[00:00:02]
I KNOW, IT'S LIKE 95 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND I KNOW, I KNOW.
COMING IN IT WAS LIKE A HOT TRACK, BUT LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN.
WELL, UH, TO ALL OF OUR HONOREES AND TO ALL OUR GUESTS WHO ASSEMBLE HERE TODAY, AND TO THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING LIVESTREAM, UH, WELCOME.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
HE'S GONNA TAKE MY PICTURE,
YOU KNOW WHY I DID THAT? BECAUSE EVERY TIME I HAVE MY GLASSES ON AND I HAVE MY MOUTH OPEN AND SOMETHING I LOOK OFF EVERY TIME.
SO AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE 35 PICTURES OR SOMETHING, I'M JUST JOKING WITH YOU.
UM, SO MY NAME IS CARLOS OMAS.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT HERE AT ESSEX COUNTY.
NORMALLY, WE SIT UP THERE, BUT WHEN WE'RE OUT HERE, IT'S A LOT MORE FUN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT RUNNING A MEETING, WE'RE CELEBRATING PEOPLE, AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE BEST, UH, PART OF THE JOB.
AND SO I WELCOME YOU OFFICIALLY TO OUR FIFTH ANNUAL ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION.
SO OUR BOARD HAS MADE IT A POINT TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF ESSEX COUNTY BY HOLDING ANNUAL EVENTS WHERE WE HONOR INDIVIDUALS FROM VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY AND TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.
WE ARE HAPPY TO CONTINUE THIS TRADITION AND TO HONOR RESIDENTS OF THE A API COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO HONOR MEMBERS OF THE A API COMMUNITY WHO HAVE HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY AND AT LARGE, BEYOND ESSEX COUNTY.
WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO EMBRACE THE VIBRANT CULTURES AND THE RICH TRADITIONS THAT COLLECTIVELY COMPLETE THE DIVERSE WEAVE OF FABRIC HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO TODAY, THE BOARD WILL HAVE THE PLEASURE OF CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE FOLLOWING HONOREES.
WE HAVE MONTCLAIR DEPUTY MAYOR, SUSAN SHIN ANDERSON.
AND THE COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL, ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ALLIANCE.
SO OF COURSE, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND DURING THE PROGRAM, WE'LL HEAR DETAILS ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT EACH ONE ARE DOING HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
IN ADDITION TO THE BOARD'S COMMENDATIONS, WE ALSO HAVE CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN LAMONICA MACGYVER AND AN ALYA MEJIA, AN ASSEMBLYMAN ALEX AND S GILL FOR, UH, FOR OUR HONOREES AS WELL.
SO TONIGHT, AS WE CELEBRATE, LET US CONTINUE TO DREAM BIG AND WORK HARD, AND OF COURSE, EXPECT MORE.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WANNA INVITE OUR TALENTED MUSICIANS FOR THE EVENING, UH, TO PERFORM THE NATIONAL AN SO PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MASAKI SATO AND MIKE VAUGHN FROM THE A API JAZZ COLLECTIVE.
THERE'S ONE THING THAT WE DO RIGHT HERE.
I THINK IT'S THE TALENT, RIGHT? KATHY BROWN AND OUR TEAM IS ALWAYS ON TOP OF GETTING WONDERFUL TALENT.
AND CERTAINLY WE ARE NO SHORTAGE TONIGHT.
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YOU FOR THAT LOVELY, UH, VERSION OF THIS NATIONAL CHANT ANTHEM.WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THEM AND A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN THE PROGRAM.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE PRESENT TODAY.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR DEPUTY CLERK, UH,
I WAS GONNA SAY, I WAS GONNA SAY DEBBIE MARVEL FOR WHATEVER REASON,
OF COURSE, I WAS WITH THE TWO OF THEM THE OTHER DAY, AND IT WAS LIKE OLD TIMES WHEN SHE USED TO WORK HERE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BLOOMFIELD DEMOCRATS AND GOOD FRIEND OF OURS, ALEX WAL, IS IN THE BACK.
AND WE HAVE WILLY TOBO WITH THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES MANAGER WITH, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN ANNA LIA MIHI.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US, UH, AT THIS JOYOUS EVENT.
NOW, WITH NO FURTHER ADO, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST HONOREE OF THE EVENING.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MONTCLAIR DEPUTY MAYOR, MAYOR, UH, SUSAN SHIN ANDERSON UP TO THE PODIUM.
NOW WE, BEFORE WE GIVE TO THE PODIUM, LET ME SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, BUT I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE PROGRAM 'CAUSE THE BIOS, UH, THAT I'M GONNA SHARE VERY BRIEF VERSIONS OF WHAT YOU SEE IN, UH, YOUR PROGRAM, WHICH REALLY HIGHLIGHTS AMAZING WORK THAT EVERY, UH, HONOREE HAS DONE.
SO, MONTCLAIR DEPUTY MAYOR AND COUNSELOR AT LARGE, SUSAN SHIN ANDERSON, HAS BEEN A MONTCLAIR THIRD WARD RESIDENT SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2009.
BORN IN SOUTH KOREA, RAISED IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA.
SHE DISCOVERED MONTCLAIR WHILE SERVING AS A LAW STUDENT, PROUD ONE AND A HALF GENERATION IMMIGRANT.
SHE BELIEVES EVERYONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A SMALL AND LARGE WAYS.
SHE HAS DEVELOPED A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO VOLUNTEER SERVICE, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, AND CO COALITION BUILDING.
SUSAN'S PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES INCLUDE REGULATORY SUBMISSION AND COMPLIANCE, AND ALMOST 10 YEARS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
HER CURRENT ROLE IS IN POLICY AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION.
SHE HAS A VERY ROBUST HISTORY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
SHE HAS SERVED AS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER AND VOLUNTEER WITH TONY'S KITCHEN AND AS A BOARD MEMBER AND ADVOCACY COMMITTEE MEMBER WITH A API, NEW JERSEY AS A CLASS PARENT, INITIALLY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS WELL, AND VOLUNTEER AS A READER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY PROGRAMS. THERE'S A LOT THAT SHE COVERS THERE AND ALL THAT.
IN 2020, SHE ESTABLISHED THE KAYA JUNG ANDERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP, ALONG WITH JASON ANDERSON, A MEMORY OF THE LATE DAUGHTER KAJA, WHO, UH, AND WITH THE, UH, THE SCHOLARSHIP HAS MADE AWARDS TO, UH, MONTCLAIR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
SO, SUSAN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR TO YOUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS OF COURSE, UNDENIABLE.
