It’s quite common to see our news feed on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. blow up with posts of how much we appreciate our mothers in honor of Mothers Day. But there’s one individual who shows his appreciation regardless of the day. Brother Alex Chu of the Phi Chapter at University of Central Florida credits his mother and grandmother for his drive and determination to succeed academically and professionally through his heartwarming messages on social media. His words are a powerful reminder that we must appreciate the struggles our family overcame and their drive to provide a better life for us. 
Kicking off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May was officially recognized as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month in 1992 to commemorate the arrival of first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843 and the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869.
To honor the celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, StoryCorps is working with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to gather stories about various topics and themes in regards to the AAPI identity. More information can be found here.
Viet Thanh Nguyen Wins Pulitzer Prize for Novel, ‘The Sympathizer’
Viet Thanh Nguyen is an associate professor at one of the world’s leading private research universities, University of Southern California. He released his debut novel, “The Sympathizer” in 2015, which tells the story of a half Vietnamese and half French officer in the Southern Vietnamese military and also a Northern Vietnamese spy. His work has been awarded with the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2016 and is the New York Time’s 100 notable books of 2015. Read more
Housing & Architecture to Refining the Culinary Arts
(Dain Lee, second from left)
Dain Lee, an alumnus of the Zeta Chapter at New York University, recently participated as a competitor on Food Network’s All-Star Academy, in which he worked with his mentor/celebrity chef, Curtis Stone, to refine his culinary skills as they both underwent intense challenges.
In addition to being a talented home cook, he is an established and licensed real estate broker who has worked with the Corcoran Group for 10 years. Lee’s passion for engaging with people from all walks of life has allowed him to develop interpersonal relationships with his clients through his sincerity and integrity.
Asian American and Voting : The Big Picture
As an organization that emphasizes awareness within the Asian American community and supports the Asian And Pacific Islander American Vote (APIA Vote), we highly encourage everyone to inform and educate themselves on issues that affect our community as a whole, as well as learning about each of the political candidates running for the Presidential elections. In the past, the voting turnout has been weak among the Asian American community. According to studies done by the Pew Research Center, there was less inclination or no preference in regards to voting for political candidates and/or issues. However, with the rise of nonpartisan community-based organizations like APIA Vote, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, helping to advance civil engagement, the voting trend is gradually increasing. We hope to see more increase in involvement in the Asian American political movement.
First Asian American Supreme Court Justice?
Sri Srinivasan is a member on the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia Circuit and may potentially be President Obama’s leading choice to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. If this were to happen, he would be the first Asian American to be a part of the high court, according to the Washington Post.
Read more of the story here
How Giving Back to University of Buffalo Helped Its Students
(photo taken from link provided at the bottom of this post)
Brayan Lopez, who was inducted in Fall 2009 at the Beta Chapter, University of Buffalo, has dreams of becoming a performance physical therapist. But, being a full-time student with two part-time jobs made the journey difficult. However, he is grateful for the scholarship received by his school because his journey could have been more difficult without it. His story was featured on the campus website, which was promoting the benefits of donating back to the school to provide scholarships for deserving students.
Legal NYC and Asian Americans for Equality vs. King Henry Realty Inc.
It is essential that living conditions are sufficient enough to provide a place to sleep and rest and feel safe in our own personal space. Residents of 173 Henry St in Chinatown, New York, however, were exposed to illegal and dangerous actions by their landlord, King Henry Realty Inc., according to William Xu, a member of the Asian Americans for Equality and a well-respected brother of Pi Delta Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. To provide a voice for the residents, Xu, along with members of the 173 Henry St. Tenant Association, rallied at Foley Square to raise awareness and protest against poor living conditions at the building. From there, Xu provided an overview of the health risks posed on the residents at 173 Henry St. and pointed out the unlawful actions of King Realty Inc.
Forbes Highlight in Gainesville
For months, brothers of the Sigma Chapter at University of Florida promoted the Light the Night Walk, an event hosted by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to raise awareness of blood cancer. Huy Huynh, one of the twenty men who chartered the Sigma Chapter at University of Florida, was recognized as a philanthropist by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in a recent issue of Forbes magazine. Among the list of executives who donated towards the cause, Huy was the top fundraiser in Gainesville for Light the Night raising $8797!
(photo credit: Sigma Chapter, University of Florida)
Brother Unity at the Northeast Greek Leadership Association (NGLA) Annual Conference
Brothers recently attended an annual conference hosted by the Northeast Greek Leadership Association to learn ways to transform our community and further the mission of Pi Delta Psi.
Below are brothers from the Kappa Chapter at Cornell University, Mu Chapter at the Ohio State University, and the Omega Chapter at University of Connecticut.
(From left to right; Randy Tung, Brandon Eng, Tony Chow, Marco Wong, and Vigor Lam)
