NAPABA Congratulates Bonnie M. Youn on the White House Cesar Chavez Champion of Change Award
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2013
Contact: Azizah Ahmad
(202) 775-9555
NAPABA CONGRATULATES BONNIE M. YOUN ON
THE WHITE HOUSE CESAR CHAVEZ CHAMPION OF CHANGE AWARD
WASHINGTON – Today, the White House honored 10 individuals with the Cesar Chavez Champions of Change Award. Among the 10 honorees is Bonnie M. Youn, who is a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).
The Cesar Chavez Champions of Change Award honors citizens who demonstrate a commitment to improving their communities, the country, or the lives of their fellow citizens. Ms. Youn was honored for her dedication to the Asian Pacific American (APA) and immigrant communities of Georgia. “We are proud that the White House recognized Bonnie Youn for her efforts on behalf of the growing immigrant and APA populations in Georgia,” said Wendy C. Shiba, president of NAPABA. “Bonnie is an energetic and accomplished advocate and NAPABA member and we congratulate her for being named a Champion of Change.”
Ethnically Korean but born in the Philippines, Ms. Youn was inspired by her own immigrant experiences to dedicate herself to the APA and immigrant communities of the Southeast. She began practicing law as an immigration attorney in 1997 and is now principal of her own law firm, the Youn Law Group. Recently, she led teams that organized the 2013 Georgia APA Legislative Day, gathering the largest number of APAs in history at the Georgia State Capitol to meet and lobby elected officials. In 2012, she worked closely with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to organize its Southeast Regional Action Summit at Emory University in Atlanta. The Summit brought together over 500 participants to meet federal agency officials, culminating in a town hall meeting for participants to discuss concerns about immigration, healthcare and mental health issues, small business matters, and housing needs. She is an advocate for increasing the number of APA judges and political appointees, challenging state legislation that disenfranchises immigrants, and creating a legacy of a sustainable APA Commission for Georgia. Ms. Youn is a co-chair of NAPABA’s solo and small firm committee and was a member of the NAPABA 2012 Annual Convention host committee.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 63 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
Tsui Yee receives the 2013 Dena Coye Outstanding Woman Entrepreneurship Award
Congratulations Tsui!
February 27, 2013 (NEW YORK) – The National Minority Business Council (www.nmbc.org) is marking the start of its fifth decade by further expanding its annual awards program, now in its 33rd year, by presenting its first award ever for Outstanding Green Initiative, February 28th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York City.
C.W. Brown, a Westchester County-based general contracting and construction management services firm serving commercial clients in the Tri-State area, will receive NMBC’s first-ever Outstanding Green Initiative Award at the organization’s annual luncheon, beginning at 11:00 AM. Employee-owned and certified as a Woman-owned Business Enterprise, the company’s headquarters building in Armonk, NY was the first green construction in Westchester County to have met the standards of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification, the highest certification standard in the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system. It was the first building in New York State, outside of New York City, and one of only 86 in the United States to achieve this distinction.
NMBC is also reinforcing its strong working relationship with government agencies by featuring as this year’s keynote speaker Craig Collins, vice president of administration, New York City School Construction Authority (SCA). Collins is responsible for Contractor Qualification, Administrative Services, Human Resources, Business Development Division (BDD) and Policy Development, all of vital interest to any business eager to become qualified as government contractor.
“Last year, reaching our 40th Anniversary was a significant milestone for NMBC. But clearly, our work is not complete,” said John F. Robinson, President and CEO of the national organization that is headquartered in New York City. “Over the years, our advocacy work for minority-owned businesses has expanded as the definition of ‘minority-owned’ has grown. "Minority-owned businesses, whether their principals are people of color, women, veterans, members of the LGBT community, immigrants to our great country, or people with disabilities, have proven time and again that they not only have what it takes to survive but thrive. The men and women being honored at our 33rd Annual Awards Ceremony are testimony to that and are an inspiration for future generations of business owners of all backgrounds and from all walks of life, regardless of color, gender, or national origin.”
Several of the awardees noted that this achievement is recognition of their personal and professional commitment to the same goals and ideals of NMBC. “Working with diverse firms is a priority at Skanska, and we’re honored to accept the 2013 Outstanding Corporate Supplier Diversity Award from the NMBC,” said Tom Webb, executive vice president and general manager for Skanska USA Building’s Metro New York region. “We’re committed to collaborating with and creating opportunities for minority businesses which help fuel the local economies where we all work together.”
Tsui Yee, a founding partner of Guerrero Yee LLP, shares this year’s Dena Coye Outstanding Woman Entrepreneurship Award with Data Blue, a customized storage, backup and server virtualization and consolidation firm with offices in New York and Atlanta. “I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Yee, who practices immigration and nationality law in New York. “I deeply respect NMBC which provides tremendous support to minority entrepreneurs such as me. Being a member of NMBC has enriched my professional life and business in innumerable ways.” Yee is Co-Chair of the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York and Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee at the New York County Lawyers Association.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by the NMBC as the recipient of its 2013 Outstanding Media Award,” added Robert Levin, Chief Executive Officer and publisher. “Our Manhattan-based publication is relied upon by more than 100,000 business owners and executives in the tri-state area. Along with NMBC, we are there for those business owners that are seeking better ways to grow their companies." Mistress of Ceremonies at this year’s Awards Luncheon is Suzanne Veira, Senior Director Business Development, NYC School Construction Authority. The complete list of NMBC 2013 award recipients follows:
- Outstanding Green Initiative: C.W. Brown
- Outstanding Corporate Supplier Diversity Award: Citnalta Construction Corporation, Skanska USA Building, Inc., and Plaza Construction Corporation
- Outstanding Minority Business: Padilla Construction Services, Inc., First Choice Mechanical, Inc., and Velez Organization.
