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Home , Connie Chung, Cui Tiankai, Joie Chen, Madeline, MSNBC, Poynter Institute

Event Program 2 Luminary Sponsor

Mei Xu, Founder of Yes She May

Leader Sponsor THE YUEN FOUNDATION

Event Partners

3 Funding for this event is provided in part by Koo and Patricia Yuen through the Yuen Foundation—committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities.

4 Gala Patrons

Luminary Mei Xu, Founder of Yes She May Leader Koo and Patricia Yuen Wai Moy and Family

Advocate AARP Maryland Julian Ha William and Victoria Chu Pao

Partner

Abriam-Lee-Yago Fund Kate Montague Perry and George “Cookie” Reed-Dellinger Anonymous in Memory of Maria Chang Yu Man-Sun Sy and Pearl Ling Richard and Ginger Huang Dietrich Victoria Choy and Robert Miller Eriko and Toshi Masuoka

Patron Rose Nan-Ping Chen, Rebekah Liu and Paul Martin The Rose Group for Cross-Cultural Understanding Mark W Smith and Michael Burke Bill Bishop David Sze and Kathleen Donohue Elliot and Lily Gardner Feldman Pattie Yu Yoke San Lee and Bruce Reynolds Tuck Woo Rita Lewi Contributor

Nancy Lee Brown Sheldon and Mary Beth Ray Virginia Flavin Gregorio and Uy J. Lisa Jorgenson Gale Awaya McCallum and Jim McCallum Chin Fun Kwok and Florence Kwok Marianne Winglee Adam Lee Penny and David Yao Dottie Li Barbara York and Richard Rader Meina Liu and Ming Li

5 Our Appreciation To Co-Emcees , Senior Advisor, The , Anchor, MSNBC, NBC

Congressional Patrons Representative Judy Chu Representative Ted Lieu Representative Grace Meng Senator Chris Van Hollen

Diplomatic Patrons

His Excellency Cui Tiankai His Excellency Jose Manuel Romualdez Embassy of the People’s Republic of Ambassador of the Philippines His Excellency Koji Tomita His Excellency Ashok Mirpuri Ambassador of Japan Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore and Noriko Tomita and Gouri Mirpuri His Excellency Dato’ Azmil bin Mohd Zabidi Ambassador of and Datin Karen Low

Host Committee Rose Nan-Ping Chen, The Rose Group for Cross-Cultural Understanding Rebekah Liu and Paul Martin Eriko and Toshi Masuoka Yoke San Lee and Bruce Reynolds

Gala Committee Rosie Abriam, Institute of Zen Studies Victoria Choy, Chief Counsel, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group, retired Ginger Huang Dietrich, Brand Marketing and Non-Profit Management Julian Ha, Partner, Heidrick & Struggles Dottie Li, Founder and CEO, TransPacific Communications Lily Liu, Literary Translator Kate Montague Perry, Environmental Lawyer, retired Mary Beth Ray, President, MBR Coaching + Consulting for Growth Sheldon Ray, Senior Vice President, Investments Portfolio Manager, Raymond James Special Thanks To

Joie Chen Yu-Jing Huang Richard Lui Lily Zhang Alex Lo, Gala producer, and producer, Sky Blossom

6 Performing for you this evening ...

Shin Lim Magician Shin Lim is a “sleight of hand artist” using music composition and digit dexterity to manipulate the mind through card tricks set to music. In 2015, Shin Lim was named The International Federation of Magic Societies (FISM) World Champion, launch- ing his career onto the scene of magic and as a performer. In 2017 Shin aired on Penn & Teller Fool Us season 4. Shin is the two time champion winner of America’s Got Talent including 2018’s season 13. He has also been featured by Talk Show hosts such as Jimmy Fallon and . Currently, Shin Lim has a residency act at the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, presenting his self-choreographed feature performance, “Limitless.”

