Tag Archives: leadership. international. politics

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist José Antonio Vargas and Actor Maulik Pancholy Welcome AAJA Media Institute Fellows

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AAJA Media Institute W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fellow Mary Ho and White House Initiative Asian American Pacific Islander AAPI Commissioner and Actor Maulik Pancholy Reminisce Their Camaraderie at the 25th Annual Scholarship & Awards Gala at the National Convention in Washington, D.C.

2014 AAJA Media Institute Fellows, President of Asian Chamber of Commerce Linda Toyota, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist José Antonio Vargas, China Millennium Council President Mary Ho and YALSA Director-at-Large Candice Mack at the 25th AAJA Annual Scholarship & Awards Gala

Asian American Journalists Association proudly celebrated their 25th Annual Scholarship and Gala with keynote speakers Pulitzer Prize award winning journalist José Antonio Vargas and Presidential Advisory Council Commissioner and actor Maulik Pancholy.

José Antonio Vargas spoke of his dilemma of his recent detainment at the Texas border as an undocumented immigrant and coming out of the closet as a gay man to his grandmother. He is a highly acclaimed and controversial journalist and documentary film writer, producing visual and editorial commentary impacting AIDS and immigration policies in the U.S. Vargas’ national and international appearances include Nightline, The O’Reilly Factor and The Colbert Report.

Maulik Pancholy’s accolades include the popular roles he portrayed as Jonathan in the award winning comedy tv show 30 Rock and Showtime’s award winning Weeds as Sanjay. His recent appointment as Commissioner on the President’s Advisory Council of the White House Initiative on Asian American Pacific Islanders brings to focus the social disparities and stereotypes AAPI still encounter and address the issue of bullying in new social media.

AAJA also launched their inaugural Media Institute Fellows Program led by renowned media experts Pamela Wu, Emmy nominated former news anchor & television host; and Ellen Lee, freelance journalist and former staff writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. Distinguished speakers included Jan Yanehiro, Emmy award winning national broadcast journalist and author; Sharon Pian Chan, associate opinions and digital editor of the Seattle Times; Cefann Kim, general assignment, live newscast reporter, broadcast journalism NYC; and Chris Nguyen, anchor and breaking news reporter, Sacramento CA. The Media Institute Fellows Program was sponsored by Gannett, General Motors, and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Global Icon Business Leader MacKenzie-Childs Creative Director Rebecca Proctor On Hand to Greet 2014 Barn Sale Visitors

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Mary Ho, China Millennium Council President and Rebecca Proctor, Creative Director of Iconic MacKenzie-Childs Share Their Camaraderie at the Epic 2014 MacKenzie-Childs Barn Sale Venue in Aurora NY, Overlooking Cayuga Lake in the Heart of the Finger Lakes Region in Upstate Central New York.

For over two decades MacKenzie-Childs Creative Director Rebecca Proctor, leads the iconic global brand of the MacKenzie-Childs design team. They introduce upward 700 items each year, emulating the artisan-handpainted pottery creations at its production studios in bucolic Aurora, New York. “We have artists and poets and all kinds of talented people there,” Proctor said of the company, which has its headquarters on a 65 acre farm nestled in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region in Central Upstate New York.

MacKenzie-Childs Creative Director Rebecca Proctor began working with the collection in 1991 and looks back on it as the most incredible opportunity of her life. “I was hired by the founders of MacKenzie-Childs and I got a very interesting inside view of the brand traveling and working with them,” Proctor said. “They left the company in 2001 and then Pleasant Rowland, founder of American Girl, bought us. I was also excited to work with her. Then in 2008 Rowland sold MacKenzie-Childs to Lee Feldman and Howard Cohen and they are wonderful to work with as well. They’re so supportive of the design process and they’ve really taken a tabletop company to an exciting lifestyle brand.”

Working swiftly and growing every season, the collection went from launching 24 designs a season to an impressive 300 new items. This is no accident. The brand is overflowing with magical qualities just like Proctor herself. Design rules are tossed out the window, patterns are mixed with cheerful spontaneity and the passion of the MacKenzie-Childs collector is unceasing.

“The world is filled with stuff you can find anywhere,” Proctor said. “Our point of view with this brand really sets us apart. Our customers say our designs make them happy. Making people feel good is the core of our mission and it’s really important to me. They come to us for playful creations. We’re the court jester in the room.”

There’s something very regal about the line’s iconic black and white checkerboard pattern called “courtly check.”

“This pattern started as a tiny design accent painted on furniture in the ‘80s,” Proctor said. “In 1993, I started working with the founders on handmade black and white checkered enamel plates. We love handmade things at MacKenzie-Childs because no two are alike. We originally called the pattern ‘roasted marshmallow.’ Now we call it courtly check and it’s become our signature pattern. This pattern has a major place in history and it’s beautiful but at the same time, oddly a neutral.”

