1981 | Esther G. Kee at Asian American Heritage Festival

With the passion of fostering Asian representation in the US, Esther G. Kee, Co-founder and Executive Director of USAI gave the keynote address at the Asian American Heritage Festival in New York City. The first festival in 1979 grew out of the civil rights movements of that era when President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation to declare the first week in May to be Asian American Heritage Week. The proclamation was later extended to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month for the entire month of May.