ASIAN AMERICAN COALITION OF CHICAGO HONORS HARLEEN KAUR
SAINI AND LAXMAN ALREJA AT THEIR 25th. LUNAR NEW YEAR
CELEBRATION
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CHICAGO, IL - - The Asian American
Coalition of Chicago honored Indian Americans Ms.
Harleen Kaur Saini, and Mr. Laxman Alreja at their 25th
Annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, January
26, 2008, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in
Rosemont. This year's gala event themed "Dawn of New
Asia 2008" was hosted by the Pakistani American
community of Chicago, with Chicago attorney Pamela
Leeming, with the Cook County state's attorney office,
serving as chairperson.
More than 1000 people attended this
extravaganza. The attendees included many local
dignitaries and the counsel generals including Hon.
Ashok Kumar Attri of India, and Hon. Dr. Aman Rashid of
Pakistan, and of many other Asian countries.
“The purpose of this celebration is to
showcase the culture, strength in diversity, and harmony
of Asian Americans of Chicago,” said Rajinder Singh Mago
of Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago, “no doubt it has
the undertones of political empowerment,” he added.
A record number of Asian American and
other candidates running for office this year on
February 5 primaries participated in the political forum
which preceded the main stage event, signaling the
group's draw as a valuable political constituency.
The candidates included Paul Chadha, a
Punjabi American, democrat, running for Illinois State
House of Representative from 26th. district. Paul Chadha
is an attorney at Accenture. He is formerly of the air
force, chairman of “Streetwise”, and board of La Rabida
Hospital. http://www.paulchadha.com/
According to the latest Census, the
Asian Pacific American population in Illinois numbers
approximately 3.4% of the statewide population. This
celebration is traditionally the single largest
organized annual event in Chicago's Asian American
community. http://www.pcschicago.org/aa/index.htm
www.AACChicago.org
“The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago
and Sikh American Heritage Organization officials have
consistently and proactively been involved in Asian
American Coalition of Chicago for the last two decades,
because we believe in it,” said Amarjit Kaur Atwal
president PCS.
Businessman Mr. Laxman Alreja received
the Indian American Community Service Award. Harleen
Kaur Saini received “Youth who Excels“ Award. Other
Community Service Awards and “Youth Who Excels” awards
were also given to representatives of various other
participating communities.
The opening ceremonies included a
procession and grand entrance of the Chicago TV
personalities who were co-presenters at the program. The
keynote address was given by the Hon. Anne M. Burke,
Illinois Supreme Chief Justice.
Isra J. Bhatty, 2008 Rhodes Scholar at
age 23, of Glenview , Illinois , was the next generation
Keynote Speaker.
Top dignitaries who attended include
Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn; Illinois Secretary of
State Jesse White, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky,
Illinois , and Mayor of Palatine Rita Mullins.
The Hon. Timothy C. Evans, Chief Judge,
Circuit Court of Cook County , Illinois , received the
Coalition's Grand Asian AWARD. Judge Evans was praised
for opening doors to minorities for appointment as
judges. This award is periodically presented to someone
of non-Asian descent, who has made significant
contributions to the Asian Pacific American community.
TV broadcaster Linda Yu presented the
prestigious Pan Asian American Ping Tom Memorial Award
to James Yumin Law, the Vice President of Planning and
External Affairs, Chicago Children’s Museum, and served
as longtime Executive Director of the City of Chicago
Mayor ’s Office of Special Events.
The cultural program included the
Dilshad Group, the Indonesian American Community,
Bhangra by UIC Bhangra team presented by the Punjabi
Cultural Society of Chicago, the KAPWA Dance Group of
Loyola University Chicago, and the Korean American
Community.
The Chicago celebrity TV personalities
co-presenters were: Rehan Aslam, FOX Chicago TV News,
Ravi Baichwal, ABC 7 News, Ellee Pai Hong, NBC 5 Chicago
News, Eric S. Horng, ABC News, Jan Jeffcoat, FOX Chicago
TV News, Nancy Loo, FOX Chicago TV News, Joanie Lum, CBS
2 Chicago News, Mai Martinez, CBS 2 Chicago News, Marc
Rita, Actor/Director/Producer, Judy Wang, CLTV News, and
Linda Yu, ABC 7 News
An event held on this grand of a scale
only once a year, Lunar New Year is traditionally the
single largest organized annual event in Chicago ’s
Asian American community.
The following twelve people received the
2008 Community Service Award:
Laxman Alreja, President and Chief
Executive Officer, AAA Galvanizing Industries, Inc.
(Joliet, Illinois), Member, Hindu Temple (Lemont,
Illinois) and Aryasamaj (Chicago, Illinois); Indian
American Community, Sharmeen Younus, Pakistani American
Community, Mahabubul Kabir, Bangladeshi American
Community, Sharda J. Thapa, Nepalese American Community,
Ruth Kung, Chinese American Community, Ernie J. Lapid,
CPA; Filipino American Community, Kus Folkers,
Indonesian American Community Awardee, Jean Mishima,
Japanese American Community, Dr. Issac I. Suh, Korean
American Community, Dr. Kim K. Tee, Malaysian American
Community, Poxie Xumsai, Thai American Community, and
Hai Giap, Vietnamese American Community.
The following received the 2008 YOUTH
WHO EXCELS AWARD:
Harleen Kaur Saini, High School Senior,
Palatine High School (Palatine, Illinois), Indian
American Community, Aruj S. Chaudhry, Pakistani American
Community, Syeda Shammun Kader, Bangladeshi American
Community, Angela Weng, Chinese American Community,
Jonathan Martin Chua, Filipino American Community, Ari
Wijanarko Adipratomo, Indonesian American Community,
Laura Yamasaki, Japanese American Community, Grace J.
Kim, Korean American Community, Tanya Pardungkiattisak ,
Thai American Community, and Thuy Ai, Vietnamese
American Community.
The gavel was passed on to the next
year’s host Korean American community, accepted by the
president of Korean American Association.
The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago
is a not-for-profit community organization devoted to
promoting education, good citizenship, Punjabi culture,
language, performing arts, healthy life style, and
sports in the metropolitan Chicago area.
Other P.C.S. programs include: “Rangla
Punjab 2008,” scheduled for April 12, at Gateway Theater
in Chicago and “Punjabi Sports Festival 2008,” planned
for the summer of 2008. Scholarships for Punjabi youth
will be awarded at the “Graduation Night 2008” in June ,
2008., and 7th Annual PCS Chicago International Bhangra
and Gidha Competition in late fall 2008.
Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago ,
P.O. Box 1244, Palatine , IL 60078
Ph: 847-359-5727, Fax: 847-359-1107, PCS website
http://www.pcschicago.org/
Korean Asian American Banquet (KASCC)
In an effort to outreach to other Asian American
communities, PCS officials attend Korean American
Sports Council Chicago chapter dinner banquet along
with other Asian American leaders of Chicago and the
Secretary of State of Illinois Hon. Jesse White.
