Asian Fortune Publisher Jay Chen’s daughter Lily Chen Ma, who has been performing management duties for Asian Fortune over the years, said she would continue publishing Asian Fortune to honor her father’s legacy.

Jay passed away peacefully on January 31 in the presence of his family at Inova Fairfax Hospital, the result of a brain aneurysm. He was 61. He was laid to rest on February 5 at Fairfax Memorial Home.

At the memorial service, Lily thanked former U.S. Commerce and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, whose eulogy was read at the memorial service, as well as other leaders. She likewise thanked the community and asked for its sustained support in continuing “my Dad’s legacy.”

Jay became a grandfather in November last year, when his daughter Lily and her husband Johnny Ma welcomed the birth of his grandson, Zachary Ma. He is also survived by his wife Lucia, his stepson Peter Lin, his brothers Jisheng Chen, Jixiang Chen and Jiwu Chen, and his former wife and Lily’s mother, LeeAnn Wen.

The family requested that his friends consider making a donation in his memory to the Asian Fortune Foundation, 15050 Medinah Ct., Haymarket, VA 20169.

In his eulogy, “Jay Chen’s Vision United Us,” read by community leader Robert Jew at the memorial service, former Secretary Mineta noted: “There is no question that with the growth of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, Jay’s vision of the service of what an English language newspaper could provide to the community has been proving itself beyond anyone’s expectations.”

He said Jay succeeded in making a difference. He achieved “the great objective of a Pan-Asian newspaper that would unite the individuals, the organizations and the community into a cohesive whole.”

U.S. Department of Labor Chair and Chief Judge of the Administrative Review Board Paul M. Igasaki paid the same tribute, saying, “There are very few things that unite us as a community. Jay did that, with Asian Fortune.”

Top financial adviser George Duangmanee, co-founder of the Summer Asian Food and Tennis Festival, of which Asian Fortune was a co-sponsor, spoke for a lot of people in the community when he said, “We should remember him by celebrating his life and his legacy.”

He added: “Jay was very unassuming and low-profile. But he was extremely proud of Asian Fortune. I know he was looking forward to celebrating its 20th founding anniversary in January 2013. Indeed, that is a major milestone. It says a lot about his dedication and determination as a leader and as a businessman, as well as his deep commitment to diversity and the ideals that make America a great nation.”

VA Resolution

On February 17, Delegate Mark Keam informed Jay’s family that he and Delegate Ron Villanueva would introduce a resolution at the Virginia State Assembly recognizing Chen’s role as a business and community leader. Delegate Villanueva had told Filipino American community leaders on February 2 that he was going to file the resolution.

Jay’s daughter Lily Chen Ma, who will continue publishing Asian Fortune, said she would “be honored to accept the resolution on behalf of my family.”

Also in Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell commented on February 14: “Virginia has lost one of its true innovators with the passing of Mr. Jay Chen.” He praised Jay’s “entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to the Asian community in Virginia,” as demonstrated by his founding and leadership of Asian Fortune.

Public Service

On learning the news, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Jay Chen, publisher of Asian Fortune and dedicated leader and activist for the Asian Pacific American community.”

She added: “Jay cared deeply about our community. Since its founding, Asian Fortune has become an integral part of our community. It has helped us keep abreast of issues and activities in our community. In so doing, Asian Fortune has helped to bind our community together and foster great cultural pride. Among his many contributions, his legacy of public service will live on through Asian Fortune.”

Remarked Daphne Kwok, Chair of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders: “Jay’s legacy will be his documentation of our history, ensuring that our stories and accomplishments were told and discussed. Jay and Asian Fortune were our megaphones, amplifying the issues to our community and to policymakers.”

Curtis S. Chin, former U.S. Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank, emailed his statement, as follows: “It was with great sadness that I heard about the passing of Jay Chen, publisher of Asian Fortune, and I join many others in offering my prayers and best wishes to his family.

“Whether momentous events or small happenings in the Asia and Pacific Islander American community we could certainly count on Jay and his team at Asian Fortune to make the time and to find the space to share the news that mattered most when larger media outlets did not.

“Under his leadership as publisher, Asian Fortune was embraced in print and online throughout the metropolitan Washington area. My hope is that his voice will continue to be heard through the work of others in continuing to bring news and insights to and of a growing, thriving Asia and Pacific Islander community. Jay was an important part of that community, and his friends, family and readers will miss him.”

Delegate Susan C. Lee, Deputy Majority Whip, Maryland House of Delegates of the Maryland General Assembly, District 16, said in an email: “Jay Chen was a pioneer, visionary, and exemplary community leader…Asian Fortune not only informed our AAPI community about those issues, but also educated mainstream and other communities about our issues, critical to helping me, other legislators, and AAPI community advocates pass legislation to empower and uplift the lives of those in our and all communities. Thank you, Jay, for the enormous legacy you have left us.”

Toby Chaudhuri directs strategic communications for several White House Initiatives. He was the former deputy press secretary to Vice President Al Gore and a political appointee during President Clinton’s administration.

He noted: “The community in the nation’s capital lost more than a publisher in Jay Chen’s passing. It lost his voice in the choir he worked so hard to create through Asian Fortune. It’s the end of an era for all of us who communicate with the public and influence public policy working with the Asian American media. Jay had high standards as an editor. He raised the bar for us all to work together to solve our communities’ problems. His journalism is his legacy. The hundreds of news stories he shared with thousands of us each month are a great gift that a new generation of Asian American leaders are most fortunate to inherit.”

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett said: “The passing of Jay Chen is a loss to all of us. His dedication to reporting local news in the capital region has made Asian Fortune an effective medium that connects cultures and communities. We offer our sincere condolences and gratitude to Jay’s family and his Asian Fortune team.”

Journalist

Jay was born on September 2, 1950 in Tianjin, China. He worked as a reporter for the prestigious Xinhua News Agency in his native country before coming to the United States in 1985 as an East-West Fellow to study journalism at the University of Hawaii. Later he obtained a master’s degree in urban planning at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He worked as a translator for Voice of America (VOA) in Washington, D.C. from 1989-1991.

In 1993, Jay started Asian Fortune (www.asianfortune.com).With its monthly printed editions, Asian Fortune reports on issues concerning Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The newspaper also has lively sections detailing social and civic activities.

Jay was particularly proud of the Diversity Job Fairs sponsored by Asian Fortune. The Fairs helped corporations, small business entrepreneurs and government agencies to diversify their workforces by attracting Asian American and Pacific Islander professionals.

Awards

Jay was a recipient of numerous awards for outstanding community and journalism excellence from different Asian American organizations and government agencies. These awards included: National Minority Media Cornerstone Award by U.S. Department of Commerce; Small Business Journalist of the Year Award by Small Business Administration (SBA); DC Mayor’s Award; Maryland Governor’s Citations and Awards on three occasions; Citation by Virginia Governor; Community Service Award by OCA (Organization of Chinese Americans); Journalist of The Year Award by Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce; and the Community Service Award from APAHC (Asian Pacific American Heritage Council).

Others were: Two awards by FAPAC (Federal Asian Pacific American Council); Journalist of The Year Award by LOKA-USA (League of Korean Americans); Award by The National Association of Asian American Professional Women; Award by The Filipino Festival Committee 2005; Award by Asian American Business Roundtable; Award by Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce; 2007 Media Award by Center for Multicultural Human Services; 2008 Community Service Award by the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Maryland on May 2, 2008. In 2008, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley presented Jay with the “Best Journalism of the Year” award during the 4th annual Maryland-Indian Business Roundtable Gala.