim Hada (2009), Japanese, former President of Japan American Association of Colorado; former President of Amache Club (passed away in 2016) Kerry Hada (2009), Japanese, former Denver County Court Judge at Denver County Courts; former Army Ranger Ding-Wen Hsu (2011), Chinese, CoFounder of Colorado Dragon Boat Festival Dr. DJ Ida (2012), Japanese, Executive Director of National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association Ramina Kashani (2016), Iranian, Co-founder of Colorado Children’s Nowruz Foundation; Principal Designer, Kashani Designs Kenzo Kawanabe (2020), Japanese, Partner at Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP; boardmember of Sakura Foundation; Development Chair of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Namita Khanna-Nariani (2013), Indian, Founder and Artistic Director of

2010 Dennis Apuan, Phong Vo, Karen Nakandakare, Ved Nanda, Somxai Vue

2017: Karen Shimamoto, Japanese, Program Manager, Peer Mentored Care Collaborative; Member, Denver Taiko; Awards Chair, Japanese American Community Graduation Program 2018: Naureen Singh, Sikh, Youth Support and Development Specialist, Asian Pacific Development Center; Policy Director, Colorado Sikhs; serves in the U.S. Air Force 2019: Tarika Cefkin, Thai, U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer; former Executive Director of Nathan Yip Foundation 2020: Chance Horiuchi, Japanese; Executive Director, Havana Business Improvement District; Co-Chair, Aurora/Asian Pacific Community Partnership 2020: Ratha Sok, Cambodian, local artist with Denver murals; mural club advisor, West High School

Mudra Dance Studio Dr. Ben Konishi (2011), Japanese, 60year veterinarian in San Luis Valley; Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame inductee (passed away in 2018) Donna LaVigne (2017), Filipina, Founding Boardmember of Mending Faces Peter Lee (2014), Korean, Chair of Aurora Asian/Pacific Community Partnership; former Chapter President of The National Unification Advisory Council - South Korea Kevin Leung (2018), Chinese, former Director of Douglas County School District Board of Education Roger Liu (2019), Chinese, former President, National Association of Asian American Professionals Colorado Peggy Lore (2014), Chinese, former Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Success at University of Colorado Denver Clarence Low (2013), Chinese, Boardmember and former President of Asian Chamber of Commerce

2011

Dr. Ben Konishi, Dr. Alok Sarwal, Ding-Wen Hsu, Drucie Bathin, John H. Yee, Linda Yip, Jimmy Yip

Captain Felix B. Magalong (2009), Filipino, war veteran and prisoner of war (30 years of service in the US Army); past president of the Filipino American Community of Colorado (passed away in 2010) Eun Moredock (2016), Korean, Honorary Boardmember, Korean American Community Foundation of Colorado Karen Nakandakare (2010), Okinawan, former Board Chair of Asian Chamber of Commerce Ved Nanda (2010), Indian, Director of Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law; Evans Distinguished University Professor (University of Denver) Sum Nguyen (2012), Vietnamese, President of Unified Vietnamese-American Council of Colorado Daniel Oh (2009), Korean, President/ CEO at Global Korea LLC; President, World Federal of Oversea Korean Traders Association (Denver); Chair, Governor Asian Pacific Advisory Council Colorado; President,

2012

George N. Yoshida, Dr. DJ Ida, Pakou Xiong, Dr. Suegie Park, Sum Nguyen, Dr. Jaime Yrastorza

Colorado Heroes | Asian Avenue Magazine

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2013

2014

Kimiko Side, Angela Cho, Namita Khanna-Nariani, Jie Zheng, Joie Ha (not pictured: Clarence Low)

Oversea Korean Trade Association Colorado; President, UNESCO 3.1 (Denver) Derek Okubo (2018), Japanese, Executive Director of City and County of Denver, Agency for Human Rights & Community Partnerships; Boardmember of Sakura Foundation; Boardmember of Japan America Society of Colorado Dr. Suegie Park (2012), Korean, Clinical Pharmacist and Health Professional Giselle Rushford (2016), trustee of National Federation of Filipino American Associations Region 5; APIAVote Colorado Executive Director Dr. Alok Sarwal (2011), Indian, Founder and CEO of Colorado Alliance for Health Education and Practice, Family Medicine Clinic for Health Equity and Discount Dental Services Lily Shen (2016), Chinese, President of Colorado Chinese Language School; Treasurer of Asian Roundtable of Colorado; former Board Vice Chair of Asian Pacific Development Center; former Board Chair of Asian Chamber of Commerce Phong Vo (2010), Vietnamese, Founder of Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center Khánh Vũ (2017), Vietnamese, Executive Director of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers

