Above: Shown are former U.S. Commerce and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta(left) and Virginia Delegate Mark Keam. Delegate Keam said he and Delegate Ron Villanueva are introducing a resolution at the Virginia State Assembly recognizing Chen's role as a business and community leader.

(This Eulogy was read by a community leader at the memorial service for Jay Chen, held on February 5. Norman Y. Mineta is the only American of Asian ancestry who served as a cabinet member with presidents from both parties. He was appointed U.S. Secretary of Commerce by President Bill Clinton. President George W. Bush named him U.S. Secretary of Transportation.)

Like all of you, I was shocked when my good friend Dottie Li called to inform me that Jay Chen had passed away, and I was so very sorry and very distraught.

Jay’s story is really an American success story. Indeed, his story is at once familiar and inspiring. It is the story of all immigrants who aspire to achieve the American Dream.

Like many of you who had immigrated to this country or whose parents, like mine, immigrated to this country, they came with a determination to make life better for themselves and their children. It wasn’t easy for these pioneers. Because of circumstances, even if they could find employment, those opportunities were not challenging enough upon which to build a future.

I was a Member of Congress in 1993, and I remember when Jay and I saw each other and he told me he was going to start Asian Fortune. And I thought, “Right!!!” But I wondered, “How’s he going to make a go of it?”

However, through his commitment, perseverance and pure doggedness – Jay was like the little engine that could – little by little, Asian Fortune has kept growing, and isn’t that wonderful?

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 was proving itself beyond anyone’s expectations.

All of us came to be dependent on Asian Fortune because we wanted to know what was going on in the community but, more importantly, we were getting to know and learn more about each other within the Asian Pacific American community. This was the great objective that Jay saw of a Pan-Asian newspaper that would unite the individuals, the organizations and the community into a cohesive whole.

The Asian Pacific American community is the fastest-growing minority population in the D.C. metropolitan area and we must not lose our identity and become part of an amorphous whole.

Jay and I used to talk about the distinctiveness of each of the ethnic communities within the Asian Pacific American communities – each with its own language, art, religion, history, and the other attributes that make each of our communities different, beautiful and great.

But we also talked about how like yarns of different colors and strength could represent these different aspects of our cultures, that individually, each was strong and beautiful on its own, and when woven together, they made for a strong whole. And so Jay’s vision was to have Asian Fortune be like that tapestry that wove all those yarns together – each yarn beautiful and distinctive on its own, but woven together to make it beautiful and strong for all to enjoy and marvel.

Doubtless, we will all miss Jay who was taken away from us at too young an age. But, let’s make sure that we carry on his vision and dedication for a strong and united community.

Thank you, Jay, for all that you did for us. Bless you and God Speed!!!