On February 15, 2025, members of AABANY volunteered to station a booth at RaisingHealth’s Pop-Up Health Fair Event in Sunset Park! Many community organizations attended to provide free health exams, serve hot meals, and distribute groceries to participants. RaisingHealth, formerly known as the Academy of Medical & Public Health Services, is a not-for-profit health service organization founded in 2010 that supports the well-being of underserved communities through culturally competent health, education, and community-building programs.
We want to thank AABANY, RaisingHealth, our volunteers for serving the Brooklyn community, and Joseph Eng, President of AABANY, and Counsel at King & Spalding. At the Health Fair, AABANY volunteers (Kwok Ng, Co-Chair of the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee; Gary Yeung, Co-Chair of PBCS Committee; May Wong (Co-chair of the Professional Development Committee); and Francis Chin (member of AABANY) passed out Know-Your-Rights brochures about immigration law in Chinese and Spanish, upcoming pro bono clinic flyers, and AABANY’s legal referral and information service. Our participation serves as a commitment to community lawyering and to address current immigration rights issues, such as constitutional rights, ICE raids, and fraudulent schemes that target innocent and vulnerable immigrants. By utilizing our legal knowledge, language skills, and resources, we aim to build relationships with local communities and advocate for policy and social changes in the law.
In addition, please consider volunteering at the following pro bono clinics:
Queens clinic – April 2, 2025 [Queens link here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
Manhattan clinic – April 16, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
Brooklyn clinic – May 10, 2025, from 12:00 – 3:00pm, location tbd
Moving forward, registrations for these clinics will be posted on AABANY’s calendar. Please be patient with us during this transition. Thank you!
We would like to thank the Chinatown Manpower Project (CMP) for the opportunity to present again at their business workshop on October 26, 2024, which focused on forming business entities and partnership agreements. We extend our significant gratitude to May Wong, Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee and former Co-Chair of the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, for her insightful and engaging discussion on these topics and for providing valuable referrals for entrepreneurs aspiring to establish a business in New York City.
Many immigrants arrive in the United States seeking better economic prospects and face barriers to traditional employment, such as language differences and lack of local networks. CMP (https://www.cmpny.org/) offers employment support to people from all walks of life, including immigrants and second-generation immigrants. CMP also hosts comprehensive entrepreneurial workshops and seminars, provides one-on-one consulting services to small business clients, and refers clients to partnering resource organizations for government assistance, legal consultation, financial literacy, and micro-lending.
AABANY collaborates with CMP to create this legal workshop to help small business owners and the next entrepreneurs. AABANY also helps advise small business owners and young entrepreneurs at our upcoming legal clinics. We invite you to join AABANY’s upcoming Pro Bono Clinics taking place on:
November 20th, 2024 at 6:00pm – Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic at AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002. Sign up here to volunteer – https://forms.gle/SD2VMY8X6yE4vsxW9
December 4th, 2024 at 6:00pm – Queens Pro Bono Clinic at AAFE, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355. Sign up here to volunteer- https://forms.gle/3LeM9KtqMn8CcNUc6
To learn more about AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee and their activities, go to probono.aabany.org.
On September 17th, the Professional Development Committee (PDC) Vice Chairs Maggie Poon and Ona Lu hosted the official launch of their “Hello, It’s Me!” Wellness Podcast.
Attendees gathered at the Sterling Cafe located on the 3rd floor of the offices of A&O Shearman, some dressed in traditional Mid-Autumn Festival attire, and everyone enjoyed light bites and drinks while networking with one another.
PDC Co-Chair Nandar Win Kerr started the program with opening remarks, thanking event host Ashley Shan, Co-Vice President of Programs and Operations and Associate at A&O Shearman, for providing the lovely venue. Nandar then gave the floor to Beatrice Leong and Celina Lee, who introduced themselves.
