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COMMUNITY SERVICE
Kalusugan FilAm Wellness Center strives to improve the health of Filipino Americans through an integrated and comprehensive primary preventive health promotion program that uses current social marketing approaches with key activities, including dissemination of educational information, research and training and advocacy.
The San Diego Asian Youth Organization (SDAYO), founded in 1995, empowers young Southeast Asians in San Diego to take leadership positions in the community at large through its exercise of cultural pride and community service, including anti-graffiti campaigns, anti-gang forums and other community-oriented services
San Diego Alliance for Asian Pacific Islander Americans is a coalition of arts, cultural, civil rights, educational, health, legal and social service organizations and individuals dedicated to advocating for the rights and empowerment of the Asian Pacific Islander American community in San Diego County through community service, education and cultural events.
The Council of Philippine American Organizations of San Diego County has long been an advocate of health care benefits and social services for Filipinos living in the San Diego area.
The Union of Pan Asian Communities, advocates for social services within the immigrant Laotian, Cambodian and Vietnamese communities in San Diego.
The Federation of Indian Associations offers a common voice for San Diego’s Indian community, working to bring cohesiveness to the Indian community, which includes Hindis, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs and Christians
EDUCATION
The World Trade Center of San Diego, in particular its Asia Desk, keeps the business community of San Diego informed of investment and other opportunities in China, Japan, Vietnam and other Asian countries.
Raag and Taal Academy educates the general public about the rich tradition of vocal and instrumental music from India through regular sponsorship, hosting and promoting performances of well-known and famous artists from India.
Dr. Juanita Santos Nacu, who teaches the first named Heritage Tagalog class at UCSD, is an advocate for preservation of our Filipino culture through education. She established the first Filipino as a Foreign Language Program at SD Palomar College and Poway Unified School District.
Prof. M. C. Madhavan, founder of San Diego Indian American Society, and recipient of Honored American Award for his distinguished work as professor of economics and Asian studies at SDSU, created the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial lecture and scholarship to recognize outstanding high school graduates in San Diego County.
LEGAL AFFAIRS/GOVERNMENT
Carol Lam, a former judge, heads the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego. As someone who has made a career out of being tough on white collar crime, Lam last year led the investigation which led to charges of corruption against several San Diego government officials.
The Southwest Center for Asian Pacific American Law (S.C.A.P.A.L.) is a nonprofit public benefit corporation formed by concerned professionals from San Diego’s legal, business and academic communities for the purpose of preserving and protecting the legal rights of individuals in the San Diego region who do not have adequate access to the legal system.
Khoa Nguyen, community representative for San Diego City Councilman Brian Mainschein, is a direct link to all Asian Pacific Islander communities in San Diego and one of the city’s best problem solvers.
Manny Doria, special assistant to U.S. Rep Bob Filner, conducts a host of duties on behalf of the congressman and assisted his campaign to secure recognition for Filipino veterans of World War II.
Joann Fields, community representative for U.S. Rep. Susan Davis, is often the face of the congresswoman in San Diego and her spokesperson at numerous events. She is also the liaison between the local API community and Rep. Davis on many matters.
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ART, PHILOSOPHY, LITERATURE
Novelist Le Thi Diem Thuy burst onto the literary scene with the novel “The Gangster we are Looking for.” An escapee from Vietnam with her family when she was 6, she embarked on a literary career after she graduated from USD.
Painter Dan Reyes Camacho, who works in graphic design, illustration, and set design as a freelancer, has completed projects for the San Diego Symphony, Nordstrom’s Fashion Valley, and the United States Navy. Dan’s artwork is featured in galleries throughout San Diego. such as Gallery 504, Clayton’s Coffee House and North Park Studios in San Diego, and in various independent shows.
The San Diego Asian Film Foundation is dedicated to educating the community about the rich diversity of the Asian Pacific Islander culture through films and videos. The group sponsors the annual San Diego Asian Film Festival, and offers student internships and cultural literacy programs.
Vietnamese poet Phan Duc is a former judge who served in the military before the fall of Saigon. He came to the U.S. after more than 12 years in a re-education camp and has since devoted his life to capturing the essence of his native land with sense-captivating poems.
Su-Mei Yu, owner of two Thai restaurants in San Diego, is the author of prize winning cook book “Cracking the Coconut,” which earned the distinction of being one of the largest-selling cookbooks two years ago.
PERFORMANCE/DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER:
The Asian American Repertory Theater (A.A.R.T.) was founded 8 years ago to "celebrate the Asian American experience and present fresh perspectives on traditional works and to give Asian artists an opportunity to work in mainstream productions.
Cellist Felix Fan is an internationally respected cellist, who has appeared at many of the world’s great concert halls, including the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. He is also artistic director for MUZIK3, an annual festival of modern music, art and dance.
Composer Chinary Ung, Cambodian composer noted for his skillful blending of western and eastern musical traditions that grew out of his revulsion to Pol Pot’s “killing fields,” holds a doctorate from Columbia University and is a professor of music at UCSD.
