The National Asian Women’s Association celebrated its 16th anniversary at the Empire Garden in Boston’s Chinatown on Jan. 23, despite the surge in cases in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guests and volunteers donned surgical masks as they dined at big round tables decorated with glasses filled with styled carmine-colored napkins inside the favorite Chinatown restaurant that was once an old vaudeville theater house.
The banquet also served as its traditional annual gathering to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year, with 200 guests from New England areas, featuring a series of performances, including singing, dancing and the traditional lion dance.
Amanda Le, banquet organizer and NAWA founder, led the award ceremony to recognize the senior members and leaders’ 16 years of dedication and contribution to the Asian community. The awards were signed and recognized by Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito of Massachusetts.
“Sixteen-years is a remarkable milestone,” said Mayor Tom Koch, City of Quincy, in his video message to the banquet. “We wish you well and continue to succeed in all your endeavors. Thank you for what you do and service in your community, and members of this great community here in Quincy.”
The event also marked the sixth anniversary of the Coalition National Asian Elit Leadership (NAWA Elit) and the fifth anniversary of the Coalition of Chinese Quintessence Elit Leadership (NAWA Quintessence). The two organizations are the second and third generations of the National Asian Women’s Association, which helped the community grow and border areas. To date, the Coalition of Chinese Quintessence Elit Leadership has established branches across the country. Besides the original one in Boston, the other two offices are located in New York and Philadelphia.
Founded in 2006, NAWA aims to empower Asian American women leaders to become highly skilled and effective advocates. In the upcoming year, Le’s goal for NAWA is to upgrade current programs and get more talent who can serve the community.
“The slogan for our group is: creativity, essence, participation, dedication,” said Le. “ Our goal is to improve the quality of life in our communities.”
SAMPAN, published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, is the only bilingual Chinese-English newspaper in New England, acting as a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area. It is published biweekly and distributed free-of-charge throughout metro Boston; it is also delivered to as far away as Hawaii.