Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago Blog Test

IL Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Tailor

Stephen Lee — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 19:26:13 GMT

January 30, 2026 was a great day not just for one great Asian American lawyer but for all of us who want to see the judiciary better represent all of us. Justice Sanjay Tailor is now a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court, and Illinois has become one of just nine states to have an Asian American judge on its highest court.

Justice Sanjay Tailor

AABA and SABA Board Members

AABA Board Members and Friends

Congratulations to Justice Tailor

Stephen Lee — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:48:25 GMT

AABA congratulates Justice Sanjay Tailor on his appointment to the Illinois Supreme Court. He will begin his term on January 30, 2026 and will be the first Asian American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court.

Justice Tailor has served on the appellate court since 2022. Prior to that, he served as a trial judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County for two decades hearing cases in the Municipal, Domestic Relations, Law and Chancery Divisions. Justice Tailor succeeds Justice Mary Jane Theis, who retires after 25 years of distinguished service on the Illinois Supreme Court, including her tenure as Chief Justice from 2022 through 2025.

We celebrate this historic event and extend our best wishes to our good friend Justice Tailor as he joins the distinguished Justices on the Illinois Supreme Court.

AABA will be honoring Justice Tailor at our 2026 Otaka Reception on February 5, 2026. Register at https://aabaogc.wildapricot.org/event-6523669

NAPABA 2025 Wrap-Up

Stephen Lee — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:56:04 GMT

Great seeing so many of you at the NAPABA 2025 convention in Denver on November 6 through 8! AABA Chicago had a great showing, including the Wen Ho Lee re-enactment by our group and an amazing showing at the 2025 Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court Competition!

AABA Chicago members led a re-enactment and discussion of United States v. Wen Ho Lee, a significant case in Asian-American legal history. The case offers many important lessons for today, including how sloppy investigations by the government can harm people and the public. If espionage did happen at the nuclear weapons laboratories, the misguided prosecution of Dr. Lee helped someone get away with it - a tragedy in addition to how Dr. Lee was treated.

Thanks to Brian Sun, who was one of Dr. Lee's attorneys, and AABA Chicago members and friends Stephen Lee, Vikas Didwania, Michael Chu, Ann H. Chen, Judy He, Grayson Walker, Huy Nguyen, Ivy Lee, Lei Shen, Kimberly Leung, Jean Liu, Amol Parikh, Portia Xiong, Sharon Hwang, Cindy Irani, and Alice Lin for their involvement! And if you missed this presentation, you can see a recording of our May presentation here.

Congratulations to 2025 Tang Moot Court winners Audrey La and Joshua Shimabukuro, semi-finalists Soha Pervaiz and Maheeka Shah, and their coaches Tae Kim and Hellin Jang! Both teams (both from Loyola University Chicago School of Law) met in the semi-finals and the prevailing team won the competition!

AABA congratulates the students and their coaches, and we also thank everyone who supported these students and volunteered their time for this competition, especially the attorneys who served as guest judges, including James Chandler, Shannon Shin, Jenna Kim, Vikas Didwania, Alex Moe, Nazia Hasan, Daniel Fumagalli, Belle Katubig, Michael Cho, Bill Yu, and Melanie Matias.

The Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court Competition (NAPABA Law Foundation) is an appellate advocacy competition sponsored by the NAPABA Law Foundation. It is named after the late Judge Thomas Tang from the Ninth Circuit and his wife, and Loyola students have won the competition more than from any other school! More information here

July 2025 Newsletter

Stephen Lee — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:06:37 GMT

New Officers and Board Members

We began the 2025-26 bar year on July 1 by welcoming our new officers and board members and then by electing our honorary board members!

