In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN) and Colorado’s APA organizations, will recognize Asian American Heroes of Colorado at the 2010 Asian American Heroes of Colorado Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 15th, 2010, in addition to providing each hero a certificate of recognition and feature in the May issue of Asian Avenue magazine!

Selected recipients of the 2010 Asian American Hero of Colorado award will be highlighted in the cover story of Asian Avenue magazine and awarded a certificate from the 2010 Selection Committee, comprised of leaders from Colorado’s APA communities.

We encourage you to nominate deserving friends, family members, neighbors, teachers, mentors and community volunteers by completing the form below and submitting it to CACEN.

Nomination Deadline: Monday, April 5, 2010, 5pm MST

DOWNLOAD: Asian American Hero of Colorado Nomination Form

Please email your nomination form back to us at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us with any questions you may have at: 303.937.6888.

2009 Asian American Heroes recognized: Judge Kerry Hada, Captain Felix Magalong, Jim Hada, Christina Chao, and Daniel Oh.

Photo: December 2009 during a holiday party Apuan hosted at the Filipino-American Cultural Center (FACC) in Denver with Governor Bill Ritter as the guest of honor.

When did you know you wanted to get involved in politics?
I’ve always been involved in community activism and grassroots organizing. You see, there is much discussion in our communities about values and public policy. As American citizens, we are called to bring our values to the full spectrum of public policy deliberations and to make our voices heard in the public square. We are called to work for an end to poverty and oppression, as well as to be peacemakers and justice-seekers in a broken world in need of healing and reconciliation.  We are called to welcome the stranger and sojourner, to provide justice for the worker, and to care for the poor in our midst.
With over a decade’s work experience in the non-profit sector, I have championed the cause of the disenfranchised, marginalized, and disempowered.  I have fought to ensure that voices of division or exclusion - even hate - do not dominate the public discourse, and further ensured that that the voice of the people consistently impact matters of public policy.  I have likewise stood for fairness and equal opportunity for all.

All of these passions melded profoundly in the words of Senator Paul Wellstone who once said, “Electoral politics without grassroots organizing is a politics without a base, community organizing without electoral politics is marginal politics, and electoral politics and community organizing without good, sound public policy is politics without a head.”  Almost instantaneously since that epiphany was a realization that the voice of the people is the voice of God, and there was no turning back ever since.

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My first experience with Peking Duck dates to my first China tour in the summer of 1985. It was a hot and suffocating day. After four hours hiking along the steep walkway of Badaling, the first section of the Great Wall opened for tourism by the Chinese government, we all felt sticky and weary. The tour guide led us to a splendid restaurant and announced we were going to have the well-known dish, Peking Duck, that tonight. The news cheered us up.
Still gulping down glasses of water to satisfy our thirst, the chef brought a full roasted duck over by a cart and started carving it table-side. The knife in the chef’s hand was deftly executed. In two minutes, the duck’s skin was entirely peeled off. The ripened duck’s flesh was tender and juicy. It emanated a savory mix which aroused my appetite. I could not wait to have my first slice of Peking Duck momentarily. Nevertheless, the chef brought the meat and bone of the duck back to the kitchen and left the skin on the table.

I was confused and asked, “Where does the duck meat go?” The tour guide said, “The meat will come back later. Let’s enjoy the skin first.” The duck skin, golden colored, cut into pieces and neatly laid on the plate, gleamed in the restaurant’s spot light. Was the skin of a foreign duck edible? I hesitated to have a try.

I imitated our tour guide’s actions. First, pick up a slice of duck skin with a pair of chopsticks and dip it into the soy paste. Next, lay it on the top of a thin pancake and add some strips of cucumber and green onions. Finally, wrap everything into a bundle with a sheet of the thin pancake.  Before having a bite, I questioned myself. I had never had duck meat before, could I eat its skin?

I cautiously took my first bite and slowly chewed on the mixtures of the ingredients. The duck skin was miraculously crispy and grease-free. The crust crackled in my teeth. Other ingredients with their unique textures were compatible and returned me joy on each nibble.
Mmm... this thing was yummy. I quickly finished up the first wrap and started making the second one. Since then, Peking Duck became one of my favorite dishes of all time.

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269 McCaslin Blvd, Louisville, CO 80027
Tel: 720.890.0999
www.spicechina.com

HOURS: Sun - Thur: 11:30am to 9:30pm, Fri - Sat: 11:30am to 10:30pm

With well over 100 items on its menu, Spice China has become a Chinese lunch and dinner favorite for those living in the North Denver and Boulder area. The contemporary-looking restaurant opened in July 2000 and is located on McCaslin Boulevard just off of Highway 36.

Over a decade ago, owner David Fan said good-bye to his computer science background and began working in the restaurant industry. His mother opened China Gourmet in Boulder and soon after, he had an itch to create his own establishment. Although Fan was cooking at the time, since Spice China opened, he has been busy taking care of the business tasks and rarely gets behind the stove. Luckily, Head Chef Jack Mok is a super star in the kitchen. In Shanghai, Mok was already a skilled and reputable chef working banquet weddings and other large-scale events. He has brought an assorted menu to Spice China, with both Americanized and authentic Shanghainese tastes.