YOUR IMPACT HAS BEEN REMARKABLE, AND IT IS REALLY MY, MY PRIVILEGE AS SOMEONE WHO'S YOUR NEIGHBOR AND KNOW HAS GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU QUITE A BIT, A LITTLE BIT OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S BLOCK AND COMMENDATION ALONG WITH THE CERTIFICATES THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER AND MEJIA, UM, AND, UH, ASSEMBLYWOMAN SSUS.
FIRST I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THE, THE AWARD.
I SEE YOU'RE GONNA GET IT AFTER.
WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU SAY AND THEN MAYBE WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU,
ALRIGHT, WELL, THAT'S, I'LL TRY MY BEST.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT, UM, ON THIS HOT, HOT DAY AND, UH, TAKING THE TIME TO, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATE THE MONTH AND, UM, AND ALL OF THE HONOREE HERE.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU, UM, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS WONDERFUL RECOGNITION.
MY DISTRICT COMMISSIONER AND BOARD PRESIDENT CARLOS POMAR, COMMISSIONER, AND VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS, COMMISSIONER SERMONS, RICHARDSON, LUCIANO, MERCADO COOPER, AND GILL.
UM, PARTICULARLY, UM, COMMISSIONER GILL FOR, UM, ALL OF THEM FOR THEIR COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP ON MONTCLAIR ISSUES LIKE TRAFFIC SAFETY, THE ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, VOTING AND ELECTIONS AND MORE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK MY FAMILY WHO, UM, CAME UP FROM GEORGIA
I WANNA THANK, UM, MY WONDERFUL FRIENDS WHO COULD MAKE IT.
UM, MY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, COUNCILLOR BIRMINGHAM, I SEE YOU BACK THERE.
UM, I REALLY DO WANNA THANK MY, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, EVERYBODY THAT I SERVE WITH BECAUSE THEY ALL, UM, HELP ME, UM, HELP SHAPE THE KIND OF PUBLIC SERVANT I AM AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE ME, UM, UH, A BETTER, UM, COUNCIL PERSON.
UM, WE ARE LIVING IN SOME INTERESTING TIMES, UH, WHEN WE SEEM TO BE FIGHTING BATTLES.
LONG THOUGHT TO BE SETTLED, LIKE WHO GETS TO VOTE, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN, WHO GETS TO BE AN AMERICAN, WHAT IS A TRUE AMERICAN? UM, AND, AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY, IF REFLECTING ON THIS, GROWING UP AS AN ASIAN PERSON,
[00:10:01]
AN IMMIGRANT, SOMEONE WHO CAME HERE AT A VERY YOUNG AGE IN A KOREAN HOUSEHOLD, I STRUGGLED A LOT WITH THESE QUESTIONS.WHO AM I? AM I KOREAN? AM I AMERICAN? CAN I BE BOTH? UM, I STRUGGLED A LOT GROWING UP BETWEEN THE PRESSURES OF HOLDING ONTO SOME OLD SCHOOL KOREAN TRADITIONS AND THE PRESSURE TO ASSIMILATE BEING A GOOD MODEL MINORITY IN A COUNTRY THAT HISTORICALLY SEES PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME AS PERPETUAL FOREIGNERS.
I ALSO DIDN'T ONE TRICK TO MYSELF, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO REALLY BE SEEN AS AN AMERICAN? MY PARENTS CAME TO THIS COUNTRY TO SEEK BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
LIKE MANY IMMIGRANTS, THEY LEFT, UM, A COUNTRY WITH A HISTORY OF AUTHORITARIAN AND MILITARY RULE, UM, TO A COUNTRY THAT, UH, PROMISED DEMOCRACY.
UM, AND THE IDEA THAT IF YOU WORKED HARD AND WERE A GOOD CITIZEN, UM, THAT THAT COULD BRING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SUCCESS AND OPPORTUNITY, UM, THROUGH THEIR HARD WORK.
UM, I GOT TO GO TO SOME GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, I WENT TO A QUAKER SCHOOL WHERE I LEARNED THAT EVERYBODY HAS A LIGHT WITHIN THEM, UM, THAT WE SHOULD HONOR IN EACH OTHER.
AND, UH, THROUGH ALL OF MY EXPERIENCES, I ASKED MYSELF, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME TO BE AN AMERICAN? FOR ME, BEING AN AMERICAN MEANS BELIEVING IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE.
UM, IT MEANS EMBRACING THE SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF PLURALISM, WHICH IS THE IDEA THAT DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY, UM, IN MANY DIFFERENT, UH, IN MANY DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS CAN EXIST PEACEFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY.
THAT NO SINGLE PERSPECTIVE OF VALUES IN THIS IS THE SINGLE TRUTH.
UM, AND THAT STARTING FROM A PLACE OF TRUTHFUL INFORMATION, NOT MISINFORMATION OR OTHERING, IS IMPORTANT.
UM, FOR ME, BEING AN AMERICAN ALSO MEANS THAT EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE EVEN IN THEIR SMALL WAY AND DO THEIR PART.
AND THAT EVERYONE DESERVES TO LIVE IN DIGNITY AS A MATTER OF RIGHT, NOT JUST BASED ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE AND WHO YOU KNOW.
AND BEING AN AMERICAN, FOR ME MEANS THAT WE WORK TOGETHER, WE HELP OUR NEIGHBORS, UM, THAT WE CAN'T GO THROUGH STRUGGLES AND, UM, ALONE.
THESE ARE ALL IDEALS THAT I LIKE TO LEAN INTO.
UM, WHEN I, UM, WHEN I SERVE, PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME, WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO STEP INTO POLITICS? UM, IT'S REALLY NOT MY NATURE TO BE A PUBLIC PERSON.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A VERY PRIVATE PERSON.
UM, AND I, I FOUND OTHER WAYS TO SERVE, UM, AS AN AMERICAN OF ASIAN DESCENT, SOLIDARITY AND MULTIRACIAL INTERFAITH WORK AND COALITION BUILDING IS CRITICAL.
AND FINDING COMMON GROUND TOWARDS SOLUTIONS ROOTED IN SIMILAR GOALS.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT, I MEAN, IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, UM, AND IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT IT IS A LOT HARDER TO ACHIEVE REAL CHANGE UNLESS YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHERS.
UH, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, BUILT THE FOUNDATION, THE HARD WORK OF, UM, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UM, LEADERS OF THAT MOVEMENT AND, AND EVERYDAY ORDINARY PEOPLE BUILT THE FOUNDATION FOR ASIAN AMERICAN IDENTITY AND THE A API AND OTHER SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.
BUT, UM, ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER REPRESENTATION IS IMPORTANT.
IT LETS ME AND OTHER PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S A PLACE FOR US AT THE TABLE AND THAT OUR VOICES MATTER AND THAT WE BELONG IN THIS COUNTRY.
