On Friday, November 15 Asian Services In Action, Inc. celebrated over 23 years of community service with the year’s theme of Communities Thriving Through Entrepreneurship.

Four months leading up to the Gala Communications and Data Coordinator Sarah Kucyk and Small Business Development Assistant for the Apex Fund Thet Mar Win collaborated with filmmaker and producer Jake Hochendoner of Divided Line Cinema to create the program’s Fund-In-Need video.

“I am incredibly grateful to ASIA, Inc. for the opportunity to work with the communities they serve in Northeast Ohio,” Jake exclaims. “It is a privilege to help tell client stories and to see first hand the incredible impact the organization has made in their lives. Collaborating with Sarah and Thet made the video production process possible. Their expertise and commitment to ASIA, Inc. and its clients inspired the process and helped make the Fund-In-Need video poignant, impactful, and artfully told. I look forward to working with them in the future.”

The video highlights three of the Apex Fund’s clients: Rot Sorn, owner of Lyeh Thai Restaurant; Siri Paing, owner of Paing Family Grocery store; and Ali Bai and Ro Ki Mar, owners of Lucky 7 Family Grocery store.

“I am so happy to be a part of the creative process because we learned a lot about the community,” Thet explained. “I also enjoy working in a team with Jake and Sarah.”

The generosity of our community, sponsors, and donors has enabled us to expand the Apex Fund for Economic Opportunities’ capacity to promote and support immigrant and refugee entrepreneurship that will, in turn, create jobs, revitalize and stabilize communities, and spark greater economic activity.

For more information about the Apex Fund please contact Chief Operating Officer Susan Wong at susan.wong@asiaohio.org