2024 Bayside Parade

April 6th started off as a cloudy cold day but eventually the sun came out to warm things up. Regardless of the weather we always make the extra effort to be present at this event. The Bayside parade holds a special place in our hearts. It was the very first parade our society was invited to participate in. We generally don’t have a large turnout for this event but we are very proud to say our society has been represented at this event since 2021.

Judge Wendy Li was in attendance and got a chance to take pictures and shake hands for her campaign for Queens Surrogate’s Court Judge.

Brendan Mulaney is the person who invited us to this event and we are grateful that he included us in this wonderful parade. Brendan and I have a wonderful history. If you ever get the chance, you should ask him about the first time I met him at Sullivan’s in Bayside Queens.

The NYS Courts Pipes & Drums always lead the way and they sounded fantastic. They are a truly impressive unit. You can learn more about the band and their history by clicking the link. https://nyscourtspipesanddrums.com/

There were several LCOS members that participated. Kevin Duque, Carmelo Correa, Daniel Vega and Dennis Duque were there to name a few.

My favorite part of any event is interacting with the kids. I was grateful for Nico & Cellina Duque for periodically helping us hold the banner. I also took a moment to teach them how to do the parade wave.

The Bayside parade is a wonderful event. The route is short and sweet and the street is packed with people. We hope that you can join us next year.

2024 General Membership Meeting

March 29, 2024 was a great day for our society! It was our largest meeting and it just felt fulfilling to see so many members attend the meeting. People came from near and far. It matters that people took time out of their busy schedule to sit down and have a meal with us.

President Henry Chen kicked off the meeting with an introduction of the board members. The membership was informed that there were no elections for this calendar year. Upcoming events were noted and highlighted. Board members from other societies were acknowledged and introduced. Henry kept things short and sweet.

Our sponsor and member Judy Mock was introduced and she shared a few words with the membership. Judy expressed her full support for our society and she proved it by putting her money where her mouth is. In addition to sponsoring our dinner/meeting, she provided a coupon to her Estate Planning Package for all active AJS members. Judy pointed out some interesting facts about diversity and inclusion and recognized the important responsibility that members have in serving the community.

https://judymocklaw.com/

Will Chan handled our raffle sales, and as usual the membership was so generous in purchasing raffles to donate to our cause. I noticed that certain people always win at the raffles. Fat Tony, Kevin Chen & Alexis Nugent are frequently the lucky ones.

The membership owes a big thanks to Tony Mung. The majority of our raffle prizes were provided by Tony. Tony has invested his time and effort to ensuring we have wonderful prizes for our events.

The membership owes a big thanks to Chris Nardi. Chris is the man behind the camera. He attends every event and donates his talent and time to capture the moments we share.

LCOS and the Emerald were in attendance and represented. Erica Prosper & Jessica Hernandez are members that always make time to show their support. Tim Haggerty is a member and we were happy he could make an appearance as well.

It was nice to see Judge Wendy Li, Justice Philip Hom, Alice Tam Tien, Judy Mock and Janice Chen, make an appearance. The NYPD AJS and Society of Asian Federal Officers were in attendance as well.

This gathering was very nice for several reasons. We noticed a growth in attendance. We saw new faces. We had a great time and everyone seemed happy. This meeting we were able to fill 6 tables. It may not sound like much but our very first dinner/meeting we barely filled 4 tables. Maybe next year we could make it 7 tables. If you’re reading this blog and you weren’t there, then maybe you can consider coming next time so that we can fill that 7th table.

2024 Flushing Lunar Parade

February 10, 2024 was a beautiful day. Tony and I commented on how lovely the weather was. Participating in the parade on the actual day of the Lunar New Year celebration made the day even more special.

This was our very first parade with a mascot in attendance. Our member Sandy Mun brought Sophie to the parade and Sophie was an instant hit.

Mr & Mrs Met were in attendance and they were gracious enough to say hi to the kids and take pictures.

It was nice to see our member Sheridan Chu make an appearance. Logan got the best seat in the house. One of my favorite things about participating in any event is a chance to see our members interacting and enjoying their time with their families.

Gina made the trip all the way from Rockland county and we appreciate everyone who took a little time out of their day to come participate at the parade. We hope to see you at our next event!

Dim Sum Lunch

Due to the uncooperative weather in September, we were unable to have our annual BBQ. On December 09, 2023 we decided to gather the membership for a meal to try and makeup for the loss.

Mary, Tony and Henry came up with an idea to gather the membership for some dim sum. Mary found the best venue for us and was able to secure a private room.

It was a very nice turnout and we had about 6 tables. The mood was very festive and it seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves.

We sold raffles at the event and Fat Tony could not lose. He had 4 winning tickets and graciously donated back 2 prizes so that others could win a prize.

There was a pleasant surprise in store for Henry, Peter, Chris and myself. Mary got us each a birthday cake and everyone sang happy birthday.

It was very nice to get together and share a meal. Even though the weather sabotaged our BBQ we were still able to do something else with the membership. Maybe we will look into doing something like this again in the future. We hope to see you at our next event.

