Dr. Jony J. Liu was recently appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to the prestigious Maryland State Arts Council. “Dr. Liu will bring to the State Arts Council and our state the same outstanding caliber of leadership and talent he provided while serving on the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County” said O’Malley. Liu, a distinguished physicist and leader in the arts and the community, is the first Asian and Chinese American ever appointed to the Council. Maryland Delegate Susan C. Lee (D-16) said Liu’s experience and talent would help the Council in enriching and bringing a wide, diverse range of the arts to Maryland.

U.S. Congresswoman Hirono and U.S. Congressman Neil Abercrombie praised legendary musician, composer and filmmaker Eddie Kamae at a Capitol Hill ceremony for helping spark the Hawaiian cultural renaissance. Kamae, a ukulele virtuoso, and Gabby Pahinui, a master slack key guitarist, co-founded The Sons of Hawaii in the early 1960s. Kamae is one of 12 master artists in the U.S. who received the 2007 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Representatives from the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the Sikh Coalition, and United Sickhs, recently met with officials from the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the Sikh American community’s concerns about the TSA’s recently revised headwear screening procedure.

A fundraising event was held September 10 at the VA Diamond Club for Chap Petersen, Democratic candidate for State Senate. The Honorable Leslie Byrne was the special guest.

A group of Asian Pacific Americans attending the Diversity reception, held at the Twin Towers in Tysons Corner, pose for a photo op with Democratic candidates.

Filipino American WWII veterans and widows recently thanked U.S. Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia), a decorated Vietnam War veteran, for cosponsoring their pension and family reunification bills. Greater Metro D.C. members of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, Inc., from left: Celestino Almeda, 90; Joaquin Tejada, 84; Tomas Culanag, 83; veterans widows Candida Romulo, 73, and Constancia Honorio, 89. They also met the key staff of Sen. Richard Burr (R-NCarolina), the new ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). ACFV photo by Eric Lachica.

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) held its 2007 Democracy Award in the U.S. Capitol last September 18. From left: U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks; Hisham Kassem, recipient from Egypt; U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff; U.S. Senator Richard Lugar; Elena Milashina, who accepted the award for the late Anna Politkovskaya of Russia; Kavi Chongkittavorn, recipient from Thailand; Ewald Scharfenberg, who accepted the award for Instituto Prensa Y Sociedad of Venenzuela, and NED president Carl Gershman. Photo: Bing Cardenas Branigin

Former Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Albert Del Rosario was in town recently to receive his award as one of the Twenty Outstanding Filipinos Overseas. The award was presented to Ambassador Del Rosario by Nonoy Mendoza, awards founder, and current Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa. Del Rosario was accompanied by his wife Gretchen. Photo: Bing Cardenas Branigin

The Washington GuZheng Society recently performed September 15 at the Washington D.C. Temple Visiting Center, Maryland. Founded in 2000 by a group of GuZheng musicians and enthusiasts, it has held a variety of performances in the Smithsonian Institution, the Kennedy Center and public libraries, schools and churches.

Rachel Wang recently was named Miss Maryland Teen Talent. Rachel, a Gaithersburg resident and senior at Thomas S. Wootton High School. She has has performed with the Washington GuZheng Society at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Baltimore Museum. She’s also a school Patriot Ambassador, helping in the orientation program for new students and teachers.

The Chinese Star Performance Arts Group received a warm welcome in Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Montgomery College, Maryland on September 16. The group’s tour was sponsored by the Chinese Embassy, Agis Center for Arts and Humanities, Peking University Alumni Association in Washington, D.C.

Vichai Malikul, holding plaque as one of Smithsonian’s 21 Unsung Heroes of 2007, beams beside Dr. Cristain Samper, acting Smithsonian Secretary, and among members of Thais For Thai Assn. committee, who came to cheer him. Vichai is a top biological illustrator and a Smithsonian employee for 40 years. He is an illustrator at the entomology department of the National Museum of Natural History. He initiated the Museum’s Asian Arts and Crafts Festival in the 80s, and continues to direct it as a volunteer.

Dance Asia Alliance performed at “Bollywood Show. Extravaganza: The Ultimate Experience!” during the D.C. meets Delhi Film Festival Family & Arts Day, held on September 9 at University of District of Columbia. Collaborating art groups included Natyabhoomi School of Dance, Sutera Malaysia , Dhoonya Dance School , Fairfax Cultural Dance Troupe and Burmese Dance Troupe.

The Reston Multicultural Festival celebrated the city’s vibrant and diverse cultures at Lake Anne Plaza last September 8. With this year’s theme as “Discover the World in Reston,” Virginia families, friends and guests were invited to discover how Reston and the world are enriched with a wealth of culture.

The Chinatown Community Cultural Center (CCCC) recently hosted a reception for students who returned from their trip to China. CCCC launched the “China Exchange Students” program last summer. During the reception, the students shared their experiences and adventures.

group of Asian Americans were present at the Gala of the 2007 Internaitonal Children’s Festival held on Sept. 20 at Hilton McLean at Tysons Corner.

The Moms Dance Group of the local Hope Chinese School staged a Variety Show on September 22 celebrating the time-honored Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. It was a full house at the Concert Hall of George Mason University in Fairfax. The scene is from the contemporary Peking Opera “Taking over Mount Weihu by Strategy.” All the characters were played by mothers. Second photo: The cast takes a bow at the end of show. Photos by Jay Chen

The University of Maryland hosted its first Asian American alumni and community dinner with UMCP President Daniel Mote on September 26 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, College Park. According to Larry Hajime Shinagawa, Director and Associate Professor at the Asian American Studies Program, the University has recognized that it now has about 1 in 5 students who are Asian American and that many of its major supporters, such as Jeong Kim and Patrick Sung, have been of Asian American background. “This (dinner) bodes well for the Asian American community at the University of Maryland and for the greater Washington, DC region APA communities,” Dr. Shinagawa said. Photo by Jay Chen/Asian Fortune