MAYOR WALSH, BOSTON EMS GRADUATE ACADEMY CLASS OF 19 EMTS

MAYOR WALSH, BOSTON EMS GRADUATE ACADEMY CLASS OF 19 EMTS

BOSTON - Monday, January 14, 2019 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh together with Boston EMS today celebrated the graduation of 19 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) recruits in a graduation ceremony at Faneuil Hall held before family, friends and colleagues. Among those addressing the graduates were Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) Executive Director Monica Valdes Lupi, JD, MPH, and Boston EMS Chief Jim Hooley. This graduating class will be assigned to 9-1-1 ambulances, strengthening the city's emergency medical services (EMS).   In his FY19 budget, Mayor Walsh prioritized funding for 20 additional EMTs, increasing the number of budgeted full-time EMS providers from 375 to 395 for the City of Boston. The increased number of EMTs will allow for two more frontline ambulances to be staffed, included a second one in East Boston. "Becoming an EMT is more than a career -- it's a noble commitment to serve our community, and I want to congratulate all of today's graduates on joining the ranks of a proud and historic first responder family," said Mayor Walsh. "Our EMTs and paramedics are saviors on some of the worst days of people's lives, and also make possible some of our city's best days and most beloved traditions, from First Night to Marathon Monday. I'm incredibly proud to welcome this new class of recruits and thank them for their service to our City." The graduation ceremony formally acknowledges 19 recruits' successful completion of a rigorous EMT post-hire training program. The recruits, already state-certified EMTs prior to hire, completed an additional 27 weeks of classroom and field training, to better prepare them to work as EMTs in Boston. Recruits were trained in a variety of emergency situations, including life-threatening emergencies, transportation accidents, recovery services, hazardous materials exposure, human trafficking cases and mass casualty incidents. "It is with deep admiration and respect that we welcome our new EMT graduates to the EMS community," said Chief of Health and Human Services Marty Martinez. "Each of these new recruits are answering one of the highest calls to public service so anyone in Boston can receive the quality care in their time of most need. I congratulate this new class of recruits and I thank them for their service to the City of Boston." This recruit class responded to nearly 3,000 9-1-1 calls during their training including emergency incidents related to illnesses, injuries, cardiac incidents, motor vehicle accidents, childbirths, shootings, stabbings, overdoses and more. With guidance from seasoned EMT field training officers, recruits are not only prepared to care for patients, regardless of the circumstance, they also now understand the level of care, clinical excellence and professionalism expected of Boston EMS EMTs. "Congratulations to these new recruits for completing this rigorous training and joining our exemplary EMT core. The city faces unique challenges today and we are grateful to have these brave individuals choose to serve our Boston with the highest level of care and professionalism," said Monica Valdes Lupi, Executive Director of BPHC. As one of the busiest municipal EMS providers in New England, Boston EMS responds to over 125,000 emergency medical incidents per year. As a bureau of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Boston EMS is committed to serving Boston's residents through clinical excellence, emergency planning and preparedness, and community outreach. Chief of Department, Jim Hooley stated, "Boston EMS sees great value in investing in education and professional development for our newly hired EMTs. Completion of academy is only the beginning. As a career EMS clinician, we must continue to learn and evolve along with the field of emergency medical services."   Building on Mayor Walsh's investments in Boston EMS, the FY19 budget includes the replacement of eight ambulances to support EMTs. This commitment by Mayor Walsh will help ensure a high-level of service for all neighborhoods, and aims to have ambulances arrive on scene for Priority 1 calls within six minutes of the initial call. Additionally, the Mayor in FY18 launched the Boston EMS Community Assistance Team that use data to change the way EMTs are deployed to areas including the Boston Common and Recovery Road, improving patient outcomes and ambulance utilization. In its first year alone, the Community Assistance Teams have freed up more ambulances, and resulted in more than 400 referrals to shelters and recovery services.

Governor Baker Appoints Warren Fields to Massport Board

Governor Baker Appoints Warren Fields to Massport Board

BOSTON –  Governor Charlie Baker appointed Warren Fields, Chief Investment Officer and founding partner of the Pyramid Hotel Group to the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Board of Directors. Fields brings over two decades of experience in hospitality, business development, acquisitions and operations.

