CPC Hosts Benefit to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Honor Community Leaders | Chinese-American Planning Council
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CPC Hosts Benefit to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Honor Community Leaders

May
31

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Date: May 31, 2024

Press Contacts: 

Alice Du, Director of Communications | (212) 792-4585 | adu@cpc-nyc.org

CPC Hosts Benefit to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Honor Community Leaders

New York, NY – The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) held the Queens Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Benefit on the evening of May 29 at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Drawing over 400 philanthropic, corporate, government, and community leaders, the event celebrated the power of the AAPI community and raised vital funds for CPC's impactful programs and services for 20,000 Queens residents.

 

“Queens is the largest and most diverse borough in New York City, and it’s also home to one of the fastest growing Asian American communities. CPC's work has been made possible by the collective effort of our community, staff, and supporters, enabling us to serve over 20,000 Queens residents annually,” said Wayne Ho, President & CEO of CPC. “Our Queens Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Benefit honors the profound impact and contributions of three AAPI community leaders. We are excited to celebrate with our partners and supporters who share our commitment to advancing our community.”

 

Co-emceed by Mitch Wu, Director of CPC Queens Community Services, and Sharon Lee, former Queens Borough President, the evening featured performances by contemporary electronic dance music group led by Yut Chia, Tai Look Lion Dance Group, and Two Piano Journey, a mother-and-son piano duo featuring CPC Board Member Christopher Kuo and his mother, Michelle Chen Kuo.

 

"We are so excited to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month here in the World's Borough and to highlight our community and our impact in Queens in this amazing space, Terrace on the Park, alongside our outstanding honorees. AAPI history and culture are dynamic and rich, and we are so proud to be serving the diverse communities here to ensure that the residents and families are supported, seen, and empowered," said Mitch Wu, Director of CPC Queens Community Services.

 

Three distinguished Queens leaders were honored at the benefit for their dedication to the community: Donovan Richards Jr, Queens Borough President; Austin F. Cheng, Esq., Chief Executive Officer of the Gramercy Surgery Center; and Vivian Young, Global Head of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs at JPMorgan Chase.

 

As Queens Borough President, Donovan Richards Jr has engaged deeply in community work and secured significant funding for Queens' infrastructure and led initiatives like Operation Urban Sustainability and the Immigrant Welcome Center. He is also a strong supporter of local businesses and numerous historically disadvantaged communities.

 

“It is a great honor to be recognized by the Chinese-American Planning Council during this important event,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “The CPC does outstanding work to help better the lives of our borough’s Chinese-American, immigrant and low-income residents. It is wonderful to work with the CPC, and I hope to continue our partnership well into the future.”

 

Austin F. Cheng, Esq., an attorney by trade, served on active duty with the U.S. Army as a Judge Advocate General’s Corps attorney. Since returning to New York in 2019, he continues his military service as an attorney for the US Army Reserve while leading operations at Gramercy Surgery Center, which has been ranked the #1 and #2 Ambulatory Surgery Centers by Newsweek under his leadership.

 

"I am absolutely honored to be recognized for AAPI Heritage Month alongside Gramercy Surgery Center, which was founded by my mother, an immigrant from Taiwan that managed the business for over a decade before passing away due to cancer. I hope that wherever she is, she is proud of what she has set into motion and happy with all the work that the team continues to put in each day to serve New Yorkers," said Austin F. Cheng, Esq., Chief Executive Officer of the Gramercy Surgery.

 

Vivian Young joined JPMorgan Chase in 2012, leading strategic initiatives for the Product and Platform team in the Private Bank and J.P.Morgan Wealth Management. In her current role, she focuses on developing a global, unified strategy to advance equity and inclusion for the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

 

"I’m deeply honored to be recognized by CPC Queens – an organization which has been providing programs and services for low-income, immigrant, and Asian communities for the past 45 years. The work done by this organization from youth- and senior services, workforce development to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families has proven to be an invaluable resource for tens of thousands of people throughout the borough," said Vivian Young, Global Head of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs of JPMorgan Chase.

 

CPC has been serving Queens since the late 1970s. In 2017, we opened our 25,000-square-foot, 11 stories multiservice multigenerational community center that provides seniors services, pre-k, multi-social services, college readiness, legal immigrant counseling, childcare services, services for families with special needs, adult literacy, and career training.

 

Press Coverage: World Journal 

 

About the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC):

The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is a social services organization that creates positive social change. Founded in 1965, CPC is the nation’s largest Asian American social services organization and aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities of New York City. CPC is the trusted partner to individuals and families striving to achieve goals in their education, family, community, and career.

 

關於華人策劃協會 (華策會):

華人策劃協會（簡稱“華策會”）是一個致力於創造正向社會變革的社會服務機構。華策會成立於1965年，是美國最大的亞裔美國人社會服務機構，旨在促進紐約市華裔美國人、移民及低收入社區的社會權益和經濟賦權。華策會是為個人和家庭實現其教育、家庭、社區及職業目標而努力的可信賴機構。

 

ACERCA DE CPC

El Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) es una organización de servicios sociales que crea un cambio social positivo. Fundada en 1965, CPC es la mayor organización de servicios sociales asiático-americanos del país y su objetivo es promover la capacitación social y económica de las comunidades chino-americanas, inmigrantes y de bajos ingresos de la ciudad de Nueva York. CPC es el socio de confianza de personas y familias que se esfuerzan por alcanzar objetivos en su educación, familia, comunidad y carrera.