Beatrice, a former legal intern at the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Connecticut, began her legal career with aspirations to become a prosecutor. However, her path took a turn when she shifted to practicing divorce and family law. Celina, on the other hand, started as an investment banker and corporate lawyer but now dedicates her life to career coaching, helping others find purpose and fulfillment in their professional lives. Their diverse career trajectories set the stage for a thoughtful discussion about life’s unexpected twists and the importance of mental health.
After these brief introductions, Ona Lu, Products Counsel at Uber, and Maggie Poon, Contracts Counsel at Equinox, hosts of the wellness podcast, introduced themselves and treated the attendees to a short 20-minute video excerpt of the second episode in the podcast series, featuring Beatrice Leong.
The conversation started with rapid-fire questions to help the audience get to know Beatrice better, followed by a deeper dive into her experiences. Beatrice opened up about her personal heartbreak. After discovering that her husband had been unfaithful, following a relationship that spanned thirteen years, she described the experience as her “villain origin story.” Up until then, Beatrice had wanted to pursue a career in prosecution, even landing a role at the District Attorney’s Office. However, the pain of betrayal and heartbreak eventually led her to shift her career focus from prosecution to divorce law. Rather than being consumed by her heartbreak, she channeled it into her professional passion for helping others navigate the difficult and emotional process of divorce.
“Why divorce law?” she is often asked. Her answer is simple yet profound: “I like to help people going through what I have gone through; I want to feel like I am doing something important.” For Beatrice, the most rewarding part of her work is helping her clients see light at the end of the tunnel, much like she did during her own personal journey. To hear the full podcast, go here.
Celina had a different journey of mental health counseling and recovery. She recounted how she had dedicated her whole life to “getting good grades” even if it meant skipping parties and “securing a good job” – even if it meant a job that she wasn’t passionate about. In retrospect, she had been motivated by fear: fear of failure and of not making her parents and peers proud.
She expressed regret that although she had achieved prestige and a well-paying job, she did not quite feel fulfilled. “I had won the race, but I felt like I was in the wrong race.”
She entered a dark period in her life where she felt lost in her career and didn’t know what to do. Luckily, after receiving mental health coaching, she developed a support network.
She started to focus on herself and not on what other people wanted her to do. She started her “Live Your Dream” podcast where she regularly reflects on her former life and how she found fulfillment. To hear the full podcast of Celina’s interview on “Hello, It’s Me,” go here.
Both Beatrice and Celina agreed that everyone needs a support network; too many Asians don’t seek support and don’t prioritize their mental health. Those brought up in Asian cultures were never taught the importance of mental health. Lack of support can really weigh one’s mental health down and ultimately makes it harder to focus on work and overcome challenges.
The event wrapped up with closing remarks by Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director. He spoke about the benefits ofjoining AABANY as a member and encouraged attendees to register for upcoming events such as the October bi-monthly pro bono clinic in Queens on October 2, and the AABANY Fall Conference on October 12.
Special thanks to Professional Development Committee Co-chairs Nandar Win Kerr and May Wong for organizing this insightful event.
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 November 1st, 2023, AABANY held its Queens Pro Bono Legal Clinic at the AAFE (Asian Americans for Equality) One Flushing Community Center. The clinic met with 15 clients, coming in with questions about criminal, housing, immigration, and family law. Volunteer attorneys and interpreters patiently addressed client concerns, answering questions and connecting them to lawyers through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS). We are extremely grateful to have volunteers willing to start early at 6pm and stay beyond 8:30pm to finish speaking with the clients.
We thank the AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee and AAFE for organizing and hosting this event. We also thank Council Member Sandra Ung for partnering with us to make this service available to the community.
