Category: Washington, D.C.

APA Heritage Month 2011 Continues

Couldn’t make the 32nd AAPI Heritage Festival at Union Square this past Sunday because I foolishly re-injured my knee.  But, I expect to see pictures…!

Hat tip to Angry Asian Man blog: the US Senate has confirmed Edward Chen, US magistrate judge, to be US federal district court judge for Northern District of California.

As Angry Asian Man notes: Judge Chen will be “the first time an Asian American judge has been appointed to the federal district court in San Francisco, and he’s only the second Asian American federal district court judge in the Northern California district (after Lucy Koh, who was confirmed last year).

See also the NAPABA press release on Judge Chen’s confirmation.  Congratulations to Judge Chen!

Happy APA Heritage Month and Stuff Like that…

Interesting post from NPR on the subject of the end of Bin Laden from a religious perspective (highlighting the Dalai Lama’s thoughts and the statement from the Vatican). Not forgetting and searching for peace – not easy stuff. No surprise that there are no easy answers.

Interesting interview with the author/journalist Janny Scott on NPR’s All Things Considered, regarding her new book about Ann Dunham, President Obama’s mother, as she made quite a life between mainland USA, Hawaii, and Indonesia – and how it led to the making of Obama (who Scott says was definitely born in Hawaii, based on her exhaustive research, even without seeing a long-form birth certificate).

NAPABA issued a press release, congratulating Tony N. Leung on his appointment to the position of federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.  He is the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the federal bench in Minnesota.

He is not this other Tony Leung, who was in such movies as “Chungking Express”, “In the Mood for Love”, “Hero,” “Internal Affairs,” and “2046” (I still haven’t watched most of these movies and I’d like to do so already; sigh).

And, yes, I’m being facetious…  ultimately, kudos to Judge Leung, a longtime Minnesota state court judge, Yale alumnus and NYU Law alumnus.

Also, kudos from our very own AABANY’s press release: AABANY congratulating Vincent T. Chang and Andrew T. Hahn, Past Presidents of AABANY, on their selection as the 2011 City Bar Diversity Champion Award Recipients.

Oh, and this Sunday (Mother’s Day!) is the 32nd Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Festival 2011, at Union Square.  Be there or be… well, you know.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has some interesting Asian and Pacific Island exhibits.

Umm… I’m not on the Fast Five thing, but I heard that it’s a fun enough movie and, hey, it has a diverse cast.  Vin Diesel (who’s not Asian or Pacific Islander; oh well; he’s still Vin Diesel).  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (part Samoan) .  Sung Kang (Korean American).  And Justin Lin directed it!

But, around here at triscribe, everyday is APA Heritage Day…  🙂  Hope you’re enjoying APA Heritage Month so far.

Oh, and last but not least: weird stuff: a seal who doesn’t really like people lands in town (Inwood, apparently). Sounds like the perfect NY’er…

A Moment to Observe

President Obama:

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I added the italics to the line I thought was most interesting.  If we can remember our past, if we can not forget the horrors and the victories – that in great sadness, we were together – then, maybe Obama’s right.  We can do it.

The emotions are far more complicated, speaking as a New Yorker and an American.  It’s not over, but let’s take a moment of observation.