Officers:

President: Stephen Lee (Law Office of Stephen Chahn Lee, LLC)
First Vice President: Tae Kim (Chuhak & Tecson P.C.)
Second Vice President: Belle Katubig (Cook County State's Attorney's Office)
Secretary: Thor Inouye (Illinois Attorney General's Office)
Treasurer: Gabriella Pan (Paul Hastings LLP)
Immediate Past President: Huy Nguyen (Office of State Rep. Hoan Huynh)

Board of Directors:

Judy He (Crowell & Moring LLP)
Kim Leung (Asian Law Caucus)
Elaine Liu (Mayer Brown)
Alan Montera (McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd)
Jaz Park (Illinois Human Rights Commission)
Avani Patel (Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts)
Saranya Raghavan (Winston Strawn)
Elbert Reniva (Roetzel & Andress)
Joseph Sung (Latham & Watkins)

Honorary Board:

Ann Chen (TransUnion)
Vikas Didwania (U.S. Attorney's Office)
Daniel Kim (Littler Mendelson P.C.)
Hon. Young B. Kim (Northern District of Illinois)
Samera Ludwig (Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP)
Romeo Quinto (former law firm partner)
Vic Ramos (Sikich)
Lei Shen (Mayer Brown)

We met on July 11 for a retreat to plan the coming year. We have lots of great ideas but would love to hear from you! Please reach out to chicago.aaba@gmail.com or book a Zoom with Stephen Lee at calendly.com/stephenchahnlee

Planning for the NAPABA 2025 Convention

As you probably know, AABA is an affiliate of the National Asian Pacific Bar Association, and one of the big events on our calendar each year is the NAPABA Convention, which will be in Denver this November. Here is some information to help you plan.

The convention begins on November 6 and ends with a gala on November 8 (the photo above is from the 2024 gala). This is a great opportunity to meet other Asian American attorneys and to hear some great panels (including one based on AABA’s Wen Ho Lee event earlier this year).

Before you register, please consider checking your status as a member of AABA member and as a member of NAPABA – members of AABA Chicago are eligible for complimentary membership in the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and thus save on the registration fee for the convention, but both memberships need to be set up separately.

To check your AABA status and to find your membership number, log into our website at https://aabaogc.wildapricot.org/ - please update your profile if you have not done so in a while! If you need help, email chicago.aaba@gmail.com.

To check your NAPABA status, check https://www.napaba.org/page/Membership. Please make sure that your NAPABA profile is updated set up so that your “Primary NAPABA Affiliated Bar Association” is the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago. If you need help, email membership@napaba.org.

If you have not already set up a NAPABA account, email chicago.aaba@gmail.com for a link to set up your NAPABA account.

NAPABA is offering scholarships to help members cover some costs associated with attending the convention. There is a general scholarship as well as one specifically for law students. In the past, scholarship awards have typically ranged from a minimum of $300 to a maximum of $700 and are based on individual circumstances. Scholarships are offered in the form of reimbursements for eligible expenses such as Convention registration, roundtrip travel, ground transportation, and lodging. If you’re interested, the deadlines are August 5 for the general scholarship and September 16 for the law student scholarship. More information is at https://web.cvent.com/event/c3849ced-0c03-437a-94a5-a37c1f5a1354/websitePage:bc6beb64-efc4-43cc-9161-459c9898a463?rt=e6nZNVYT4k-fg2hQGVgDyQ

If you’d like to coordinate with other AABA Chicago members while in Denver, please fill out the form at https://forms.gle/Q6xqDJqVPrJKwkfD8 – we’ll use this to help plan activities and a group photo that we’ll plan to take on Friday November 7 before the lunch session. Please also fill this out if you are applying for a NAPABA scholarship, as we’re looking into ways to help our members attend.

Upcoming AABA Events

Here are some upcoming events:

Monthly happy hour on July 31. We will be having monthly happy hours where you can meet other AABA members and talk to current officers and board members. The July 31 happy hour will be at the Flamingo bar at the Sterling Food Hall, 125 S. Clark Street, from 5 pm to 7 pm. Register at https://aabaogc.wildapricot.org/event-6267175

Race Judicata on August 14. AABA will be hosting a tent at this annual event sponsored by Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. Please plan to stop by our tent, even if you register with another team. More information at https://aabaogc.wildapricot.org/event-6267177

Check our events page at https://aabaogc.wildapricot.org/Events for additional upcoming events.

