Congratulations to the 2010 AAWA Scholarship and AAWA Recognition Award Recipients. These recipients were honored at our annual banquet on April 24, 2010 at the Hilton Hotel in Santa Clara, California.
1. Eugenia Kaw
As a child, Eugenia Kaw emigrated from Burma. Prior to becoming a teacher, she studied cultural anthropology. She holds a PhD. in cultural anthropology. As an undergraduate, she won a prize in medical anthropology for her field research on how racial stereotypes perpetuated by popular culture and some sectors of the medical establishment influenced many Asian American women to opt for double-eyelid cosmetic surgeries. Her articles have been published. As a doctoral student, she became literate in her home language, Burmese, and also studied the culture of Buddhist meditation in Burma and its relationship to education and society. As a teacher herself, now, she sees the importance of helping students learn about themselves from an early age, take pride in their culture(s), and also, develop as critical thinkers and effective communicators. Her master’s thesis in education examines a culturally responsive pedagogy for Asian American English language learners.
2. Minh-Chau Nguyen
Minh-Chau Nguyen is a 3rd year law student at UC Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall). A native of San Jose, she received her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley in Public Health with a minor in Education. Her commitment to her community has found an outlet at Boalt Hall, where was Co-Chair of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association and on the Board of the Women of Color Collective. Last summer, Minh-Chau worked for the Asian Law Alliance and served as Vietnamese interpreter. She is currently an extern for The Honorable Lucy Koh in the Superior Court of California and has worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco. She thanks her wonderful family for their support through the years. She hopes to be able to serve the community as well as it has served her.3.
3. Hillary Le
Hillary Nguyen Hoai Huong Le was born to Anh Vu Le and Anna Le on April 12, 1992. Growing up in a strict Vietnamese household, she obtained a firm grasp on the Vietnamese language and culture that would anchor her personal values. Currently, she is interested in health and nutrition and aims for a career in business. Her personal ambition is to become a writer, fulfilling a love for the written word that has remained with her from childhood. Family has always been central in her life – personal understanding has arisen from interactions with relatives and her younger brother, Andrew. A graduating senior from Evergreen Valley High School, she hopes to continue on her educational goals as a freshman at the University of California Berkeley.