Thank you to our volunteers for supporting the clinic. Your time and dedication are essential for delivering crucial assistance to individuals seeking legal guidance. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to:
Volunteer Attorneys:
Beatrice Leong
Casey Lee
Eugene Kim
Gary Yeung
Kevin Hsi
Lina Lee
May Li
May Wong
Shirley Luong
Interpreters and Coordinators:
Daniel Kang
Melodie Han
Yiming (Roselyn) Chen
Nuala Naranjo (AAFE)
Elton Ye (AAFE)
Maria Bergeron (AAFE)
Sally Lin (AAFE)
Here is a list of upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
Manhattan, November 15, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, at AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street. Sign up by 12pm, November 10 to volunteer.
Brooklyn, December 2, from 12:30pm to 3:30pm, at Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc., 4101 8th Avenue. Sign up by 12pm, November 27 to volunteer.
Manhattan, December 20, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, at AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street. Sign up by 12pm, December 15 to volunteer.
Queens, January 10, 2024 from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave. Sign up by 12pm, January 5 to volunteer.
Click here for more information about our Pro Bono Clinics and the PBCS Committee. Or sign up for the next BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch) Sidebar Meeting on November 16 to learn more about the Clinic and the Committee. Go here for more details and to register.
On September 6th, 2023, AABANY held its Queens Pro Bono Legal Clinic at the AAFE One Flushing Community Center. The clinic met with 31 clients, coming in with questions about housing, immigration, family law, and civil litigation. Volunteer attorneys and interpreters patiently addressed client concerns, answering questions and connecting them to lawyers through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS). We are extremely grateful to have volunteers willing to start early at 6pm and stay beyond 8:30pm to finish speaking with the clients.
We thank the AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee and Asian Americans for Equality for organizing and hosting this event. We also thank Council Member Sandra Ung for partnering with us to make this service available to the community.
Thank you to our volunteers for supporting the clinic. Your time and dedication are essential for delivering crucial assistance to individuals seeking legal guidance. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to:
Volunteer Attorneys:
Richard In Lina Lee Beatrice Leong Lord Chester So May Wong Gary Yeung
Interpreters and Coordinators:
Gabriel Hisugan Jocelyn Jao Willow Liu Nuala Naranjo-Odoherty
Here is a list of upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
● Brooklyn, October 14, from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm, at Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc., 4101 8th Avenue. Sign up here to volunteer.
● Manhattan, October 18, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, and AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street. Sign up here to volunteer.
● Queens, November 1, from 6:30pm – 8:30pm, at AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave 2nd Floor. Sign up here to volunteer.
Click here for more information about our Pro Bono Clinics and the PBCS Committee.
On March 31, AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, under the leadership of Chair Elaine Chiu, who is also a Professor at St. John’s University School of Law, organized and led a court watching event at New York State Supreme Court to observe the sentencing of Jarrod Powell, who pled guilty to manslaughter in the 2021 killing of Yao Pan Ma. Powell admitted that his act was motivated by racial hatred against Yao Pan Ma, and Powell was convicted of manslaughter as a hate crime. He will serve 22 years in jail plus five years of post-release supervision.
More than 50 Asian New Yorkers came out today to #rememberyaopanma at the sentencing of his killer, Jarrod Powell. Together we helped our communities be seen and heard and not forgotten. Congrats to the team at Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their commitment to these cases. Asian American Bar Association of New York thanks @donblee and @waiyeechan of Homecrest Community Services and Ansen Tang of United Chinese Association of Brooklyn. A big shout out to @maywong of the Pro Bono Committee!
Jeffrey Gu, a member of AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, wrote on LinkedIn:
The raw necessity of just showing up has never been more evident. Over 50 Asian American community members showed up this morning to #rememberYaoPanMa at the sentencing of his killer.
It is not easy hearing victim impact statements and wondering whether, under different circumstances, it could have been your colleague, or friend, or family member viciously attacked on account of their race. The killer admitted in his plea that he targeted Mr. Ma because he was Asian American. There is no amount of justice that can restore what was taken from Mr. Ma’s family: the loss of a father taken from his children, a husband from his wife, a son from his elderly mother.
