APAC 2013 Booklet by Simple Marketing

Member organizations Bangladesh Association of Georgia (BAG) Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS) Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta (Fil-Am) Indian American Cultural Association (IACA) Indonesian Community Heritage Foundation (ICHF) Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta (KAAGA) Laotian American Society (LAS)

Malaysian Association of Georgia (MAG) Nepalese Association in Southeast America (NASeA) Hopes & Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans (OCA GA) Pakistani American Community of Atlanta (PAK Atlanta) Atlanta Taiwanese American Association (ATAA) Thai Association World Center USA (TAWC USA) Vietnamese American Community of Georgia (VAC GA)

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Greetings: On behalf of the Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia (APAC-GA), it is my great pleasure and privilege to welcome your attendance, participation and contribution to the APAC-GA 28th Annual Unity Gala and Celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month. Celebrating cultures from diverse backgrounds coming together as one has made our nation better and stronger. Asian Heritage Month provides an occasion for all Asian Pacific Americans in Georgia to celebrate, to highlight the significant and historic advances and successes of the Asian community in America. Today, we mark 28 years of Scholarship Awards granted to deserving students. We are proud and happy to congratulate these excellent students, and to encourage and affirm their leadership potential. It is also to the benefit of the community and our APA youth to foster their positive growth in developing and establishing their identity. The APAC-GA committees, 14 member organizations and all supporting organizations have played a great role, and will continue to do so, in promoting our respective traditions and contributing to the amazing wonderful mosaic that is today’s American Society. Finally, we honor the Asian Pacific Americans who have contributed and sacrificed time, talent and resources for the betterment and unity of our community. May their legacy serve to inspire us for generations to come. And may the lives of all those before us serve to showcase the diversity and beauty of what it means to be Asian American. Again, thank you for your presence as we celebrate the 28th Annual APAC-GA Gala Banquet. Sincerely Yours,

Le Lam Doan President of APAC www.apacga.org

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

Asian/Pacific American Council of Georgia, Inc.

APAC is a non-profit corporation (since 1985) pursuant to the Georgia Non-Profit Code as amended and its mission is to:

Preserve and promote the awareness, understanding and pride in our Asian Cultural Heritage within our communities and mainstream society through cultural activities and education. Encourage the exercise of our civil and human rights to the fullest, especially the voting rights, practice good citizenship and promote our communities’ full participation and contribution to the American society. Protect Asian American interests through lawful means, raise awareness and recommend correction to any unfair and discriminatory policies, laws, and regulations affecting our Asian American Communities.

Executive Board

President Le Dam Doan (VAC-GA) ledam.doan@yahoo.com Vice President Eleanor Mae Pascual (Fil-Am) eleanorpascual@gmail.com Secretary Raja Ghale (NASeA) rajaghale@aol.com Treasurer C.P. Huang (ATAA) cphuang@bellsouth.net Communications Director Noy Bozarth (LAS) noybozarth@gmail.com

Board Directors (At-Large)

Lam Thanh Ngo (VAC-GA) Charlie Yoon Kim (Past-President) Kim Reimann (TAWC-USA) Lilia Hagler (Fil-Am)

Immediate Past President

Varinee Sangmalee (TAWC USA) varinees@yahoo.com

Board Advisor Alex Wu (OCA-GA)

APAC | 2013

Mayor’s Letter Kasim Reed

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

APAC History Past Presidents

Thank you for all of your

hard work.

2012 Varinee Sangmalee – Thai Association World Center USA – TAWC USA

2011 Lam Thanh Ngo – Vietnamese American Community of GA – VAC-GA

2010 Lam Thanh Ngo – Vietnamese American Community of GA – VAC-GA

2009 Willy Blanco – Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta – Fil-Am

2008 Varinee Sangmalee – Thai Association World Center USA – TAWC USA

2007 Varinee Sangmalee – Thai Association World Center USA – TAWC USA

2006 Charlie Yoon Kim – Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta – KAAGA

2005 Narsi Narasimhan, Ph.D – Indian American Cultural Association – IACA

2004 Bala Pant – Nepalese Association In Southeast America – NASeA

2003 Willee Bonus – Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta – Fil-Am

2002 Rich Chou – Taiwanese American Association – TAA

2001 Ash Thakker, Ph.D – Indian American Cultural Association – IACA

2000 Jim Yang – Asian Americana Foundation 1999 Sun Hee Kim, MD – Center for Pan-Asian Community Services – CPACS

1998 Abelardo Magat, MD – Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta – Fil-Am

1997 Ken Chen – Taiwanese American Association – TAA

1996 Kshama Kakade – Indian American Cultural Association - IACA

1995 Shin S. Chang – Taiwanese America Association – TAA

1994 Thad Ghim, MD – Society of Eighty Seven

1993 Victor Romero – Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta – Fil-Am

1992 Vir Nanda – Indian America Cultural Association – IACA

1991 Manolo Apanay, MD. – Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta – Fil-Am 1990 Jim Yang – Organization of Chinese Americans – OCA-GA