We also have a WhatsApp group which you can join if you'd like. Please email chicago.aaba@gmail.com for the link.

April 2025 Newsletter

Stephen Lee — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:56:49 GMT

Please find attached our April 2025 newsletter, with information about upcoming events.

AABA Joins NAPABA Amicus Brief Regarding Birthright Citizenship

Stephen Lee — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:15:57 GMT

AABA Chicago has signed onto an amicus brief filed by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of a district court’s preliminary injunction order regarding Executive Order 14160.

As stated in the brief: “The plain text of the Fourteenth Amendment and longstanding historical precedent should lead to the inevitable conclusion that EO 14160 is patently unconstitutional.”

AABA joins NAPABA in stating that the Trump administration’s legal arguments distort the holding of United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the 1898 case that established the principle that people born in the United States were citizens even if their parents were not citizens.

March 2025 Newsletter

Stephen Lee — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 03:14:49 GMT

Please see the attached PDF for our March 2025 newsletter, which has information on upcoming events, including an April 9 event about birthright citizenship and our annual awards ceremony on May 7.

February 2025 Newsletter

Stephen Lee — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 20:05:21 GMT

Please see the attached PDF for our February 2025 newsletter, which has information on upcoming events, recent events, and job announcements.

We encourage our members to read Portrait Project 2.0 and ask our members to contribute to the Project by participating in their latest research survey that focuses on the experiences of lawyers of all backgrounds who have worked in law firms. Please note that completing this survey may take between 20-30 minutes.

Also, don't forget to renew your AABA membership for 2025 here if you have not done so. We also look forward to having new members join us. Please note that National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) affiliate memberships are no longer activated via an AABA Chicago Affiliate Code. AABA Chicago members should now automatically receive free NAPABA affiliate memberships. When renewing your NAPABA affiliate membership, please be sure to select "AABA Greater Chicago" as your primary affiliate. Should you have any questions, please contact chicago.aaba@gmail.com.

AABA Congratulates Judge Sonni Williams

Stephen Lee — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 18:21:52 GMT

AABA congratulates AABA Chicago Honorary Board Member Sonni Williams on her swearing-in on February 11, 2025 at the Will County Courthouse by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Kay O'Brien!

Hon. Sonni Choi Williams was appointed as a Circuit Judge in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Third Subcircuit to fill the vacancy created by the election of Judge John C. Anderson to the Third District Appellate Court.

Hon. Williams' appointment is a testament to her exceptional leadership, outstanding contributions to the legal community, and continued dedication to public service and the fair and equitable administration of justice.

"I believe Sonni Williams’ professional and personal experiences make her uniquely qualified for the judiciary. Ms. Williams has over 25 years of experience in municipal law, having served as city attorney for Lockport and Peoria, covering virtually every area of the law, including civil, criminal and appellate litigation,” said Justice O’Brien in a statement. “In addition, Ms. Williams has always been personally committed to improving the legal community through her involvement with the Illinois State Bar Association, the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and numerous legal foundations. She will serve the citizens of Will County with distinction in this new role.”

Ms. Williams has been the City Attorney for the city of Lockport since 2017, serving as chief legal officer and representing the city in all cases before the federal and state courts and administrative agencies. From 2000 to 2017 she served as an attorney for the city of Peoria where she supervised the legal department staff attorneys, paralegals and administrative assistants in providing timely professional responses and legal advice, among other duties. She currently serves as President of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA).

From the Supreme Court's announcement:

Ms. Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa and earned her Juris Doctor from the Northern Illinois University College of Law.

In addition to being the first woman of color to serve as President of the ISBA, Ms. Williams' professional affiliations include the Will County Bar Association, the Will County Women's Bar Association, and the Will County Black Lawyers Association. She is a board member of the Korean American Bar Association of Chicago and an honorary board member of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago. Since 2012 she has served as Hearing Chair for the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, and she was previously a Commissioner of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism and a Commissioner of the Illinois Supreme Court Special Committee on Professionalism.

