On Monday, May 24, 2022, AABANY’s Judiciary Committee hosted its annual Judges’ Reception to honor newly inducted and elevated and retiring judges in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We are pleased that this year’s event could be held in person, as last year’s event was via Zoom. The event was held at the Surrogate’s Courthouse, 31 Chambers Street, in downtown Manhattan.
The honorees recognized at the event were individuals who represent the significant strides that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have achieved, in the ongoing effort to increase diversity in our leading institutions. The following judges were honored:
- Hon. Giyang An
- Hon. Margaret Chan
- Hon. Christopher Chin
- Hon. Phyllis Chu
- Hon. Vanessa Fang
- Hon. Karen Gopee
- Hon. Simiyon Haniff
- Hon. Judy Kim
- Hon. Biju Koshy
- Hon. Andrea Ogle
- Hon. Vidya Pappachan
- Hon. Kim Parker
- Hon. Raja Rajeswari
- Hon. Omer Shahid
- Hon. Soma Syed
- Hon. Lillian Wan
- Hon. Frances Wang
We are proud to celebrate these AAPI trailblazers in the judiciary. AAPIs remain significantly under-represented in New York courts. According to Secretary Johnson’s Report on New York Courts, 14% of New York City’s population is Asian but only 6% of judges are Asian. In light of current events and the rise in anti-Asian violence, AAPI representation on the bench is more important than ever. AABANY thanks the honorees for their pioneering example.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for this event and the Judiciary Committee for organizing. To learn more about AABANY’s Judiciary Committee and its work, click here.
