On November 14th, the IP Committee presented their first concert event, a group outing to see the ARKAI Duo play their award-winning music at the historical Kosciuszko Foundation House. New connections were made among the attendees, which included law firm attorneys, in-house counsel, and students!
The performance started with ARKAI’s own musical piece, “Womp‘n Stomp,” followed by their own cover versions of “Moon River” and “Blackbird.” They ended with “Muziqawi Silt,” an original work from their electronic debut composition “Letters from COVID.” The piece is unique in that it merges together electronic and classical music, creating an unorthodox melody that aims to reflect the confusion and uncertainty of the early days of the pandemic.
The performance was followed by a reception where the IP Committee had the opportunity to meet the ARKAI Duo and have lively discussions about how the duo prepared for the concert, the challenges they faced, and also the IP Committee’s own interest in music, all while enjoying glasses of wine and hors d’oeuvres!
Please sign up for the IP Committee mailing list and look out for the Committee’s next event! To learn more about the IP Committee, please click here.
On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, AABANY hosted its 2021 Virtual Gala: Uniting for Justice and Equity.
The event kicked off at 6 pm with a Pre-Gala Virtual Cocktail Reception on Remo attended by sponsors and special guests, including prominent General Counsels and judges. At 6:30 pm, all Virtual Gala attendees were invited to enjoy a piano concert featuring AABANY Member Renee Yao.
The Virtual Gala started at 7 pm and Kate Siahaan-Riggs, NYC-based actor, stand up comic, and writer, served as emcee. Throughout the gala, AABANY held a text-to-donate fundraiser to support Portrait Project 2.0, the second phase of the Portrait Project study which is researching why Asian Americans are underrepresented in top leadership positions across all sectors of the legal profession and how it can be addressed.
This year AABANY was proud to honor:
Frank H. Wu, President of Queens College, the City University of New York, with the AABANY Impact Award
Sneha Desai, Deputy General Counsel Litigation of BASF Corporation, with the AABANY Women’s Leadership Award
Kirkland & Ellis LLP with the AABANY Law Firm Diversity Award
Ed Lee, AABANY Board Director and Partner at Kirkland & Ellis, accepted the Law Firm Diversity Award on behalf of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Honoree Sneha Desai delivered an acceptance speech, stressing the importance of individuals in leadership and influential positions to make positive change in diversity and inclusion. The Honorable Denny Chin, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, hosted a fireside chat with honoree Frank H,. Wu to discuss his career and the work he has accomplished.
In addition, we were also pleased to present the 2021 class of Don H. Liu Scholars: Narissa Ganpat, Minji Kim, and Minh Eric Le.
The Gala concluded with a tribute to Asian American photojournalist and historian Corky Lee who passed away in January due to COVID-19. Corky had taken photos of our past Annual Dinners from its earliest days until 2020.
We thank all of the AABANY Virtual Gala Planning Committee members and volunteers for their hard work in making this year’s celebration a huge success.
We extend sincere thanks to all of our sponsors. Their generous sponsorships make it possible for us to pursue our mission to advance the interests of the Asian Pacific American (APA) legal community and the communities we serve and support our many activities and signature events throughout the year.
Lastly, we thank everyone that attended the 2021 Virtual Gala and celebrated with us. Our Virtual Gala was streamed on Vimeo which reports that the gala drew 1,400 views. To watch the gala on You Tube, click here or on the image at the top of this blog. To view the Virtual Gala program book, click here.
The Pinoy Relief Fund, Live Nation and Alvarez & Marsal have announced that they will host a Pinoy Relief Benefit Concert on March 11, 2014, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Doors open at 6:30 P.M., and the concert starts at 7:30 P.M. Tickets to the event are on sale now through Ticketmaster at http://www.ticketmaster.com/Pinoy-Relief-Benefit-Concert-tickets/artist/1960921.
The all-star event will feature performances by Jennifer Hudson, Pentatonix, Plain White T’s, A Great Big World, Jessica Sanchez, DJ Poet Name Life, and Charice, as well as special guest participation by Dr. Mehmet Oz, apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas, Dante Basco and EGOT award winning songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
FALANY members are trying to order tickets to sit together. Please let Vincent Roldan ([email protected]) or Noel Vales ([email protected]) know if you are interested in joining. Also, just prior to the event, FALANY will be meeting for a casual happy hour with Rudy Figueroa, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of Mitsui Rail Capital, LLC and President of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA), who will be visiting from Chicago. The location and time is TBD so please look out for further updates on this.
For the first time ever, revered Hawaiian taiko master Kenny Endo joins forces with Japan’s trad-pop musical virtuoso Hiromitsu Agatsuma on tsugaru-shamisen (a three-stringed banjo-like instrument which originated in Northern Japan). Endo’s adrenaline-pumping performance vibes with Agatsuma’s fast, aggressive percussive sound, as they together, push the limits of one another’s instruments. Known internationally for border-crossing fusions and appealing contemporary expressions, these two musicians deliver a dazzling and unforgettable evening in their much-anticipated return to the Japan Society stage!
Click on the link in the title to purchase your tickets now!
Tue, Dec 18 at 7:30 pm Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space Suggested Donation $40
Lauren Flanigan and stars from the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera in a concert of aria and ensemble to raise money and awareness for New York’s Homeless. Lauren Flanigan and her friends generously give of their time for an evening of grand opera and fundraising. All proceeds go directly to The West Side Campaign Against Hunger, New York Cares and the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing.
Thanks to Kathryn Salensky from the Network of Bar Leaders for letting us know about this wonderful event!
