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PEP Archives | July-August
2002 Table of Contents | Public Employee Press Archives
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Asian pride, Asian power
Guest speakers at heritage month festivities
urge unity with labor
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By ALFREDO ALVARADO
"District Council 37 is a family, and it's wonderful to be here
with the Asian part of our family," said Executive Director Lillian
Roberts, the keynote speaker at the annual Asian Heritage Celebration
at union headquarters on May 29.
The celebration featured a buffet of delicious Asian cuisine, along
with a distinguished list of prominent Asian American guest speakers
and a procession of colorful dance troupes like the Nritya Kala Kendra
Dance Academy from Queens, Chun-Nuan Lili and the Anil Kumar Group,
which performed traditional Indian, Chinese and Bangladeshi dances.
The event also showcased union members' tremendous pride in the accomplishments
of the Asian communities of New York City, which have grown from 2
percent of the population in 1970 to 10 percent in the 2000 census.
However, many participants and speakers pointed out the struggle against
ethnic discrimination is not over and called for an effort to build
political power commensurate with their growing numbers.
Among the evening's honorees were Morshed Alam, vice president of
School Board 29, Civil Court Judge Doris Ling-Cohen and John C. Liu,
the only Asian American in the New York City Council. Both expressed
their appreciation for the support they received from DC 37 in their
election campaigns.
"I'm in the council in large part because of the efforts of DC
37," said Mr. Liu, "It wasn't just the phone banks, but
DC 37 folks helped educate me about the entire process as well."
Judge Ling-Cohen spoke about her working-class upbringing and the
importance of belonging to a union. Her father worked in a laundry
and her mother was a member of the ladies' garment workers union.
"I saw the difference that being in a union made in our lives,"
she said.
Donald Young, president of the Chinese American Association of NY
was also honored and in his speech he stressed the necessity of Asian
Americans becoming more active in public life. "We have to participate
in the labor movement," he told the audience. "I want to
see an Asian version of Lillian Roberts."
The masters of ceremonies for the evening were DC 37 Asian Heritage
Committee co-chairs Maf Misbah Uddin and Sabiha Khan. The committee
also honored the following individuals for their years of service:
Bhagwatie Bhanu Dwarika from the Education Fund; Ahmed Shakir, the
secretary of Local 375; V.H. Advani, vice president of the Retirees
Association; You-Sun (Frederic) Liu from Local 2627; Mathew Joseph,
president of Local 1757; Jon Ng of Local 1549; Ms. Khan of Local 375;
Mr. Uddin, president of Local 1407; Rajiv Gowda and Uma Kutwal of
Local 375; and Lal Motwani, president of the Global Organization for
People of Indian Origin.