UM, I'M GONNA JUST SHARE A LITTLE ANECDOTE THAT, UM, REALLY HIT HOME FOR ME.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, A CUB SCOUT TROOP INVITED, UM, SOME OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, BOARD OF ED AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME AND, UH, SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SERVE IN GOVERNMENT, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE, WE ASKED, WE GOT ASKED A LOT OF REALLY TOUGH QUESTIONS, ACTUALLY.
UH, BUT I REMEMBER A FRIEND OF MINE WAS THERE WITH HER, UM, SON.
AND, UM, SHE SHARED WITH ME AFTER THE EVENT THAT AT ONE POINT WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WAS GIVING MY BACKGROUND AND SHARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MY HERITAGE, UH, THAT SHE TOLD ME THAT HE TURNED TO HER AND HE SAID, OH, SHE'S KOREAN LIKE ME.
AND, UM, AND WHEN SHE AFFIRMED THAT, HE GAVE A BIG SMILE.
AND TO ME, THAT, THAT, THAT SHOWS THAT SEEING SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU, UM, IN THESE POSITIONS AND IN, UH, IN THESE POSITIONS TO BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE AND, AND MAKE LIFE BETTER IS VERY INSPIRING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE IT LETS THEM KNOW THAT THEY TOO CAN PARTICIPATE AND, UM, THAT THEY HAVE JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO GET INVOLVED, UM, IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND, YOU KNOW, BRING IDEAS TO THE TABLE THAT THEY, THEY HAVE A VOICE TOO.
SO, UM, THAT MADE ME WANNA CONTINUE TO, TO DO THIS WORK.
UM, I COME FROM A PEOPLE WHO ROSE THROUGH DIFFICULT ODDS AND EXPERIENCED STRUGGLES, AND MANY OF THESE STRUGGLES ARE UNIVERSAL.
I DON'T SEE MYSELF AS A VOICE FOR THE VO VOICELESS.
UM, THAT'S A COMMONLY USED EXPRESSION.
I DON'T SEE MYSELF THAT WAY BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY HAS A VOICE.
[00:15:01]
JUST THAT SOME PEOPLE CAN USE A LITTLE BIT MORE HELP IN AMPLIFYING THEIR MESSAGE AND THEIR VOICES.UM, I SEE MYSELF AS SOMEONE WHO CAN PROVIDE SOME ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND HOW TO MAKE CHANGE.
I RAN FOR HOPE, UM, WITHOUT HOPE.
WHEN WE ALLOW FEAR TO CONTROL THE NARRATIVE, I THINK THAT TRUE AMERICAN VALUES, A LOT OF THE VALUES THAT I, UM, DESCRIBED, UH, THAT THAT GUIDE MY WORK, I THINK THAT THEY CAN DIE.
SO I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO USE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN AND LEARN FROM ALL OF YOU, FROM OTHERS, TO DO THE WORK TO HELP PEOPLE'S LIVES, UM, GET A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND LESS LONELY, AND DO WHATEVER I CAN TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THE SAKE OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THE A API COMMUNITY.
SHE EARNED IT, RIGHT? I MEAN, ONE MORE.
NOW YOU SEE WHY WE HONORED HER, RIGHT? SHE WASN'T EXCEPTIONAL.
GIVE HER ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE INSPIRING WOMEN.
I, UH, YOU KNOW, I, UH, I'M YOUR NEIGHBOR, SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION BECAUSE WHAT GOES ON IN MOUNT, I MEAN, THE, THE BOARD IS, ARE ARTIFICIAL, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY LESS THAN A MILE FROM EACH OTHER AT BOTH TIMES.
AND SO, UH, IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION, UH, IN MONTCLAIR, AND YOU CERTAINLY EMBODY THAT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON WITH THE PROGRAM HERE.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE UP FOR NEXT IS, UH, UH, WE'RE GONNA REINTRODUCE OUR TALENTED MUSICIANS FOR ANOTHER, UH, PERFORMANCE AGAIN, UH, WE'RE JOINED BY MASAKI, UH, SATO.
I'M BASS AND MIKE BOND ON DRUMS WHO WILL COME TO US, UH, FOR THE A API JAZZ COLLECTIVE, WHICH IS A DIVERSE GROUP OF ESTABLISHED A API, IDENTIFYING JAZZ MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS.
THE COLLECTIVE SPECIALIZES IN PERFORMING CLASSIC REPERTOIRE FROM A WIDE ARRAY OF ASIAN CULTURES, REIMAGINING FAMILIAR FOLK CLASSIC SONGS WITH THE JAZZ CONTEXT.
SO PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ MORE ABOUT IT IN THE BIOS.
WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM AGAIN, UH, PERFORM.
SO PLEASE, JAZZ COLLECTIVE, TAKE IT AWAY.
[00:21:27]
HOW COOL WAS THAT, RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK WE DO IT ALL RIGHT HERE.THE WORST THING ABOUT THIS JOB IS YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW LOCKS LIKE THAT, RIGHT? AND SUSAN AND, AND OTHER FINE FOLKS.
SO, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR SHARING ANOTHER, UH, GREAT SET FOR US HERE.
SO AT THIS POINT, IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE OUR SECOND HONORING.
SHANDRA SHAKER, SO PLEASE COME ON UP AND JOIN ME.
SO ALLOW ME TO SHARE A FEW DETAILS FROM THE COMMENDATION.
AND AGAIN, I'LL ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE FULL BIO.
SUSA CHANDRA SEKER, I TRY TO SAY THAT FAST FIVE TIMES.
SHE'S AN EAR SURGEON, WIFE OF MOTHER, UH, WIFE AND MOTHER OF FOUR.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT.
SHE HAS BEEN A PARTNER AT, UH, ENT AND ALLERGY ASSOCIATES LP SINCE 2018.
AND SHE IS ALSO THE CEO AND CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, UH, AT KE MED AND AWARD-WINNING LIFE SCIENCES COMPANY.
SHE HAS ALSO BEEN THE CONSULTING EDITOR OF, OH BOY, HOW DO YOU SAY THAT? OTOLARYNGOLOGIC? YEAH.
THAT, THAT E-N-T-E-N-T, RIGHT? CLINICS, NORTH ENT CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA,
SO, AND SHE'S BEEN THE EDITOR SINCE 2016.
SHE HAS SERVED IN MANY ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP ROLES, INCLUDING PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY FOR OTOLOGY, OTOLOGY, HEAD, NECK, AND SURGERY FOUNDATION.
PLEASE, I HOPE DOESN'T COME UP AGAIN.
PRESIDENT OF THE SECRETARY TREASURER OF THE AMERICAN AUDIOLOGICAL SOCIETY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEUROLOGY AT JJ PETERS VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, AMONG OTHERS.