- Dena Coye Outstanding Woman Entrepreneurship Award: Data Blue and Guerrero Yee, LLC. The award is named in honor of a long-time and deceased employee of NMBC.
- Outstanding Educational Institution:Medgar Evers College
- Outstanding Veteran Owned Business Award: RCL Burco, LLC
- Charles T. Haffey Community Service Award: Cause Effective. The award is named in honor of a former vice president of corporate purchasing at Pfizer, Inc., an early associate and strong supporter of NMBC.
- Outstanding Global Business Award: Target International Shipping
- Outstanding Media Award: The New York Enterprise Report.
About NMBC:
The National Minority Business Council, Inc. (NMBC), a not-for-profit 501 ©(3) corporation, was founded in December 1972. The primary purpose of the organization is to enhance the success and profitability of the small business community through the provision of high-quality services, programs, advocacy and networking support. The secondary purpose is to act as an information clearinghouse for the women- and minority-owned business enterprise (MWBE) community.
AABANY APPLAUDS SELECTION OF DON H. LIU AS A 2012 NEW YORK CITY BAR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CHAMPION AWARD HONOREE
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2012
Contact: Yang Chen – (718) 228-7206
AABANY APPLAUDS SELECTION OF DON H. LIU AS A 2012 NEW YORK CITY BAR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CHAMPION AWARD HONOREE
NEW YORK – May 9, 2012 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) applauds the selection of Don H. Liu as one of the 2012 New York City Bar Diversity Champion Award Honorees.
The New York City Bar’s Enhance Diversity in the Profession Committee will the presenting the Seventh Annual Diversity Champion Award at an Award Ceremony and Luncheon on June 5th, 2012. The award recognizes the critical role individual attorneys have played in initiating and sustaining change within their organizations and the overall New York legal community. The award recipients embody the New York City Bar’s Statement of Diversity Principles, which defines diversity as an inclusive concept, encompassing race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, nationality, age, disability and marital and parental status.
”AABANY is extremely excited and pleased that the New York City Bar has chosen Don Liu as an honoree and recipient of the Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award,” said Jean Lee, AABANY’s President. “Don has been a life-long champion and fighter for Asian Americans and other under-represented groups, not just in the corporate sector but in all aspects of life and society. His track record on diversity reaches out across generations of lawyers and individuals to advance and promote the values and goals of diversity, in the legal profession and beyond. We are fortunate and privileged to count him as a dedicated friend of AABANY and its mission to increase diversity in the legal profession. We still have a long way to go, but with Don on our side, we stand a good chance of getting there sooner rather than later. Don is truly deserving of this recognition, and we congratulate him.”
Don H. Liu is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Xerox Corporation, where he is responsible for all of Xerox’s legal and government affairs. Throughout his career Mr. Liu has been committed to increasing the hiring, retention and promotion of diverse attorneys. This commitment is reflected in his stewardship of Xerox’s legal department and in his leadership and involvement in national and regional diversity organizations. He is an active member and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and is the Vice Chairman of the Asian American Diversity Advisory Council for Comcast Corporation. He also served as the Chair of the In-House Counsel Committee of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), which honored him with their ICON Award and Trailblazer Award. He most recently is the recipient of the Leadership Award by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and the Legacy Diversity Award by the American Bar Association’s Council on Legal Education Opportunity.
For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].
The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).
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Congratulations to Karen I. Wu, attorney at Perlman & Perlman and co-chair of AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, who on January 26, at a reception held during the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Annual Meeting, received NYSBA’s 2012 Outstanding Young Lawyer Award.
Family, friends, colleagues and NYSBA leaders and officers came out for the occasion. NYSBA Young Lawyers Section Chair James Barnes kicked off the awards presentation. NYSBA President Vincent Doyle presented the award.
Quoting James Barnes from the printed program for the event:
[Karen’s] accomplishments as a practitioner, service to the profession, and volunteer work in the community make her a deserving recipient of this award…. The dedication she has shown as an attorney and concerned citizen provides a shining example to young professionals.
Karen’s well-deserved recognition represents an honor for AABANY. Last year, Anting Wang, currently co-chair of the Women’s Committee, received the NYSBA Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. For AABANY to count such remarkable leaders within its ranks of young lawyers is a true blessing indeed. We hope other young lawyers within AABANY will follow their lead and make significant contributions to the profession and community.
Congratulations to Karen Wu, NYSBA Outstanding Young Lawyer
Karen Wu, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, has been recognized by the New York State Bar Association as an Outstanding Young Lawyer. As stated by NYSBA’s Young Lawyers Section:
Each year the Young Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association honors a young lawyer who has rendered outstanding service to both the community and legal profession. The Outstanding Young Lawyer Award recognizes an attorney who has actively practiced less than 10 years, and has a distinguished record of commitment to the finest traditions of the Bar through public service and professional activities.
Karen, as an associate at Perlman & Perlman and in her numerous volunteer and community service activities, amply meets the requirements of the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. Please join us in congratulating Karen on this outstanding achievement. You can reach her directly at [email protected], or feel free to leave a comment on this post.