Huanhuan Ma Opera Vocalist Huanhuan Ma is an internationally acclaimed soprano opera vocalist. Winner of numerous awards, prizes and international competi- tions, Huanhuan Ma has performed varied and well known roles such as Cio-Cio San in Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust, and Rosalinda in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus.Originally from Chongqing, China, Ms. Ma graduated at the top of her class as the Outstanding Graduate Student from the Beijing Central Conservatory. She earned her Master of Music and Artist Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory from Johns Hopkins University. Huanhuan was the first soprano from China accepted into the Young Artists Program at the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Ms. Ma served as a Resi- dent Artist at the S&R Foundation in Washington, DC, and currently resides in City.

Lily Zhang Musician, Guzheng Player Lily Zhang is a professional guzheng player, musician, and instructor. Lily studied guzheng at the Nanjing University of the Arts (also known as Nanjing Arts Institute). After moving to the United States in 1994, she began her practice as a guzheng instructor and has been giving lessons for more than 20 years. Her students often play in various theatrical performances in the Greater Washington and Baltimore communities, including performances at the John F. Center for the Performing Arts, Strathmore Concert Hall, Department of Labor Concert Hall, and Princeton University Concert Hall. From 2014 to 2018 her students consistently won second and third place prizes in Princeton University’s Guzheng Competition.

7 Ethnobeat A Cappella Group—University of Maryland, College Park Ethnobeat is the University of Maryland, College Park’s premier world music a cappella group. Its student members perform songs from all over the world. As the winner of the 2019 MICA Vision Plan (MVP) Award for Cross Cultural Involvement, Ethnobeat shares music from a variety of cultures with audiences to spread tolerance and strengthen unity among people of different backgrounds. Ethnobeat strives to inspire its audiences to look past cultural barriers and embrace the diversity of all people. The group includes Sebastian Gutierrez (Senior), Elena Yeatts-Lonske, Caroline Pugh (Junior), Amy Peshku (Sophomore), Yi Zheng (Senior), Will Avis (Junior), Moshe Ackman (Senior), Anton Van De Motter (Junior), Adriana Alonzo (Junior), Sharon Halevi (Senior), Lauren Eng. (Senior), Hanson Liao, Tyler Young (Sophomore), Kaitlyn Dorman (Sophomore), Josie Danckaert (Junior), James Via (Alum), and Andrés Emilio del Campo (Junior).

CCACC (Chinese Culture and Community Service Center) is a grass roots based non-profit organization focused on serving the needs of the Greater Washington community. We provide a wide variety of services and are composed of seven main departments that touch upon the different needs of community members: Adult Day Care, In Home Care, Art Gallery, Health Center, Evergreen Club, Education, Culture & Recreation.

www.ccacc-dc.org

(301) 820-7200 - 9318 Gaither Rd #215, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

8 Pioneer Award Honorees Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch Founder and President of the US-China Education Trust Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch was the first Asian-American to hold such rank in U.S. history. She served in government for twenty-five years starting with the Peace Corps and including service as a Senate professional staff member, appointments at the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Information Agency, and as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Nepal in 1989. Today, Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch is Founder and President of the U.S.-China Education Trust, a nonprofit organization that pro- motes U.S.-China relations through education and exchange for next-generation leaders. Originally from China and immigrating to the U.S. with her family at age nine, Ambassador Bloch grew up in and earned a bachelor's degree in Communications and Public Policy from the University of , Berkeley in 1964. She received her mas- ter's degree in Government and East Regional Studies from in 1967.

Connie TV Journalist is a pioneer in American television . She was the first person of Asian descent to anchor one of America’s major networks and the first woman to co-anchor CBS Evening News. She was an anchor and reporter for major news networks NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC. Connie an- chored NBC Nightly News and News at Sunrise on CBS, while hosting such shows as Saturday Night with Connie Chung, Eye to Eye with Connie Chung, and 20/20. Her rise in journalism began as a Wash- ington DC-based correspondent for CBS News, where she landed an exclusive sit-down with President Richard Nixon during the . Connie is the recipient of three Emmy Awards including two for Best Interview/Interviewer. Connie Chung is the daughter of a former Chinese diplomat and grew up in the Washington DC area. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Maryland. She also has honorary doctorate degrees from , Providence College, Wheaton College, and Norwich University.

