Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month In Chicago

Outstanding Asian Pacific American community members and honorees pose with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy Brown during her Asian American Heritage Month Celebration in the Daley Center, Chicago on May 26, 2011.

Lily Kim

All over Chicago during May, people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and professions celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage month. The designation of May as APA Heritage Month was approved by Public Law 102-450 Oct. 23, 1992. From the early 1800′s until today, Asians and Pacific Islanders have played vital roles in the development of the U.S. and made lasting contributions to all aspects of American society.

 

 

Hosted by the Thai community, the Asian American Coalition Chicago prepared for months to put a week-long festival in Downtown Chicago at Daley Plaza. The 13^th Annual Asian American Festival gave visitors an opportunity to embrace Asian culture with exotic dance performances, vibrant costumes and food presentations. Spectators participated in awe and danced and sang along during the daily afternoon programs. Many experienced Asian cuisine from Thailand, India and Vietnam. The weather became just warm enough during Chicago’s spring week where Bubble Tea (Fruit Smoothie with Tapioca) and Iced Mango Lassi were a hit.  

The Thai flag is flown between the American and Chicago flags at Daley Plaza, Chicago. The Thai community in conjunction with the Asian American Coalition hosted the 13th Annual Asian American Festival.

         

 

 

         The fest opened with its first ever parade with the community representatives dressed in their native attire and drummers from Korea and Thailand marching around the Plaza, and ended with a high-end fashion show with Verdonna Models and clothing designed by Anna Fong.

Young Korean Dancers perform in front of a large audience at Daley Plaza on May 19, 2011.

 

The Choomsarang Korean Dance Group perform a drumming act during Secretary of State of Illinois Jesse White’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration in the Thompson Center, Chicago on May 15, 2011.

Thai Classical Dance Group from the Wat-Dhammaram Thai Buddhist Templed performed at Daley Plaza, Chicago on May 20, 2011.

Bhangra Dance North India of the R.K. Academy of Performing Arts entertained the crowd.

Choomsarang Korean Dance Group perform a Korean Fan Dance at Daley Plaza, Chicago on May 17, 2011.

Japanese Tsukasa Taiko Drummers of Arlington Heights, Illinois perform

Models representing the Korean community bow to the audience during the Asian Attire Fashion Show

College World Reporter’s Lily Kim takes the catwalk in a traditional Korean dress called a Hanbok

 

Many elected officials also participated in APA Heritage Month. Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley kicked off the month at the Chicago Cultural Center on May 3, 2011 recognizing three outstanding APA’s whose professional and personal contributions have improved the lives of people with disabilities.

 

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez presented an APA Heritage Month Awards Ceremony and Reception at the Chinese American Service League in Chinatown, Chicago on May 19, 2011. She honored two student of the APA Essay contest and another two outstanding leaders and role models of the community.

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez presents the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Awards Ceremony and Reception in Chinatown, Chicago on May 19, 2011.

 

 

Secretary of State of Illinois Jesse White recognized honorable APAs at the Thompson Center in Chicago on May 25, 2011. Samoan American Chicago Defensive Tackle Matt Toeaina was thankful to be recognized for his contributions in and out sports.

Korean American community members pose with Secretary of State of Illinois Jesse White in the Thompson Center, Chicago on May 15, 2011.

 

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy Brown hosted her APA event at the Daley Center, Chicago on May 26, 2011. She credited outstanding APA’s including Japanese American Sports Announcer Gene Honda for the Chicago White Sox, Blackhawks, DePaul Basketball, Chicago Marathon, Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Final Four. He also just was inducted into the Illini Media Hall of Fame in 2008 and is the only person to have announced at the MLB World Series, Major League Baseball All Star Game, NHL Stanley Cup Playoff, NCAA Final Four and a World Class Marathon, the Chicago Marathon.

 

The February 2011 Census Bureau reported the APA Population of Illinois has grown to almost 600,000 marking a 40% increase since 2000. These figures confirm that Asians have become one of the fastest growing segments of the state’s population, while other races in Illinois have seen an overall decline. And while Chicago’s total number of residents decreased by nearly 7%, the Asian population increased by approximately 17%.

College World Reporter joined in on the festivities with Henna Tattoos

Newly elected Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel walks through Daley Plaza, Chicago during Asian American Festival Week on May 19, 2011.

Asian American Coalition Chicago Chairwoman Vallapa Kongsri welcomes visitors to enjoy the rich and vibrant culture, performances and events during Asian American Festival Week

 

 

APA Heritage Month in Chicago is May full of colorful, exciting and enjoyable events. I get to enjoy the month even more, because my birthday dates right in the middle of the month on the 16th. Without a doubt, I celebrate all month long. I am proud and appreciated to be an Asian American of Korean descent. Living in a city with such a diverse population, I can truly benefit from the assortment of cultures and graciously embrace each community.

CWR Inside Asian America Reporter Lily Kim

 

© Copyright Donell Edwards Media, 2008 -2011. All rights reserved.

About Lily Kim

Lily Kim (born May 16, 1980) is a Korean American and media personality in Chicago. She currently works as a Public Information Specialist with the Office for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County (the second largest unified court system in the world). She is also a co-owner, producer and host of Ascene Chicago. Ascene Chicago is an online magazine which showcases Chicago’s Asian lifestyle, culture and extraordinary people. Formerly she worked as the anchor and producer of Asian American Network News (AAN News) on KBC-TV in Chicago, Illinois from 2005 to 2007. Kim was also a producer with Fishbowl Media Chicago Productions, LLC which produced for A-List TV where she was a co-host. Kim attended Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois from 2000 to 2003 and she received a bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism. She has been recognized by the City of Chicago and Mayor Daley for news coverage and was presented with an appreciation award by the Philippine community for coverage of the Filipino World War II Vets seeking their reparation. Kim has emceed numerous Asian events in Chicago and has hosted the Korean Festival in Chicago for the past 5 years.

Chicago’s Mayor Daley Hosts Final APA Reception

The College World Reporter

Inside Asian America

By Lily Kim, B.J.

Lily Kim, B.J.

As the days wind down for the internationally known Mayor Richard M. Daley, he spends his last days in office during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. On Tuesday, May 3, 2011, Mayor Daley hosted his last APA Celebration at Chicago’s Cultural Center in the Sydney Yates Hall. The reception invited Asians of various industrial backgrounds and recognized outstanding APA Community members.

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Asian Liaisons and officials represented the many Asian ethnicities of Illinois.

Gene Lee,  Deputy Chief to the Mayor, was one of the awardees. He’s a veteran of over 30 years of public service to the citizens of Chicago. In this capacity, Lee ensures community access to city government through community relations and outreach activities and resources of Mayor Daley’s Speakers’ Bureau, Mayor’s Office of International Relations and Special Events.

Gene Lee, Deputy Chief to Mayor Daley, accepts the Outstanding APA Community Leader Award at the Mayor's APA Reception.

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The Mayor was a no-show for his event; he is caring for his ailing wife Maggie Daley. She returned to the hospital earlier this week to be treated for what doctors described as “flu-like symptoms” as she continues her long battle with cancer.

Lee and Director and Community Liaison Kripal (Chris) Zala spoke on behalf of the Mayor. “Asian Pacific Americans are an important part of the fabric of our City.  Working together we’ve brought Chicago into the 21st century and given it a bright future. Thank you for your ideas, your input and your time in helping to make Chicago a great place to live, work and raise a family. It’s been a joy and an honor to be your Mayor.”

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Dancers of Asian decent performed at the Mayor's APA Reception.

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Over 200 people including Asian Liaisons and elected officials attended the Mayor’s final APA Reception. “It was a beautiful ceremony, and it’s wonderful that Mayor Daley recognizes the Asian community,” said Albany Park Community Leader Jin Lee. “The City is really going to miss the legend.”

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Asians of various industrial backgrounds of Illinois celebrated APA Heritage Month at Chicago's Cultural Center in the Sydney Yates Hall.

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Mayor Daley’s term will end on May 16, 2011. He is the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his father, Richard J. Daley, on December 26, 2010. He was elected mayor  in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007. Mayor Daley announced on September 7, 2010, that he would not run for re-election in 2011. “I loved every minute” of his time in office. “This is the greatest job in America. I don’t care what anyone tells me… I’ve loved every minute of public service. It is a great calling,” said the Mayor.

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Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley

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© Copyright Donell Edwards Media, 2008 -2011. All rights reserved.