“Warren Fields’ decades of experience in operations, development and asset management will serve the Massport Board of Directors well in implementing Massport’s strategic goals and governance,” said Governor Baker. “We are grateful to Duane Jackson for his leadership and guidance on the Board, especially across the seafood industry and through his work with diversity and inclusion. We thank him for his public service and wish him well.”

“We are pleased to appoint Warren Fields to the Massport Board of Directors where he will play an instrumental role in guiding the operations and direction of Massport,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Duane Jackson has been an asset to the Board and we are appreciative of the expertise and experience he brought to the job.”

“I would like to thank Duane Jackson for his years of service and welcome Warren Fields to the Board,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “Warren Fields has a record of leadership and experience in financial management and the hospitality industry and his expertise will be beneficial as the Massport Board makes decisions impacting the airports, real estate and the Authority’s marine interests.”

Fields’ appointment comes as L. Duane Jackson, Managing Member of Alinea Capital Partners, fulfills his seven-year term on the Board, most recently serving as Vice-Chair and Chairman of the Real Estate and Strategic Initiatives committee for the past four years. He supported the Authority’s maritime mission, particularly in regard to advancing the seafood cluster industry in South Boston and preserving those jobs for the local workforce and helped to define Massport’s diversity and inclusion initiative, which made diversity and inclusion an equally weighted criteria in development projects.

“Duane has been a passionate member on the Massport Board, and his expertise in various areas has helped shape the Authority’s strategic plan,” said Acting Massport CEO John Pranckevicius. “His experience as both an architect and a developer has provided Massport with a unique set of skills to guide its real estate and asset management program. Additionally, he has been a true champion for the investment and revitalization of the working Port of Boston, and helping Massport to create a vision for Logan Airport.”

The Massachusetts Port Authority Board is a seven-member group that oversees Massport, a financially independent authority which owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, the public container and cruise terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field, Worcester Regional Airport as well as real estate holdings and public parks in South Boston and East Boston. Board members are not paid for their service. Other Board members include Board Chair Worcester Sheriff Lew Evangelidis, Patricia Jacobs, John Nucci, Sean O’Brien, Laura Sen and Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack.

About Warren Q. Fields:

Warren Fields currently serves as Chief Investment Officer of Pyramid Advisors, LLC. Fields began his career Beacon Hotel Corporation, rising to become Vice President of development for Guest Quarters Hotels from 1994 to 1997 and later, Doubletree Hotels. In 1999, Fields formed Pyramid Hotel Group. As Chief Investment Officer and Founding Partner of Pyramid, Fields has overseen the growth of Pyramid’s portfolio of over 70 hotels through development, acquisitions, third-party management and asset management for over 11 years. Fields earned his BS from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in 1985.

About L. Duane Jackson:

L. Duane Jackson is currently a Managing Member of Alinea Capital Partners, LLC, a real estate development and investment company specializing in urban and emerging markets in the Northeast. Jackson is the former Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Migliassi/Jackson & Associates, Inc., an architectural firm specializing in new construction and rehabilitation of residential, commercial, institutional and infrastructure projects. There, Jackson was involved in the design and construction of over $800 million in affordable, therapeutic, special needs and equity housing throughout Boston and Massachusetts. Jackson has diverse experience in community based initiatives and has represented numerous tenant groups, providing technical advice for over 1,500 public housing and affordable units in the City of Boston. Jackson was a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and is a founding board member of the Mass Mentoring Partnership a statewide organization providing research, technical and financial assistance, policy and political advocacy for organizations which promote youth mentoring. He is a graduate of Hampton Institute and earned his Master of City Planning and Master of Architecture from MIT.

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR AWARDS TO FUND HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT FOR LIFE FAIRS

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR AWARDS TO FUND HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT FOR LIFE FAIRS

BOSTON – Today, the Massachusetts Division of Banks, in partnership with the State Treasurer’s Office, announced applications are now being accepted for the Financial Education Innovation Fund to support high school Credit for Life Fairs for the 2018 – 2019 academic year. Schools must submit a completed application to the Office of the State Treasurer by February 8, 2019 to be considered for awards of up to $5,000. Award recipients will be notified on March 5, 2019.