In addition to courtly check, MacKenzie-Childs offers a variety of enchanting patterns for enamelware and accessories such as a vibrant flower market pattern and piccadilly ceramics. The Aurora pattern is an homage to the brand’s home-base and production studio that was once a dairy barn in Aurora. “We have highland cattle grazing on our fields and extraordinary gardens. Every window is like a framed piece of art,” Proctor said. “This 65-acre farm is a tremendous source of inspiration for us. We have a fantastic design team with high energy people. Many of them have also been with the brand since 1991. Inspiration is every where. It comes from dinners and conversations with friends and travel as well.”

The latest pattern to take flight in the MacKenzie-Childs family is the butterfly garden enamelware. “This pattern was inspired by the gardens on our property filled with butterflies and we wanted to incorporate all of our other patterns into the butterflies,” Proctor said. “I love to cook and entertain and when you place food on a plate, you want the food to be the star. With the butterfly garden enamelware, the butterflies appear to be fluttering around the plate.”

In addition to charm bracelets and travel accessories, MacKenzie-Childs is now tapping into the young mother’s market. “We’ve introduced a diaper bag, nursery items and baby dishes,” Proctor said. “We also make beautiful, hand-sewn quilts for cribs. It’s a really exciting time for us. Our owners are so open minded, the sky is really the limit for MacKenzie-Childs.” http://www.mackenzie-childs.com Excerpts adapted from the SunSentinel.com article by Joanie Cox-Henry

APAICS Celebrates 20th Annual Gala Honoring Outstanding Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Leadership

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Keynote Speaker George Takei, Actor of Star Trek Fame Sulu and Mary Ho, President of the China Millennium Council Discuss the Critical Importance of Civic Engagement and Social Equity & Justice for the Asian American Pacific Islanders Community.

Master and Mistress of Ceremonies Paul Song, M.D. Biotechnology Executive and Lisa Ling, Executive Producer and Host of Our America on OWN Oprah Winfrey Network Reminisce Earlier Days with Mary Ho, China Millennium Council President at the APAICS Twentieth Annual Awards Gala.

U.S. Department of Interior and White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Salutes New Commissioners

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U.S. Department of Interior and White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Host Ceremony of Newly Appointed Commissioners on President Obama's Asian American and Pacific Islander Advisory Council Sworn-In by U.S Circuit Judge Sri Srinivasan.

Maulik Pancholy, Actor 30 Rock and Newly Appointed Commissioner of the WHIAAPI President’s Advisory Council and Mary Ho, China Millennium Council President, Emulate “I Am Beyond” Theme Capturing the Aspirations of the American Spirit and How Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander Descent Have Always Sought to Excel Beyond the Challenges that have Limited Equal Opportunity in America.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Small Business Administration and U.S. Department of Commerce Business Roundtable

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Audrey Buehring, Deputy Director for the White House Initiative on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders and Mary Ho, China Millennium Council President Discuss Meeting the Needs of the Asian American Pacific Islanders Businesses and Entrepreneurs Held at the U.S. Department of Commerce Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C.

Meeting of the Minds, Cornell Alumni Mary Ho, China Millennium Council President and Kenneth Jarrett, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai AMCHAM Cross Paths at the WHIAAPI U.S. Department of Commerce Reception in Washington, D.C.

President Obama Urges American Business, Labor and Community Leaders to Support Modernization of U.S. Immigration Policy

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President Obama with Vice President Biden, Addresses U.S. Business, Labor and Community Leaders including the National American Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship ACE Delegation champion Modern Immigration Reform in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on October 24, 2013

President Obama invited leaders from the business and labor sectors including community groups who are united around one goal, advancing and modernizing the current U.S. immigration system. Earlier this year, the Senate passed a bill with bipartisan support that addresses “the core challenges of how we create a immigration system that is fair, that’s just, that is true to our traditions as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”

By modernizing the U.S. legal immigration system, the capability to train future American workers grows exponentially, and in attracting and retaining entrepreneurs with high skill sets from beyond our borders can only enrich the business growth of the U.S., critical to its long term growth and sustainability. It would make sure that everybody plays by the same rules by providing a pathway to earned citizenship for those who are here illegally — one that includes passing a background check, learning English, paying taxes, paying a penalty, getting in line behind everyone who is trying to come here the right way.

More importantly, if the bill was passed and became law, it would grow the U.S. economy by $1.4 trillion over the next two decades while cutting the deficit by nearly $1 trillion. Awesome!

Former Commissioner of the Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Stuart Ishimaru, Director of the Office of Minority & Women Inclusion of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Mary Ho, President of the China Millennium Council Discuss Critical Issues Affecting the Healthcare Reforms for the Asian American Pacific Islander Population, in the East Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Cui Tiankai Honors U.S. Joint-Venture Innovation Leaders for Modern China

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China Millennium Council President Mary Ho and Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai Reminisce Earlier Autumnal Visit to Upstate Rochester New York including Pumpkin Highlights at Wegmans Food Markets in Pittsford and the Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies CIMS at Rochester Institute of Technology

China President Xi Jinping’s newly appointed U.S Ambassador Cui Tiankai conveyed celebratory congratulations for the 40th anniversary of the earliest exchanges between China and the U.S. dating back to 1973, opening doors for long-term investments, advancing partnerships and promoting mutual good will. Notably, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former U.S. Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger and U.S Trade Representative Ambassador Carla Hills shared their intriguing perspectives and modern insights.