Michelle Kwan Olympic Medalist and Champion Figure Skater, Global Ambassador Michelle Kwan is a retired American figure skater internationally famed for her elegance and artistry in athleticism. Michelle took to the ice at age five, and in the course of her competitive career won over forty championship titles. With nine medals, she is the overall American skater World-title rec- ord holder including five World Championships in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2003. She also won nine US Championships in 1996, and every year from 1998 to 2005. Michelle earned her master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University. Her work as a public servant began in 2006 when she was named a public diplomacy ambassador by the Secretary of State. Her diplomatic posi- tion continued under the Obama administration her envoy traveling to China, Russia, Argentina, and beyond promoting American values internationally, especially to young people and sports enthusi- asts. In 2012, Michelle was appointed as a State Department senior adviser for public diplomacy and public affairs. Most recently in the public arena, Michelle was Director of Surrogates for the Biden-Harris Presidential ticket campaign. Michelle is a lifelong support- er of the Special Olympics and serves on its Board of Directors.

9 Dr. Taylor American and Physicist Dr. Taylor Wang is a physicist and astronaut who in 1985, became the first Chinese American to launch in a space mission. He received his Bachelor of Science and his Master of Science in physics from the University of California (UCLA), as well as his doctoral in low temperature physics - Superfluid and solid-state physics also from UCLA. After his doctorate, Dr. Wang joined the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1972, as a senior scientist. He was responsible for the inception and development of containerless processing science and technology research. His paper on the dynamic behavior of rotating spheroids in zero gravity noted him a position with NASA in 1983. He went on to invent the acoustic levitation and manipulation chamber for Spacelab 3 mission NASA Drop Dynamics. From April 29 to May 6, 1985 Dr. Wang flew on the STS-51B Challenger. It was the first operational Spacelab mission. The seven-man crew aboard Challenger conducted investigations in crystal growth, drop dynamics leading to containerless material processing, atmospheric trace gas spectroscopy, solar and planetary atmospheric simulation, cosmic rays, laboratory animals, and human med- ical monitoring. At mission conclusion, Dr. Wang traveled over 2.9 million miles in 110 Earth orbits, and logged over 168 hours in space. After the shuttle mission, Dr. Wang utilized insights from microgravity experimental findings to develop an immunoisolation system that protects cellular transplants and sustains cell function with- out immunosuppression drugs and their resulting negative side effects. Dr. Wang became a Centenni- al Professor at . He holds 28 U.S. patents, published over 200 journal articles, and has received numerous honors and awards from NASA and the greater science community.

Innovator Award Honoree Dr. Peter Tsai Material Scientist and Inventor Professor Peter Tsai is a material scientist and the man behind the creation of the N95 respirator mask technology. Originally from , Dr. Tsai studied chemical fibre engineering at the Provincial Institute of Technology. He moved to the United States in pursuit of his PhD from the University of Kansas, subsequently following his research supervisor and mentor to the University of Tennessee where he led labs and studies for the next thirty-five years producing global revolutionizing materials and patents alike; including the discovery of material technology for the N95 mask. Dr. Tsai’s discovery combines two key technologies: melt blowing and electrostatic charging, which hail from the fields of engineering and material development respectively. Dr. Tsai led his team with the insight to combine the two practices for the first time leading to the interdisciplinary invention of a material which could absorb and capture viruses or bacteria, increasing the respirator’s filtering capability by tenfold. It is the key and core component which has made the N95 mask a world revolutionizing product. Previously used on job sites and in the medical field, the N95 mask has become an interna- tional household staple since the strike of the Covid-19 pandemic, and a safety assurance for all humanity.

Advocate Award Honoree Tina Tchen President and CEO – TIME’S UP Now Tina Tchen is the President and CEO of TIME’S UP Now and the TIME’S UP Foundation. The advocacy organization was born out of the “Me Too” movement with a mission that “Insists upon a world where everyone is safe and respected at work. A world where women have an equal shot at success and security. A world where no one lives in fear of sexual harassment or assault.”

