NAAAP Seattle: June 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Reyna Rollolazo named NAAAP-Seattle 2011 College Scholarship Winner

NAAAP-Seattle awards Reyna Rollolazo its 2011 NAAAP-Seattle College Scholarship. Reyna will receive $3000 to attend the School of Law in the University of Washington this fall.

Reyna Rollolazo was born and raised in the south end of Seattle in the Rainier Beach area. She attended Franklin High School and graduated cum laude last June from the University of Washington with a major in Law, Societies and Justice and a minor in Diversity.

As an undergraduate, Reyna had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Italy and Greece. As instilled in her by her family, being involved and giving back to the APA community is vitally important to Reyna. Thus, she has undertaken leadership positions within several UW student organizations including the Filipino American Student Association and the Sisterhood of Pi Nu Iota (a Filipina interest group), which have allowed her to connect with and serve the community as well as develop as a leader. Reyna’s passion in life is advocating for social justice, and she has done so thus far through her internships at Justice Works!, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as her current internship with the Japanese American Citizens League.

In efforts to become a better advocate, Reyna will begin studying at the University of Washington School of Law this fall. At UW Law, Reyna plans to recruit more undergraduate APAs and students of color as well as increase campus awareness of diversity issues. For fun, Reyna Tahitian dances with Te Fare O Tamatoa (a Tahitian dancing and drumming school), and spends time with her family.

Reyna Rollolazo will be honored at the NAAAP-Seattle Scholarship Gala on November 5 at Woodland Park Zoo.

NAAAP-Seattle announces its high school student college scholarship process. NAAAP-Seattle will award three winners in the Greater Seattle area. Each winner will receive $2,500 to go towards educational purposes. To apply, complete an application form and submit it along with the most current official high school transcript. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, September 21, 2011.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Refresh 2011 helps InterIM CDA Revitalize a Community

(Top to Bottom) Refresh 2011 Icon; NAAAP Seattle Board Member David Eam; Auction and Reception at Seattle's Downtown Grand Hyatt Hotel; NAAAP Seattle Board Member Kevin Chang and President Gil Gido with Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

Seattle, Wa - Thanks to dedicated staff, volunteers, patrons and sponsors, last night's InterIM CDA's 2011 Refresh Gala went without a hitch raising necessary funds to keep their mission alive. Executive Director Hyeok Kim said of the event appreciatively, "our work is due in part to the strong need for housing in the community. Thank you all."

In its four decade history InterIM CDA hasn't stopped to sustain and promote the vibrancy and cultural legacy of Seattle’s Chinatown/International District and the broader Asian and Pacific Islander community through affordable housing and community development. Projects include the Samaki Commons, both a transitional stop between homelessness and long-term housing as well as a refuge for newly migrated residents who need a sense of home while transitioning to American life.

Derek Wing co-emceed a program including a speech from Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and a video message from US Senator Patty Murray.

Doris Koo, former President and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners Inc was the first recipient of the new Bob Santos Leadership in Sustainability Award! She received this award for her nearly 30 years of experience in affordable housing and community development. She has been a highly successful developer, public agency administrator, and nonprofit executive.

Notable appearances were made by Jean Godden; Bruce Harrell ; Ruth Woo ; Uncle Bob Santos ; Sharon Tomiko Santos ; Larry Phillips .

Lastly, we'd be remissed if we didn't acknowledge Nancy Ko who led the behind the scenes logistics. Nancy was a NAAAP Seattle Board member for several terms, serving as a Social Committee Chair, VP of Operations and then a Board at Large. Thanks Nancy!

Best regards,

NAAAP Seattle Board

For more information on InterIM CDA, please visit their website:

InterIM CDA projects: http://www.interimicda.org/index.php?/real_estate_development/affordable_housing/

Website: http://www.interimicda.org/

Event entertainment provided by Morning Star Korean Culture Center

Sponsors: Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (Platinum), JPMorgan Chase (Gold) ; Kantor Taylor and Union Bank (Silver); Marpac (Bronze)

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

A WIN!ning Weekend

Seattle, Wa - NAAAP Seattle had one of the best weekends of its 32 year history. On Friday, we held our signature monthly mixer at Citrus Seattle. The sun was out and with the patio doors open a cool breeze wafted through the lounge area where 60 of our esteemed guests and members socialized talking about current events. Then on Saturday, the Women in NAAAP (WIN!) Regional Conference took place at the Microsoft Conference Center with our specials guests Brad Baldia, NAAAP National President and Judi Rhee Alloway, WIN! National Program Director. The program was as one would expect for a conference serving 120+ attendees: 4 tracks, 3 keynotes, and 25 sessions focused on leadership and calling one to Invest in Yourself.

Phyllis Campbell, Chair, JPMorgan Chase, delivered a memorable lunch keynote strongly encouraging attendees to:

Take Care of Yourself: Self-Care is Smart Care;
Get Ready!;
Turning challenges into opportunities;
Perfection is overrated: It’s okay to make mistakes; and
The more you give, the more you receive.

Following the event, a welcome reception for conference volunteers and special guests was held at the Microsoft Store in Bellevue which included a store tour and a few rounds of Kinect. The event was catered by I Just Love My Apron.

Then on Sunday, NAAAP Seattle held a community service event at Farestart, a nonprofit organization that helps homeless and disadvantaged men and women transform their lives through job training and placement in the food industry.

Overall a WIN!ning weekend for NAAAP Seattle! Thank you to all that made it happen.

Join us in Boston, MA for the 25th Annual NAAAP National Convention and Diversity Career Fair presented by Macy's. It's happening August 11-13th, so register by June 25th to get an early bird discount.

NAAAP Seattle Board

NAAAP Seattle Social Mixer and WIN! Preview at Citrus Seattle

Melanie Caoile, Microsoft Corporation welcomes attendees at the 2011 WIN! Conference

Negotiation: Learning how to talk your way into and out of situations. Kim Tran, Seattle City Light

JD Hokoyama, LEAP and Phyllis Campbell, JPMorgan Chase

Phyllis Campbell, JPMorgan Chase and the WIN! Scholarship winners. Scholarships were generously awarded by JPMorgan Chase.

Business Panel: (l to r) Assunta Ng, NW Asian Weekly; Isabell Sheang, Microsoft Corporation; Olivia Lippens, Clear Channel Outdoors; Mary Pugh, Pugh Capital Management Inc.

NAAAP Seattle President, Gil Gido talks about what to do after the event: Network on the WIN! Social Networking site.

(l to r) Brad Baldia, NAAAP President; Alison Hammet-Cumming, Mary Kay; Gil Gido, NAAAP Seattle President; Sherwin Tsao, Web Chair; Casey Huang, Scholarship Chair; Claire Ding, Secretary; Kevin Chang, Membership Chair; Judi Rhee Alloway, WIN! National Director; Hang Chen, National Rep and WIN! Conference Chair; Amy Duong, Student Relations Chair; Julie Pham, PR/Mkting Chair; David Eam, VP Operations; Vivian Hauer, Treasurer. Not pictured: Marian Liu, VP External Affairs; Michael Okimura, Professional Development Chair; Jenafer Park, Community Service Chair; Heidi Yu, Social Chair.