SHE RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS FOR HER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, INCLUDING THE API, NEW JERSEY LUMINARY AWARDEE, THE DR. MARY E. WALKER INSPIRING WOMEN IN SURGERY AWARD, AND THE HELEN KRAUS MD TRAILBLAZER AWARD TO PUM A FEW.
SHE HAS ALSO BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF ODO AND GEOLOGY.
HNS AS A LOUIS CARRERO, UH, MEMORIAL LECTURER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTA THOMAS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
AND AS A LIVING LEGEND AND THE A A O DASH HNS HALL OF DISTINCTION, UH, THE DOCTOR, UH, WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO MEDICINE AND OUTSTANDING, WE ARE REALLY PROUD TO COUNT YOU AMONG OUR FRIENDS AND OUR NEIGHBORS, AND WE ARE VERY PROUD TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S COMMENDATIONS AND PLAQUE, ALONG WITH THE CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER, CONGRESSWOMAN MEJIA, AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN
LET'S SPEAK FIRST, AND YOU ONLY LET ME GET THE STUFF.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE JUST FINE.
I CAN SAY OTOLARYNGOLOGY SEVERAL TIMES IN ALL.
SO, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, PARTICULARLY TO COMMISSIONER WAYNE RICHARDSON FOR THIS NOMINATION.
THE ARRANGEMENTS ARE PERFECT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I WANNA THANK MY HUSBAND, MY DAUGHTER, AND MY BESTIE LISA BELL, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIOLOGY AND THE NEW JERSEY COCHLEAR IMPLANT CENTER RIGHT UP THE STREET AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.
UH, WE STARTED THAT PROGRAM TOGETHER 27 YEARS AGO, 27 YEARS
[00:25:01]
AGO.UM, UH, I CAME TO THE, I I, I WANNA THANK, UH, OUR DEPUTY MAYOR, SUSAN CHIN ANDERSON, FOR REALLY GIVING VOICE TO SO MANY, UH, EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS THAT RUN THROUGH OUR MINDS ALL THE TIME.
UM, I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY WHEN I WAS FIVE.
MY PARENTS, UM, TOOK A CHANCE.
MY, MY PARENTS ARE BOTH PHYSICIANS AND MY MOTHER GOT A FELLOWSHIP IN ADOLESCENT MEDICINE AT CHILDREN'S OF THE DC, WHICH IS NOW CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.
AND WE JUST CAME ON HER COATTAILS.
INDIA, LET, LET US LEAVE WITH $8 EACH AND OUR BRAINS, AND A PIONEERING SPIRIT.
MY PARENTS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW AMERICANS ATE CEREAL WITH COLD MILK,
THERE WAS A LOT OF WEIRD STUFF GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY.
UM, THEY WOULD TELL SOMEBODY THEY WERE GOING TO BUY, GOING TO MACY'S TO BUY THEIR DAUGHTERS SOME FROGS, AND PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO BUY FROGS FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS.
UH, I WAS ASKED A MILLION TIMES, WHY DOES YOUR MOTHER HAVE A DOT ON HER FOREHEAD? AND I'M LIKE, WELL, WHY ARE YOU WEARING A CROSS ON YOUR NECK? LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS QUESTION.
UM, I WAS ASKED, UH, AS A LITTLE GIRL IN MANHATTAN, UM, IS IT TRUE THAT TIGERS ROAM THE STREETS IN INDIA? AND AT THAT POINT, THE UNITED STATES HAS HAD 200 MILLION PEOPLE IN IT, AND INDIA HAD 600 MILLION PEOPLE, AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOW, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 300000001.4 BILLION.
AND I SAID, WOULD THEY BE VEGETARIAN TIGERS? LIKE, HOW COULD YOU HAVE 600 MILLION LIVING PEOPLE IF THEY'RE JUST RANDOM MEAT EATING TIGERS ROAMING AROUND? MM-HMM
SO, UH, SO I REALIZED EARLY THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT AS, UM, AN AMERICAN AND AS A HYPHENATED AMERICAN TO, UM, RESPECT THAT PEOPLE NEEDED TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT ME, AND I NEEDED TO LEARN QUITE A BIT ABOUT THEM.
UM, I GREW UP IN NEW YORK, UM, PUBLIC SCHOOL ALL THE WAY, UH, THROUGH HIGH THROUGH COLLEGE AND ACTUALLY EVEN MEDICAL SCHOOL AS PART OF THE CUNY SYSTEM.
UM, AND MY, UH, PARENTS MADE SURE THAT, UH, THEIR THREE DAUGHTERS, UH, KEPT A LOT OF CULTURE.
SO WE TOOK INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC.
WE TOOK, UH, AND, AND WERE FORCED TO KEEP THE BEAT AND FORCED TO PRACTICE AND FORCED TO GO TO CLASS, WHETHER WE LIKED IT OR NOT.
WE WERE FORCED TO TAKE PIANO CLASSES AND WOULD REALLY PRACTICE FOR THE 20 MINUTES BEFORE MR. HORN SHOWED UP AT OUR HOUSE, UM, AND PRETEND THAT WE HAD PRACTICED ALL WEEK LONG MM-HMM
UM, WE TOOK INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE AND ACTUALLY GRADUATED FROM THAT.
AND IT'S A LOVELY WAY TO TELL THE STORIES AND THINK ABOUT THE STORIES AND AS A TEENAGER TO REALLY DELVE INTO THE STORIES AS A YOUNG WOMAN QUESTIONING THINGS AND SAYING WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND WHAT'S NOT IMPORTANT, AND, AND HOW DO WE MAKE THIS WORLD REFLECT WHAT WE WANT? UM, I ALSO DID, YOU KNOW, CHOIR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND, UM, RENAISSANCE CHOIR IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I PERFORMED IN THE SCHOOL PLAYS AND SORT OF MUSHED EVERYTHING TOGETHER AS A SINGLE HUMAN, WHICH IS ALL THAT WE CAN TRY TO BE.
UM, MY DAD'S AN ENT SURGEON, BUT HE WAS ALSO MAYOR KOCH'S, ETHNIC ADVISOR FOR INDIAN, THIS INDIAN AFFAIRS, UH, IN NEW YORK FOREVER.
AND ONE DAY MY FATHER, WHO WAS FIVE 10 AT HIS HIGHEST, UM, LOOKS AT MAYOR COT, WHO WAS I THINK EIGHT AND A HALF FEET TALL, LIKE MAYOR COT WAS SOMEWHERE UP THERE.
AND HE SAYS, MR. MAYOR, WOULDN'T YOU AGREE THAT NEW YORK IS THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD? AND HE SAID, WELL, OF COURSE, CHANDRA, IF YOU, IF ANYONE EVER HEARD ERCOT SPEAK, EVERYTHING WAS IN LIKE, UH, EXCLAMATION MARKS.
