Flushing, NY – Today, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) announced honorees as part of her annual Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month celebration. This year, Rozic awarded the following community leaders for their contributions to Assembly District 25: John Park, Executive Director of MinKwon Center for Community Action; Clara Kang, Principal of P.S. 376; Karen Lin, School Leadership Team Co-Chair at Townsend Harris High School; and Joby Jacob, Co-Founder of Motor Parkway East.

Assemblywoman Rozic said, “Queens is enriched by those who have dedicated themselves to the tireless work of advocacy and engagement and I am proud to recognize this year’s honorees for their leadership in our community. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month serves not only as a reminder of the strength in our diversity, but the collective commitment to empowering others as we work towards leaving our community greater than we found it.”

John Park, Executive Director, MinKwon Center for Community Action said, “It is an honor to be recognized by Assembly member Nily Rozic for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The recognition, of course, goes to the entire MinKwon team, our community members, and our partners making a direct impact in people’s lives. This month also marks the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The Chinese immigrant laborers, who helped build the infrastructure of this country, were denied a path to citizenship and their contributions were all but lost to history. Today, ours and many other communities continue to face similar challenges. AAPI Heritage month celebrates how far we have come, but also reminds us there is much more work yet to be done.”

Clara Kang, Principal, P.S. 376Q said, “It is an honor to be recognized as a community member by Assemblywoman Rozic's office for this year’s Asian American Heritage Month celebration. I am grateful that I have the opportunity as a school leader to give back to my community and to the NYC public school system, which molded me into the person I am today. My work every day is in service of our students and I am thankful for having a supportive and inclusive school community, which is in pursuit of equity, compassion, aspiring to lead, relationships matter, and academic excellence.”

Karen Lin, THHS School Leadership Team Co-Chair said, “Many, many thanks to Assembly Member Rozic for her leadership and commitment to seeing diversity as strength in her district and in our nation. As Americans from different shores, we must to remember those who blazed the trail before us, and strive to welcome those who come after us.”

Joby Jacob, Co-Founder of Motor Parkway East said, “I became active in the community because I wanted to make walking, running and biking safer for local residents. But I am also a very proud son of immigrants from India. I thank AM Rozic for her continuing service to the Asian American community and the whole of Queens and am very happy to be recognized by her.”

In 1992, the federal government designated the month of May as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in commemoration of the long history and continued contributions of the AAPI community. The month of May was chosen in honor of the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States and the Chinese immigrants who made up the majority of the workers on the transcontinental railroad which was completed on May 10, 1869.

Rozic’s Asian American Heritage Celebration aims to amplify the values and contributions of Asian Americans to efforts in civic engagement, community partnerships, and social justice in Queens. This year’s celebration marks the 7th year that Rozic has recognized local community leaders. Past honorees include representatives from organizations such as Asian Americans for Equality, The Hindu Temple Society of North America, Korean American Family Service Center, and the South Asian Council for Social Services.