2015

Somxai Vue (2010), Hmong, President and Board Chair of United States National Defense Corps; former City Councilman of City of Thornton; former President of Hmong American Association of Colorado Gloria Williams (2015), Filipina, past President of Filipino American Community of Colorado Dr. Robin Yasui (2019), Japanese, Co-founder of the Coalition for an Inclusive Colorado; Director of Geriatrics at Denver Health Nai-Li Yee (2014), Chinese, former Principal of Colorado Chinese Language School; former Chair of Chinese American Council of Colorado (passed away in 2021) Linda and Jimmy Yip (2011), Chinese, Founders of Nathan Yip Foundation; support youth education in rural Colorado K-12 Dr. Jaime Yrastorza (2012), Filipino, Founder of Uplift Internationale Erin Yoshimura (2020), Japanese, Founder of Empowerful Changes; former Executive Director of Colorado Dragon Boat Festival Jie Zheng (2013), Chinese, founding boardmember and former President of National Association of Asian American Professionals Colorado

Yang Chee, Soyon Bueno, Gloria Williams, Fran Campbell, Suzuho Shimasaki, Howie Solow

16

April 2022 | Cover Story

Frank Sakamoto, Harry Budisidharta, Nai-Li Yee, Ivy Hontz, Peggy Lore, Peter Lee

2016

Ally Award Recipients

Awarded to non-Asian community members who have contributed tremendously to Colorado’s Asian American community

2014: Ivy Hontz, Breast and Cervical Cancer Program Coordinator at CO Department of Public Health, recognized for commitment to equity diversity and inclusion; past Development Officer, Colorado Symphony Orchestra; past board president and member, Aurora Senior Commission 2015: Howie Solow, Founder, Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu Association; Co-Founder of Colorado Dragon Boat Festival 2016: Pam Sweetser, Executive Director, Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families 2017: Kate Tauer, Founding Member, Aurora Asian/Pacific Community Partnership

See our next issue for the 2022 awardees!

Ramina Kashani, Lily Shen, Giselle Rushford, Pam Sweetser, Bryan Yee (not pictured: Eun Moredock)

2018 2017 Back: Kate Tauer, Mani Dahal, Karen Shimamoto, Maria Cheng, Paul K. Maruyama Front: Donna LaVigne, Khánh Vũ

Kevin Leung, Derek Okubo, Eed Cefkin, Christine Wanifuchi, Naureen Singh, Ron Abo

2019

Roger Liu, Dr. Robin Yasui, Gil Asakawa, Dr. Rachele Espiritu, Dr. Faye Caronan, Tarika Cefkin

2020 recipients (no in-person ceremony): David Chen, Chance Horiuchi, Kenzo Kawanabe, Ratha Sok, Erin Yoshimura

Lifetime Achievement Awardees Awarded in 2011: John H. Yee Chinese Yee was a Flying Tiger in the Chinese Air Force during WWII. He was the first public school teacher in the US to teach Chinese language and history in the 1950s.

Yee helped establish the Denver-Kunming Sister Cities committee in 1985. In 2012, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper reserved July 17 as “John H. Yee Day.” Yee passed away in 2019 at age 97.

Awarded in 2012: George N. Yoshida Japanese Yoshida was a Korean war veteran and clinical social worker for 35 years. He helped launch the Aurora Asian Film Festival, was an annual volunteer at Colorado Dragon Boat Festival; and honored with the Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer award. He passed away in 2020 at age 87.

Awarded in 2013: Kimiko Side Japanese At age 99, Side has been an active member of Colorado’s Japanese American community for four decades as chair of DenverTakayama Sister City Committee and boardmember of Mile High Japanese American Citizens League. She taught Japanese arts and crafts, such as card making, at the Tri-State Denver Buddhist Temple and Cherry Blossom Festival. July 22, 2010 was proclaimed “Kimiko Side Day” by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Awarded in 2014: Frank Sakamoto Japanese Sakamoto served the Japanese American community locally and nationally for more than 60 years.

After retiring as an optometrist in Chicago, he moved to Colorado and joined the board for Mile High Japanese American Citizens League and Japanese American Association of Colorado. He passed away in 2015, one year after receiving the lifetime achievement award, at the age of 90.

