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克利夫蘭隆重舉辦聯邦亞太裔傳統文化節

    [本報訊]5月29日上午10點,克里夫蘭聯邦大樓會議廳隆重舉辦了亞太裔傳統文化節,(Asian American　&　Pacific Island Heritage Festival)當日在Robert Edwards主席用中文,日文,菲律賓等多國問候語後,開始了慶祝活動。

    克里夫蘭著名律師黃唯是當日的主題演講人,她開門見山地説:今天我能站在聯邦局的講臺上爲大家演講,這是她的榮耀,她吿訴大家,多年前她連續三次想來美國就是被您們拒在門外,沒有讓我進美國,還有現在也是您們每天給我的客戶帶麻煩,黃唯大律師用她的親身經歷講述一個移民來美國的艱辛,同時她也對Defense finance and Accounting Service 表達崇高敬意。她在多次掌聲中結束她的精彩演講。
      今年克里夫蘭聯邦局舉辦的亞太裔傳統文化藝術節,比任何一次舉辦的隆重,過去大家只是圍坐一起聊一聊,吃一頓中國午餐,而今年與衆不同他們邀請了表演者表演民族舞蹈,演員們的演出吸引了觀衆的眼球,尤其來了一群小朋友,他們看精彩表演還有黃唯律師樓贈送的禮物,一個小朋友高興地對本報記者説:他要他的父母帶他去中國,可以看到更多的更好玩的地方,他還説了他今年去克里夫蘭亞洲節,很FUN.

      近十年來,每年的亞太裔傳統月中,美國各級政府、機構團體往往要利用這一時機,舉辦亞洲文化節,他們以各種形式舉辦聯誼活動同時他們還對在各自工作崗位上做出杰出貢獻的亞太裔人士提出表彰,體現多元文化,增進各族裔之間的相互瞭解。連美國奧巴馬總統2011年也發表演講,以表彰諸多國家和民族的亞太裔美國人在各行各業都有着出色表現。並感謝所有亞太裔對美國公民的奉獻。

    本次活動由年輕華人Diana Jin策劃主辦的,他們邀請了菲律賓社團表演的名族舞蹈,還爲大家展示各個族裔文化,最後提供免費的中國午餐,Diana她感謝她的領導給她提供這次機會,她也感謝她的同行一起協助,舉辦這樣的文化節是一項有意義的活動,是加深對亞裔社區的認識她的英文感言請看下面。

I was born in Shenyang, China and immigrated with my mom and dad when I was six and a half. I grew up in Queens, New York and northeast Ohio. After graduating from Strongsville High School, I started attending Baldwin Wallace University (BW) and became a naturalize citizen my freshman year of college. I graduated from BW with a B.A. in Business and MBA with a concentration in Human Resources.

I believe embracing diversity and understanding each other's differences is an adventurous by to live life. Every person I meet reveals a different characteristic of God through their unique smile, outlook, talents, gifts, strengths, passions, communication style or sense of humor. Learning about my friends' and colleagues' backgrounds and upbringing is very intriguing to me.

This event was an incredible opportunity for me to express my leadership skills. Where the rubber meets the road, can I handle it? Although it was a lot of work, stress and planning; I highly enjoyed the days when I rose to the occasion and tackled challenges with wisdom and courage, now in hindsight seems like an out of body experience. I also experienced moments of perpetual frustration; it is said "gold will come out as pure when it is tested by fire." I see my faith and leadership with that strong analogy; tested by fire, will I come out pure and genuine? :)

Ms. Wong had the audience laughing and thinking deep with her speech. She talked about appreciating every job, no matter what size or shape or degree of complexity. Every job and every person is important and integral in an organization, in a community. Ms. Wong was blunt and went straight to the point when she talked about not arguing with your bosses and the quest for the American Dream. Her compassion for her clients and her expertise in immigrant law was extremely evident as she confidently spoke about her experiences.

My personal dream for the future is to help start and maintain a positive community gathering place where people from all walks of life can feel and know they are welcomed and where diversity can thrive in harmony.

I attended the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration program today in the Federal Building in Cleveland.? I appreciated Margaret Wong's message which she delivered with great enthusiasm and humor.? Her advice to listen to your mind, heart, and guts is so true.? I will try to remember not to argue with my boss, to write to my boss if I have issues and things to address, to read the Plain Dealer and another national newspaper daily, and to journal.

The whole program was really a treat.? I especially liked the Filipino Bamboo Dancers.? The choir was good.? And the food was fabulous.

This was the first program that I have attended that the Fed Kids were invited to attend.? I was sitting just behind them and they really enjoyed the dancing.? It was very generous of Margaret Wong to give each of the Fed Kids a stuffed tiger toy.? It was too bad that she had to leave to catch a flight and didn't get to see their faces when they passed out the tigers.? They were thrilled.

The Asian Pacific American Heritage program made my day.? My thanks to all those who worked to put it together.



Sandra Johnson
DFAS, I&T Budget and Metrics