1989 Soo-Wong Ahn, MD – Society of Eighty Seven

1988 Giriraj Rao, Ph.D – Indian American Cultural Association – IACA

1987 Tong Huynh, MD – Vietnamese American Community of GA – VAC-GA

1986 Tito Espina – Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta – Fil-Am

1985 Alex Wu – Organization of Chinese Americans – OCA-GA

APAC | 2013

From the Governor Greeting letter

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

Gala 2013 Program Introduction of Master/Mistress of Ceremonies

Cultural Performance

Eleanor Pascual & Dr. Kim Reimann Emcees Marites Fernandez Pellicer & Fabian J. De Rozario

Atlanta Taiwanese Philharmonic Chorus (ATPhC)

Introduction of Community Flags

Vietnamese Traditional Dance

Performed by Atlanta Taiwanese American Association

Emcees

Performed by Vietnamese American Community of GA

National Anthem

Introduction of Community Presidents

Welcome Distinguished Guests & Sponsors

Raja Ghale, Lilia Hagler, Kenny Lee, Hank Lai

Fil-Am Quartet: Eleanor Mae Pascual, Marites Pellicer, Tito Espina, Alex Pascual Emcees

President’s Welcome Speech Le Dam Doan

Introduction of Past Presidents Emcees

GA Governor Proclamation APAC Heritage Month Dr. Josephine Tan

Introduction of GALA Planning Committee Emcees

Guest Speakers

B.J. Pak – Georgia State Representatives 108th District Introduced by Eleanor Mae Pascual (Fil-Am)

Hugh Floyd – Representative District 9 Introduced by Josh Yuen (OCA)

Charlotte Nash – Chairman, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Introduced by Noy Bozarth (LAS)

Huei-Yuan Tai – Director General, Taipei Economic & Cultural Atlanta Office Introduced by Dr. Kim Reimann (TAWC USA)

Joe Allen – Executive Director, Gwinnett Place CID Introduced by Lam Thanh Ngo (VAC-GA)

Emcees

1st Raffle Prize Drawings Cultural Performance Laotian Dance

Performed by Laotian American Society

Filipino Folk Dance

Performed by Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta

2nd Raffle Prize Drawings

David Lin, Hyomee Kim, Charlie Yoon Kim

Awards Ceremonies Scholarship Awards

Presented by Dr. Kim Reimann & Eleanor Pascual, C.P Huang

Service Awards

Presented by Le Dam Doan , Varinee Sangmalee

Cultural Performance Nepalese

Performed by Nepalese Association in Southeast American

Korean Traditional Dance

Eugene Chin Yu – President, Federation of Korean Associations, USA

Performed by Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta

Introduced by Varinee Sangmalee

Indian American Cultural Association

CEO of Continental Military Service Inc.

(APAC Immediate Past President)

Keynote Speaker

Pedro “Pete” Marin – Georgia State Representative HD96

Saturday, May 4th, 2013 Atlanta Marriott Gwinnett Place Hotel 1775 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth GA 30096

APAC | 2013

Performed by Indian American Cultural Association

3rd Raffle Prize Drawings

Introduced by Travis Kim (KAAGA)

Le Doan, Varinee Sangmalee, Dr. Kim Reimann, Eleanor Pascual

Dinner

Dance

Profiles Master & Mistress of Ceremonies

Marites Fernandez Pellicer F A former child prodigy, Marites Pellicer was the protégé of the former First Lady, Imelda Marcos and the late Eugenia Puyat, wife of Senator Gil Puyat. She started playing the piano at the age of three, made her first public appearance at five and gave her first solo recital at 10. At 11, she won the first Manila Symphony Artists’ Competition and performed with the orchestra under the baton of Herbert Zipper. Since then, Marites has extensively performed as a solo artist and a soloist with various orchestras. Marites not only has given concerts in the Philippines but has also performed in Japan, Hongkong, Peru, Vancouver, Atlanta, New York and Germany. She pursued her postgraduate studies as a scholar at the Peabody Conservatory of Music Johns

Hopkins University and earned a degree in Master of Music in Piano. Aside from her music career, Marites is a strong advocate in fostering Philippine culture and arts in Georgia. She is one of the founders and currently the director of the Kayumanggi Alliance for Culture and Performing Arts. She also formed the Rondalla String Ensemble, which is the only one in the Southeast. With an extensive exposure to stage production and herself a performer, she has directed the Miss Fil-Am Pageant for the past few years. Marites is also active as a leader in the Asian community. She was the 2009 President of the Filipino -American Association of Greater Atlanta and was a member of the board of the Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia.

