Thursday, October 23, 2025
Celebrating Asian Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander American Leaders
The International Examiner’s annual fundraiser dinner, the Community Voice Awards (CVA), highlights local change-making leaders and organizations. Rooted in expansiveness and resilience despite shifting challenges within the journalistic space, the IE celebrates this year’s CVA with a theme of ROOTED & RISING.
This event has passed, but we encourage you to read the International Examiner‘s coverage of the event!
(Couldn’t make it? You can still support with a contribution or become a sponsor.)
This year’s CVA will honor and celebrate:
- Ping Foong – Leadership in Arts & Culture
- Stan Shikuma – Lifetime Achievement Award
- Maria Abando – Leadership in Community
- Thanh-Nga “Tanya” Nguyễn – Leadership in Business
- Ken Mochizuki – Leadership in Journalism
- Nurhaliza Mohamath – Tatsuo Nakata Leadership Award
As the only only nonprofit ANHPIA (Asian Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander American) media source in the Pacific Northwest, the IE grows every year with more coverage of timely issues that are important to the community, despite being in a city where many local publications have shuttered.
This year’s CVAs takes place on October 23rd at the Diamond Bay Restaurant in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Tickets cover an intimate experience with a delicious 9-course Chinese banquet meal, an awards ceremony, and an evening in conversation with other like-minded supporters of local journalism.
In-Person
Diamond Bay Restaurant
409 8th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104
5:30pm doors; event begins at 6:30pm
Thank You to our Generous Sponsors!
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
COMMUNITY
Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS)
Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC)
City Produce Company LLC
Edge Developers
Friends of Little Saigon
InterIm CDA
InterIm Parking
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
My-Linh Thai
SCIDpda
Side x Side Architects
Urban Wave Partners
—
Past CVA Honorees
- 1991: Ruth Chinn, Dorothy Cordova, Quynh T. Nguyen, Frank Fujii
- 1992: Shigeko Uno, Van Sar, Sid Ko, Dan Ko, Frank Irigon
- 1993: Emiliano Francisco, Faye Hong, Phuong-Giang Nguyen, Reverend Jean Kim
- 1994: Ngy Hul, Ron Chew, Sue Taoka, Khamsene Thavseth
- 1995: Lea Armstrong, Nemesio Domingo, Jr., Ray Chinn, Emmanuelle Chi Dang
- 1996: Glenn Chinn Rachel Hidaka, Lua Pritchard, Dolores Sibonga
- 1997: Ben Woo, Ruth Woo, Ron Consego, Lysette Consego, Ick Wan Lee, Tazue Kiyono Sasaki
- 1998: Betty Lau, Soya Jung, Ellen Abellera, Jeffrey Hattori, Wang Yung, Ethnic Studies Students Association of the University of Washington
- 1999: Bob Santos, Bea Kiyohara, Alan Lau, Martha Choe
- 2000: Cindy Domingo, Alice Ito, Rocky Kim, Petty Patu, Sam Solberg, First Hill Lions Club
- 2001: Emma Catague, Doug Chin, Anne Xuan Clark, Larry Gossett, Nisei Veterans Committee (NVC)
- 2002: Sutapa Basu, Tony Ishisaka, Paul Mar, Lori Matsukawa, Northwest Labor Employment Law Office (LELO)
- 2003: David Della, Diane Narasaki, Tuyet Nguyen, Cheryl Lee, International District Housing Alliance (IDHA)
- 2004: Mayumi Tsutakawa, Maria Batayola, John Pai, Greg Tuai, Uwajimaya, State Farm, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
- 2005s: Habib Habib, Jan Kumasaka, Washington Mutual, Minority Executive Directors Coalition (MEDC)
- 2006: Ruthann Kurose, Tony Lee, Sili Suvasa, Marpac Construction, Center for Career Alternatives
- 2007: Kip Tokuda, Mai Nguyen, Neighborhood House, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Ehren Watada
- 2008: Velma Veloria, Roger Shimomura, Manny Uch, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
- 2009: No CVA.
- 2010: Sharon Maeda, Cassie Chin, Vu Le, Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation (ACLF)
- 2011: Tosh Okamoto, Albert Shen, George “Geo” Quibuyen, Mary Nguyen, ArtsXchange Gallery
- 2012: Pramila Jayapal, Gloria Lung Wakayama, Dean Wong, Julie Pham, Blaine Memorial Methodist Church
- 2013: Pat Norikane Logerwell, Carina del Rosario, Tim Wang, Heidi Park, Executive Development Institute (EDI)
- 2014: Ron Chew
- 2015: Kathy Hsieh, Debadutta Dash, Tony Vo, Connie So, Ticiang Diangson, Vulcan Inc.
- 2016: Gail Nomura, Steve Sumida, Tetsuden Kashima, Jill Mangaliman, Dr. Jasmit Singh, Jamie Lee, Asia Pacific Cultural Center (APCC), Viet Wah
- 2017: Rita Meher, Lynette Finau, Sameth Mell, Joan Yoshitomi, Diem Ly, Amerigroup Washington
- 2018: Ruby de Luna, Mike Fong, Key Bank, I-Miun Liu, Quyen Pham, Phnom Penh Restaurant, Tanya Woo, Michelle Kumata
- 2019: Chera Amlag, Shannon Gee, Lori Matusukawa, Sue Taoka
- 2020: Erin Shigaki, Naomi Ishisaka, CID Community Response to COVID-19
- 2021: Venice Buhain, Michael Itti, AAPI Against Hate, Beth Takekawa,
Michael Woo, Suma Yagi - 2022: Theresa Fujiwara, Maiko Winkler-Chin, Refugee Artisan Initiative, Ming Ming Tung Edelman, Drag and Drop Creative, Starla Sampaco
- 2023: Dolores Sibonga, Vee Hua, Huong Vu, Harry Chan, Martha Choe, Restaurant 2 Garden
- 2024: David Yamaguchi, Sokha Danh, Aleksa Manila & Arnaldo Inocentes, City Produce, UTOPIA, Nora Chan
