On September 4, 2024, the AABANY Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee hosted a Bubble Tea Social, held in the Financial District of downtown Manhattan.
The event was casual, yet lively and attendees enjoyed bubble tea drinks from Kung Fu Tea, custom-made with different tea and topping options. Favorite drinks included Winter Melon tea and Strawberry Lemonade tea with lychee. Individuals discussed their backgrounds, careers, and professional experiences, reconnecting with previous acquaintances while also introducing themselves to unfamiliar faces.
This was AABANY’s first ever Bubble Tea Social, so we extend a special thanks to the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee for organizing and hosting this event as well as everyone who was in attendance.
To learn more about the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, please click here.
On August 24, 2024, AABANY participated in a health and community fair called “Health Empowerment Celebration” organized by RaisingHealth in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. It was their third fair, and it included more than 40 community partners. They provided programs and services, such as free health screenings and resources, food, arts activities, and cultural performances. Kwok Ng (Co-Chair of the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee), May Wong (Co-Chair of Professional Development Committee), and Nandar Winn Kerr (Co-chair of Professional Development Committee) volunteered to provide immigration rights brochures, flyers about the new changes to medical coverage for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic flyers, and legal referral sheets.
Starting August 1, 2024, DACA recipients are now eligible for subsidized coverage through the Essential Plan. After November 1, 2024, they will be eligible for Qualified Health Plans. For more information, please visit – https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/
On the same day, AABANY also participated in the Immigrant Rights Fair co-organized by Committee of 100 in downtown Flushing. Read that blog post here.
We are honored to have participated at these events, to raise awareness about immigrant rights and health benefits, and to offer resources to those who need valuable and free legal advice and assistance. Thank you to volunteers and our community partners!
Please join us at these upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
September 18, 2024 [Manhattan], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
October 2, 2024 [Queens], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
On Saturday, August 24th, the Committee of 100, Documented, and Glow Cultural Center hosted an Immigrant Rights Fair at the Glow Cultural Center in Flushing, Queens. AABANY joined the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the NYC Commission on Human Rights, Community Legal Aid Center Inc., the Asian American Attorneys Association, and the Chinese-American Planning Council in providing valuable resources to attendees. Representing AABANY were Lina Lee, Pro Bono & Community Service Committee Co-Chair, Jessie Liu, Co-Chair of the Immigration Law Committee, Daphne Mei, Program Manager, Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, and Yang Chen, Executive Director.
AABANY offered free legal resources, including information about pro bono legal services, the “Getting Help for Anti-Asian Attacks and Incidents through HEART” brochure, information about our Pro Bono Clinics, including the one held bimonthly in Queens at Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) offices in Flushing, and details about our Legal Referral and Information Services (LRIS).
The event featured a “Report for Support” session, introducing the AAPI Hate Tracker to help attendees report incidents and connect with support organizations. It concluded with an “Immigrant Rights Tea & Talk” discussion on the “public charge” policy and its impact on immigration status when applying for government benefits.
We thank Cindy Tsai, Interim President of the Committee of 100, and Faye Qiu, Community Outreach Coordinator, for organizing this impactful event, which provided vital resources to the primarily elderly Chinese community in Queens. We also extend our gratitude to Councilwoman Sandra Ung for her participation and insightful speech, further advocating for immigrant rights.
Thank you to all who joined the Professional Development Committee for the soft-launch of AABANY’s Wellness Podcast, “Hello… It’s Me!,” on August 22, 2024. The podcast promotes personal and collective well-being within the legal community and will feature an AABANY member during each episode. Through storytelling, the aim is to emphasize the ABA’s multi-dimensional approach to lawyer well-being, focusing on mental health, emotional well-being, and self-care. By doing so, the Committee is working to remove the stigma around mental health and help our members embrace their true and authentic selves.
At the soft-launch, Willow Liu, Esq., a steadfast member of the Professional Development Committee and podcast team, moderated the event. The hosts and interviewers, Maggie Poon and Ona Lu, Vice-Chairs of the Professional Development Committee, shared their insights on conducting engaging and open conversations. The event’s special guest, Celina Lee, a former big law attorney turned career coach, author, and host of the “Live Your Dream” podcast, provided deep insights during her interview. A 13-minute podcast clip was presented featuring Celina Lee, who discussed how she focused her goals so that they would align with her values, and enable her to live her dreams. Celina’s advice was that “there’s no one path to create a fulfilling life,” which resonated with the audience and served as a powerful reminder to stay curious.
The thought-provoking questions from our attendees were much appreciated, and the Professional Development Committee eagerly anticipates hearing more feedback from future participants! If you’re interested in contributing to this podcast, please get in touch with [email protected].
You can listen to the podcast on the following platforms:
AABANY Blog Page: https://blog.aabany.org/podcast/, which contains both “Hello…It’s Me” and our prior podcast series, “The Whole Lawyer Project.”
Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hello-its-me/id1764135581
