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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowBy The Hon. Tiffany U. Vivo, Marion Superior Courts
May is Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month), a time to reflect and celebrate the contributions of Asians and Pacific Islanders to the successes and rich culture of the United States. AAPI Heritage Month came about as a result of efforts by Jeanie Jew, a former Capitol Hill staffer whose great-grandfather came to the United States from China to help with the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. Ms. Jew felt strongly about bringing public awareness to the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans and her quest to gain support for her cause began in the 1970s. With the help of U.S. Representative Frank Horton of New York and U.S. Representative Norman Mineta of California, Congress passed legislation in 1992 designating AAPI Heritage Month as a permanent annual commemorative celebration. The month of May was chosen because of two key events in history: the arrival of the first known Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869 by approximately 20,000 Chinese workers.
In Indiana, Asian Pacific Americans make up 1.8% of the population and is the fastest growing minority group in the legal community nationwide. The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Indiana (APABA-IN) is an affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and was formed in 2014 with 10 members. APABA-IN is a non-partisan bar association that exists to serve as a voice for Asian Pacific Americans in the Indiana legal community. Today, APABA-IN has grown and is committed to the success of the legal community through active engagement by hosting regular CLE opportunities, collaborating with other bar associations, developing mentorship programs, participating in speaking engagements, taking policy positions, endorsing Asian Pacific American judicial candidates, and hosting events in Indianapolis such as its annual dinner gala, the 2019 Central Regional Conference, and the 2023 NAPABA Convention.
In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, APABA-IN is hosting a program featuring “A Long March,” a documentary that follows the story of three Filipino veterans who were among hundreds of thousands of men and women inducted into the United States military to serve with American soldiers during World War II and who were promised GI benefits, back pay, and citizenship but were denied them by the United States after the war. Congress passed the Rescission Act declaring these veterans “not on active duty” and further disenfranchised the veterans when the military reconstructed service rosters that secretly did not recognize the service of women. Director Tammy Botkin sheds light into this period of history that many know little about, and how the quest to prompt the United States government to make good on its promise made approximately 80 years ago continues to this day for the almost 8,000 Filipino veterans still alive in the United States and the Philippines. The program will also include stories shared by Judge James Joven of his mother’s first-hand experiences growing up during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines and a presentation by Magistrate Tiffany Vivo of the daring rescue of American soldiers from one of the largest POW camps in the Pacific as told in the book Ghost Soldiers. The program will be held on May 22, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. at the Jury Assembly Room located at the Community Justice Campus: 675 Justice Way, Indianapolis, Indiana. CLE credit is pending. No registration is required.
The Hon. Tiffany U. Vivo is one of the founding members of APABA-IN. She has been a judicial officer since 2011 beginning her career as Commissioner in Marion Superior Court. She later became a Magistrate in 2015 until her appointment as Judge of Marion Circuit Court by Governor Eric Holcomb in 2021. She was the first Asian American woman appointed to a constitutionally created Court in Indiana. Today, she serves as Magistrate in the Marion Superior Court Family Division.
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