Her awards include receiving the 2020 Alumna of the Year Award from the Northern Illinois University College of Law and the 2015 ISBA Diversity Leadership Award for her long standing, continuing and exceptional commitment to the critical importance of diversity within the Illinois legal community, its judiciary and within the Illinois State Bar Association.

NAPABA 2024

Stephen Lee — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 18:15:38 GMT

Thanks to all the Chicago attorneys who met up at NAPABA 2024! We had about 100 attorneys attend this year's annual National Asian Pacific American Bar Association convention in Seattle and were thrilled at seeing all the energy that you brought.

Congratulations also to the Chicago attorneys who spoke on panels: James ("Jimmy") Oh, Alan Tse, Stephen Lee, Phong Nguyen, Vic Ramos, Sohil Shah, Vaishali Rao, and Dean Vikram Amar.

Thanks from Belle Katubig (second vice president), Stephen Lee (first vice president), Huy Nguyen (president), and Sang Lee (past president)!

AABA Congratulates its Members on Winning their Primary Races!

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 13:00:00 GMT

AABA Board Member Sonni Choi Williams Elected ISBA Third Vice-President

Tue, 11 May 2021 18:40:03 GMT

The Asian American Bar Association (AABA) of Greater Chicago congratulates AABA Board Member Sonni Choi Williams on her recent election as the next Third Vice President of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA). Once sworn in, Sonni will be the first female lawyer of color, first Asian American, and first Korean American elected to this position. AABA commends Sonni for her long history of leadership and dedication to the Asian American community and the legal community. We look forward in anticipation to the future of the ISBA and the Illinois legal community under Sonni's leadership.

AABA Mourns the Loss of Those Who Were Murdered in the Atlanta Spa Shootings

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 19:55:36 GMT

Chicago, IL – Soon Chung Park. Hyun Jung Grant (Kim). Suncha Kim. Yong Ae Yue. Xiaojie Tan. Daoyou Feng. Delaina Ashley Yaun. Paul Andre Michels. We mourn their loss and mourn with their families and friends. Read some of their stories here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/19/us/atlanta-shooting-victims.html.

In response to the Atlanta Spa shootings and to the surge of hate and xenophobia directed towards Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) in the past year, AABA Chicago joins others across the Chicagoland area and the nation to denounce these acts of hate. For the past year, AABA has communicated with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, in partnership with our sister Asian bar associations in the Chicago area, to advocate for the APA community and report on acts of hate directed against APA groups and individuals. Like many, we had hoped that the violence against APAs stoked by former President Trump and others formerly in power would subside with President Biden and Vice President Harris in the White House. Instead, we recognize that both white supremacy and misogyny are entrenched in American institutions and the collective consciousness, continuing to produce hate-fueled violence targeting communities of color and women. AABA Chicago is committed to continuing to advocate for the APA community, as well as working in solidarity with our BIPOC, female, LGBTQ+, immigrant and other marginalized members of our country.

Now, we breathe and turn to the murders of six Asian American women. Their deaths have struck us and the broader Asian American community deeply. Our trauma is real. These women are us. They are our moms, daughters, and sisters.

We live in a country that has a long history of exotifying, fetishizing, and objectifying APA women. APA women have often been portrayed as submissive and compliant “china dolls” or shrewd and lustful “dragon ladies.” While these images may seem contradictory, they both serve as projections of white male fantasies. APA women and our allies have fought and continue to fight to dismantle these gendered racial stereotypes in a white-male-dominated society. In the legal profession, the intersection of gender, race, and oppression are felt as those in power too often judge APA women as either too passive to lead or too shrewd to trust.

