Asian Heritage Month to help immigrants trace their roots

San Franciscans have kicked off the new month in style, with US President Barack Obama lauding the country's Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Mayor Ed Lee praising the city's Asian leaders during an opening ceremony to celebrate the communities' contributions to the city.

"As we recognize Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders who are fulfilling that promise in every corner of our country, let us recommit to giving our children and grandchildren the same opportunity in the years ahead," Obama said in a statement on Wednesday.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and the 70th anniversary of the repeal of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, both "milestones that helped mend deep wounds of systemic discrimination", Obama said.

Lee praised the accomplishments of Asian organizations as achievements that have helped make San Francisco stronger and more successful.

In 1978, then-US president Jimmy Carter approved a joint resolution passed by the US Congress to commemorate the contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the US.

The annual observation of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month began in 2005.

During this month's celebrations, San Franciscans can catch various Asian art performances and visit exhibitions offering Asian cuisine throughout the city.

Claudine Cheng, founder and president of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Foundation, said the city's celebration has been growing in popularity.

"Now the celebration is in its ninth year in San Francisco. Every year we do this celebration, we have attracted a lot more people. There is more awareness," she said.

"This year we are honoring achievements in the performing arts. It's a very unique area because Asians are normally not known for the performing-arts area."

Cheng said the foundation wants to raise awareness of the many talented Asian-Americans in the performing arts.

"We focused not just on the performing arts, but how the performing arts can benefit the community," she said.

This year there are three award categories for outstanding Asian-American artists and organizations: inspirational leadership, lifetime achievement, and community impact. The finalists will perform at the newly opened San Francisco Jazz Center on May 6.

Jon Jang, a pianist and composer and one of the finalists for this year's heritage awards for lifetime achievement, will perform at the Jazz Center on Sunday. He said he was invited by the Obama administration to perform for the White House Forum on Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage in Washington on May 9.

"The piece that I'm going to perform on both events will honor the Chinese immigrant experience in the US, especially from my grandparents' generation," Jang said.

He said his performance is also dedicated to the Boston bombing victims, including a Chinese graduate student, who was killed in the blasts. Jang said the 23-year-old victim was nearly the same age as his daughter.

Born in the US, Jang considers himself a San Francisco native, but he and China are still inextricably linked.

"There is a whole history of struggle within my family from the Chinese immigrant experience and my being an American-born Chinese. The Chinese immigrant experience in the US can help contribute to advance an American transformation," he said.

Xue Haipei, president of the National Council of Chinese Americans, said President Obama's mentioning of the Chinese Exclusion Act is important because it is a direct response to a recent online petition from Chinese-Americans requesting an apology from the US government.

He said as US legislators, both federal and state, discuss immigration reform, Obama's commitment to make the US "a magnet for the best and brightest from all around the world, including Asia and the Pacific" is very important.

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(China Daily 05/03/2013 page10)