Korean American Celebrates Hwangap, Her 60th Year

The College World Reporter

Connecting Worlds:  Inside Asian America

By Lily Kim, BJ

Lily Kim

 

On March 15, 2011, Eun Hyung Kim, a Korean immigrant, turned 60 years old. Turning 60 is especially important in the Korean culture and is called Hwangap. It is one of the most sacred and celebrated birthdays in the culture. It is when one has completed the zodiacal cycle. Even more significant is in the past, it was rare to for people to live to be that age.

 

The weekend before the big day, my mother and I flew to Las Vegas and stayed at the Wynn Hotel. Eun Hyung never visited Sin City before, and I had to make this extraordinary. As we drove into the strip, her head tilted up and down, and her eyes gleamed at the sites of the enormous faux architectures of New York New York, Paris and Cesar’s Palace and the illustrious Bellagio water show. She was in utter suspense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day before the actual birth date, I had a surprise. I explained to her that it was imperative for us to be out of the hotel room by 5:45a.m and be dressed in comfortable attire. When the morning arrived, the tired mother, who gambled till just hours before, was irritable. I struggled to get her out of our room in time, and we were behind schedule. We had to catch a shuttle across Las Vegas Blvd. at Treasure Island Hotel. “C’mon Mom, hurry up. We’re late! They’re going to leave without us.”

 

Annoyed and weary of lack of sleep, Eun Hyung snarled back, “You know I have short legs! I can’t walk too fast!” The barely 5-foot and almost 60-year-old did not know what was coming.

 

We finally got to the bus stop where several other tourists were waiting around. That’s when she overheard, “Is this the bus for the Grand Canyon?”

 

 

 

 

 

Years ago, I asked my mother where is one place in the world she’d like to visit. She said, “The Canyon.” What better opportunity to visit one of God’s most incredible landscapes with the terrain just hours away than for her Hwangap. Her eyes lit up larger than when we first drove down the strip, and her attitude turned a whole 180 degrees. In such excitement and a smile slapped across her face, she took advantage of every moment of the trip to the southern rim of Grand Canyon; she walked the Sky Walk and got her picture taken, hiked to the peak of Guano Point and even hopped on a horse for the first time. The tour was soon over and the pleasantly surprised birthday girl had “Happy Birthday” sung to her by everyone on the shuttle on the way back.

 

 

 

 

In Korean culture, as in many other Asian cultures, respecting the elderly is an integral part of society. Hwangap is a time of great celebration where the children honor their parents with much amusement and an extensive meal. We ended the day with dinner at Wynn Buffet. “This is the best birthday. I feel so special,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

 

Eun Hyung moved to Chicago 30 years ago. She’s a mother of 2 adult daughters and one recently passed son.  She’s a wife of 35 years, a registered nurse at the infamous Cook County Hosptial and truly is my best friend.

© Copyright Donell Edwards Media, 2008 -2011. All rights reserved.

30 Year Old Makes History as Chicago’s First Asian Alderman

The College World Reporter

Connecting Worlds:  Inside AsianAmerica

By Lily Kim, BJ

Lily Kim, BJ

Call it an upset, call it disappointment, 30-year-old Indian American Ameya Pawar surprised many who defeated the 47^th Ward’s incumbent’s handpicked man Tom O’Donnell. With endorsements from the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, it was even a surprise for Pawar and his campaign that claimed 50.8% votes victory avoiding a run-off.

The Tribune was most impressed with the program assistant of Northwestern University Office of Emergency Management, calling him a man with real vision and passion for the job.  Pawar has focused on the intersection of public policy, crisis management and the ethics of Chicago politics.   

Ameya Pawar - Courtesy Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune

“Improving the ethical standards of local government starts on the ward level. I will hold myself to the highest ethical standards and will lead by example,” said Pawar.

In fall, the 47^th Ward race began with the favorite, incumbent Gene Schulter. But by year’s end, Schulter dropped out and went to work for the Cook County Assessor’s office. This shed some light for the 30-year-old, but he was still a long-shot outsider.

Schulter endorsed O’Donnell, a special assistant to Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. Since then, the contest was O’Donnell versus Pawar.

               However, a just week before election night, Pawar and the other candidates of the 47^th Ward Aldermanic contest spoke out about the absent favorite during a candidates forum. “O’Donnell believes he has this wrapped up and doesn’t need to show up at this point,” said Tom Jacks. “That’s really disrespectfully for the voters.”

