Published May 11, 2014

Vice President Joe Biden Honors Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Opening Cermony

We are very excited to announce ASIA Executive Director Michael Byun’s ceremonially sworn in kickoff event! Congrats, Michael! Michael is one of 16 newest appointees to President Obama’s President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs.

WASHINGTON, DC – Vice President Joe Biden, highlighting the achievements of generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), spoke at the opening ceremony for the 2014 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month today. The event was hosted by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“We are honored to have Vice President Biden speak to the AAPI community at this historic moment in time,” said the Initiative’s Executive Director Kiran Ahuja. “AAPIs are fast on the rise, and it’s important to both recognize the community’s great diversity and the importance of government and community working together to address the unique challenges we face.”

Also highlighted in the program today were President Obama’s newest appointees to the President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs that were ceremonially sworn in at the kickoff event. Sri Srinivasan, United States Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ceremonially swore in fourteen new and two returning Commissioners who will serve as the eyes and ears of the AAPI community for the Obama Administration.  The Commissioners are:

  • Dr. Tung Nguyen (incoming Chair)
  • Dr. Mark Ann  Young Okada (incoming Vice Chair)
  • Dr. N. Nina Ahmad
  • Michael Byun
  • Ravi Chaudhary
  • Lian Cheun
  • Billy Dec
  • Bill Imada
  • Kathy Ko Chin
  • Daphne Kwok
  • Dee Jay Mailer
  • Diane Narasaki
  • Shekar Narasimhan
  • Maulik Pancholy
  • Linda X. Phan
  • Lorna May Ho Randlett

The Commission is charged with working to improve the quality of life for AAPIs through increased participation in and access to federal programs. The members will advise the President on innovative ways to engage AAPIs across the country and to improve their health, education, environment, and well-being. For detailed bios on the new commissioners, please visit here.  Additionally, during the ceremony, the outgoing Commissioners were thanked for their efforts with the release of a report highlighting its accomplishments.

“We look forward to following in their footsteps of the outgoing Commission to help open the government’s doors to the community,” said Dr. Nguyen. “We’re excited to have such a passionate, talented group of individuals in this new Commission to lead this important work ahead.”

This year, the theme for AAPI Heritage Month is “I Am Beyond,” led by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. The phrase captures the aspirations of the American spirit and how Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent have always sought to excel beyond the challenges that have limited equal opportunity in America.  During the opening ceremony, there was also a panel discussion on the “I Am Beyond” theme and its implications by Pancholy, Okada, activist and journalist Helen Zia, and Executive Director of the National Korean American Service & Education Forum DJ Yoon.

“The theme ‘I Am Beyond’ recognizes how Asian Pacific Americans have a rich, complex and inspirational American story,” said Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center Director Konrad Ng. “Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is an opportunity to enrich our appreciation of the American story and America’s Asian Pacific heritage.”

The AAPI Heritage Month celebration will continue throughout the month of May, with events happening nationwide, highlighting the community’s many contributions to the arts, sciences, government, military, commerce, and education.

Links:

For more information on the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, please visit whitehouse.gov/aapi.

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