This mass murderer’s words and actions are the ultimate objectification of APA women. These women served as objects for his pleasure and objects for his hate at the same time. We are not dealing well with coded speculation that would place blame on the victims for their murders. We are not dealing well with this man’s claims that he was struggling with sexual addiction, that he targeted those spas to eliminate his temptation, and that he was not motivated by the race of his victims. We are not dealing well with the attempts to show how he is different from the rest of our society—this white, Christian man who was battling his demons, whom we can persecute and condemn as an “evil” while we relegate his victims to the roles of unlucky, tragic minor characters in his life story. Another mass murderer. Women who were in the wrong profession at the wrong place at the wrong time. This happens in America.

While we believe that the arc of history bends towards justice, and the fight for antiracism and gender equity slowly moves forward, moments like this are truly awful and shake us to the core. We live in a society where a white, Christian man can dehumanize a group of APA women to such an extent that he can claim that race had nothing to do with him killing them. More disturbingly, we as a society have the audacity to entertain such notions. Too often our first response to deeply traumatic events is to otherize the perpetrators and victims so that we can avoid looking internally at the systemic racism and misogyny that create the conditions for hate-filled violence.

The Atlanta Spa shootings as well as the coverage of the incidents compel us to recognize the urgency of the need to work together to dismantle our country’s interlocking systems of oppression. For now, we ask that you give those of us who need to mourn, process, and heal the time and space to do so. Soon enough, all of us will rise, and we ask that you join us.

AABA was founded on the belief that a professional bar association could serve not only the interests of its members, but also the community from which its members have come. Our mission includes promoting the professional growth of our members; mentoring law students and new lawyers, providing services to our local community; fostering the exchange of ideas and information among our members and community leaders; partnering with other minority organizations on common matters of concern; and offering policy recommendations on legal, social, political, and economic interests significant to our community.

To learn more about AABA, visit www.aabachicago.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@aabachicago).

AABA Hosts Reception for Judge Sanjay Tailor, Illinois's First Asian American Presiding Judge

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 21:01:16 GMT

Congratulations to Judge Sanjay Tailor on his appointment to Full Circuit Judge of Cook County and new Acting Presiding Judge of the County Division. Judge Tailor's appointment is a historic first in Illinois as he is now the state's first Asian American presiding judge.

Tonight's reception featured wonderful remarks from Justice Mary Jane Theis, Chief Judge Timothy Evans, Judge Anjana Hansen, Judge Rena Van Tine, and Judge Sanjay Tailor himself.

Thank you to all 250+ guests for attending tonight's reception, and to the Asian American Judges Association of Illinois (AAJA), the Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (CABA), the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago (FALA), the Japanese American Bar Association - Chicago Committee (JABA), the Korean American Bar Association of Chicago (KABA), and the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago (SABA) for co-sponsoring this event!

Former AABA President Featured on ABC 7 Chicago

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 21:06:12 GMT

Former AABA Chicago president Gary Zhao was interviewed by ABC 7 Chicago regarding his support of President Biden's executive order condemning the wave of racism towards Asian-Americans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that “In our meetings and discussions, we noticed many incidences of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination.”

See more at: https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/YMhfCyP2v3h7yqBXIZQyFd?domain=abc7chicago.com/

AABA Condemns the Assault on the United State Capitol

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 21:07:38 GMT

Chicago, IL – AABA condemns yesterday’s assault on the United States Capitol during the process to certify the Electoral College votes. AABA calls upon President Trump and all other leaders to condemn this violence, denounce the assault as seditious criminal conduct, and to bring those responsible to justice to the full extent of the law.

The American people have voted. Both sides of the political divide have made their voices heard with a historic turnout of voters. Poll workers, election protection volunteers, local election staff, and municipality personnel across the political spectrum worked diligently to ensure a safe and trusted election cycle across the country. Claims of irregularities have been investigated. Audits and recounts have taken place. The states have certified the results. The Electoral College has voted. Courts have shot down legal challenge after legal challenge and have found nothing to undermine the notion that the 2020 election was free and fair. All lawful processes to reelect President Trump or to challenge the election results have been exhausted.