AND, UM, HE SAID, WELL, MR. MAYOR, WOULDN'T YOU AGREE THAT MAHATMA GANDHI WAS THE GREATEST FREEDOM FIGHTER IN THE WORLD? OF COURSE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
SO HOW IS IT THAT OUR GREAT CITY DOES NOT HAVE A STATUE TO MAYOR, TO MAHATMA GANDHI? SO MAYOR KOCH GOT ON THE PHONE WITH MOHAN MUJANI OF GLORIA VANDERBILT JEANS, AND THE STATUE OF GANDHI IN UNION SQUARE STANDS WITH MY DAD'S NAME ON THE PLAQUE AS THE PERSON WHO, UM, MADE THAT HAPPEN.
AND I, AND HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION OF INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS, AND HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THIS AND PRESIDENT OF THAT, OF A CULTURAL SOCIETY, AS WELL AS BEING A PHYSICIAN, AS WELL AS BEING A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, AS WAS MY MOTHER.
AND SO I THINK WE GREW UP REALIZING THAT SERVICE IS NOT A SEPARATE THING.
SERVICE IS SOMETHING YOU DO ALONGSIDE EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'RE DOING.
SO WHEN I GREW UP A LITTLE BIT, I, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED THE COCHLEAR IMPLANT
[00:30:01]
PROGRAM IN NEW JERSEY UP THE ROAD AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, LISA AND I TALKED ABOUT IT, AND WE WANTED TO SERVE A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDED SERVICE AND COULDN'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT.AND I NEEDED TO LEARN ALL THE THINGS THAT LISA KNEW ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT THE SURGERY.
AND SHE NEEDED TO LEARN WHAT I KNEW ABOUT THE SURGERY.
AND WE LEARNED HOW TO, UM, HELP PEOPLE AND, UH, PROMOTE PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS TO DOING THEIR BEST.
WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY HEAD NECK SURGERY AND ITS FOUNDATION,
I WAS THE SECOND ASIAN PERSON ELECTED, UM, AT THE AMERICAN IDEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
I WAS THE, UH, FIRST INDIAN OR ASIAN PERSON ELECTED.
UM, AND I SAW IN THOSE POSITIONS THAT I COULD ADVANCE OUR FIELD AND THE CARE FOR PATIENTS BY, BY ADVANCING THE REPRESENTATION OF EVERYONE SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY STOOD UP AT THE PODIUM, SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE SAID, THAT PERSON LOOKS LIKE ME, RIGHT? THAT I COULD BE THERE.
UM, WE, I WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE DIVERSITY COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED AT OUR ACADEMY, UM, WHICH STARTED AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, UH, RESOURCE AND HAS GROWN TO REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN MEDICINE AND IS REALLY STRONG AND REALLY A BEAUTIFUL THING.
UM, I, UM, I, UH, HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN A API WHEN IT WAS A API, MONTCLAIR AND NOW IS A API IN NEW JERSEY.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF MY PRACTICE BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY SPONSOR EVERY SINGLE A API EVENT FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND TO ME, IT'S NOT JUST AN INDIAN OR AN ASIAN PERSON SAYING WE SHOULD SPONSOR.
IT'S MY WHOLE PRACTICE, WHICH IS ABOUT NOW ABOUT 300 PHYSICIANS, UM, ABOUT 200 AUDIOLOGISTS.
UM, A BIG CENTRAL BUSINESS OFFICE, LIKE A HUGE ENDEAVOR.
AND WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF SPONSORING, OF PROMOTING THE A API INITIATIVES AND THE A-A-A-P-I CURRICULUM, UM, IN JERSEY AS WELL AS IN NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.
UM, SO I THINK, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW WHY I WAS GETTING THIS AWARD.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR GETTING THIS AWARD.
I, I THINK AS WE GROW UP, IF WE CONTINUE TO SERVE, IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO THINK OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES, THERE'S A, THERE'S A GIF WHERE, UM, WOMEN ARE JUST LEANING BACK ON A LADDER AND PULLING EACH OTHER UP, AND WE JUST KEEP PULLING EACH OTHER UP.
NO ONE'S PUSHING SOMEBODY DOWN.
THERE'S SO MUCH ROOM FOR SUCCESS FOR EVERYBODY.
SO AN ASIAN PERSON ADVANCING DOESN'T MEAN SOME OTHER PERSON DOES NOT.
IT MEANS EVERYONE IS UPLIFTED.
IT MEANS THAT THE CUISINE IS BETTER.
IT MEANS THAT THE CULTURE IS BETTER.
IT MEANS THAT THE JAZZ IS BETTER.
IT MEANS, UM, THAT WE ALL REPRESENT AMERICA BECAUSE I TOO AM AMERICA.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, GUYS.
AUDIOLOGICAL LOOKS A LOT MORE INTIMIDATING ON PAPER THAN WHEN YOU SAY IT, BUT, UH, IT STUMBLED ME A LITTLE BIT TODAY.
I, I, UH, A SIMPLE ANSWER FOR YOU, DOCTOR, WHY, UH, WHY YOU AND SUSAN GOT THIS AWARD.
AND A SIMPLE ANSWER IS, AS WE ALL CAN TELL FROM YOUR WORDS TODAY, IS THAT, UM, YOUR SERVICE GOES WELL BEYOND.
AND HOPEFULLY THE SERVICE THAT YOU BOTH DO, AND BY EXTENSION YOUR COLLEAGUES INSPIRE THESE YOUNG FOLKS LIKE THEY'RE SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, AND THEY CAN CARRY THAT TRADITION ON.
AND YOUR MODEST WAYS MAKES YOU AT TIMES FEEL LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, LIKE, MAYBE WHY ME? 'CAUSE YOU ALWAYS LOOK AT SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY INSPIRE YOU.
BUT, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND IT'S A SIMPLE, FOR US, IT'S SIMPLE TO SEE THAT.
AND, UH, HOW ABOUT ANOTHER SONG? WHAT DO YOU SAY? WHAT DO YOU SAY? JAZZ COLLECTIVE.
WHAT DO YOU GOT? YOU GOT SOMETHING REAL NICE FOR US AGAIN.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TWO FOR TWO.
WHAT ABOUT THREE FOR THREE? WE ALWAYS GOT SOMETHING.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S, LET'S HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME.
[00:35:07]
ONE, TWO, CONGRATS.THAT WAS REALLY SOMETHING I'D HALF THE FUN IS WATCHING MUSICIANS IN THEIR PURE MOMENT OF JOY, LIKE THE LOOK ON YOUR FACES IS JUST GREAT AS YOU PLAY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY AND FOR SHARING YOUR TALENTS.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONCLUDE THE PROBLEM AND CERTAINLY NOT LAST, UH, YOU KNOW, LAST BUT NOT LEAST IN, IN ANY FASHION WHATSOEVER.