Fabian De Rozario

abian De Rozario is a professional speaker and trainer. He is a consultant and facilitator of talent engagement programs, delivering more than 100 workshops and seminars each year at Fortune 100 companies globally. Fabian is a subject expert in diversity & inclusion, cross-cultural proficiency, workforce engagement, and leadership. Fabian is currently a Senior Consultant and Facilitator at Global Novations, a Korn/Ferry International Company and also has his private consulting practice,GlobalConnect LP. He also serves as the Diversity Director for the National Society of High School Scholars. Fabian was born and raised in Malaysia and completed his secondary education in Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with two B.S. degrees (Management and Marketing) and a M.S. degree in Parks & Recreation Administration. He served in student services leadership, instructor, and corporate trainer roles at Northern Illinois University and at University of Arkansas at Little Rock (as the Director of the Donaghey Student Center and an adjunct faculty

member). From 1998 to 2006, Fabian was the Director of U.S. University Relations and Global Operations for the Golden Key International Honour Society headquartered in Atlanta. Fabian is a leader and frequent volunteer in the community, serving as the 2009 & 2010 President of NAAAP Atlanta (National Association of Asian American Professionals) and co-founding MAG (Malaysian Association of Georgia). In June 2005, Fabian received the Georgia Society of Association Executives President’s Award and was named a “Mover & Shaker” of the association in 2007. Fabian is a 2006 honoree of Who’s Who in Asian American Communities (WWAAC) in Georgia and now serves on the WWAAC Foundation Board. He is a graduate of the 2009 class of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, and is a member of the 2011 Class of Leadership Atlanta. Currently, he volunteers as NAAAP’s National Chief Business Development Officer and a board member of CPACS (Center for Pan Asian Community Services) in Atlanta, Georgia. Fabian and his wife, Jesslyna reside in Lawrenceville, GA.

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

Profiles Keynote Speaker

ep. Pedro “Pete” Marin has honorably served House District 96 in the Georgia General Assembly for the past eleven years. He has been at the forefront in stopping gang violence, eradicating gang graffiti, and supporting economic development initiatives. He has been able to build relationships between community, government leaders and the emerging diverse communities in metro Atlanta. Rep. Marin has facilitated countless intercultural relation programs to educate people about minorities, which has been critical in discrediting stereotypes, erasing ignorance, and easing tensions that arise when people are adverse to change. Pedro has also led numerous community organizing efforts to register voters, protect minorities from unfair treatment, and raise awareness about health & educational disparities. Rep. Marin possesses Georgia State Representative HD96 over 25 years of executive experience in both the private and non-profit sector plus 11 years as a Public Servant. He is a business consultant and serves on a number of organizations, including: the National Hispanic Caucus of State

Pedro “Pete” Marin

Legislators; Boy Scouts of America Northeast Georgia Council; Vice-Chair for Constituency Groups of the Democratic Party of Georgia; the Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs; Selective Service System/Region II; the World Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Gwinnett County. Rep. Marin is a proud member of the Leadership Gwinnett class of 2003; graduate of the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation Community Leadership Training Institute; participant in the Community Action Agencies History & Philosophy; Faculty member for NeighborWorks America; Post Graduate from the College of Commissioners Science (BSA) and a graduate of the Gwinnett County Police Department Citizens Police Academy. Rep. Marin was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While working for Persol, North America, he transferred from San Juan to Gwinnett County, GA in 1995. He has been happily married to his wife, Nereida, for 30 years and has one son, Joel, who is a Professional with the Boy Scouts of America, Northeast Georgia Council and is a graduate at Georgia State University.

Thank you 2013 APAC Unity Gala Co-Chairs

n behalf of the Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia (APAC), greetings to all and best wishes for a festive Asian Pacific American

heritage month! We wish to thank our sponsors, volunteers, APAC board members, community members and performers for their generous contributions to this event, you know we couldn’t do it without you. This

special annual celebration of our Asian cultures is a wonderful way to bring unity within our diverse community and share our common values.

Thanks to all of you for helping us make this evening such a successful event for 28 years!

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APAC | 2013

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Profiles Guest Speakers

Georgia State Representative 108th District

B.J. Pak

.J. is a Partner at the Atlanta law office of Ballard Spahr LLP where he works to assist his clients (ranging from small business owners to Fortune 500 Corporations) solve complex business, regulatory, and criminal issues. Through his current position, he has the experience and the knowledge of how businesses are impacted by taxes and other regulatory burdens. He has been recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers as a Rising Star, Best attorneys under 40 by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and one of 13 attorneys to watch by the Fulton County Daily Report.