Massachusetts public and charter high schools and Chapter 766 Special Education Schools are eligible to apply for the Innovation Fund Award. Funding for joint Credit for Life Fairs, including more than one school, may qualify for grants in excess of $5,000.

“I have seen firsthand the impact these fairs have on high school students across the Commonwealth,” said Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. “I encourage every school to submit an application to bring invaluable financial education and money management training to students as they move into the next stage of life.”

Credit for Life Fairs teach real-world financial skills to students that they can apply throughout their lifetimes,” said John Chapman, Undersecretary for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the agency that oversees the Division of Banks. “The Division of Banks has again made a commitment to provide the necessary funding for this important program to ensure that young people develop the money management skills they need to succeed early in life.”

“The Division of Banks is happy to continue to fund grants in support of high school ‘Credit for Life’ fairs,” said Merrily Gerrish, Acting Commissioner of Banks.  “It is important to start financial education at a young age, and this funding will help students gain the know-how to make sound financial decisions when entering college or beginning their careers.”

Since the program’s inception in 2015, the grants have been funded through a Division of Banks’ settlement over alleged unlawful lending practices. This is the sixth installment of the Innovation Fund program. Over 30,000 students across the Commonwealth have participated in a Credit for Life Fair.

Credit for Life Fairs are designed to be an innovative way for students to learn about making real world decisions when it comes to saving, spending, and budgeting their money based on a range of career choices and lifestyle decisions.

The application for the Innovation Fund initiative is available on the State Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment website atwww.mass.gov/treasury/innovationfund.

波士頓亞裔房東會今(12)日下午有講座

波士頓亞裔房東會講座 1/12

http://midtwn.com/events/jan-12-2019-seminar/

Seminar date:  Jan 12, 2019

LOCATION: MIT Tang Center, Building E51, Room 315

70 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142

We are happy to announce that BALA seminar will start to use Zoom Meetings to simulcast our entire event so people can have another option to attend our seminar via online, Zoom meeting will have 2 sessions, 3:30 PM -
5:30 PM for Wealth Seminar and 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM for BALA Landlord Session,  We want to invite you to go to the link below, create a Zoom account  and join our seminar then. See you there!
3:30PM - 5:30PM Wealth Seminar Zoom Meeting Link:  https://zoom.us/j/323646273
7:00PM - 9:30PM BALA Landlord Session Zoom Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/454587317

Admission: Free

Note: Entrance is at the back of the building by the parking lot. If the doors are locked, please call Jason Pan at 617-834-4071 or Leo at 603-439-1239 to gain access into the building.

（3:30PM-5:30PM）Chinese Session 中文講座 - 財富知識與房產講座

 “How Does Life Insurance Complement Real Estate Investment” -“人生保險和房地產投資怎樣相得益彰" - Bright Li 李光华, 財務财务顧问 and Jason Pan潘樹仁,中城地產

 (5:30PM-7:00 PM) Social Networking 

 (7:00PM-9:30 PM) English Session 英文講座

1.     講座話題 Seminar Topic :      “How TCJA (Tax Cut and Job Act) will affect your family and business” –  Tina Yang – Tina Yang CPA, Inc.
2.  案例分析 Case Study

3. 房東討論 Landlord Discusstion

(If you have announcement to make at the seminar or to share your story in the Landlord Discussion Session, please do not hesitate to let me know.)

We thank MIT Sloan Asia Business Club for hosting the seminars and KanZhongGuo New England’s media promotion. We also thank the news coverage by Sing Tao Daily, World Journal, China Press Weekly, The Epoch Times, Boston Chinese News,  DuoWei Times, Asian American News Letter, and sinovision.net 美國中文電視團. )

Thank you to NorthMarq Capital and East Boston Savings Bank as our Sponsors.

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR TREASURER GOLDBERG’S WOMEN IN FINANCE FELLOWSHIP

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR TREASURER GOLDBERG’S WOMEN IN FINANCE FELLOWSHIP

BOSTON –The State Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment, in a public-private partnership with the Greater Boston offices of Ernst & Young LLP (EY), is accepting applications for the 2019 Women in Finance Fellowship program. In its fourth year, the initiative places Massachusetts’ female-identifying undergraduate students into financial departments within the Massachusetts State Treasury. Additionally, Fellows are paired with a female EY professional acting as a “private sector advisor.”