Dr. Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State and Mary Ho, President of the China Millennium Council Enjoy Their Camaraderie at the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the first exchange between China and U.S. in 1973 arranged by the National Committee on United States - China Relations

Two leading China – U.S. joint-venture industry leaders were recognized and given tribute who included Alcoa CEO and Chairman Klaus Kleinfeld and IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond, whose modern stewardships in China will through their innovative technologies continue to enrich China’s modern growth and development.

Alcoa is the largest foreign investor in China’s aluminum industry and was named Top Green Company in China. Since 1993, Alcoa Bohai Aluminum Industries Company is China’s largest multinational company in the aluminum industry and invested more than $800 million. Alcoa’s founder Charles Martin Hall in 1928, founded the Harvard-Yenching Institute and supports scholarly studies between western and Asian countries, in particular China.

Mary Ho. China Millennium Council President and Klaus Kleinfeld, CEO and Chairman of Alcoa Inc., the Largest Foreign Investor in China's Aluminum Industry Discuss Sustainabiity and Best Practices for China

IMAX is expanding the modern movie-going experience in China and fostering collaboration with China’s film studios, bringing depth to the cultural cinematic interchange. Early on in 2001, IMAX engaged the Chinese movie-goer experience by providing a unique cultural exchange media platform and playing a key leadership role into the development of a large theatre network. IMAX also in conjunction with Chinese film studios brings the best of Chinese cinema within the country and throughout vast audiences globally.

Another renowned U.S. joint-venture pioneer, Walmart China opened its doors in 1996 and introduced to the Chinese the largest retail consumer store ranging from farm-fresh groceries to the emerging e-commerce retail business for their Chinese customers. Presently Walmart operates 396 stores in China and created more than 100,000 direct job opportunities with a vital sourcing presence in China and critical partnerships with 20,000 suppliers throughout China and internationally. Dedicated to serving their local communities, Walmart was awarded as one of the Top 10 Oustanding Corporate Social Responsibility Cases  of Chinese Enterprises by Business Value, a leading business journal in China.

Maggie Sans, Walmart Vice President of International Corporate Affairs and Mary Ho, China Millennium Council President Contemplate Chinese Customers' Preference Shopping On-Line Versus a Tactile Atelier Experience

 

Asian American Leadership Heralds Global Business & Humanitarian Community Impact

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Social Entrepreneur Pamela Roberts Levitt, China Millennium Council President Mary Ho, and Wegmans Food Markets Senior Vice President Larry Damore & wife Gail Damore Celebrate the Asian American Global Business and Community Leadership in Greater Rochester Upstate New York Region

US Congresswoman LOUISE SLAUGHTER Honors Gallant Efforts of the Vietnamese Asian Americans

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U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter visited the Vietnamese Asian American Community Center located in Rochester, New York to honor and recognize the gallant efforts contributed by the diverse Asian American communities of the 21st century. Slaughter was in hand to commemorate the Vietnamese Americans’ tribute to honor the sacrifices and enormous contributions put forth by their parents and elders comprising the tapestry of America’s rich and modern human legacy.

As U.S. President Obama declared, “Generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders AAPI have helped make America what it is today. Their histories recall bitter hardships and proud accomplishments — from the laborers who connected our coasts one-and-a-half centuries ago and offers us an opportunity to celebrate the vast contributions Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made to our Nation, reflect on the challenges still faced by AAPI communities, and recommit to making the American dream a reality for all.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders comprise many ethnicities and languages, and their myriad achievements embody the American experience. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have started businesses, including some of our Nation’s most successful and dynamic enterprises. AAPI men and women are leaders in every aspect of American life — in government and industry, science and medicine, the arts and our Armed Forces, education and sports.

Over the centuries, we have maintained a long, rich history of engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, and our AAPI communities have been essential to strengthening the economic, political, and social bonds we share with our partners around the world.

As we celebrate centuries of trial and triumph, let us rededicate ourselves to making our Nation a place that welcomes the contributions of all people, all colors, and all creeds, and ensures the American dream is within reach for all who seek it.”

-U.S. President Obama, May 2012 Excerpts of President Obama’s Proclamation of Asian American Pacific Islanders

Greater Rochester Asian American Leadership Delegation David Tang Esq., Mary Ho, Founder and Holly Phan Sackett Stand Proud with U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter to Honor and Commemorate the Vietnamese Asian American Communities

PRESIDENT OBAMA keynote address APAICS National Leadership Academy Program Honorees

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U.S. President Obama draws ecstatic cheers at the 2012 APAICS Annual Gala Dinner Honoring the Vast Contributions Put Forth by Asian American Communities held at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington D.C.