John Adams, one of our country’s founders and our second president, observed that “we must be a nation of laws and not of men.” We must heed this message and warning now. The words of President Trump and other leaders who seek to overturn a free and fair election are not the law. Words that pushed many to move beyond constitutionally protected peaceful protest to illegal acts of violence and destruction at one of our country’s most sacred spaces are not the law. President Trump is not the law and not above it. No president is. No person is.

We recognize that unjust laws have existed throughout our country’s history, which have contributed to the systemic oppression many Americans face today. We support efforts to change discriminatory laws as well as the right to protest to push for change. That is not what we witnessed yesterday. What we saw yesterday was violence set ablaze on a pyre of lies. We saw images of the siege on our Capitol by hundreds carrying Trump and confederate flags. We saw fear in the eyes of lawmakers trying to take shelter. We could imagine the smirk on the faces of the rioters who were taking selfies as they lounged in our representatives’ chairs. What we felt was a visceral desecration of our being as Americans.

“Seeing yesterday’s events at the U.S. Capitol unfold was painful. What those who stormed the Capitol did was criminal,” said AABA President Kristy Gonowon. “As members of the legal community, my colleagues and I have the privilege and duty to preserve and protect the rule of law. Thus, we condemn in the strongest terms these acts of violence. We ask our family, friends, neighbors, and fellow Americans to remember that, despite our differences, we must stand together as one nation, indivisible, committed to our shared belief in liberty and justice for all. We are a nation of laws and not of men. We must all do our part to ensure that it stays that way.”

To learn more about AABA, visit www.aabachicago.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@aabachicago).

Two-Step Action Plan to Make a Difference in the 2020 Elections

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 20:10:06 GMT

AABA is hosting a virtual panel on Thursday, October 22, 2020 titled "Emerging Power of Asian Pacific American Voters" featuring a discussion on how we got to where we are now and how you can raise your voice for the future of APAs and our country. To accompany the panel, AABA has created an action plan with tangible steps you can take to make a difference in the upcoming election.

Download a PDF or Word version of AABA's Action Plan for Voting here:

AABA Action Plan for Voting.pdf

AABA Action Plan for Voting.docx

AABA Hosts its First Virtual Speed Networking Event

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 20:15:46 GMT

On September 29, AABA hosted its first virtual speed networking event. We were able to coordinate 25 pairings with law students across the country and the experience was rewarding for both participating attorneys and law students!

Sonni C. Williams Appointed to the Guardianship and Advocacy Comm. & Wins NIU Alum of the Year Award

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 20:13:02 GMT

We are incredibly proud of our Board Member Sonni Choi Williams!

Sonni was recently appointed by Governor JB Pritzker to serve on the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission (https://www2.illinois.gov/Pages/news-item.aspx...) and will be awarded the Northern Illinois University College of Law's "Alum of the Year" Award on October 14 (registration for the awards reception is free at https://law.news.niu.edu/.../niu-law-to-honor.../). Congratulations Sonni on your recent accomplishments!

AABA 2020 Virtual Talent Show

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 20:18:48 GMT

On May 22, 2020 AABA hosted its first virtual talent show. It was extremely well-attended, with Jenner & Block hosting.

AABA Standing in Solidarity with George Floyd's Family and Larger African American Community

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 20:21:57 GMT

The Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago Stands in Solidarity with George Floyd’s Family and the Larger African American Community

The Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA) is deeply saddened by George Floyd’s death. We mourn his loss, and our hearts go out to his family.

Across the nation, we hear cries of grief and frustration. As protests rise up in so many cities, we see Americans of all colors chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “I can’t breathe.” We feel the anguish in the eyes of those holding up signs that read, “My skin is not a weapon,” and “Why are you so afraid of me?” Like many in this country, we are greatly disturbed by the circumstances of Floyd’s death. While we often use our voices to advocate for the Asian American community, the current situation calls on us to stand with the African American community, and thus, we direct our voice inwards to our Asian American community.

We at AABA take this message to heart, too, and we call on the broader Asian American community to do the same. Now is not a time to hunker down in our bunkers, let alone incite violence as the President has done. Rather, it is time to stand in solidarity with the African American community, to mourn together, and to rise together.

