Hello, friends.

We’re wrapping up another year at the Asian Arts Initiative, and we want to share some “comings and goings.” First—bless the masks--our staff and board have survived this terrible virus, epidemiologically speaking. We’d wipe our brows but we know better than to touch our faces after handling children and other animals all day. Our offices remain mostly vacant but the plants in our offices are still green! The staff pet dog population has grown by at least three, and babies turned one, two, four, five, seven, twelve, and forty-seven. And if that sounds like your jam, I’d like to personally invite you to join our team as our next Teaching Artist or Development Operations Manager. Apply here for the Teaching Assistant or the Development Operations Manager.

For many, the moves are onward and upward, but in fact, outward and no longer at the organization. Alas, our fiscal outlook has been a whole dang tragedy and we’re saying some fond farewells (not all! But indeed a few). More on that another day. Today I just want to say: shine on, bright diamonds!

If you’re looking for an arts office administrator to bring the spark, you have only to call on Jordan Ostrum, and if you’re looking for an arts administrator who can send you pitch perfect notes and emails while flexing the choreography on your favorite Backstreet Boys video, you are looking for Christina Chen. If it’s a brilliant writer who happens to be a dope development handler that you’re looking for, that’s Aathira Chennat. And if you think you know scary smart macabre curators, you don’t really. That is, unless you know Melissa Chen. And look out for the biggest artist out of Philadelphia you may or may not already know about: Zain Sorathia!

If you’re paying attention you’ve already heard: you can find our Operations Director, Liz Thompson, showing the city of Philadelphia what is up with professional development programs as the Programs Manager at the Arts + Business Council. And last but not least, one of our longest serving staffers, Catherine Lee, most recently our Development and Communications Manager, will be at the Smithsonian Institute, Asian Pacific American Center as their Advancement Program Specialist as of the new year.

RESPECT!

Now. I can’t believe the outrageous name dropping I am about to partake in, but you better pull up your bike shorts and get in your strongest squat positions as I drop them. Someone, give me a beat and a drumroll.

Tuan Nguyen is a Senior Client Advisor--Managing Director of Rockefeller Capital Management. You know what that means. He’s gonna bring us so much money…knowledge. *cough* Knowledge about money.

We’re also delighted to welcome Sonia Pal, who is an internal auditor for UPenn but comes so credential-ed that we’re about to give her a trucker’s license.

You will all have heard the name Sandra Clark, vice president for news and civic dialogue at WHYY, the Philadelphia region’s leading public media outlet. Clark joined WHYY in 2016 and is a member of the executive leadership team. Don’t you dare turn that radio dial.

And all hail the one and only Maori Karmael Holmes. Maori is founder and Artistic Director/CEO of BlackStar Projects, which produces the widely acclaimed BlackStar Film Festival. Now, someone: hand me a towel. I can’t handle all these ballers.

Welcome to our freshman class!

And finally, we are bidding farewell to our longest serving board member--staffer--volunteer--student--constituent. That’s right. Mary Seng has come through Asian Arts Initiative, as. All. Of. The. Things. We can’t calculate how much she has done for us but most recently as our Treasurer, you bet she could.

x,

Anne