my asian pacific american heritage awards belong to you

(((Updated May 18th : Here’s a pic of me and Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias from the Asian Pacific American Heritage month celebration at Sunda last night.  I also just found out I am receiving the Illinois Secretary of State’s Asian Pacific American Business Leadership award tomorrow at noon at the James R. Thompson Center on Randolph if you want to check it out!)))

Equally exciting, this upcoming week I am being awarded Fil-Am TV Asian American Hall of Fame Award, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ Asian Pacific American Entrepreneur Award & the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Asian Pacific American Community Leadership Award!

First of all, in case confused about the connection, my mom is from the Philippine islands and I still have family there, I have traveled asia & the pacific islands extensively throughout my entire lifetime, and the month of may is very exciting for my family & community as it is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month- a celebration of Asian & Pacific Islander accomplishments and contributions in the United States!  Secondly, I am as shocked as you are, and am completely humbled & honored, and thank all of you for supporting me, my family and my rockitranch / sunda team, as you are very much a part of why all of this is so special.

I may have a very deep and great love and admiration for my asian pacific islander background and culture, but know we built sunda because it was you that we wanted to share it with.  I can’t be a fulfilled entrepreneur, not only without the great team that I have, but without you who allow us to do what we all love to do.  And know that I couldn’t be effective with anything having to do with community, unless I loved the community that I worked for, which is you.  so thank you, these awards are equally yours, and know they have only inspired me to work harder for you…

For more information about asian pacific American heritage month … www.asianpacificheritage.gov