“Women are still underrepresented in many higher paying fields, including the financial services sector,” said Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. “I am proud to create opportunities that will boost the confidence and skills of young women in Massachusetts who are forging a path in finance.”

The Women in Finance Fellowship seeks to identify and foster female talent for the financial services industry, build a network and pipeline for women in finance, and advocate for the placement of women in leadership roles. The Fellowship will help recruit, retain, and foster female talent, and promote awareness of the benefits of hiring women at all levels of management.

“We are honored to once again participate in a program that empowers our women professionals to pay it forward and show support of the advancement of the next generation of women leaders within the industry,” said Jane Steinmetz, EY Boston Office Managing Principal.

The deadline to apply is February 15, 2019. The program launches in June and will conclude on July 31^st. For more information about the Women in Finance Fellowship or to apply, visit http://www.mass.gov/treasury/empowerment/fellowship/.

AG HEALEY ANNOUNCES LANDMARK SETTLEMENTS WITH FIAT CHRYSLER AND BOSCH FOR CHEATING EMISSIONS TESTS

AG HEALEY ANNOUNCES LANDMARK SETTLEMENTS WITH FIAT CHRYSLER AND BOSCH FOR CHEATING EMISSIONS TESTS

Massachusetts and New York Led Coalition Secures More Than $171 Million for States

            BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey today announced that Fiat Chrysler, its Italian and American subsidiaries, and Bosch, a global auto supplier, have agreed to pay more than $171 million to states in connection with their roles in developing and installing software in vehicles to cheat diesel emissions tests. Massachusetts is slated to receive approximately $5.6 million as part of the settlements. 

The proposed consent judgment with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., its U.S. subsidiary FCA US, LLC, its Italian affiliate V.M. Motori S.p.A. and V.M. North America, Inc. (Fiat Chrysler), resolves a lawsuit that alleges Fiat Chrysler violated consumer protection and environmental laws by installing illegal “defeat device” software and undisclosed Auxiliary Emissions Control Devices in 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 diesel vehicles it marketed, leased and sold nationwide, including approximately 1,000 in Massachusetts.

The proposed consent judgment with Robert Bosch GmbH and Robert Bosch LLC (Bosch), a major supplier in the global automotive industry, resolves a lawsuit that alleges Bosch violated state laws when it helped its clients – Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler – program Bosch-supplied engine control software to cheat on federal and state emissions tests. Both settlements were filed today in Suffolk Superior Court and are subject to court approval.

            “Fiat Chrysler and Bosch worked together to falsify environmental tests and trick Massachusetts drivers into buying dirty cars that pollute our air,” AG Healey said. “We will continue to work with our partners to pursue auto industry companies that pollute the environment and lie to consumers.”

The settlements announced today follow earlier settlements reached between Massachusetts and other state, federal and private parties and Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche for equipping, marketing, selling and leasing more than 570,000 diesel vehicles with illegal defeat devices. Under those settlements, Volkswagen paid Massachusetts more than $40 million in civil penalties, fixed or repurchased the affected vehicles, paid tens of millions of dollars in restitution to Massachusetts consumers, and funded a national trust providing $75 million in funding for emission reduction projects in the state. The company is also making a $2 billion nationwide investment in electric vehicles.

“The actions of Fiat Chrysler and Bosch caused excess emissions to pollute the air across the Commonwealth,” said Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. “This new settlement requires the companies to pay a significant penalty, compensate eligible owners and supply replacement equipment to help mitigate further air pollution.”

Fiat Chrysler

The lawsuit – the result of a nearly two-year investigation by the multistate coalition – alleges that Fiat Chrysler cheated emissions tests by calibrating the software in their “Eco-Diesel”-branded Jeep SUVs and Ram 1500 trucks to pass the emissions test, while allowing the vehicles to emit illegally high levels of harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) in real-world driving. Fiat Chrysler further misled consumers by falsely claiming these vehicles were environmentally friendly and compliant with laws in all 50 states. 

