News + Opinion

By Michelle Phipps-Evans When Nina Un and Virginia Cheung connected about two years ago, they dreamed of revamping the DC Asian American nonprofit scene.     “The nonprofits are homegrown in the area, and they’re duplicative,” said Un, a Chinese American who’s the founder of Care to Lunch, a charity-focused lunch series in Tyson’s Corner, Va. “They’re all trying to do the …

By: Jenny Chen Rockville, MD – Jack Fitzgerald started Fitzgerald Auto Malls in 1966. A lot has changed since then. Car manufacturers have come and gone. The demographic make up of the United States has also changed. The DC Metro area, where Fitzgerald Auto Malls is based, has seen a dramatic increase in Asian and Hispanic populations in the last …

by Daphne Domingo Washington, DC – It was standing room only on March 13 at the at the House Visitors Center on Capitol Hill for “A Conversation with AAPI Women of the 113th Congress.” The event was organized by the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) and sponsored by AARP. Featured on the panel were Representatives Tulsi Gabbard …

By Lily Qi A couple of years ago, when my son was looking for his first college summer internship, I gave him some general advice and urged him to start early, but stopped short of stepping in to make sure he landed a good job. It was hard to watch him struggle, but the frustrations he went through that summer turned …

By Mary Tablante Allison Lee, a sophomore at the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), feels fortunate to be attending a school as diverse as UMCP. However, Lee also notes that building racial tolerance is an ongoing process, even at a college as diverse as hers. She recalls participating in a discussion on theme themed parties structured around racial stereotypes. …

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 …

By Mary Tablante 1. Overcoming Odds First Asian American CEO of WBLOS ANGELES—Kevin Tsujihara, a third generation Japanese-American, officially took helm of Warner Brothers as CEO on March 1, making him the first Asian American leader of a major Hollywood studio. Tsujihara, 47, formerly ran the Warner Brother’s Home Entertainment department. He has been with the company for nearly two …

By Kathy Ko Chin   It’s been three years since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is the historic health reform bill signed by President Obama March 23, 2010. On this third anniversary, there is much to celebrate: better access to key preventive services, the end of many discriminatory practices by …

By Susan R. Paisner Immigration reform is a legislative target on both sides of the Congressional aisle. Terms like e-verify have been bantered around. But how many people are aware of its implications for the AAPI community? “Any immigration reform package must include the perspectives of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community,” said Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Chair …

By Jem Palo Washington, D.C.–This is a familiar story: Filipino workers lured into coming to the United States in search of the American Dream, and instead experiencing labor exploitation. Every day, all over the world, human trafficking is a scourge that claims many victims. Whether exploited shipyard workers, or teachers deceived into promising careers, such is the plight of many …

AsianAMERICA Compiled by CeCe Wang White House Reports “Continuing Progress” For Asian Americans WASHINGTON, D.C.—The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders released a report showcasing the federal government’s progress addressing the needs of AAPIs. The Initiative has developed and implemented plans with 23 federal departments and agencies to increase AAPI participation in federal programs and services. Among …

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 …

QultureMATTERS  By Lily Qi On a recent business trip to China, I was automatically assumed to be an interpreter or assistant because I was helping with communication on both sides. I had to assert myself and remind my colleagues that I, too, had original thoughts to contribute. This small example shines light on the issue of how Asian women are …

By Lieutenant Janelle Kuroda, JAG Corps, U.S. Navy WASHINGTON—President Obama awarded World War II veteran Terry T. Shima the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian award, at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Feb. 15, 2013. Shima was one of 18 recipients of the medal, hand-selected by the President from over 6,000 candidates …

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 …

By Jennie L. Ilustre WASHINGTON, D.C.–Fred Semendy, executive chairman of the Asian Pacific American Catholic Network (APACN), told Asian Fortune he welcomed the recent election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the new pope. Cardinal Bergoglio will be officially installed as the new pope in a mass next Tuesday (March 19). He chose as his name Pope Francis I, after …

By Mary Tablante Falls Church, VA–Like many couples, Kathleen Brown and John Cullather of Falls Church wanted to start a family and raise children. But when having a biological child wasn’t an option, the couple became interested in international adoption. Having aged out of adoption for China, they looked at other countries and the possibility of adopting a child from …

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 …

Anhui Huangmei Opera Troupe of Anhui, China visited the Washington area in the middle of the Chinese Lunar New Year. DC’s Anhui Friendship Association and Anhui Association jointly hosted a dinner to welcome the troupe and were treated with a very special Huangmei Opera show at the New Fortune restaurant on Feb. 12.

The Lunar New Year celebration at Lakeforest Mall was underway in a swirl of color and high energy, an annual tradition celebrating old world values in the new world. Organized by the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC), the 2013 festivities ushering in 4711, the Chinese “Year of the Snake,” attracted happy crowds. The celebration included crafts workshops, cultural …

After finishing up a regular Chinese language class on Sunday, February 10, Hope Chinese School College Park staged its annual Spring Festival Gala in a multi-level, tiered classroom at the University of Maryland in College Park. Principal Qun Gao gathered all the kids into the room, transformed from a lecture hall to a lantern-filled, Chinese-themed theatre. Several hundred people, including …

Photos by Gino Wang.