Chairman Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners

Representative District 9

Hugh Floyd

ugh Floyd is serving his sixth term as State Representative from House District 99 (Gwinnett County). He is a member of the following committees in the House of Representatives: • Economic Development & Tourism • Education • Governmental Affairs • Industry & Labor

Charlotte J. Nash

harlotte J. Nash was elected Chairman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in a special election on March 15, 2011. She most recently served as president of a consulting firm specializing in governmental and public strategy and management. Prior to starting her small business, Charlotte worked for Gwinnett County Government for 27 years. She served as the County Administrator for nine years and previously held the positions of Director of Financial Services, Budget Director, and Grants Manager. Charlotte has also been active in numerous civic, business, and service organizations in the community. She served on the Gwinnett Recreation Authority from 2005 until the end of 2010. By virtue of her position as Commission

Success 12

APAC | 2013

Hugh and his wife Judy have been married 48 years and have lived 40 of those years in District 99. His son and daughter were educated in the Gwinnett County Public Schools, and his daughter Dana Floyd Harper is a special education teacher at Sugar Hill Elementary. His son Evan is a sales executive.

Chairman, she currently serves as a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission Board and the Transportation Investment Act Atlanta Regional Roundtable. The Atlanta Business Chronicle named her one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans in 2011 and 2012, and Georgia Trend included her as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians in 2013. Charlotte is a Gwinnett County native who has lived her entire life in the Dacula/ Harbins community. She graduated with honors from both Dacula High School and the University of Georgia, where she received a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Charlotte and her husband, Michael, have been married for 39 years and have two grown children and two granddaughters.

lives here

Profiles Guest Speakers

Executive Director, Gwinnett Place CID

Director General, Taipei Economic & Cultural Atlanta Office

Huei-YuanTai

uei-Yuan (Steven) Tai, who studied English literature in Taipei and has worked in European affairs, economic affairs and protocol during his career in Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently became the Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, which promotes Taiwanese business, cultural and educational exchanges in Atlanta. This is Mr. Tai’s second posting in the United States. He was previously a division director in Seattle. He has also been posted in Budapest, Hungary. Mr. Tai is married with one daughter and enjoys Chinese calligraphy, golf, table tennis and feng shui, according to a bio released by the TECO office. He was born in 1959.

Joe Allen

oe Allen started his career of service to

Gwinnett County in the Tax Commissioner’s

Office, where he served as Director of

Administration and then Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner. Later, he was Gwinnett’s

Division Director of Risk Management and

Employee Services. Allen also spent a number of years as the Director of Public Affairs and

Business Resources for the Gwinnett Chamber

of Commerce. While at the Chamber, he helped organize the business leaders that later formed the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District. In April 2006, Joe was named

Executive Director for the CID. Joe is married to Melanie and they have two children.

President, Federation of Korean Associations, USA CEO of Continental Military Service Inc.

Eugene Chin Yu

aving emigrated to Augusta, Ga. at eight years old, Yu has been active in KoreanAmerican affairs most of his life as a member of the National Unification Advisory Council for the Republic of Korea, and as president and CEO of the Korean Association for the Southeastern U.S. He also played an important role in the building of a Korean War memorial in Augusta in the early 1990’s. Yu is currently the President of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA and the President, CEO and owner of Continental Military Services Inc. (CM Services) in Augusta, and is also the marketing/sales consultant at General Purpose Vehicles, where he markets and sells wheeled armored vehicles to Korean and Egyptian military. He is a graduate of Harvard University’s Executive MBA program.

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28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

Performances

Atlanta Taiwanese Philharmonic Chorus

Vietnamese Laotian Dance Traditional Dance

Nepali Dance

Korean Traditional Dance

Philippine Folk Dance

Binasuan Fil-Am Quartet

“Binasuan” is a local dance that originated from the Philippine northern province of Pangasinan. The dance shows graceful movements with the use of 3 drinking glasses that are half-full of water. One glass is on top of the dancer’s head and the other 2 are on both palms of the hand. The dancer shows her skill when she maneuvers for a turn by sitting or rolling on the floor without spilling the water or dropping any of the glasses. This dance is typically danced by one person but can also be danced by a group of 3 or more.

APAC | 2013

entertain (Left to right) Tito Espina, Marites Pellicer, Eleanor Mae Pascual, Alex Pascual

Tito Espina 1986

Manolo Apanay 1991

Abe Magat 1993

APAC Past Presidents from the Filipino-American community continue to support the Asian/Pacific American Council of Georgia and its celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