Awarded in 2017: Paul K. Maruyama Japanese Maruyama is a founding member and former President of JapanAmerican Society of Southern Colorado. He competed in the Olympics for judo and later coached the US judo team. He taught Japanese language and Asian Studies at Colorado College and authored the book Escape from Manchuria.

Awarded in 2018: Christine Wanifuchi Japanese Wanifuchi served as CEO of Asian Pacific Development Center from 2007 to 2017 to advance the wellbeing of Asians in Colorado.

She also worked with inner city youth as Chief Operating Officer of YouthBiz. She has been involved with Asian Roundtable of Colorado, Denver Mayor’s Asian Advisory Council, and The Denver Foundation.

Colorado Heroes | Asian Avenue Magazine

17

Movie: Everything Everywhere All At Once

By Mary Jeneverre Schultz

Written and Directed by: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert Starring: Michelle Yeoh Stephanie Hsu Ke Huy Quan Jenny Slate Harry Shum Jr. with James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis

Learn more and watch the trailer at: a24films.com/films/ everything-everywhere-all-at-once

20

April 2022 | Movie

It’s a roller coaster of fun, multiple universes, ‘what ifs?’ and just plain chaos.

Everything Everywhere All at Once premiered in March in select theaters and has now released to more theaters nationwide.

Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action-adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman (Michelle Yeoh) who can’t seem to finish her taxes.

When the film opens, we meet Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a harried laundromat owner, living above her business in a cramped apartment and facing a mountain of paperwork amid an audit from the IRS. Her aging father (James Hong) stresses her.

She struggles to listen to her grown daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) and her tender-hearted husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). But while meeting with an IRS agent (Jamie Lee Curtis), a strange occurrence involving her husband pulls her into a multidimensional adventure that puts the fate of every universe in her hands, forcing her to confront who she is to herself and her family.

Actress Michelle Yeoh is fabulous, showing her exceptional martial arts skills and mesmer-

izing the audience with her acting. Hollywood has recognized Yeoh as one of the greatest and the most successful actresses from the East. The former Bond girl is best known for her roles in: John M. Chu’s romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians; Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 1 & 2; Rob Marshall’s Memoirs of a Geisha; Roger Spottiswoode’s Tomorrow Never Dies; and Danny Boyle’s Sunshine.

Actress Stephanie Hsu may also look familiar. The young actress was on season four of Amazon’s hit show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, as Mei, the provocative love-interest to Joel Maisel.

Another familiar child actor from the 1980s plays one of the supporting actors to Yeoh. If you are familiar with the movies Goonies or Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, then you may recognize Ke Huy Quan. The Chinese child actor grows up to play Yeoh’s timid, but sweet husband in the film.

Fans of Jamie Lee Curtis will laugh with hilarity to see her in various roles throughout the movie.

In a small part, Harry Shum, former star of the hit series, Glee, takes a minor role but is memorable for all familiar with the charming actor.

Photos by From the Hip Photos

Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival highlights films with a theme of “celebrating our resilience”

In partnership with Denver Film, Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival presented their annual film festival from March 3 to 6. This year, nine feature films and 22 short films were showcased in addition to two Q&A panels, two community conversations and four special events!

The opening night featured Taiwanese film “Listen Before You Sing,” while the film “The Pursuit of Perfection” told the stories of four leading chefs in Ja-

pan. Following this screening, a culinary tasting event was held which included foods from Kokoro, Osaka Ramen, GoNigiri, and Dochi. Community conversations were held with Colorado Asian Pacific United and Asian Girls Ignite.

After hosting a virtual festival last year, this year’s in-person event garnered record high attendance as the Asian community and the general public came back together to share stories

and culture, while celebrating the festival’s theme of resilience.

With food, drinks, virtual reality experiences and honorary guests, you don’t want to miss next year’s event!

Learn more about the film festival at: cdfilm.org and participate in the 2022 Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, July 23 to 24, at Sloan’s Lake Park in Denver: cdbf.org. Applications for race teams, vendors, and performers available now!

Asian Girls Ignite make dumplings with Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton On March 20, Asian Girls Ignite (AGI) gathered middle schoolers and fifth graders to hear the powerful, inspirational story of Chef Penelope Wong and the challenges and successes of her journey to owning and operating Yuan Wonton. Wong then provided instruction on how to roll and fold dumplings, and cooked the dumplings for everyone to eat.

In honor of Women’s History Month, each student shared a woman they admired, which included their mothers, grandmothers and even Mae Jemison.