As a community, what we can do is at least show up and refuse to let the stories of the victims of anti-Asian American hate fade away. Follow Asian American Bar Association of New York for future court watching and community gatherings.
Jeffrey is Co-Founder of Make Us Visible, a group advocating for AAPI history to be taught in school from K-12 across the country.
Hannah Yu, Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, wrote on LinkedIn:
While this sentencing is the end of this sad chapter, the work of our Hate Crimes Unit continues. We are dedicated to serving every community in Manhattan and ensuring that everyone feels safe to be who they are. It is my sincere hope that the Ma family will continue to heal and find peace.
Her post included the Manhattan District Attorney’s Press Release on the sentencing that included the following quote from D.A. Bragg:
“Mr. Ma’s death was the result of a despicable racially motivated attack. His family endured an agonizing eight months in the hospital while the devoted husband and father of two remained in a vegetative state, before succumbing to his injuries on December 31, 2021,” said District Attorney Bragg. “New York is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and no one should have to fear that they may be in danger because of their background. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that New Yorkers of all origins feel safe.”
AABANY thanks everyone who came out for this court watching event which epitomized the importance of the AAPI community showing up and standing up to speak out against AAPI hate. We thank Prof. Chiu for her leadership and Jeffrey Gu for his support and dedication. We thank Chief ADA Hannah Yu and the Manhattan DA’s office for their continuing fight to seek justice in hate crimes against the AAPI community and all targeted communities.
On October 21, 2022, Adhikaar, a community organization for New York’s Nepali-speaking community, hosted its sold-out Fall Utsav at the Queens Museum. Rina Gurung, Board Chair of Adhikaar (and one of the co-chairs of AABANY’s Government Services and Public Interest (GSPI) Committee), opened the ceremony by thanking the Adhikaar Board and its staff for spearheading a wonderful organization that empowers the Nepali-speaking community by addressing social rights, workers’ rights, and women’s rights. Gurung also gave a shout-out to her work colleagues and AABANY.
Kevin Hsi, co-chair of GSPI, and May Wong, co-chair of the Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, were also in attendance at Fall Utsav to support Rina and Adhikaar. AABANY’s GSPI and PBCS Committees wish the best to Pabitra Khati Benjamin, Executive Director of Adhikaar, who steps down from her leadership role at the end of October.
Moving forward, PBCS hopes to bridge a partnership with Adhikaar to secure Nepali-speaking clients for PBCS upcoming legal clinics! For more information about AABANY’s PBCS, please contact [email protected].
In other news, AABANY’s ties with other Asian American community organizations are as strong as ever. AABANY member and Prosecutors Committee co-founder Kin Ng attended the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn’s (UCA) 20th Anniversary Gala to accept the Community Leader of the Year Award. PBCS partners with UCA to host its pro bono clinics. Register for the December 10th Brooklyn PBCS pro bono clinic here. Read more about AABANY members celebrating with Kin at the UCA Gala here.
Next event coming up that supports AAPI Community-Based Organizations: 11/17 – MinKwon hosting its Virtual Anniversary Gala with NAKASEC
On Tuesday, February 8, 2022, AABANY held its Annual Meeting of Members for the second time on Remo. President Terrence Shen called the meeting to order and established quorum. The main order of business was conducting the election for the 2022 Board of Directors and Officers.
President Terrence Shen presented the Annual Report of the Board and thanked the Board members for their service during the past year. Treasurer William Hao and Membership Director Beatrice Leong presented the reports for their respective offices.
Executive Director Yang Chen presented highlights from the Committee Reports. Following the reports, awards were presented to honor AABANY leaders and committees for their dedication to AABANY over the past year. While these presentations were occurring, Immediate Past President Sapna Palla and President-Elect William Ng tallied the votes.