It took Balinese dancer Ni Wayan Ekarini only two years to bring her unique Balinese culture to life through various dance performances throughout San Diego. Dancing since the age of seven, she has appeared at the annual Nations of San Diego International Dance Festival.
Samahan Philippine Dance Company provides Filipino youth with the knowledge and appreciation of their cultural heritage through the medium of dance. While the company started out as a youth program, it now is called upon regularly to render performances throughout the San Diego community.
CULTURAL PRESERVATION
a.) Bennett Peji, principal of Bennett Peji Design, a graphic and web design firm based in San Diego, is the master planner behind the proposed multimillion-dollar community development project known as Filipino Village. The new district in National City will highlight the culture and businesses of Filipino-Americans.
b.) Asian Pacific Collaborative has been instrumental in revitalizing that part of Downtown San Diego that was once a thriving community of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Pacific-Islanders. The district will be a local and tourist destination of restaurants, shops and farmers market all with an Asian theme.
c.) The Thai Association of San Diego County hosts weekend gatherings using the temple or Wat as the center of the community. By bringing people together, the association helps preserve the language through teaching and to enrich the overall community by fostering live performances in dance and on original native instruments.
Murray Lee, curator of Chinese American History in San Diego, is a renowned expert on San Diego Chinese-American history who has contributed numerous articles on the subject. He is also the coordinator for the Chinese American Oral History Project.
Marie Cruz, indefatigable president of the Pacific Islander Festival Association, serves on various government and community boards but is known in the San Diego area as the prime mover behind the annual Pacific Islander Festival, the largest of its kind outside the Pacific Islands and the largest annual cultural event in San Diego.
The Vietnamese Federation of San Diego is the guiding force behind dozens of cultural events, from the annual Tet celebration, to the moon cake festival in the fall, bringing together the Vietnamese community in a number of pleasant surroundings to celebrate its food, music and culture.
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
a.) Chun Wu is founder of Abgent Pharmaceuticals, a firm specializing in studying various cellular processes in hopes of developing new drugs. His company studies how protein agents affect the cellular process under specific environmental conditions
b.) Shubhayan Mukherjee, founder of Shubhayan IT Services and Shubhayan Corporate Services, established a multimillion dollar web design and maintenance company during a post 9/11 economy. Born in India, raised in Kenya, educated in the UK, Shubhayan was attending SDSU as a graduate student when he and a roommate decided to launch their company.
c.) Jing Institute of Chinese Martial Arts is owned and operated by the mother daughter team of Siu-Fong Evans and Lui Guojiang Evans and is the first and only school that teaches contemporary as well as traditional styles of kung-fu Taiji and wing-chun.
d.) Bryan Min is founder of Epsilon Systems Solutions, a highly successful engineering and technology firm and a major defense contractor for the U.S. government. An active community leader, he gives back by working closely with youths and for his church.
e) Nicholas Tran, CEO Vien Dong Supermarket, in expanding his business, is concentrating on and catering to San Diego’s large Latino community. Tran is also known for his innovative ideas in marketing and positioning.
SCIENCE , TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
Space pioneer Praful Bhavsar had a long and illustrious career in physics and space exploration, studying cosmic rays, solar proton events and the dynamics of the upper atmosphere. He co-authored a United Nations report on the application of space technology to development and was secretary of the India National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
b.) Dr. Kenneth Chien studies the molecular and genetic events controlling abnormal physiological function, with a focus on cardiac disease, such as cardiomyopathy. His work is directed at the development of medical and genetic therapies to prevent or treat heart disease.
c.) Dr. Ajit Varki is an expert in glycobiology, the study of glycans cell-surface sugar chains attached to proteins and lipids, that have multiple roles in the development, organization and function of all organisms. Previously considered by many scientists as too complex to study, glycan assemblies have recently been discovered to be at the root of a growing list of human genetic disorders.
d.) Dr Dilip Jeste, professor of psychiatry and neurosciences at the University of California, has been doing pioneering work on aging there since 1983, studying common causes of disease late in life with the intent of developing methods of prevention and treatment.
e.) Wayne Lee, a native San Diegan, was the chief engineer behind the descent and landing of Spirit, the NASA exploration rover that successfully landed on Mars earlier this year.
9.) MEDICINE AND HEALTH
a) Infertility specialist Dr. Jeffrey Chang is a highly published researcher and clinician who has been instrumental in treating all forms of infertility. He has been especially successful in using medications for diabetics to treat infertility in women wo=ith polycystic ovarian syndrome.
b.) Dr. Gordon Yung, as director UCSD Lung Transplant Program, has made phenomenal strides in the study and treatment of the most advanced forms of lung disease. He is also Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine for the School of Medicine.
c.) The Tibetan Healing Center, the only center of its kind in the United States, works to integrate Tibetan medicine with the technologies of the West. The center has served more than 2,000 patients during the past couple of years and has seen dramatic results with hepatitis C, prostate cancer, hormonal imbalances and neurodegenerative diseases.
d.) The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, with campuses in Chicago, New York and San Diego, trains students in the arts and application of a variety of Eastern healing techniques.
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