John Tran, 1st Asian American Judge in Virginia By Jennie L. Ilustre John M. Tran, a former state and federal prosecutor in Alexandria, made history on April 4 when the Virginia General Assembly elected him Circuit Court Judge for Fairfax County. He is the first Asian Pacific American to be elected judge in the Commonwealth of Virginia. His nomination was …

Dodge Hits the Bull’s Eye with an All-new Compact Car – The Dodge Dart The 2013 Dodge Dart redefines performance with Alfa Romeo DNA, fuel-efficient powertrains and Dodge’s passion for performance. The all-new DodgeDart is a thoroughly modern vehicle that’s fuel-efficient, beautifully designed and crafted, agile and fun-to-drive. Loaded with innovative technology, class-leading safety features and clever functionality, the 2013 Dodge …

2013 Nissan Quest Continues to Celebrate Family Life with Wide Range of User-Friendly Innovations From its bold styling with full surround glass to its extensive list of family-friendly features and innovations, the 2013 Nissan Quest“gets” parenting better than any other minivan.  Designed with purpose inside and out, Quest offers functionality, unique styling and comfort for all occupants.  Key features include one-touch …

2013 Nissan JUKE Adds New Midnight Edition Package; Continues to Offer Bold Styling, Fun-to-Drive Performance and Advanced Torque Vectoring AWD As the Nissan JUKE enters its third year of production, it continues to build on its reputation as one of the boldest designs and most spirited performers in the traditional B-segment hatchback field. Drawing its inspiration from a number of active lifestyle …

2013 Ford Taurus Delivers More Fuel Efficiency, Technology, Design Refinement and Even Better Driving Dynamics The new Ford Taurus delivers more of what large sedan customers really want for the 2013 model year – with even better fuel economy, more technology, design refinement, improved craftsmanship and enhanced driving dynamics. “We have significantly upgraded Ford’s flagship sedan through obsessive attention to detail,” said …

2013 Nissan Pathfinder Offers Best-in-Class Fuel Economy, Roomy Premium Interior, Family-Focused Versatility and Thoughtful Technology The original Nissan Pathfinder, introduced more than a quarter century ago, set the bar high for the generations that followed. Known as the perfect family adventure vehicle, each successive Pathfinder design has remained true to that original premise while evolving to meet the changing needs …

Jian Ping is the author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into an award-winning documentary film. Ping was born and raised in China.  Her daughter, Lisa Xia is originally from Changchun, China, but was raised largely between cultures for more than 20 years in the United States. Xia graduated from the University of Illinois and …

Washington, DC – On Thursday April 18, the District Department of the Environment is showing off their style with a Green Fashion Show featuring vintage pieces. “When we re-use and redistribute gently used clothing, we help reduce the impact of harmful global repercussions from manufacturing,” stated the DDOE’s website. Vintage clothes will be sold after the fashion show. The fashion …

Raised in Falls Church, VA, Thao Nguyen first picked up a guitar at the age of 12 and began performing in a pop country duo in high school. She’s now a critically acclaimed artist who tours the country and the world with such artists as Andrew Bird, Mirah, Laura Viers and producer Tucker Martine. She even toured the U.S. with …

Washington. DC.  During a recent visit to Washington, DC, for high level discussions, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida engaged in US-Japan exchanges, including with members of the Japanese American community,  at the Crystal Room of the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Washington, DC, on February 22, 2013

Washington’s petal partiers gather for the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s signature Pink Tie Party on Wednesday, March 20 at the Renaissance in downtown DC.  The event features top chefs’ delicious spring, cherry and blossom-inspired cuisine and cocktails. Proceeds from the event benefits festival events and programs.  Photos by Ron Engle courtesy National Cherry Blossom Festival.

15th Annual Cherry Blossom Freedom Walk on April 6 Walkers: are You ready to Pursue Justice? The 15th Annual Cherry Blossom Freedom Walk, an official event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2013. The event will be held at the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II (Intersection of D …

She’s strictly business by day at the U.S. Department of Commerce, but she sways so gently by night. D.C. resident Emy Tseng, getting raves at local clubs, released her debut album of Brazilian jazz music in February. Tseng moved here from the Bay Area in 2009 for serious work “lessening the digital divide in underserved communities.” She was pleasantly surprised …

CCTV anchor Elaine Reyes is gearing up to raise money for the March of Dimes “Walk for Babies,” fundraising walks which will take place beginning in late April. Reyes, a familiar on-air presence at WRC-TV, NBC4 before joining CCTV, has been passionate about the cause since her daughter Mercer was a preemie, born at 30 weeks. A child of parents …

Are we potentially looking at the first Asian American Supreme Court Justice? Maybe. Raymond T. Chen has been tabbed for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by President Obama. It’s a high- profile judgeship that should put his name on future lists for the Supremes. Chen is currently Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property Law and Solicitor …

She’s baaaaack! She was the embattled D.C. schools chancellor, and now she’s an author. Michelle Rhee was back in town recently promoting her book, “Radical: Fighting to Put Students First,” a tome that combines autobiography with her views on educational reform. She appeared at Sixth & I Historical Synagogue.

If you looked for departing Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu at the President’s State of the Union Address, you didn’t find him. Dr. Chu was this year’s designated survivor, the one cabinet secretary who stays away from the Capitol in case the roof caves in and no one else is left to run America. His office won’t tell us where …

Beginning this month, Asian Fortune starts an occasional column, Asian Feds, which will feature bits of work, history, fun events or tidbits about AAPI employees in federal agencies and departments. Last month, we teased the column by publishing a photo Dan Treadwell of the Federal Aviation Administration dug out of agency archives. (He is the historian of the National Asian …

By Susan R. Paisner Those are the words of Indira, a 36-year-old immigrant from India, and a domestic violence survivor living in northern Virginia. Her story is not all that unusual for an Asian American female. A study from the Asian & Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) states 41- 61% of Asian women report experiencing physical and/or sexual …

  Hai Hua Community Center, Inc., staged its 10th Chinese New Year program at Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, VA. The two-day celebration Feb. 9th and 10th was a multicultural affair, with Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, and Filipino groups presenting cultural performance, demonstrations, and arts & crafts activities. The Hai Hua Community Center, founded in 1989, is located in …

By Jhee Yoon (Waldorf, MD)—Toni and Bill Benton probably never get lonely. They’re probably never bored. That’s because their house is filled with seven adopted children, ranging in age from 2 to 18. There are medical issues for some, including a heart condition and a cleft palate. One child is deaf and two have urological conditions. But Toni and Bill …

By Jhee Yoon WASHINGTON, D.C.—Asian/Pacific Islanders have the highest high school graduation rates of any ethnic groups in America, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Education. 93.5% of Asian and Pacific Islander students received diplomas at the end of the 2009-2010 school year, the focus of a study from DOE’s National Center for Education Statistics. AAPI …

Arlington County to Change Policy  By Dottie Tiejun Li (Arlington, VA)—Arlington County is reconsidering its policies regarding food truck vendors following the collapse of a case it had brought against the Korean fusion food truck Seoul Food. The truck will continue to roll and serve food, thanks to General District Judge Thomas J. Kelley who dismissed a case against Hyun …