Over fifty years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “America can and should be […] a moral power, a power harnessed to the service of peace and human beings, not an inhumane power unleashed against defenseless people.” These words still ring true, as violence is wielded to oppress unarmed Black Americans today. Yet, in that speech, MLK was not giving voice to Africans Americans. He was speaking on behalf of Asian victims of the Vietnam War. Despite the unpopularity of his position at the time, with many of his allies pleading that he not take away the spotlight on the fight for the lives and rights of Black Americans, he stated that his conscience left him no choice but to stand with victims of the war. A few years earlier, MLK had written the famous phrase in his letter from Birmingham Jail, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He took his own message to heart and stood up for Asians with whom he shared little other than the lived experience of pain, suffering, and oppression.

We understand that the Asian American community is hurting right now. The rhetoric around the COVID-19 pandemic from the highest position of this country has empowered many to treat Asian Americans as scapegoats for the fears, anxieties, and uncertainties of a worldwide health crisis. But, we must recognize that the African American community has been hit hard in the past several months as well. The recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are exhibits on a long list of evidence of an unjust system of policing and the use of violence to oppress African Americans in this country. And while the rhetoric around the COVID-19 pandemic has recently been weaponized to oppress Asian Americans, the pandemic has actually killed African Americans at a higher rate than any other group, almost three times the rate of White Americans.

While we as Asian Americans struggle with our current reality—living in fear of harassment and violence in public spaces—we must recognize that this struggle has been a constant reality for Black Americans in this country. Due to the increased hostility toward our community, some of us might argue that this is a time to keep our heads down and to stick with our own. Some of us might propose that this is a time to work harder to show our American-ness. Yet, at AABA, we recognize that racism is wrong, and a system that perpetuates racism is broken and must be fixed. Hate takes on many forms and shades. No matter how hard we work to show that we should not be hated, it is a disease that constantly adapts to the situation to infect us. Instead of focusing on how we can change ourselves to fit in, we should center our discussion on how we fit into the work needed to make change.

We recognize that our fight to advocate for Asian Americans is inextricably linked to the great struggle against racism in this country. If we want to no longer be treated as perpetual strangers in this country, then we must work with our natural allies—the African American community, the Latinx community, and others who have been marginalized—to push for antiracist policies and to shape this country into one that welcomes people of all colors. Remember Vincent Chin. Remember Fred Korematsu. The Asian American community has a long history of fighting against racism in this country, and it is time that we are again at the forefront of that fight.

We hope that the whole Asian American community will join us in standing in solidarity with the African American community and saying: You are not alone. Your tears are our tears. Your freedom is our freedom. Your fight is our fight. Only when Black Lives Matter, can all lives matter.

AABA President Featured on ABC 7's Emmy Award Winning Program "Asian Influences: Standing Strong"

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:24:02 GMT

AABA and its sister bar association's advocacy efforts in fighting covid-19 related anti-Asian racism and hate crimes are recognized and celebrated in this Emmy Award winning TV program.

https://abc7chicago.com/society/asian-influences-standing-strong/6182988/

Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx Stands with Asian American Bar Associations in Condemning Surge of Discrimination and Hate Crimes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 16:57:43 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 22, 2020

Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx Stands with Asian American Bar Associations in Condemning Surge of Discrimination and Hate Crimes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

CHICAGO, IL, April 22, 2020 – Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx recognizes and condemns the rise in discrimination and attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has announced that she will collaborate with local Asian American bar associations and other community organizations to investigate and prosecute all discrimination, harassment, and hate crimes in connection to the pandemic as appropriate.

On April 16, 2020, State’s Attorney Foxx met via video with the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA), Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago, Japanese American Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association, and Korean American Bar Association to discuss the surge in discrimination and hate crimes against AAPIs in connection with the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Foxx’s meeting with these bar associations was conducted as a result of their joint letter urging Foxx to publicly denounce these acts and protect the civil rights of AAPIs in Cook County. During the meeting, she condemned all racist attacks in connection with COVID-19 and directed victims of such attacks to her office.