10 A lawyer by trade, in 2017 Tina co-founded the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund; since then, the Fund has connected thousands of peo- ple to legal or PR support for sexual harassment across dozens of different industries. Tina has worked as an advocate for the underserved and underrepresented for the entirety of her career. She began her career in the Department of Children and Family Services. As a young lawyer, she argued on behalf of the State of Illinois in front of the Supreme Court of the United States in Artist M. v. Suter. Her win helped set reform in closing a loophole in the state's foster care program. During ’s administrations Tina was an assistant to the President, executive director of the Council on Women and Girls, and chief of staff to First Lady . At the White House, she also spearheaded the first-ever White House Summit on Working Families and helped form the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. Tina has dedicated her life’s work to the advocacy and rights of children, students, and women in the workplace. She has served on numerous strategic advisory boards for organizations, businesses, and nonprofits, including the United State of Women, which she continues to co-chair.

Community Award Honoree Daphne Kwok Vice President, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy, AARP Daphne Kwok is the Vice President, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy at AARP. Her work empowers Asian Ameri- cans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to choose how they live as they age. She brings to AARP her experience as a “leader of leaders” through her community service in promoting and empowering the AAPI community. Ms. Kwok was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010 to chair his Advisory Commission on and Pacific Is- landers. The Commission served as the “eyes and ears” of the community advising the President and the federal government about the issues impacting the AAPI community. Previously, Ms. Kwok was Executive Director of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California. She was also the Executive Director of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation in San Francisco. For 11 years, she was the Executive Director of the Or- ganization of Chinese Americans (OCA), a national membership based civil rights organization. She was the first elected Chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, a network of national APA organizations and also served as Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. A 1984 graduate of Wesleyan University, Ms. Kwok is the first Asian American to serve on its Board of Trustees, is a trustee emeritus and chaired the Wesleyan Alumni Association. Ms. Kwok’s board service includes: Chair of APIAVote, a member of the -NBCUniversal Joint Diversity Advisory Council, Co-Chair of the Nielsen External Asian Pacific Advisory Council and board member of the Asian American Advertising Federation. Starting in 2019, she began to serve a 2-year term as a member of the Network of Multicultural Aging Council of the American Society on Aging.

Creator Award Honoree Adele Lim Screenwriter and Producer Adele Lim is an American film and television producer and screenwriter. She has worked on Hollywood headliners for more than twenty years and was lauded for bringing cultural authenticity to the blockbuster hit, Crazy Rich Asians. Born and raised in Malaysia, Adele always knew she wanted to be a writer and started a weekly column in a local paper as 11 a teenager. After graduating from Emerson College in Boston with a degree in TV/Film in 1996, Adele planned to return to Malaysia and a career in copywriting. When a friend suggested Los Angeles and the pursuit of writing for television, Adele was all in. Her Hollywood script writing career began in 2000 as a writer’s assistant for the television series, Xena: Warrior Princess. Since then, she has written and produced numerous television hits including, Las Vegas, One Tree Hill, Private Practice, and Lethal Weapon. In 2018, Adele broke into writing feature films with blockbuster hit Crazy Rich Asians, adapted from its 2013 novel by Kevin Kwan. Adele dropped everything to co-write the script filmed entirely on scene in Singapore, feeling that she finally had an opportunity to write for her own culture. Adele’s most recent success is the newly released and highly anticipated Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon,” released in early March 2021. Adele was the script writer for this first of its kind feature film from Disney studios featuring a heroine from South East Asia. Adele noted that young girls from South East Asia are not used to seeing themselves portrayed on screen, and has praised the process for its attention to detail and cultural inspiration. Adele has also mentored young writers at the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment.

A Museum for Everyone

The Chinese American Museum in Washington, DC (CAMDC) is a bold under- taking, currently underway, to advance the understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of the Chinese American experience, by highlighting the history, culture, spirit, and contributions of Chinese Americans to our nation and beyond.

We’re making the Chinese American story accessible to the nearly 22 million annual visitors to Washington, DC and audiences around the world.

The more we tell our story, the more it lives within us. We are an American history museum dedicated to ensuring that the Chinese American story is represented as an American story. Whether or not you are of Chinese herit- age, we share a common history and have been forever transformed by this culture. This is a museum for everyone. Celebrate the past, present, and future. Help us showcase the Chinese American heroes, artists, innovators, and experts that will inspire people from all different backgrounds. We are so pleased that you are part of our museum family.

Thank you for your support! www.ChineseAmericanMuseum.org [email protected]

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