Hundreds Join Mayor Fenty at Closing Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month Ceremony

More than 250 District residents and visitors filled the Grand Hall of the Historical Society of Washington DC to capacity at Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s closing ceremony for Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Heritage Month.

Every May, the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (OAPIA) coordinates the District's APIA Heritage Month celebration with an organized series of community events from a youth sidewalk chalk contest to a cultural exhibit, concluding with a closing celebration.

Keynote remarks were given by Mayor Fenty who highlighted the contributions of the District’s APIA community.  Reading the District’s proclamation of APIA Heritage Month, he  noted the, “the District of Columbia is now home to over 20,000 Asian and Pacific Islander American residents who represent diverse cultural, religious and political backgrounds, speaking dozens of different languages or dialects, and have interwoven their traditions and heritages into the ethnic fabric of our world-class city.”

Mayor Fenty called upon all District residents to join him in saluting the District’s Asian and Pacific Islander community invited residents to continue learning about the contributions and achievements of this community.

Angie Goff, WUSA 9 traffic anchor, served as this year’s mistress of ceremonies, providing the right enthusiasm and humor. 

Providing welcoming remarks was OAPIA’s Director, Soohyun Julie Koo. As Director Koo reiterated, “With over 20,000 Asian and Pacific Islanders living in the District, there has never been a better time to work and live in the District for APIs. This growth represents what APIA Heritage Month is about. It is the celebration of APIs as a part of our diverse American society.” 

The ceremony had three performances: “Flourishing of Colorful Ribbons” by the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe; "Hum Aur Tum” by Silk Road Dance Company; and Michio Ito’s “Ave Maria” by the Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co.

The ceremony also provided Mayor Fenty the opportunity to recognize three outstanding individuals – Dr. Betty Wang, Mr. Gary Cha, and Officer Rodney Miller –  for their service to the District’s APIA community.  Dr. Wang organizes annual community health fairs in the Chinatown area to provide free medical screenings for limited English proficient and uninsured residents. Mr. Cha works with more than 200 APIA retailers assisting them in economic and community development.  Officer Rodney Miller has served more than 12 years with MPD’s Asian Liaison Unit, assisting and educating APIA merchants on conflicts resolution, crime prevention, and safety. They were all presented with the Mayor’s Outstanding Community Service Award by Mayor Fenty, Director Koo and Dhaval Patel, Commissioner, Mayor’s Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs.