Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the Asian Pacific American Officers Committee

Submitted by: LT Quynh Nguyen, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Subcommitee, APAOC, and LT Jeffrey Vang, Chair of Communication and Public Relations Subcommittee, APAOC.

(Left to right) LCDR Sam Wu, LCDR Wei Guo, LCDR Soju Chang, LT Ryan Nguyen, LT Quynh Nguyen, LCDR Karen Bryant, LT Dianne Paraoan, CDR Astrid Szeto, and LCDR Yoon Kong at the 17 May 2005 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration in the Parklawn Building in Rockville, MD.

May is dedicated as Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month. Representatives Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. Mineta of California first established it in June 1977 in celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. In May 2005, President George W. Bush issued a proclamation designating the month to honor Asian Pacific Americans for their contributions and achievements to the Nation in military service, business, science, politics, education, and community service. This year’s theme was “Liberty and Freedom for All.” The Asian Pacific American Officers Committee (APAOC) was proud to celebrate APA Heritage Month by participating in four government-sponsored activities. These participations support APAOC’s mission to promote leadership, enhance the visibility, and facilitate opportunities for Asian Pacific American officers in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).

Two events were sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The first event occurred on 17 May in the Parklawn Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland. Several HHS Operating Divisions hosted the event, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Indian Health Service, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Program Support Center, Office of Minority Health, and others. The following APAOC members served on the program committee: LCDR Karen Bryant (HRSA), LT Cheryl Lynn Fajardo (Office of the Secretary, OS), LT Quynh Nguyen (FDA), LT Dianne Paraoan (FDA), and LTJG Eduardo Y. Lim (FDA). They offered input on various program aspects, including speaker, poster, and exhibitor selections and provided logical support on the day of the event. The program began with the Presentation of Colors by the PHS Honor Guard. Mr. Erik Wang, Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, gave the special remarks. Ms. Ginny Gong, television talk show host, lecturer, and national president of the Organization of Chinese Americans, delivered the keynote address. The program also featured a colorful and lively presentation of music and dancing by HOALOHA. The talented musicians, singers, and dancers of this entertainment troupe performed traditional songs and dances from the islands of Hawaii and the South Pacific. Following the program, attendees sampled authentic cuisine from Asian and Pacific Island countries and visited exhibitor booths featuring acupuncture, origami, photographs of Asian lands, exotic orchids, and the organizations of the HHS Asian Pacific American Network and APAOC. CDR Astrid Szeto (FDA), LT Ryan Nguyen (FDA), LT Yoon Kong (FDA), LCDR Wei Guo (FDA), and LCDR Samuel Wu (FDA) staffed APAOC’s booth. Attendees who stopped by the booth received information and promotional materials on the PHS and APAOC.

The second HHS-sponsored event took place on 24 May in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington, D.C. The program included a keynote address by Mr. Lee Mun Wah, lecturer and master diversity and communication trainer. Mr. Wah’s presentation was well received by his message of diversity through communication and dialogue to an audience of all ages, including a group of 8th graders on a field trip. The program also featured a cultural presentation by the Natybhoomi School of Dance. In their colorful costumes, the students entertained the audience by performing traditional East Indian dances. Following the program, attendees sampled ethnic foods and authentic dishes from the countries of Asia and the Pacific Islands. APAOC members LCDR Karen Bryant (HRSA), LT Dianne Paraoan (FDA), and LT Cheryl Lynn Fajardo (OS) were on hand to answer questions and disseminate materials on the PHS and APAOC at the APAOC booth. Both of these HHS-sponsored events were well attended and considered an educational and festive success.

APAOC also proudly co-hosted the HHS Asian Pacific American Network’s 6th Annual Leadership Training Conference and Awards Ceremony, which was held on 19 May in Rockville, Maryland. It was first established by Executive Order 13125, signed by President William Clinton on 7 June 1999. The conference provided training on mentorship and fostering leadership with the goal of increasing the participation of Asian and Pacific Islanders within the Federal government programs where they may be underserved or underrepresented. Ms. Georgia Coffey, FDA Acting Assistant Commissioner for Management, and Mr. Justin Hayes, Assistant to the Senator, the Honorable Barbara Milkulski, delivered the keynote speech. Other speakers included Ms. Cheryl Kelly, Equal Employment Opportunity Manager from FDA and Mr. Jason Barke, Senior Human Resource Specialist from OS. APAOC members who coordinated and organized this successful event were CAPT Yukiko Tani (HRSA), CDR Lanchi Nguyen (HRSA), CDR Astrid Szeto (FDA), LCDR Soju Chang (FDA), and LCDR Samuel Wu (FDA).

U.S Secretary of Labor, Elaine L. Chao, in partnership with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), hosted the 4th annual Asian Pacific American Federal Career Advancement Summit at the Washington D.C. Convention Center on 3 May. The Summit provided Asian Pacific Americans the “management insights, skills training, and leadership skills” to maximize their career potential within the Federal sector. Several APAOC members attended the Summit and had the opportunity to meet the Secretary for an interesting conversation and photo opportunity. There were several other honorable guest speakers at the Summit, including Mr. Dan G. Blair, Acting Director of OPM; Mr. Edmund C. Moy, White House Director of Presidential Personnel; Mr. David S.C. Chu, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness; and Mr. Samuel T. Mok, Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Labor. Many of the Summit attendees were thrilled with the training opportunities. Some of them had never attended such an exciting event like this before. According to Secretary Chao, such training was intended to help Asian Pacific Americans to “acquire the skill sets that will increase their chances of advancement in the Federal sector.”

APAOC was honored to celebrate APA Heritage Month by participating in four government-sponsored activities during the month of May and looks forward to proudly supporting future events. For more information on APAOC, please visit the APAOC Web site at http://www.APAOC.org or contact APAOC Chair, LCDR Soju Chang, at changes@cber.fda.gov

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