“The circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have created great challenges, unfortunately made worse by President Trump’s xenophobic rhetoric targeted at Asian Americans,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx. “We recognize that these actions have increased danger and fear in the community and may cause hesitation to report a crime. My office will never tolerate discrimination or harassment, and we will prosecute hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law. We are working closely with community leaders to make sure victims have support and access to the resources they need. If you are the victim of a crime, please know that you are not alone. Call 911 in an emergency or the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Unit at 773-674-7200 for help.”

AABA President Gary Zhao applauds Foxx’s quick, positive response to the bar associations’ letter. He looks forward to working with her to advocate for AAPIs in Cook County. He states, “AAPIs across the country are facing an unprecedented challenge as they are treated as scapegoats for the fear, anxiety, and uncertainties of a worldwide health crisis. But here in Chicago and Cook County, we are lucky to have leaders like Kimberly Foxx who will stand with the AAPI community. Chicago is home to people of many cultures and origins, and we have come a long way towards becoming a welcoming city for all. While public officials in many parts of the country have remained silent or have even fanned the flames of xenophobia, I am heartened that our leaders are dedicated to protecting all people in our community.”

Attorney General Raoul Condemns Covid 19 Racism, Hate Crimes against AAPIs

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 16:55:36 GMT

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CONDEMNS RACISM, HATE CRIMES AGAINST ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

Chicago — Attorney General Kwame Raoul today condemned discrimination and hate crimes targeting Asian Americans. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted individuals throughout Illinois without regard to race, national origin, religion or gender. As all communities continue to fight the coronavirus pandemic devastating the nation, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have faced an increase in instances of discrimination and hate crimes.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak spread throughout states, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have reported experiencing higher instances of harassment and bias. The Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council (A3PCON) recently launched a website to collect data related to discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. According to the A3PCON, Stop AAPI hate received 1,135 reports of discrimination and hate crimes throughout the nation in website’s first two weeks.

“That some individuals would use the new coronavirus pandemic to direct bigotry and hate toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is absolutely unacceptable and must stop,” Raoul said. “Racism has no place in our society, and we must stand together to condemn racist acts when we see them, particularly during this crisis.”

“The AAPI community is facing an unprecedented crisis,” said Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago President Gary Zhao. “This is a time when we need to come together and set aside our differences and biases so that we can overcome this crisis as a community. This is a time for quick action by our community’s leaders to take on racism and xenophobia directly.

The A3PCON reports that despite shelter-in-place directives in many states, the number of racist incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders remains high. Many of the incidents being reported have taken place in grocery stores, pharmacies and big-box retailers. The A3PCON has also found that Asian American and Pacific Islander women are harassed at twice the rate of men, and youths are involved in more than 6 percent of incidents.

Asian Americans in the Chicago area have reported experiencing instances of harassment they have experienced in neighborhoods, on public transportation and in airports. Last month in Naperville, a 60-year-old Chinese American man was jogging when he was attacked by two women who spit at him and told him to “go back to China.”

The Attorney General’s office has discussed the need to address COVID-19 – related discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with representatives of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the Filipino American Lawyers Association of the Chicago, the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago, the Korean American Bar Association and the Japanese American Bar Association.

Attorney General Raoul urges Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to report hate crimes to local law enforcement for criminal prosecution. Raoul also encourages people to report discrimination or hate-motivated incidents to his office by visiting his website, emailing CivilRights@atg.state.il.us or by calling his Civil Rights Hotline at 1-877-581-3692. The Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau enforces state and federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination and hate crimes in Illinois.

More Asian-Pacific American representation needed on the bench

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 19:35:26 GMT

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

Letter: More Asian-Pacific American representation needed on the bench

On behalf of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the Chinese American, Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the South Asian Bar Association, the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago and the Korean American Bar Association, we congratulate all of the judicial candidates who were appointed associate judges in Cook County last week.

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