Today’s settlement requires Fiat Chrysler to pay Massachusetts more than $1.89 million, including $1 million in penalties for the alleged violations of state consumer protection and environmental laws and additional funds to help mitigate the air pollution harm caused by the alleged misconduct in the state. Nationwide, excluding the separate penalties the company will be required to pay to the federal government and California under related settlements, the multistate agreement reached by the coalition of attorneys general is expected to result in payments of $72.5 million to 49 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and Guam.

The Massachusetts settlement also prohibits Fiat Chrysler from engaging in future unfair or deceptive conduct in connection with its dealings with consumers, and it requires the automaker to carry out its obligations under a series of related settlement agreements pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (the Multidistrict Litigation Settlements) with a national class of affected consumers, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of California on behalf of the California Air Resources Board. Once approved, the Multidistrict Litigation Settlements will require Fiat Chrysler to eliminate the defeat device software through a software fix, provide eligible owners and lessees extended warranties, and, together with Bosch, pay eligible owners and lessees average restitution of up approximately $2,908 and $990, respectively. They also require Fiat Chrysler to supply 200,000 upgraded, replacement catalytic converters to vehicle owners to help mitigate air pollution across the country. 

Bosch

            The AG’s complaint against Bosch alleges the auto supplier knowingly facilitated the implementation of the defeat device software in more than 600,000 Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler vehicles over a period that spanned more than a decade. Despite concerns raised within the company’s own internal management and to Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler, Bosch allegedly supplied Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler with the electronic diesel control units that controlled the vehicles’ emissions functions and assisted the automakers in their implementation of the cheating software and their concealment of it from regulators and the public. 

Under the terms of Massachusetts’ proposed consent judgment with Bosch, the auto supplier will pay the state more than $3.66 million in consumer and environmental civil penalties and to cover the cost of investigation. The agreement also includes precedent-setting terms that require Bosch to monitor compliance and to refuse to accommodate requests for software development and programming that could result in the installation of defeat device software.

Under a multistate agreement involving Massachusetts and 49 other jurisdictions – including Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam and all other states except for California, Texas, and West Virginia – Bosch will pay a total of $98.7 million for the consumer protection and environmental law violations and make a separate $5 million payment to the National Association of Attorneys General for training and future enforcement purposes. Under the related settlement in the Multidistrict Litigation, Bosch will pay $27.5 million to consumers who purchased or leased the affected Fiat Chrysler vehicles. Bosch earlier paid more than $275 million to consumers who purchased or leased the affected Volkswagen vehicles. 

These matters were handled by Gillian Feiner, Chief of AG Healey’s False Claims Division, Assistant Attorney General Lisa Dyen of AG Healey’s Consumer Protection Division, and Assistant Attorney General Tracy Triplett and Special Assistant Attorney General Nora Chorover of AG Healey’s Environmental Protection Division, and with assistance from Christophe Courchesne, Chief of AG Healey’s Environmental Protection Division. At the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Chief Bureau Counsel Laurel Mackay made important contributions to the case.

麻州亞美局六新委員宣誓就任 懸缺3席

麻州亞美局宣誓就任議員和亞裔州議員，州政府內閣首長合影。(周菊子攝)

麻州財政廳廳長高伯珂主持麻州亞美局委員宣誓儀式。
(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 麻州亞美局(Asian American Commission)昨(9)日下午在麻州財政廳廳長高伯珂(Deb Goldberg)主持下，有六名新委員宣誓就任。21個委員席位中，目前仍有3席懸缺。

             麻州亞美局是2006年10月經由麻州議會立法通過的州政府組織，共有21名委員席位，分別由州長，州務卿，總檢察官，財政廳廳，稽核長，參議會議長，眾議會議長等7名州政府首長各指派3名，每人任期3年，可連任一次。

麻州亞美局行政主任蔣如婷(右起)在麻州財政廳長高伯珂
，稽核長邦普注視中說明委員宣誓儀式概況。(周菊子攝)

             在麻州政府修訂法案後，麻州亞美局現在每年可從州政府預算中獲得年度撥款，去年並提高為八萬元。麻州亞美局每年舉辦的民權論壇，青年領袖會議，醫療保健會議等活動，經費來自各界贊助。
                由於最初設立時借用麻州財政廳辦公室開會，麻州亞美局委員的宣誓就任，傳統上也一直由財政廳長主持。