WE HAVE, UH, ONE MORE HONOREE, UH, THAT WE'D LIKE TO BRING UP HERE, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA, UH, CLOSE IT OUT, UH, IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT WE'RE GONNA BRING UP THE ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ALLIANCE AT COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL IN MAPLEWOOD.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE, COME ON THIS SIDE.
THAT WAY THEY GET YOU ON THE CAMERA.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'LL BE FAMOUS.
UM, BUT ALSO SINCE IT'S FOUNDING, THE ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ALLIANCE AT COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL IN MAPLEWOOD HAS PROMOTED ACTIVISM AND INCLUSIVITY WITHIN THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND BEYOND, ALLOWING STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO COME TOGETHER FOR THEIR SHARED INTEREST IN LEARNING ABOUT ASIAN CULTURES.
SOME OF THE STUDENT LED CLUBS.
SO SOME OF THE STUDENT LED CLUBS, UH, INCLUDED PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN MAPLEWOOD SEVENTH COMMUNITY LUNAR FEST IN FEBRUARY.
AND COLUMBIA'S HIGH SCHOOL'S SECOND ANNUAL LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVAL IN MARCH.
CLUB MEMBERS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE A API RUN IN 2000, UH, 22, HOSTED A DISCUSSION PANEL ON VIOLENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN 2021, AND ATTENDED A CANDLE IN VIGIL IN SOLIDARITY AND SOLIDARITY TO HONOR THE LIES OF THOSE LOST TO ASIAN AMERICAN HATE CRIMES IN 2020.
THE CLUB HAS ALSO CONDUCTED SMALLER SCALE CLUB ACTIVITIES TO BUILD A COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT AMONG STUDENTS WHILE EXPOSING THEM TO ASIAN AMERICAN TRADITIONS.
THIS YEAR, THE A A SA HAS HOSTED
[00:40:01]
POTLUCKS DINNERS TO, UH, TO SHARE ASIAN CUISINE, LEARN TO MAKE SUSHI COMPETED IN TRIVIA GAMES, CRAFTED DIWALI, UH, RAN, PLAYED BADMINTON AND PUT CHOPSTICK SKILLS TO THE TEST IN THE, IN THEIR ASIAN OLYMPICS COMPETITION.THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN ACTUALLY.
IT IS MY PLEASURE, OF COURSE, TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S COMMENDATION AND OUR PLAQUE AND CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN MEJIA, UH, AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL.
SO, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS HERE, SO I'M GONNA ASK OUR MODERATOR OF THE CLUB TO PLEASE COME ON IN, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, AND INTRODUCE THE STUDENTS WHO ARE WITH YOU TODAY.
I AM THE ADVISOR OF COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL'S, ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ALLIANCE.
UH, WE ARE SO HONORED TO BE HERE.
WE JUST WANNA THANK THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND FOR SHOWING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE A HUGE ROLE TO PLAY.
SO WE HAVE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE HERE OUR TWO STUDENT LEADERS.
WAIT, AUGUST, DO YOU WANNA COME ON THIS SIDE FOR BALANCE? COME, COME ON THIS SIDE FOR BALANCE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE HERE OUR TWO STUDENT LEADERS FOR THIS YEAR.
YOU WANNA TAKE A PICTURE FIRST SMILE GUYS.
UM, OUR TWO STUDENT LEADERS FOR THIS YEAR, UM, WE GOT CAITLIN AND SHILEY, UM, SENIOR AND JUNIOR.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE HERE TWO ACTIVE CLUB MEMBERS.
UM, THEY JOINED THIS YEAR, UM, AUGUST AND HENRY.
UM, AND THEY HAVE ALL BEEN, AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF CLUB MEMBERS WHO ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND, UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO TRACK AND FIELD PRACTICE, FENCING, SWIM MEETS, UM, HOMEWORK.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE, WE WANNA REPRESENT THE REST OF OUR CLUB, UM, HERE.
AND, AND THANK YOU IN GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
UM, WE WERE, UH, WE WERE SURPRISED, UH, WHEN WE GOT A MESSAGE FROM, UM, COUNTY COMMISSIONER MARIE THOMAS.
UM, THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY MANAGE THE SOCIALS.
UM, I JUST SHOW UP TO MAKE SURE NOTHING BAD HAPPENS, UM, AND THAT THE SCHOOL REMAINS INTACT AND, YOU KNOW, THEY REPRESENT COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL WELL.
UM, AND SO, UM, COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS REACHED OUT VIA OUR SOCIALS, UM, AND THE STUDENTS SAID, UM, THEY SAID THEY WANNA HONOR OUR CLUB.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN,
UM, AND AS A, AS AN EDUCATOR, I TEACH ENGLISH AT COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, I AM A CHAMPION OF HAVING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE, UM, AND KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO SOMETHING.
UM, AND SO I HOPE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE, UM, WILL BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU SEE IN THE COMING YEARS.
UM, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE THE CASE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS, UM, HONOR, UM, STUDENTS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANNA ADD? THIS WILL BE A MOMENT.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT'S REALLY LIKE
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT'S LIKE A GREAT HONOR TO BE HONORED ALONGSIDE SUCH LIKE, AMAZING, INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN.
UM, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MS. LAMB SAID.
I DO BELIEVE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US YOUNG PEOPLE TO HAVE A VOICE AS FUTURE LEADERS.
UM, AND YEAH, IT'S LIKE YOU GUYS THAT CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US.
I'M A STU, I'M A SENIOR AT COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL.
I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO RUTGERS NEW BRUNSWICK IN THE FALL, AND I'M HOPING, AND I'M HOPING TO BE ON THE PRE-MED TRACK.
UM, LIKE EVERYONE'S SPEECH HAS REALLY, UM, INSPIRED ME TODAY AND I HOPE TO LIKE STILL BE A PART OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENTS AND LIKE, JUST LIKE THE COMMUNITY AS I'M APPROACHING COLLEGE.
AND YEAH, I HOPE THAT THE CLUB DOES FINE WITHOUT ME
[00:45:02]
I GUESS I'LL LIKE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT ACTUALLY REALLY, UM, QUICKLY ABOUT THE CLUB.SO IT'S GONNA SOUND LIKE A RIDICULOUS EXAMPLE, BUT IT'S KIND OF LIKE A QUICK STORY ABOUT HOW I GOT TO THE CLUB FIRST.