Vic Romero 1998

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Scholarships Recipient Profile

| Filipino Kathlyn Grace Moriles Dutchtown High School One of three children of Dr. Romeo Moriles and Mrs. Mary Ann Moriles, Kathlyn is our 2013 FilipinoAmerican Association of Greater Atlanta scholar. A current senior at Dutchtown High School in Hampton, Georgia, she is #2 in class of 271 in weighted GPA and #6 in unweighted GPA. This puts her to an accumulated GPA of 4.2, a very impressive number. Kathlyn is a very well rounded teenager. She plays the guitar and piano and loves to sing and dance. She was twice nominated for Governor’s Honors Program for vocal and made it twice to the State level. But her passion and heart is on health and fitness. She finds time to run 5K on a daily basis, eats healthy food and love sports. She is a great soccer and volleyball player. As a result, she has been the captain of both the Varsity Soccer and Volleyball teams of her school. Her numerous achievements aside from her scholastic standing include: First Place at the Regional Literary Competition in essay writing, Georgia Merit Scholar ranked in the top 5% of her class, Third place winner in the State Science Fair, Leader of the Pack for highest GPA in English, President of the International

Club, Leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, selected one of the top leaders of the Youth Leadership Henry Program. With a wide scope of such admirable accomplishments, Kathlyn goes back to thanking her parents as the driving force and motivators. They have been continually challenging her abilities especially in education. As Kathlyn says, “God has blessed me with parents who have raised me correctly, always encouraging me to envision my own future without limitations. They have raised me to prioritize my education, but never neglecting my dreams, to trust that God will take care of me, providing me with the path I need to follow.” Kathlyn has a very bright future. She has been accepted to Georgia State University. She is divided between taking Sports Medicine or Physical Therapy. This truly shows us how much she loves sports. But no matter what she chooses she will no doubt succeed and with honors. Good luck to a bright future, Kathlyn!

Congratulations to Kathlyn Grace Moriles for being our 2013 Scholarship Prize Winner! Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta, Inc. www.atl-filam.org

The Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta (Fil-Am) has been serving the FilipinoAmerican community since 1974. It is a socio-cultural and service organization whose members share common interests in the Philippines and in the culture of the Filipino people. Fil-Am is a proud charter member of the Asian/Pacific-American Council of Georgia, Inc. We wholeheartedly join APAC in the celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and hereby congratulate APAC for its 28 years of service to Georgia’s Asian American community. We look forward to continued collaboration with APAC’s member organizations in achieving common goals, cultivating and sharing our rich cultural heritage, and promoting full participation in mainstream American society.

2013 FIL-AM BOARD OF DIRECTORS Elsie Vidanes, President Mayette Bayani, Vice President Jonathan Senning, Secretary Nora O’Brien, Treasurer Lynda Bonus, PRO Stacey Sado, Social Chair Pam Peterman, Culture Chair

APAC | 2013

Nenette Smith, Service Chair Lolita Elliott, Membership Chair Koko Trinidad, Ways & Means Chair Doddy Ward, Director Fred Vidanes, Director Vic Romero, Parliamentarian

Scholarships Recipient Profile

Yen PhuongDoan

| Vietnamese

North Clayton High School

I will be attending Emory University this upcoming fall of 2013. After

graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, I hope to attend medical school and become a pediatrician specializing in oncology.

After I graduate and complete my residency, I want to go back to Asia,

specifically Vietnam, and provide medical services to so many people who are stricken with poverty. I also want to give back to my community in

America by doing simple tasks such as health check-ups for children of lower-income families or families that cannot afford health insurance.

Eric Lu Scholarship Award

Congratulations to Yen Phuong Doan for being our 2013 Scholarship Prize Winner! Vietnamese American Community of Georgia “Reflecting Back & Moving Forward” www.vac-ga.org 6030 Dawson Blvd., Ste B, Norcross GA 30093 678.820.8822

The Vietnamese American Community of Georgia (VAC-GA) is a non-profit organization

formed in 1994. This organization strives to help Vietnamese Americans build a close-knit Community Health Fair Senior Program Youth Program ESL Program

Citizenship Program Computer Program

Cultural Dance Program Viet Language Program

community to retain cultural traditions and to educate youth about Vietnmese customs.

In 1994, the Vietnamese American Community of Georgia was officially established to

represent all Vietnamese-Americans in the State of Georgia. VAC-GA works to organize and

promote various programs throughout the year. The purpose of these programs is to share with the community at large the Vietnamese culture and heritage.

2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Trish Nguyen, President

Thai Ly, Vice President Tuan M.Nguyen, Chairman Tan M. Tran, Secretary Phuong Ly, Treasurer

Lam T. Ngo, Board of Advisor Xuan Lan Tran, Cultural Director Le Doan, Public Relations

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

Scholarships Recipient Profile

Young Lee

| Korean Mill Creek High School

My name is Yong Lee and I am currently a senior at Mill Creek High School. As a student, I have strived to achieve a multitude of academic and extracurricular achievements throughout my school career, an endeavor that parallels my diverse background as a Korean American. From community service and leadership to competitions and academic excellence, I have worked tirelessly to pursue my interests in the form of clubs and activities, as well as through academics, leadership, and service. Active in clubs such as math team, Science Olympiad, and National Honor Society, as well as activities such as Varsity Fencing and band, the challenge of balancing school work with extracurricular a has been a challenging yet rewarding task. I am currently the president of Mill Creekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s science, social studies, and math honor societies, as well as both the Science Olympiad team and math team captain. During my sophomore and junior year, I qualified for the AIME exam after passing the AMC-12 exams, as well as medaling at the State Fencing Championship in both years. Other competitions, such as Science Olympiad and science fair, have merited state qualifications and numerous awards.