The students also played a game called Helium Stick which emphasized teamwork to complete a task. Like all

AGI events, the students reflected on their time together during the closing circle. They each had a choice to share: a head (what did you learn), a heart (what did you feel), or a hand (what will you do next).

On April 15, AGI will host an event with storyteller Joyce Wan, an award-winning author-illustrator. Attendees will have a chance to reflect and connect with her story and eat Asian snacks. AGI will also be hosting a summer camp from July 11-15 for AAPI girls in Colorado (6th to 12th grade).

Learn more about Asian Girls Ignite and their upcoming programs at: asian girlsignite.org.

On Scene | Asian Avenue Magazine

21

Colorado’s Camp Amache designated as a national historic site On March 18, 2022, President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation to add the Amache National Historic Site, a World War II-era Japanese American incarceration center in the southeast corner of Colorado, to the National Park System.

Sponsored by Colorado lawmakers U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Ken Buck and U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, the Amache National Historic Site Act designates Camp Amache, on 600-acres about a mile outside Granada in Prowers County, as a national historic site. The bill passed both chambers of Congress unanimously in February.

“The incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II at sites like Amache is a shameful part of our country’s history,” said Bennet.

“Our bill will preserve Amache’s story to ensure future generations can learn from this dark chapter in our history. I’m grateful to Senator Hickenlooper, Representatives Buck and Neguse, the survivors and descendants of Amache, and numerous advocates and community leaders for their partnership on this legislation, and I look forward to seeing it become law.”

“Interning Japanese-Americans at Camp Amache is a dark stain on our past.

Elevating Amache to a National Historic Site will preserve the survivors’ stories and ensure that history never repeats,”

said Hickenlooper.

“The Amache National Historic Site Act is a prime example of local leadership at work. Countless community leaders, descendants and advocates from across Colorado have come together behind this bill to support the designation and preservation of the Amache site,” said Neguse, Chair of the U.S. Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

“This bill also proves what we can accomplish when we work together, across party lines, for the people of Colorado.

Introduced in early 2021, we’ve been able to usher this legislation through the House and Senate in record time.”

“The Amache National Historic Site Act recognizes the awful injustices committed against Japanese Americans who were placed in internment camps, while preserving the site for the citizens of Colorado — and the United States — to visit and learn from in the future,” said Buck.

Hickenlooper recently visited the Amache Museum in Granada and met with student volunteers from the Amache Preservation Society.

“The Amache site as a National Park unit highlights the injustices of the internment of Japanese Americans, one of our nation’s darkest chapters. Colorado is home to world-class national parks and adding the Amache site honors those val-

ues and our history,” said Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado.

“Congress and the enduring voice of the Amache community have made history and soon the bipartisan Amache National Historic Site Act will be law. We commend Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and Congressmen Neguse and Buck for their leadership in providing a critical opportunity for our country to respect, honor, and heal at Amache.”

“Amid the tremendous local and national support, this moment stands on the shoulders of giants: the Amache survivors, who, with incredible generosity and strength, have waited for this day for so long, and who now will never be forgotten,” said Tracy Coppola, Colorado Senior Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association.

“I have waited many, many years to see the day where we can be certain that Amache, as a place of reflection, remembrance, honor, and healing, is protected for our current and future generations.

Passage of the Amache National Historic Site Act in the Senate brings me hope that we are finally closer to this certainty, and I thank Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper for their leadership. My parents did not live to see this day. The time is not only right; it is long overdue,” said Bob Fuchigami, Amache survivor.

“Amache has the power to shed light upon a mistake we all must remember. We must recall the service and sacrifice of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and celebrate the Constitutional vision of Colorado Governor Ralph Carr. All these things are worthy of doing and doing so will make us better American citizens.”

- Calvin Taro Hada, Amache descendant and President, Nikkeijin Kai of Colorado

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April 2022 | National News

2022 Asian American Hero of Colorado Awards Ceremony Saturday, May 21, 2022 10AM to 12PM Happy Living Adult Daycare 14015 E Evans Ave, Aurora, CO 80014

Tickets: $40 general | $30 student Purchase at: cacendenver.org Now in its 13th year, we honor deserving members of Colorado’s Asian community—the unsung heroes, the shining stars, the selfless leaders—at the 2022 Asian American Hero of Colorado Awards ceremony. Join the event to hear their inspiring stories!

Dim sum and sushi will be served. See Asian Avenue’s May 2022 issue to learn about this year’s honorees!

Contact cacendenver@gmail.com with questions or to sponsor a table.

This program is presented by Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network in collaboration with Colorado’s AAPI organizations.