SO MISS SLAM'S MY ENGLISH TEACHER, TEACHER, SHE'S BEEN DEALING WITH MY SHENANIGANS FOR LIKE THE ENTIRE YEAR, BUT THAT'S LIKE A STORY SEPARATE.
SO, UM, ONE DAY I WAS DOING WORK IN HER CLASS JUST AFTER SCHOOL 'CAUSE I HAD TO WORK ON SOMETHING, HAD PRACTICE TO BE AT.
AND I REMEMBER, UM, I THINK IT WAS THE TWO LEADERS, CHIMLEY AND UM, KAITLYN CAME IN AND THEY WERE DOING ASIAN JEOPARDY.
AND I REMEMBER I WAS DONE WITH MY WORK, BUT I WAS STILL WAITING.
AND THEY WERE LIKE, DO YOU WANT TO JOIN? BECAUSE I HAD NOTHING TO DO.
AND SO I WAS KIND OF LIKE THE ONLY WHITE GUY IN THE ROOM, BUT I WAS LIKE, WHY NOT JUST JOIN IT? LIKE, WHATEVER.
SO I PLAYED, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I WAS BOXING OUT EVERY QUESTION
AND SO I REMEMBER THOUGH THIS LIKE, OH, THIS REALLY IMPORTANT LIKE, MOMENT AND IT'S GONNA SOUND RIDICULOUS, BUT I'LL KIND OF EXPLAIN LIKE WHY IT'S IMPORTANT WAS, UM, UM, OH, SHE'S, SHE'S DONE WITH ME AND THIS LYNN'S DONE WITH ME.
BUT, UM, THERE WAS THIS MOMENT WHERE THEY HAD THIS QUESTION THAT WAS LIKE, UM, WHAT ARE LIKE CHINESE SOUP DUMPLINGS CALLED OR WHATEVER.
AND I WAS LIKE, SHALL LONG BOW.
AND I REMEMBER I SAID OUT LOUD, AND THIS WAS LIKE SINFUL MISTAKE, ACTUALLY NO DEATH DEATHLY SINFUL MISTAKE.
I SAID, DIDN'T TAI ARE THE BEST SOUP DUMPLINGS I'VE EVER HAD.
THESE TWO LOOKED AT ME AND GAVE ME THE MOST DISGUSTED LOOK EVER.
AND I GOT SCOLDED FOR THE NEXT MINUTE OR SO.
BUT I THINK WHAT I REALIZED AFTER THAT IS, AFTER FIRST SECOND I WAS PRETTY EMBARRASSED.
BUT THEN THEY SAID TO ME, THEY WERE LIKE, DON'T WORRY, WE'LL SHOW YOU THE BEST DUMPLINGS.
AND THAT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS, BUT IT'S ALMOST A MOMENT WHERE I KIND OF REALIZED HOW ACCEPTING THE CLUB WAS AND HOW ACCEPTING EVERYBODY WAS THERE.
'CAUSE AS MUCH AS, LIKE YOU SAID SOMETHING ALMOST LIKE HEINOUS OR THAT WAS SO OUTTA LINE,
ALMOST LIKE WILLING TO TEACH ME ABOUT SOMETHING OR EVEN LIKE INTRODUCE ME TO NEW FOODS AND BE LIKE, NO, THIS IS THE BEST THING.
THEY'RE LIKE PROUD OF THEIR CULTURES AND IT'S AN AMAZING THING.
AND I THINK AFTER THAT, AS I KEPT COMING TO THE CLUB, IT WAS LIKE ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO OUT OF THE WEEK BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS IT JUST, YOU KNOW, AN ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ALLIANCE, JUST LIKE DOING STUFF YOU WERE ACTUALLY LIKE LEARNING AND ACCEPTING AND EMBRACING OTHER CULTURES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS NOT ONLY JUST EAST ASIAN CULTURES, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAKING SUSHI OR, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK WE DID ORIGAMI TOO.
BUT IT WAS ALSO, WE DID SOME THINGS RELATING TO SOUTH ASIA, WHICH DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH REPRESENTATION.
UM, WE DID, WHAT WAS IT? WE DID THE RICE, I THINK.
YEAH, I THINK WE COLORED RICE AND THEN WE MADE LIKE LITTLE MANDALAS OUTTA THEM, WHICH WAS PROBABLY THE MOST COMPETITIVE I'VE EVER FELT IN MY LIFE.
'CAUSE IT WAS A CON, IT WAS A COMPETITION, I'M GONNA SAY IS THAT WAS RAW, BUT I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT
UM, BUT MY, MY LIKE, SPEECH SOUNDS RIDICULOUS, BUT IT FEELS LIKE KIND OF THE CLUB IS SO LIKE BROAD ALMOST AND IT'S KIND OF ACCEPTING OF EVERYBODY, LIKE I SAID.
AND IT FEELS LIKE EVERYBODY HAS THIS ALMOST RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER WHERE IT'S LIKE NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, YOU ARE HERE, YOU'RE WITH US.
AND IT KIND OF LIKE REPRESENTS HOW A API MONTH IS LIKE ALMOST NOT JUST A MONTH ABOUT HISTORY.
UM, IT'S ALSO ABOUT REPRESENTATION AND EMBRACING OTHER CULTURES AND LEARNING.
I REALIZE LIKE THE SCHOOL I GO TO COLUMBIA IS SO DIVERSE COMPARED TO OTHER PLACES IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S LIKE ALMOST A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE EVERYBODY HERE.
UM, COMING FROM SUCH DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE WORLD, ETHNICITIES BEING SO DIFFERENT.
UM, AND IT'S KIND OF JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING, ESPECIALLY LIKE HAVING IT MADE HAPPEN WITH, UM, OUR LEADERS.
ALL THESE EVENTS, THEY ORGANIZE AND MS. LAMB AGAIN.
UM, SHE SAYS SHE JUST WATCHES OVER US, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST KIND OF IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT HOW DIVERSE THE CLUB IS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO EMBRACE IDENTITIES AND CULTURES NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT THING TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THEM AND THE WAY THEY MADE IT INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYBODY.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE MOST PLACE DON'T
SO ACTUALLY THEY HAVEN'T BROUGHT ME THERE YET, SO I'M WAITING ON IT.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA, LIKE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN MY MIND RIGHT NOW.
UM, IS IT WHAT YEAH, THEY CAN, THEY CAN TELL.
I DO ENJOY JOE'S, BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE STATE, I WOULD SAY YEAH, TASTY MOMENT IN EDISON IS REALLY GOOD.
WOULD YOU, UH, I CAN TALK A BIT, UM, SIMILARLY TO WHAT AUGUST WAS SAYING ABOUT JOINING THE CLUB.
I CAN TALK A BIT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE GOING ABOUT THAT.
I'M A NEWER MEMBER IN THE CLUB.
