The Asian American Coalition of Chicago will host "Strengthen Our Unity," its 21st Anniversary Annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 28, 2004 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Rosemont. This year's gala welcomes The Year of the Monkey, 4702. Cocktails and open microphone forum are from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.; opening ceremonies and dinner at 6:30 p.m.; with cultural program and awards ceremony following.
Every year a different Asian community takes turn playing host of Lunar New Year. This year it is the Thai American Community, which has twice before held the gavel (in 1988 and 1996) for the community's most important event of the year.
The Coalition will award the recipients of its 2004 Community Service Awards and its prestigious Pan Asian American Ping Tom Memorial Award that evening. The Coalition renamed its Pan Asian Award in 1996 after the late legendary Chicago civic leader Ping Tom. Ping Tom was also one of the original founders of the Asian American Coalition.
The nomination process for the Coalition's annual Community Service Awards, the Pan Asian American Ping Tom Memorial Award and its Grand Asian Award, which is periodically presented to a friend of the Asian Pacific American community of non-Asian descent, is currently underway.
According to the latest Census, the Asian Pacific American population in Illinois numbers approximately 428,213, or 3.4% of the statewide population. Approximately 71,469 Asian Pacific Americans reside in DuPage County, comprising 7.9% of DuPage County's population, with the bulk of the other 262,731 residents of Cook County, comprising 4.8% of Cook County's population. The 2000 Census shows that Asian Pacific Americans reside in Chicago in communities including West Rogers Park, Albany Park, Uptown, Armour Square and Bridgeport, and in suburban Cook County in communities including Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates and Skokie. (Irene Cualoping, JD, ENERI/Rieny).