               根據麻州亞美局提供的資料，任期屆滿今年離任的委員有5人，分別為總檢察官指派的周樹昂，財政廳長指派的Elisa Choi，州務卿指派的何遠光，梁永基，稽核長指派的John Naranja。

四名麻州亞裔眾議員陳德基(右起)，阮嬋(Tram Nguyen)，
Marie Robinson，黃子安聯袂出席宣誓。陳德基和黃子安
都曾擔任麻州亞美局委員。(周菊子攝)

             昨日宣誓就任的六名委員，有人連任，有人新任，分別是州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)指派，住在Bedford，連任的Equiserve合夥人暨尼泊爾榮譽代表Pralhad KC；總檢察官奚莉(Maura Healey)指派，住在摩頓市的新英格蘭非營利職業機構(INP)副主任Nate Bae Kupel；財政廳廳長高伯珂指派，住在Amherst，今年連任的Amherst學校委員會委員Vira Douangmany Cage；稽核長邦普(Suzanne Bump)指派，住在Tyngsborough，開設Kravant精品店的前任AAC行政主任Bora Chiemruom；參議會議長Karen Spika指派，住在Hopkinton，擔任該鎮學校委員會副主席的Meena Bharath；眾議會議長Robert DeLeo指派，住在Revere的Dimple Rana。

             麻州亞美局經過這次的輪替汰換後，仍有7名華裔委員，包括今年出任財政，開辦經營電腦相關企業的劉宗聖，華美福利會行政主任陳美霞，麻州大學羅爾分校心理學副教授Ivy Ho，自己開業的臨床，以及警察，公共安全心理學家Mabel Lam，律師李金玉(Mary K. Y. Lee)，昆士市議員梁秀廷，道富集團助理副總裁暨助理律師。

左起，麻州財政廳廳長高伯珂，稽核長邦普，參議會議長
Karen Spika 等三人，象徵了麻州政府內的女性力量。
(周菊子攝)

             目前，麻州亞美局網站上只列出18名委員，麻州州務卿有權指派的3個席位，暫時從缺。

             麻州亞美局去年12月13日已在網上公佈，徵聘兩名兼職項目聯絡員，一人駐守麻州西部，一人駐守波士頓，目前還在審閱申請文件階段。 

                查詢麻州亞美局詳情，可洽該局行政主任蔣如婷，jenny.chiang@aacommission.org，或上網www.aacommission.org。

麻州亞美局本屆副主席為Kimberly Truong(右)，財政為
劉宗聖(左)。(周菊子攝)

麻州國際貿易發展署助理署長范文南(Nam Pham)也出席
道賀。(周菊子攝)

A record of 20 Asian federal legislators swearing in

CAPAC Chairwoman Chu Remarks at Inaugural CAPAC Swearing-In Ceremony for the 116^th Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On January 8, 2019, the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) held an inaugural swearing-in ceremony for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Members of the 116^thCongress, which includes a record 20 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Members of Congress. Below is a transcript of CAPAC Chairwoman Judy Chu’s remarks:

“Thank you all so much for coming to this inaugural swearing-in ceremony. I have looked for many years at the swearing-in ceremony for the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and always dreamed of having a similar ceremony for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. And now, thanks to the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) and their hard work, this is finally a reality. Can we thank Madalene Mielke and her entire team for making this such a success? And to be sworn in by Judge Sri Srinivasan is especially a huge honor. In fact, we in CAPAC advocated for his judicial nomination, and he went on to become the first Asian American appointed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Let’s give him another round of applause.

“This incredible event, the first of its kind in history, comes at a very special time for both CAPAC and APAICS as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of both of our organizations by Secretary Norman Mineta in 1994. It also comes at a turning point in history with the most diverse Congress ever elected! We had the only woman Speaker of the United States – the incredible Nancy Pelosi – sworn in. And this is a historic moment for the Asian Pacific Islander community because now we have the highest number of Asian Pacific Islanders in Congress. We have 20 Members of Congress that are AAPI.

“In the Senate, we have three Asian Pacific Islander women – Mazie Hirono, Tammy Duckworth, and Kamala Harris. And in the House, we have made some great strides in leadership positions. Just recently, one of our members was elected as Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, Congressmember Ted Lieu from California.