I'VE ONLY BEEN TO A FEW MEETINGS, SO I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO BE INVITED HERE.
BUT I WAS ENCOURAGED TO JOIN BY MY SISTER WHO FORMERLY HELPED TO WORK ON IT IN
[00:50:01]
2020 AND 2021.SO SHE HELPED TO CONTRIBUTE TO A LOT OF THOSE MOMENTS.
AND IN A TIME WHERE I WAS FEELING VERY ISOLATED AND NEEDING A SPACE IN A COMMUNITY, UH, SHE ENCOURAGED ME TO JOIN THE ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ALLIANCE, WHICH HELPED PUSH ME TO DECIDE TO JOIN AND BEING PART OF THE CLUB WAS ABLE TO OFFER ME A SPACE WHERE I FELT INCLUDED AND I FELT LIKE I WAS PART OF A COMMUNITY.
SO IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND I WANT TO THANK OUR, THE MEMBERS THAT ARE STANDING NEXT TO ME WHO WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT A PLACE THAT WAS ABLE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME TOGETHER AND CONTINUE THE TRADITION OF THE CLUB TO PUSH DIVERSITY AND RAISE AWARENESS.
AND I JUST, YEAH, I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP CONTINUE THE WORK THAT THEY WERE DOING.
WE'RE GONNA, UH, WE'RE GONNA GIVE THIS TO YOU TO TAKE BACK TO SCHOOL.
NOW MY WIFE TEACHES IN, UH, MAPLE.
YOU WENT TO THERE, YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD MR.
NO ONE DOES THAT FOR ME, SO I'M GONNA MAKE MY MY WIFE BABY WATCHING ON THE CAMERA.
SO YES, SEE, SO I'M HAPPY THAT YOU HAD THAT KIND OF RESPONSE.
I'M SAD I DIDN'T GET THAT KIND OF, BUT UH, I'LL BE SURE WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE AFTER WE'RE DONE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAND THIS TO YOU.
LET'S GET A PICTURE OF THE STUDENTS.
WE'LL STEP FORWARD A LITTLE BIT AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO MORE PICTURES AFTER WE CLOSE.
WE, WE'LL GET EVERYBODY IN ON IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAND THIS TO YOU AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE CAN BE SEEN.
LET'S TURN THE PODIUM RIGHT FRONT.
'CAUSE I TEACH, I ALWAYS SEE THE BEST THE KIDS HAVE TO OFFER, BUT I ALWAYS, I OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE SAY LIKE, THE KIDS ARE ON THEIR PHONE, THE FUTURE'S IN JEOPARDY.
BUT AFTER TONIGHT AND ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE DO LIKE THAT, WHAT WE HAVE WILL WE HONOR YOUNG PEOPLE? I ALWAYS FEEL MUCH MORE ENCOURAGED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE RIGHT ON, WE'RE RIGHT ON TRACK.
I THINK EVERY GENERATION GETS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
OH, THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA BE JUST FINE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THIS IS NOT, UH, ON OUR PREPARED REMARKS HERE AND ALL LIKE THAT, BUT, UM, BEFORE WE WERE LIVE FOR THE ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING, 'CAUSE PEOPLE WILL WATCH THESE THINGS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
UM, BUT I WALKED IN AND I STARTED TALKING TO SUSAN BECAUSE I KNOW SUSAN WELL AND YOU KNOW, SHE'S MY NEIGHBOR.
WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE HAS ANY COUNTY RELATED CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, SHE GIVES ME A CALL AND WE, WE DO OUR BEST TO WORK OUT THINGS AND, AND HELP OUT.
WE TRY TO WORK WELL WITH OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNERS.
AND THEN I MET HER FRIENDS AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, MET THE DOCTOR.
AND I, I LIKE ONE PERSON REMOVED FROM EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY THE STUDENTS, APPARENTLY, RIGHT? UM, UH, WHAT I HEARD A LOT TODAY WAS THE INCLUSIVITY COMMUNITY.
AND WHILE I AM NOT ASIAN, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY COMES BY WAY OF UA, YOU KNOW, MY JOURNEY NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SUSAN DESCRIBED AND WHAT THE DOCTOR DESCRIBED AND WHAT YOUR KIDS, MAYBE YOUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS, YOU KNOW, AND ET CETERA WENT THROUGH.
AND SO IT'S A REAL COMMON JOURNEY.
AND I THINK SOMETHING YOU SAID EARLIER IS ABOUT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU'RE FROM OR YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE ALL TOGETHER NOW, RIGHT? AND HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, WE ARE, WE MAY BE THE MOST DIVERSE COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
WE CERTAINLY MUST BE THE MOST DIVERSE COUNTY ACROSS SEDATION.
AND I THINK IT'S THAT FABRIC THAT WE WEAVE HERE THAT MAKES US, YOU KNOW, A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY.
'CAUSE I CHOSE TO BE IN ESSEX COUNTY 'CAUSE IT WAS A GREAT PLACE.
AND I HOPE, UH, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO STAY HERE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE, UH, THESE YOUNG FOLKS, WHEN YOU GUYS MAKE IT BIG, YOU KNOW, COME BACK TO ESSEX COUNTY SO YOU CAN KEEP PASSING UP A TIME.
SO AS I CONCLUDE OUR PROGRAM, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US AND CELEBRATING OUR FIFTH ANNUAL A API HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION TO OUR HONOREES.
HEARING YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAS REALLY INSPIRED US TO DO MORE AND TO BE BETTER CITIZENS.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF YOU, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE ALL THE BETTER.
ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WE INVITE EVERYONE TO COME DOWN FOR SOME REFRESHMENTS AND
[00:55:01]
SOME TREATS WE HAVE LIKE, IT SMELLS WONDERFUL BACK THERE.SO WE HAVE SOME GOOD REFRESHMENTS.
WE ASK THAT ALL THE HONOREES AND THEIR GUESTS JUST STAY HERE FOR A SECOND.
AFTER WE CONCLUDE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A GOOD NUMBER OF PICTURES AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE GET 'EM TO YOU.
SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT TAKING PICTURES, BE IN THE PICTURES, WE'LL GET 'EM TO YOU.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE HONOREES.
I WANT TO THANK OUR TALENT TONIGHT, WEREN'T THEY ONE OF US? GIVE THEM A WONDERFUL RUNNING APPLAUSE.
AND LASTLY, CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO KATHY, TO ADAM, UM, KYLE'S BACK HERE AND, AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY MADE THIS EVENT HAPPEN.
MARITZA AND LATIFAH, UM, YOU KNOW, AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS INVOLVED.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE TAKE PICTURES.
SO WHY DON'T WE GET ALL THE HONOREES COMING UP FIRST AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THEM OF THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COME GOT IT.