Academically, I have pursued the most rigorous courses throughout my years in high school, becoming Mill Creekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salutatorian of the class of 2013, the only junior to earn the AP National Scholar award, and a National Merit Finalist. This past fall, I was accepted early into Harvard University, where I plan to major in Neurobiology and pursue a career as a neurosurgeon. Most recently, I was selected as a Coca Cola Scholars semifinalist and a Gates Millennium Scholars finalist. In my free time, I enjoy volunteering as a form of contributing something back to the community. Whether it is math tutoring or service opportunities through Beta Club, I have thoroughly enjoyed dedicating my service, accumulating over 500 hours throughout my high school career. The interests that make up the hodgepodge of activities that I actively pursue inside and outside school reflect the interaction of my Korean identity with American influences, providing the basis for a diverse personality and lifestyle. Although grades are crucial to us as students, I most pride myself in my ability to balance my academic responsibilities, while successfully juggling my numerous clubs and extracurricular activities.

challenge

Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta (KAAGA) Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta (KAAGA) is proud to be an affiliate of Asian/ Pacific America Council of Georgia, Inc. (APAC). We wish APAC a successful Asian Heritage Month. Koreans began to reside or visit Atlanta since the late 19th century when Mr. Chi-ho Yoon first attended Emory University more than a century ago. Korean-American Association of Greater Atlanta (KAAGA) was established in 1968 with 15 initial members and the Korean community in Atlanta has been growing since. More dynamic growth of the Korean community was seen after the Atlanta Olympic Games and it is estimated that there are currently more than 100,000 Koreans in Greater Atlanta. KAAGA represents the Korean-American community in metro Atlanta area and provides many services to the community such as observing key Korean festivals, helping new Korean immigrants and the elderly Korean community, voter registration, providing Korean language education for the younger Korean generation, and providing consulate assistance.

APAC | 2013

Scholarships

Brandon Voravong White Water High School

Recipient Profile

| Laotian

Brandon is 17 years old, and is currently a senior at White Water High School in Fayetteville, GA. Brandon is one of the first generation of Laotians to be born in the United States. As a small child, he always wondered, “What can I do with my life that will make both my parents proud, and also to enjoy a happy life?” As he grew older, Brandon’s goal became clearer as the world around him evolved. Brandon gained an avid interest in the multi-faceted aspects of technology, as it played an increasingly important role in his life. This inspired him to study more about computers, networks, and other aspects of information technology. Brandon plans to attend Georgia State University, majoring in Computer Science and its related fields. By gaining this valuable knowledge Brandon hopes to become a valuable asset for the future, and to enable him to help create a possible innovative solution for the problems of tomorrow. Brandon volunteers at his school and within the Lao community at his local Buddhist temple. He is an active member with the Laotian American Society youth program.

valuable

LAS Mission LAS is a 501c3 non-profit organization focused on promoting cultural awareness and fostering communication within the Asian American Community in the state of Georgia, being the resource to all people of ethnic origins native to Laos or has ties to the Lao culture and heritage, by organizing and sponsoring education, health, social, and economic activities.

The Laotian American Society (LAS) is pleased to announce the 8th Annual Fundraiser Ball Where:

5th Ave. Event Hall 2720 Mall of Georgia Blvd. Buford, GA 30519

When: Time: Price:

June 8, 2013 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM $50.00 per Ticket

Please contact us to reserve your tickets: Cookie Morey: cookie@mmintl.com Dao Malaythong: daomalaythong@yahoo.com Noy Bozarth: noybozarth@gmail.com Kim Pathammavong: tinglieu@live.com Amy Chomthakham: amyabc@bellsouth.net

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

Scholarships Recipient Profile

Kevin Lee

| Malaysian Northview High School

mission

Hello! My name is Kevin Lee and I was born in Nashville, Tennessee. I have heritage from Malaysia and can speak both Mandarin and Cantonese. Though I was born in another state, I grew up in Georgia and currently reside here. I am a senior at Northview High School, and I plan on attending the University of Georgia in the fall of 2013. Academically, I’ve been on the honor roll since middle school and have received the VIP Student Award my sophomore year. I am also on the school soccer team (JV – freshman; Varsity – sophomore, junior, senior) and was captain of the JV team. I’ve performed in both the international night and the talent show multiple times and even helped Northview bring home the title of 2nd place Group Talent in the Georgia State Beta Convention. Outside of school, I’m involved in my church, ACCCN (Atlanta Chinese Christian Church North). I’ve been part of the worship team since 7th grade and a leader for the youth group since 9th grade. Every year I volunteer as a counselor for Vacation Bible School (VBS) and lead children in worship. I am also the leader for the children in my fellowship group. For mission trip experience, I’ve volunteered at Whirlwind Missions (Chamblee, Georgia) and have been to New Mexico as well. I love helping those in need and being a leader for the next generation.