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5332 DTC Blvd. #100, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Tel: 303.220.1430
www.bambu-dtc.com

HOURS: Mon - Fri: 11am to 9pm, Sat - Sun: 12pm to 8pm

Bam Bu is a one-of-a-kind Asian fusion restaurant located in the Denver Tech Center. You will dig its upbeat, fresh and fast-paced environment that is comparable to a Tokyo Joe’s slash Noodles and Company. Its well thought out and well-presented marketing scheme is clear from its exterior signage to the interior choice of colors to its youthful menus. Bam Bu knows how to brand itself and once more customers catch wind of this gem, it will be big!

The restaurant opened on July 2nd, 2008, just two weeks after its owners Tae (Korean) and Thy (Vietnamese) Hong married in mid-June. Tae had previously managed several hotels around Denver, while Thy came in with experience working at her family’s restaurant. After three years of experimenting with various ingredients and foods, Thy established the appropriate menu for Bam Bu, but she continues trying out new recipes to add dishes to the menu.
When we arrived at Bam Bu, we were immediately greeted by the amiable couple and served many dishes beyond our stomachs’ capacity, starting off with crab cheese wontons, spring rolls, and mandu (similar to pot stickers). We noted that the cheese wontons had more cheese than at other restaurants and that the sweet dipping sauce was especially delicious (and homemade).

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The Black and White Extravaganza, hosted by Colorado’s very own Pandas International, was held on Saturday, March 20th at the Wildlife Experience in Parker. Guests began the evening enjoying music by pianist Pat Cottrell, while perusing through the silent auction, with dozens upon dozens of items related to pandas.

When dinner began, Director Suzanne Braden shared Pandas International’s ten-year journey from its creation in 2000. Guest Speaker Dr. Ron Swaisgood also took the stage to share his experience working at the San Diego Zoo and his many trips to China. Swaisgood is the Co-Head of the Giant Panda Conservation Unit and recipient of numerous grants and awards. The evening concluded with a Chinese Lion Dance performance by Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Board members thanked Braden for her passion and dedication to the non-profit organzation by presenting her with a handmade panda tote bag.

The Giant Panda is currently one of the world’s most endangered animals with approximately 1,600 pandas living in the wild. Pandas International’s mission is to ensure the preservation and propagation of the Giant Panda, working closely with the Wolong Panda Center in China.

OCA Colorado and the Mile Hi Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) celebrated The Year of The Tiger at their annual Lunar New Year Banquet on February 6, 2010. This joyous event was celebrated at The Palace Chinese Restaurant with nearly 350 community members; amongst them were: Christine Wanifuchi – CEO of the Asian Pacific Development Center, Erin Yoshimura – ED of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, Calvin Hada – President of the Japanese Association of Colorado, and Dr. Anthony Tu who was most recently honored by Japanese Emperor Akihito and bestowed The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays w Neck Ribbon.

From left to right: William Ha, Teddy Lau, Suzy Shimasaki, Donna Hickey Hansen,
Calvin Hada, Erin Yoshimura, and Guest Speaker CNN’s Richard Lui  (Photo by Gil Asakawa)

The program was quite spectacular and included guest host Mr. Richard Lui from HLN the News and Views Network – formerly CNN’s Head Line News, a Lion Dance and Kung Fu demonstration by Shifu Howie Solow and his students, a Pipa Performance by Ms. Yu Ying Chen, Chinese Folk Songs by Ms. Moon Lee and Ms. Hing Ryder, and a Taiko Performance by Mirai Daiko.

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On January 29th, the Joy of Living Club celebrated the lunar new year of 2010 at King’s Land Chinese Restaurant with more than 50 members and friends in attendance.

The evening shared a ten-course banquet including seafood with tofu soup, walnut shrimp, sizzling beef steak, crispy quail, broccoli with Oyster sauce, scallops and squid with X.O. sauce, two lobsters and the famous Peking duck.

AAm invited amateur calligraphy master Harbor Chang to demonstrate his famous cursive style. Other excitements included a beat-boxing performance, finding red envelopes under seats, sharing Chinese cultural beliefs and stories, and giving away more than 30 door prizes. It was a great way to start off the new year!

Watching Toyota’s news conference for its recent recall was agonizing. Once the automaker giant is now acting like a timid sheep.

Two years ago, Toyota beat out General Motors Co. to become the world’s largest automaker. But by March 2009, due to the global recession, the automaker reported its first annual loss in its 70 years of company history.

In August 2009, a California Highway Patrol officer and his family were killed in a burning crash when their loaned 2009 Lexus went out of control, dashing more than 100 mph on the highway. The news aroused consumers. Hundreds of complaints about trapped floor mats and sticky throttle pedals producing unintended acceleration happened to Toyota and Lexus vehicles were sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or exposed by the media.
In October 2009, Toyota announced it would recall 3.8 million vehicles, blaming the problem on floor mats that could come loose and jam the accelerator pedal.  The announcement is no doubt to admit that the spreading rumors of malfunction on Toyota’s previously faultless vehicles are not rumors any more.

The recall includes almost all models made by Toyota with the years ranged from 2005 to 2010. Pontiac Vibe made by GM is on the list too, due to a joint venture of these two automaker giants.

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