The following awards were presented:
Committee of the Year: The Membership Committee
The Membership Committee received the Committee of the Year Award for its outstanding contributions in promoting AABANY’s membership engagement and in recruiting new members. The Committee successfully transitioned from virtual mixers to in-person events. The most popular events include a visit to Little Island (New York’s newest public park attraction), live stand-up comedy as part of the Asian American International Film Festival, and a screening of “Shang Chi – Legend of the Ten Rings” in a private theater in Times Square.
Program of the Year: Turning the Tide (T3) Project
The Program of the Year Award was given to the Turning the Tide (T3) Project, a joint project of AABANY and AALFNY, for providing a holistic and practicable action plan to address anti-Asian hate and violence. AABANY established an Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, composed of leadership from several AABANY committees, to leverage diverse skills and talents towards turning back the rising tide of hate and violence against AAPIs.
Member of the Year: May Wong
The Member of the Year Award was presented to May Wong, for her prodigious contributions, not just but especially, this past year to further the mission of AABANY through the Pro-Bono and Community Service Committee as well as her collaboration with other AABANY Committees. At a time when committees were unable to plan regular events due to the COVID surge, May was forging ahead to come up with new ways for the PBCS Committee to successfully continue to serve and assist the AAPI community with their legal needs. As Vice-Chair of the Committee, she initiated many projects, liaised with law students and firms, led planning meetings, and often was the first to show up and the last to leave.
Congratulations to all the honorees for the recognition of their achievements and hard work during the 2022 fiscal year.
After the presentation of awards, Terry announced the election results. The following officers were elected and will begin their term one-year terms on April 1, 2022:
Karen Kim
President-Elect
Joseph Eng
Vice President, Programs and Operations
Beatrice Leong
Vice President, Programs and Operations
Evelyn Gong
Treasurer
Shirley Bi
Secretary
Christopher Bae
Membership Director
Anna Mercado Clark
Development Director
The following candidates were elected as Directors to serve two-year terms starting on April 1, 2022:
Grace Fu
William Hao
Gigio Ninan
Won Shin
Kazuko Wachter
Lawrence Wee
After the election results were announced, all the attendees were invited to stay and network in Remo. We thank everyone who came and participated in the Annual Meeting and the election. Congratulations to all the Officers and Directors who were elected to the Board to serve in the 2023 fiscal year that begins on April 1, 2022.
New York State Senators John Liu (11th District, Queens), Andrew Gounardes (22nd District, Brooklyn), Brian Kavanagh (26th District, Manhattan) and Toby Stavisky (16th District, Queens) hosted a Lunar New Year virtual celebration Tuesday evening, February 16, featuring performances from AAPI youth and community honorees. The event was well-attended by city, state and federal elected officials, as well as community leaders and their organizations.
Senator Kavanagh presented May Wong, Esq., and Olympia Moy with a certificate of commendation to recognize the work of AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee in providing invaluable legal assistance to the AAPI community during the pandemic. May Wong and Olympia Moy were proud to accept the certificate on behalf of the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee. In their acceptance speech, they detailed the committee’s success in creating a one-day “in-person” clinic in July 2020 to assist tenants with paper applications for the COVID Rent Relief Program. When the COVID Rent Relief Program was extended to February 2021, law students volunteered again to establish a two-week remote hotline service to assist non-English speaking tenants apply via telephone. They were able to assist callers in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish with the help of the committee’s community partners, Chinatown CLT and GOLES. May Wong and Olympia Moy concluded their speech by expressing gratitude towards the State for its effort in addressing the State’s housing and poverty crisis and strongly encouraged the State to “direct emergency financial relief to tenants and property owners in meaningful programs that can provide permanent rental assistance and increased access to rental subsidies.”
Thank you to all the attorney volunteers and law students who helped AABANY and the community, especially May Wong, William Lee, Karen Lin, Nicholas Loh, Xinyi Shen, and Olympia Moy.
Congratulations to the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee on this well-deserved recognition! To learn more about the Committee and all its wonderful work, go to probono.aabany.org. They are always looking for more volunteers so email them at [email protected] if you can help.