The Malaysian Association of Georgia (MAG) is a nongovernmental, non-political, and non-profit organization. The objectives of MAG are:

To bring together individuals of Malaysian national origin, and others who share interests in Malaysia, to participate in educational, cultural, social, and economic activities; To encourage communication: - between Malaysians and the Embassy of Malaysia; - between Malaysians and the community at large; To promote friendship and foster a better understanding of the Malaysian culture with the community at large; To promote friendship and foster a better understanding of the Malaysian culture with the community at large through social, cultural, educational and economic programs; To promote and represent the interests of Malaysians in the metro Atlanta area and the state of Georgia; To collaborate with organizations, foreign and domestic, to project a good Malaysian image and to promote international understanding.

APAC | 2013

Scholarships Recipient Profile

Binita Devkota

| Nepalese Winter Park High School

Hello, my name is Binita Devkota. I moved to the US from Nepal in 2005 and have lived in Florida ever since. Currently, I live in Orlando, Florida. I am a senior at Winter Park High School and will be going to the University of Central Florida soon. I have been in the International Baccalaureate program since 7th grade and this will be my last year in the program. Aside from academics, I am involved in many different organizations, not only in school but also out of school. In school, I am the member of National Honor Society and National Social Studies Honor. In addition to those involvements, I am currently the secretary of the Thespian Honor Society for second year in a row and the President of the National Spanish Honor Society. Being involved in these honor societies not only gives me a sense of academic achievement but also helps me pursue another passion of mine-- volunteering. Through these honor societies, I’ve had the chance to raise goods to be donated to many different charities. Also, all of these honor societies help me become a better leader, which is critical as I pursue can become a leader

in the future. Another area that shapes me to become a better leader is through stage management of my school Drama productions. Through numerous successful productions, my peers have voted to award me the “Outstanding Stage Management Award” two years in a row. Moreover, throughout my high school career, I’ve had the pleasure of volunteering at my local hospital and retirement community. Besides school, I am also heavily involved in the Nepali Community here in Florida. I’ve been helping out with whatever I can every time there is an event. Furthermore, I am always ready to showcase my talent and my passion for dancing. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for dancing. I love to perform to the familiar Nepali tunes. Dancing brings me joy as much as it is a way for me to express myself. When I hear the melodious tunes, my natural instinct is to move to the beat. Dancing seems effortless to me because of my love and passion for it. When I dance for that few minutes, I get to escape from reality and step into another character altogether.

talent N

epalese Association in Southeast America (NASeA) is a 23 year old not-for profit organization that provides forum for the people of Nepali origin in the United States to promote Nepali culture, heritage and values. NASeA operates through 15 different committees and organizes monthly talk session inviting people who have uplifted the name of Nepal, immigration conference call, annual convention and special events including Nepal Festival. The first president of NASeA was Dr. Biswa Acharya and the current president in Sanjeeb Sapkota. NASeA is one of the oldest partner of APAC-GA.

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

Scholarships Recipient Profile

Patrick Yu

| Taiwanese Northview High School

My name is Patrick Yu. I am a senior student at Northview High School. I moved to Georgia when I was sophomore, and started my American type high school that I

had no experience before. I love sports and math, so I am part of math team, Ping-

aptitude pong club, and the Badminton club. I have been a member of Taiwanese School

of Georgia Drum Team since I moved to Georgia on 2010. We have performed in many major metro Atlanta cultural events such as Dog Wood Festival, Suwanee Day, Taiwanese Cultural Festival, ACE, and local school international nights. I

will be attending Georgia State University, and my major will be business because mathematics is my favorite. I have taken AP Chinese in my junior year. My

achievements in College are trying to join more clubs, make me to be more active, and focus on business.

Atlanta Taiwanese American Association (ATAA) www.ataa.us

The Taiwanese American Association, Atlanta Chapter (TAA, Atlanta) was founded in 1971. All Taiwanese American can be a member of the Association after paying a nominal annual membership dues. The goal of the association is to provide means and place for citizens who come from Taiwan or descendants of Taiwanese American to meet and social; to get contact and help as needed. The association holds three to four regular gatherings every year. Most gatherings are held outdoors for picnic and indoors when performances/entertainments are provided. Any one who is a friend of any member’s can attend those gatherings. The association has seven affiliate organizations including Taiwanese School of Atlanta, Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce—Atlanta, Formosa Association of Public Affairs—Georgia, Taiwanese American Citizen League and Formosa Association for Human Right, Atlanta Taiwanese Philharmonic Chorus. They are all very active in metro-Atlanta communities.