“We are now the chairs of some very important committees. How about the Chair of the Committee on Education and Labor: Congressmember Bobby Scott from Virginia. And the Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee is our very own Congressmember Mark Takano from California. We also have Asian Pacific Islander Members who are chairing prominent caucuses in Congress. She just got elected as Co-Chair of Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressmember Pramila Jayapal from Washington. And doing double duty, Co-Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, Mark Takano from California. 

“I’m so excited because we also have new Asian Pacific Islander Members –  the ones who brought us to this historic high of 20 – and I am in awe of the experience they bring. This young man is the son of Korean American immigrant parents, and after nearly 20 years of not having any Korean American in Congress, he got elected: Andy Kim of New Jersey! This incredible man has a Filipino mother and a Chinese American father, and he pulled off one of the most astonishing wins in California: TJ Cox from California. This incredible delegate from Guam is the youngest person to ever represent Guam in Congress and has an incredible family that’s very involved in politics there. We know he will be a strong voice for the AAPI community and Pacific Island territories: Michael San Nicolas.

“I am proud that we have so many members of CAPAC. They have large AAPI populations in their districts and also happen to be great leaders in Congress. One of them is just so special because she has been an Executive Board member for the longest time, but now she’s also a member of House leadership as a Co-Chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee: Congressmember Barbara Lee from California!

“When CAPAC was first founded 25 years ago, there were only a handful of AAPI Members of Congress. In fact, Norman Mineta often jokes that there were so few of them that they could hold their caucus meetings in a phone booth. Well today, not only do we have 20 AAPI Members of Congress, we have our Associate Members. And with both of them together, we have over 60 Members in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

“These historic achievements are what we are here to celebrate tonight. We’ve had so many trailblazers. Patsy Mink changed history by championing Title IX, which promotes equal opportunity and prohibits sex discrimination in education. Bob Matsui, Spark Matsunaga, Norm Mineta, and Daniel Inouye passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which granted reparations to Japanese Americans who were wrongfully incarcerated during World War II. Robert Underwood championed the creation of the AANAPISI Program to increase opportunities for AAPIs in higher education. These individuals used their power to create a better, more inclusive America than the one they grew up in. They showed so much courage and refused to let hate and injustice triumph over progress. And it’s that powerful history of strength and resilience that we must remember today. 

“Because today, we have a President who cares more about sowing division and fueling hate than bringing our country together. Who is intent on prolonging a wasteful government shutdown. Who wants to ban all Muslims, gut our family immigration system, and deport undocumented youth who were brought to this country as children. And that’s why CAPAC has been at the forefront of fighting to keep immigrant families together; speaking out against the Muslim ban; helping to ensure that minority-owned businesses have access to capital; and working to address health and educational disparities in our communities.

“Because of CAPAC, we have been able to award Japanese American, Filipino American, and Chinse American World War II veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal, our nation’s highest civilian honor. Because of CAPAC, we have been able to fight to preserve our family-based immigration system and push back against ugly attempts to label it as ‘chain migration.’ Because of CAPAC, we have been able to hold both corporate America and Hollywood accountable in prioritizing greater diversity and inclusion efforts. And because of CAPAC, we have been able to push for greater data disaggregation and language access for our diverse communities.

“As we celebrate the tremendous growth of our AAPI representation in Congress and the progress we have made, let us also recommit ourselves to tackling the challenges ahead and bridging the current state of division in our country.

“CAPAC in the 116th Congress will fight to eradicate hate and continue to speak out against injustice wherever it occurs. We will not tolerate the dehumanization of immigrants, religious minorities, and people of color. Instead of building walls, we will build bridges and we will make sure we do not lose ground on the hard-fought progress we have made. 

“You can count on us to be a strong voice for the AAPI community in Congress and in this country as we work together to build a brighter future for all Americans. Thank you all very much!”

