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 Madeline 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 Joie Chen, Senior Advisor, The Poynter Institute Richard Lui, Anchor, MSNBC, NBC News 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 China 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 Malaysia 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 Larry King. 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 New York 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. Kennedy 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 San Francisco and earned a bachelor's degree in Communications and Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley in 1964. She received her mas- ter's degree in Government and East Asia Regional Studies from Harvard University in 1967. Connie Chung TV Journalist Connie Chung is a pioneer in American television journalism. 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 Watergate scandal. 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 Brown University, 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 Wang American Astronaut and Physicist Dr. Taylor Wang is a physicist and astronaut who in 1985, became the first Chinese American to launch in a space mission.