Growing Up Vietnamese American

Court Officer Peter Tran shares his perspective on growing up Vietnamese American.

Growing up Vietnamese American can be a difficult, unique, and multifaceted experience. A little backstory before we begin; my family were refugees of the Vietnam War. My mother stayed in a refugee camp in the Philippines with her family and my father was the only one in his family who was able to escape. My parent’s version of America was to work hard, do what it takes, and everything is earned.  

Growing up, I often had to navigate a dual cultural identity, balancing my Vietnamese heritage with my American upbringing. Things culturally accepted at home were outside of the social norm of American society. For example, although it might sound silly, bowing with your arms folded when greeting your elders is a sign of respect. 

Vietnamese was often the only language spoken in my household, especially amongst older generations. I grew up learning both Vietnamese and English. Even though I was born in St. Johns Hospital in Queens, Vietnamese was my first language. Due to this, I was placed in speech class throughout all of elementary school. 

On the topic of school, my family often prioritized education and academic achievement. My parents encouraged me to excel in school and pursue higher education in order to have professional career success. Graduating high school and college was something expected of me and not necessarily an achievement. My family was always achievement-based out of necessity. Becoming a doctor, lawyer, or pharmacist was the vision my family had for me.

Vietnamese cuisine, very recently, has been highly regarded for its vibrant flavors, fresh ingredients, and diverse dishes. Growing up food was an integral part of cultural celebrations and family gatherings. Often being exposed to dishes like pho, banh mi, and spring rolls, these are now vastly available. I was afraid to bring these dishes to school for lunch. Although culturally accepted, these items were not socially accepted during school lunch back when I was in elementary school. I remember bringing a meal my mother had packed for lunch, it had fish sauce. The smell was not a fan favorite.

Like most immigrant communities, growing up Vietnamese-American I faced discrimination and stereotypes based on my ethnicity. This manifested in multiple forms, such as racial profiling, cultural misunderstandings, and assumptions about my background which often impacted my confidence and sense of belonging. 

Growing up, Asian culture was often underrepresented. Representation matters. Inclusivity matters. And through education, there is enlightenment. 

2023 Asian American Pacific Islander Cultural Heritage Parade

We participated in the 2nd annual Asian American Pacific Islander Cultural Heritage Parade. This year there were more people in attendance. The weather was great and it just felt good to be there.

The NYS Courts Ceremonial Unit lead the way for us. They looked really sharp and they were in step together from beginning to end. We are grateful for their participation.

Our BB Liu was in attendance with her son Aidan and some friends. There were a few families present including Mary and Logan along with Charles Jim and his family. Henry and Chloe were there as well. I think it is safe to say that the parades for us is a family affair.

This parade is very new to the NYC lineup of parades. The NYS Courts Asian Jade Society can proudly say we have participated in every AAPI Cultural Heritage Parade. We hope you will march with us next year!

Queens County AAPI Heritage Month Celebration

What started out as an idea was made into a reality by 2 people. Lisa Lin and Wilson Chan came up with an idea to celebrate AAPI Hertiage Month. They found the perfect venue and gathered sponsorship from several organizations. It was nice to see such a large turnout for a first time event.

Lisa and Wilson promised culture, trivia, raffles and fun. They delivered on their promise. The trivia was really fun and Kevin Donlon did a fantastic job. He made it fun and interesting. The trivia was centered on AAPI Hertiage Month. The trivia questions covered culture, food, sports, and history.

We also had several items that were raffled off. The winners were able to pick the items they wanted.

There are several ways to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month. You can learn about the many different cultures, you can go out and experience the many different cuisines, and you can support AAPI owned businesses. We have a dedicated webpage on our website that can help you to learn about and celebrate AAPI culture. The wonderful thing that Lisa and Wilson did was to make it easy for everyone to celebrate!

https://nyscajs.wordpress.com/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month-may/

Women’s History Month

On March 27, 2003, the 2nd Judicial District Equal Justice Committee held its first Women’s History Month celebration. They honored 20 court employees from the 2nd JD. I am still shocked that I was one of the honorees and was asked to share my story. 

During the celebration, the speakers were asked to share “her journey – her story.” We heard one amazing story after another about perseverance and overcoming obstacles. These women shared their stories of leaving their violent country only to encounter it here, overcoming barriers and breaking stereotypes, another about being a refugee from Afghanistan.

I chose to share my mom’s journey and her story. My mom embodies all the characteristics we celebrate in Women’s History Month and deserves to be applauded for all that she had accomplished.

I am still amazed I got to stand alongside all the amazing women who were honored. Even though we all took different paths, we all ended up working for the NYS Courts. It is only one part of our story and our stories are not over yet.

Here is the video of me speaking at the event.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ms_KITKn8uVtY23gOMfY7P6_frUQCAzP/view?usp=share_link

I would like to congratulate all of the women who were being honored. It was a privilege to participate in this historic moment and I thank the Equal Justice Committee for allowing me to share my journey and my story.