APAC | 2013

Scholarships Recipient Profile

John Oh

| CPACS Peachtree Ridge High School

I was born in New York City, but I moved to many different places

throughout my childhood. I finally moved to Georgia during my 5th grade year and have stayed here since. I currently attend Peachtree Ridge High School, and I am known for both my involvement in

extracurricular activities and academic accomplishments. Being in

ambitions the top 10% of my graduating class, I am a competitive student who also excels at being a leader in the community. I know both of these skills will be valuable to me throughout my life and I am excited to apply these attributes by attending college this fall.

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

APAC Members

Indonesian Community Heritage Foundation 4239 Nobleman Point, Duluth, GA 30097 www.ICHF.us ichf.atlanta@gmail.com

The Indonesian Community Heritage Foundation is a non-profit organization established in United States in 1998 by the Indonesian community and for the Indonesian community. As indonesian living in the United States, we believe in promoting good citizenship, providing support and education to the Indonesian community and preserving Indonesian culture and tradition and at the same time maintaining racial harmony. To raise International awareness of human rights violations and discrimination against Indonesian community. Daniel Fu President of ICHF

Tax Exempt Code 501(c)(3), Non-Profit Organization P.O. Box 669847, Marietta, GA 30066 Phone/Fax: 770.998.8375 www.tawcusa.com varinees@yahoo.com | thaiawc@yahoo.com CULTURAL ADVISORS: Raungtong Tonglunthom (Thailand) Roongrudee Pangpongsai (Thailand) Charin Nuntanakorn (Thailand) Jern Jern Boonsungnern (Thailand/USA) Chalieo Setsee, Monrudee Sunyapong, Achara Smyte, Vien & Arunee Dang, Patcharin Punnithi, Chaiyaphorn & Prissana Kaewliam, Patana & Paisri Untachantr, Adisorn & Nopakarn Kanjananampa, Parichat Quiros, Tanes & Nipa Kitvanichvises, Vanna Thongintra, Nongkran Untachantr, Jason & Pissamai Baker, Jirapon & Thanyanuch G. Ruengsri, Nopranat Sricharoen.

APAC | 2013

2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Varinee Sangmalee Executive Vice President: Penny Sarindu Vice Presidents: Wonchai Woowong, Pitchaya Phejlada, Chaiyaphorn Kaewliam, Nathan Kongthum, Anthony Untachantr, Yotin Srivanjarean Secretary: Lt. Col. Sumalee Patanasiri Treasurer: Orapin Assavavallop C.P.A: Kasemsakdi Assavavallop Advisors: Dr. Umpon Sangmalee, M.D. Prasert Punkattalee (Nad Auto) Ekapong Sarindhu M.L. Saksiri Kridakorn (Thailand) Paul & Nipa Kajitla (Thailand) Dr. Kim Reimann, PhD (GSU) Legal Counselor: Boonma Tachavanich (Thailand)

APAC Members

OCA-Georgia Chapter 29 years of Service to the Community

P.O. Box 767278, Roswell, GA 30076 | www.OCAGeorgia.org | ocageorgia@yahoo.com | Hotline: 770.408.0546 OCA Georgia (OCA-GA) founded in 1983 is the local chapter of OCA. Through local events and community involvement, OCA-GA aims to promote the general welfare of Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans while meeting the goals and objectives as set forth by OCA National. Founded in 1973 as the Organization of Chinese Americans, OCA is a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. OCA is dedicated to securing the rights of Chinese American and Asian American citizens and permanent residents through legislative and policy initiatives at all levels of the government. OCA aims to embrace the hopes and aspirations of the nearly two million citizens and residents of Chinese ancestry in the United States as well as to better the lives of the ten million Asian Americans across the country. OCA’s goals are: • To advocate for social justice, equal opportunity and fair treatment. • To promote civic participation, education and leadership. • To advance coalitions and community building. • To foster cultural heritage.

Sponsor

OCA is base in Washington, D.C. gives the national office an effective vantage point for monitoring legislation and policy issues affecting Chinese Americans and Asian Americans. In addition, OCA is able to build national support and to work in coalition with other national groups around issues affecting Asian Americans.

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

APAC | 2013

28 th Annual Asian Heritage Gala & Scholarship Award Banquet

APAC | 2013

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UPS is a proud sponsor of the 28th Annual Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia, Unity Gala in honoring the Asian Pacific Heritage Month