紐英崙養生舞協會慶八週年 扇棍齊舞獻唱感恩歌

紐英崙養生舞協會學員們齊舞扇。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)紐英崙養生舞協會昨(9)日中午在帝苑大酒樓慶祝成立八週年，近百名學員，嘉賓齊跳扇舞，耍長棍，抽大獎，唱感恩歌，歡聚一午。

紐英崙養生舞協會慶八週年合影。(周菊子攝)

             今年的慶祝會頗為特別，既切蛋糕慶祝，還有學員送鼓棒，司儀唸詩，好友題字，辭世學員遺愛贈捐寫有會名的橫幅等環節。

             紐英崙養生舞協會創辦人周美桃表示，義務創辦該會，旨在協助社區大眾促進身體健康，提高道德修養，開心度日。她提前祝福學員們豬年行大運，盆滿缽滿。

紐英崙養生舞協會慶八週年。周美桃(右三)請經文處處長
徐佑典(中)切蛋糕。(周菊子攝)

             周美桃也特地感謝歐宏偉主任協助。她透露，二年前她在網路上看到一位台灣老師鼓打得很好，經歐主任協助，覓得真人，此後每年到台灣訪問，專程學習。

中華書法會會長林卓培(中)送上鑲框題字給周美桃(左)，
周麗桃(右)兩姊妹。(周菊子攝)

             八年前，從周美桃創辦該會起，就一直跟著練的李雪英，這天和夫婿兆金龍跌打師傅李兆初一起，送周美桃一對蕃石榴樹枝做成的打鼓棒。她透露，聽人說蕃石榴樹枝做的打鼓棒，效果好，卻遍尋不獲。回中國老家探親時，沒想到家門前就是番石榴樹。不過兆金龍師傅花了兩年時間打磨，她又親手縫製了裝打鼓棍的絲袋後，這才拿出來送老師。

             李雪英指出，這八年來，周美桃不斷進修，從健身舞蹈，武術功夫到棍棒大鼓，學後和養生舞會員們分享，不斷給人新鮮的健身環境，吸引了越來越多學員陸續加入。

黃偉儒(右)代表辭世愛妻林杏蓉送給養生舞協會一塊
橫幅，由會長周美桃(左)代表接受。(周菊子攝)

             養生舞協會的另一學員，高齡84的林杏蓉，一向是協會忠實支持者，不料一個月前因併發症辭世。她的先生黃偉儒昨日代表林杏蓉，把寫有會名的一橫幅布條，送給協會，聊以留愛在人間。

             中華書法會會長林卓培為表賀忱，特地題字，以”武舞精湛，教導有方”等詞句，描繪周美桃老師形象。

紐英崙養生舞協會學員們齊舉新會名橫幅合影。
(周菊子攝)

             昨日的嘉賓包括駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長徐佑典，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉，波士頓市長的亞裔聯絡員徐丹晨，波士頓市第二區市議員愛德華費林(Ed Flynn)的助理盧善柔，全美台聯會前會長馬滌凡， 聖沾士教堂牧師張春洋等人。

兆金龍跌打師傅李兆初(左起)和李雪英一起，把番石榴
樹枝打磨的鼓棒，送給周美桃。(周菊子攝)

             波士頓經文處長徐佑典上任未滿一年，這還是第一次出席養生舞協會的年度慶祝，致詞時特地指出，學員們個個精神抖擻，笑容滿面，就讓人感到未來一年充滿希望。他指出，做為駐外人員，他和同仁們也都希望自己的父母有如一眾養生舞學員們那麼的健康，神采奕奕。

               歐宏偉主任以廣東話致詞，代表僑委會委員長吳新興拜年，祝福養生舞學員們新年快樂，心想事成。

周美桃(右)拿到李雪英(左)送的鼓棒，高興得比劃。
(周菊子攝)

         徐丹晨稱許養生會為華埠社區增添活力，更加精采。她代表波士頓市長祝養生會眾人新年快樂，也希望大家有什麼需要，都可和市長辦公室聯絡。
                         慶祝會司儀陳建立也寫了首詩，”八年歡慶共苦辛，同行同伴習養生，學海無涯勤補拙，師徒情重要珍惜，有幸來到紐英崙，美桃偉輝一家親，波城僑社開新運，駿馬周馳共感恩”。

紐英崙養生舞協會學員們表演善舞。(周菊子攝)

        

紐英崙養生舞協會學員們示範貴棒。(周菊子攝)

左起，周麗桃，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉，周美桃，
波士頓市長亞裔聯絡員徐丹晨合影。(周菊子攝)

紐英崙養生舞協會學員及嘉賓舞扇。(周菊子攝)