By Barry Wong, AzGOP Asian American Coalition Board Chairman

(Phoenix, Ariz.) A Mariachi band was playing at the reception. Korean drummers entertained

during dinner. Over 100 Asian American guests attended out of the nearly 500 in the sold-out political party event. Re-check your assumption. Believe it, this was the setting for the biennial Arizona Republican Party Chairman’s Awards Dinner held January 24, 2015 at the Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix South Mountain.

The Arizona Republican Party (AzGOP) holds its mandatory meeting every two years to elect officers and conduct business. Traditionally, the chairman of the AzGOP organizes a dinner event the evening prior to the meeting to present awards recognizing hard working Party volunteers, clubs and organizations. AzGOP Chairman Robert Graham led the awards dinner this year.

AWARD PRESENTATION. Awards presented included ”Outstanding Party Worker,” ”Best Republican Club,”’ Lifetime Achievement” and ”Senator Barry Goldwater Award.” Special for the evening: without advance notice but with great fanfare, Chairman Graham and his wife, Julia (chair of the awards committee), announced Barry Wong as the recipient of the ”Exceptional Dedication & Service to the Republican Party’Award for his work leading the Party’s outreach effort as chairman of the AzGOP Asian American Coalition.

Wong thanked Chairman Graham for his leadership and genuine commitment to ethnic community outreach. ”This award would not be possible if not for the collaboration and dedication of each Asian ethnic community Coalition board member to the GOP effort,” said Wong. ”I am merely the facilitator and coordinator linking the various Asian communities to the GOP.” Wong then introduced each Asian ethnic community and table host highlighting Asian diversity and strong presence at the dinner.

ASIAN COALITION. Chairman Graham, upon his election in 2013, established as among his goals reaching out and connecting with the many ethnic and racial communities in Arizona including the fast growing Asian American community. He created the AzGOP Asian American Coalition (Coalition) and appointed Party officer and former legislator and corporation commissioner Wong as its chairman.

Working in collaboration with Wong and community board members of the Coalition, Chairman Graham in the past two years has met leaders and attended many community events of the diverse Arizona Asian communities including Bangladesh, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Korean, Pakistani, Taiwanese and Vietnamese communities.

DINNER INFLUENCE. Over 20% of the guests (12 tables) attending the Chairman’s Awards Dinner came from the Arizona Asian American community including the following and the table hosts:

Bangladesh (Raphael & Farhana Ahmed, Coalition members), Filipino (Marie Cunning, Coalition member), Indian (Venkat Kommineni, Coalition member), Korean (Jae Chin, Coalition member), Pakistani (Sardar Babar, Coalition member), Taiwanese (Michelle Chang, Coalition member), Vietnamese (Kevin Dang, Mai Le, Coalition members (2 tables)); also, Dinesh ”Dan”Rama (southwest regional director, Asian American Hotel Owners Association), Astria Wong (Coalition member), Sam Huang (candidate for Chandler City Council) and Barry Wong (Coalition chairman).

By hosting tables, these attendees and their guests not only supported the chairman and the Republican Party but also made a statement that as Americans and Arizonans of many Asian ethnic backgrounds they are full participants in mainstream institutions and organizations.

The evening was festive with Party officials and volunteers from throughout Arizona present. Elected officials attending included Congressmen Paul Gosar and David Schweikert and former Congressman (Calif.) Barry Goldwater, Jr. Also, many state senators, representatives and city council members including Sen. Kelli Ward, Rep. Steve Montenegro and Chandler Councilman Jack Sellers.

The Asian American community was well represented and made a positive impression on the Arizona Republican Party regulars and its chairman.