“I think what he’s doing is emblematic of Chicago politics,” Pawar said at the forum. “It’s arrogant. He doesn’t want to talk about the issues.”

          “Ameya has been going door-to-door every night. By himself, he’s walking the ward for the last couple of months,” said Pawar’s campaign manager Sam Yanover. Yanover estimated there are 30,000 doors in the ward. “The door-to-door strategy paid off at the polls.”       

         In the end, O’Donnell’s plentiful yard signs, big name and big money and the absence couldn’t rally him a win. “Ameya brought amazing training and experience for a 30-year-old, and a very fresh approach to city politics – lowering his salary, zeroing out his campaign coffers so the next election would be on equal footing, pledging not to make a dynasty out of being an Alderman. We hope the commitments and promises hold up over the next few years,” said 47^th Ward resident Brad Snook.

Ameya Pawar (center) at Asian American Coalition Chicago 28th Annual Gala

 

The day after election night on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight Pawar said he received a congratulatory call from mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, who lives in the same ward as Pawar’s. Emanuel also made history on February 22, 2011. Without a Daley on the ballot, Emanuel beat 4 other contenders with almost 55% votes as Chicago’s first Jewish mayor.

 

In spring when Pawar takes his seat in the 47^th Ward, he’ll be the first alderman of Indian decent.

“O’Donnell was the anointed successor and I felt like the ward needed change. I have a lot of respect for Ameya and I’m glad that if it wasn’t me, it was him,” said Jacks.

 Born in West Rogers Park, Chicago, Pawar is the son of Indian immigrants and grew up in Des Plaines, Illinois. He has B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from Missouri Valley College, received M.P.A. Illinois Institute of Technology and the University and is working on his third master’s from the University of Chicago’s M.Sc. in Threat and Response Management Program.

© Copyright Donell Edwards Media, 2008 -2011. All rights reserved.

Chicago Celebrates Korean American Day at the Daley Center

Lily Kim, BJ

 

Dignitaries, elected officials and members of the Korean community celebrated Korean American Day at the Daley Center in downtown Chicago. Korean dancers and singers proudly presented their culture with traditional acts during the noon showcase and dignitaries shared their remarks of the notable national holiday. Korean artwork of old and modern times was on display and can still be seen till end of the month.

 

Members of the Bulta Art Performing Group dances the Doll Dance during the Korean American Day Celebration at the Daley Center in Chicago on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011.

 

The event was also acknowledged by the City and with the Korean Flag hoisted between the Chicago and American flags outside on Daley Plaza.

 

The South Korean Flag is hoisted between the Chicago and American flags at Daley Plaza marking Korean American Day on January 13, 2011.

 

In 2003, Congress declared January 13^th Korean American Day, marking the centennial of Korean Immigration to the U.S. The date was chosen because a century prior, a pioneering group of 102 Korean immigrants (56 men, 21 women and 25 children) arrived to Honolulu Hawaii. They came to work on the sugar cane fields of the island and in search of a better life. By the 1920s the U.S. Census counted 27 Koreans in Chicagoland. And now, Korean Americans has become a community of approximately two million people residing throughout the United States.

 

Women of the Choomsarang Dance Group perform for the audience at the Daley Center during the Korean American Day Celebration on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011.

 

Chicago’s Mayor Daley has recognized the Korean community as “a crucial role in maintaining the strength of vitality of the United States-Korean partnership, which helps foster peace and stability in Asia and the Pacific region. This partnership does not only provide the economic benefits for the U.S. and Korea, but also for the rest of the world.”

Today, Chicago’s Korean-American community is comprised of approximately 200,000 Korean-Americans. The community is vibrant and industrious, and of a great importance of the region’s landscape. They have made such an impact where now there is an official Koreatown in the city of Chicago.

As members of the fourth largest Asian ethnic group in Chicago and in Illinois, Korean Americans can be recognized for their strong work ethics and economic contributions to society through business creation. While the community continues to flourish, they will carry on to educate, contribute and enlighten us all of a different country’s culture while gaining the understanding of the background of people who are part of the multicultural mosaic of America.

© Copyright Donell Edwards Media, 2008 -2011. All rights reserved.