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On Saturday, Nov. 7, the AABANY Trial Re-enactment Team, led by Hon. Denny Chin and Kathy Hirata Chin, took to the stage at the NAPABA National Convention to perform “Vietnamese Fishermen v. KKK.” Set in the aftermath of the Fall of the Saigon, when Vietnamese immigrants arrived in the Gulf Coast and became fishermen, the case recounts their experience as targets of terrorizing tactics from the Ku Klux Klan designed to drive them out. The Vietnamese fishermen fought back with a lawsuit seeking a preliminary injunction against these actions.

The AABANY Trial Re-enactment Team played to a capacity crowd that was fully engaged from start to finish. The cast included no less than seven Past Presidents of AABANY: Hon. Denny Chin, Andy Hahn, Vincent Chang, Yang Chen, Robert Leung, Jean Lee and Clara Ohr.

During the post-performance discussion, one of the audience members stated that he was a young boy in New Orleans during the time of the events being re-enacted, and he appreciated learning about the case. He also shared that over the past three decades, progress has been made to improve relations between Asian Americans in the local fishing industry with the general community of fishermen in the Gulf Coast.

The Vietnamese Fishermen re-enactment is the ninth case presented by the AABANY Trial Re-enactment Team. Thanks to Judge Chin and Kathy Chin for leading us in yet another successful and impactful trial re-enactment. Stayed tuned for information about the New York premiere. 

In the meantime, save the date for the re-enactment of last year’s “Justice Denied: Wards Cove v. Atonio” at the New York City Bar Association on Dec. 7. Free for AABANY members. To register go to http://bit.ly/wardscove120715.

Full cast:

  • Janicelynn J. Asamoto
  • Vincent T. Chang
  • Yang Chen
  • Theodore K. Cheng
  • Francis H. Chin
  • Andrew T. Hahn, Sr.
  • Kathy Hirata Chin
  • Jean Lee
  • Lauren U.Y. Lee
  • Robert Leung
  • Hon. Kiyo A. Matsumoto
  • Concepcion A. Montoya
  • Clara J. Ohr
  • Vinoo Varghese
  • Jessica C. Wong
  • Michael Yap

The slideshow presentation featuring historical photographs is courtesy of David Weinberg of Jury Group. Thank you!

(Thanks to AABANY Program Associate Simone Nguyen for photos from the rehearsal and performance.)

(Source: http://bit.ly/)

NAPABA Announces 2014-2016 Annual Convention Host Cities

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2013

Contact: Azizah Ahmad

(202) 775-9555

NAPABA ANNOUNCES 2014-2016 ANNUAL CONVENTION HOST CITIES

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has selected its annual convention host cities for 2014-2016. The Annual NAPABA Convention will be held in:

  • 2014: Scottsdale, Arizona
  • 2015: New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 2016: San Diego, California

“We are pleased to announce the host cities for the 2014-2016 Annual Conventions,” said Wendy Shiba, president of NAPABA. “We look forward to expanding NAPABA’s presence, engaging membership, and working with NAPABA’s affiliates and the local communities in these host cities.”

The process for selecting host cities breaks new ground from the bidding process that NAPABA has previously used. Several factors were considered during the selection process, including the presence of emerging Asian Pacific American and legal communities; hotel and convention site capacity of potential host cities; relative cost; and a desire to include regions that have not hosted a NAPABA convention recently or ever. New Orleans and San Diego will be first-time host cities and Scottsdale hosted in 2001.

“We are excited that Arizona will be hosting the NAPABA Convention in 2014,” said Mingyi Kang, president of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association. “We are grateful that NAPABA is changing the way the Convention is being hosted and are positive that this change will enable more local chapters to host the NAPABA Convention, increasing NAPABA’s profile, and encouraging more APAs to join and be more involved in our organizations and in the community in general.”

“On behalf of LAPABA, we are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen to host Convention 2015 in New Orleans! This is an unbelievable opportunity, bringing our entire NAPABA family to our great home city for the first time, ever,” said Christine C. Bruneau, president of the Louisiana Asian Pacific American Bar Association. “We look forward to fantastic speakers and programs, seeing old friends and colleagues and meeting new ones, and some truly amazing food, culture, and history!”

Brian S. Sun, president of the Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego, one of four NAPABA affiliates in San Diego, said, “Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego is excited that San Diego was chosen as the host city for NAPABA’s Annual Convention in 2016. We look forward to the opportunity to help the NAPABA convention team in any way we can. I know that everyone will enjoy our wonderful city.”

The 25th Annual NAPABA Convention, Momentum, will be held in Kansas City, Missouri from November 7-10, 2013.

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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 66 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include 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 the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.