Since 1987, AALDEF has awarded the Justice in Action Award to exceptional individuals for their efforts in advancing social justice and human rights for Asian Americans. 

 

Juju Chang, correspondent for “ABC News Nightline,” and Sree Sreenivasan, dean of Student Affairs and digital media professor at Columbia Journalism School, were the co-emcees for the banquet of over 800, with “The Daily Show” correspondent and actor Aasif Mandvi as special guest. 

 

Among the guests at Pier Sixty in New York City was Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York who recently was featured on the cover of Time magazine. 

 

AALDEF executive director Margaret Fung reminded the audience of the necessity of their support. "There are reports of the NYPD's targeting of Muslims and South Asians under the guise of national security,” she said. "Just this week, the Superbowl featured a racist political ad by Republican candidate Pete Hoekstra mocking Chinese people. So in the Year of the Dragon, we have our work cut out for us."

 

The power of the immigrant experience in the United States was a theme throughout all three acceptance speeches. "We are creating the first universal nation," said Zakaria. "Ten years before I became a citizen, I began using the word 'we' to describe the United States. There isn't a country like this where people from all over the world come and are entirely included in the process,” the Indian American said.

 

The night ended with Mandvi's hilarious and deeply politically incorrect stand-up. "I thought they were filming this portion of the show for ‘Comedy Central’, but really it's for the NYPD," he quipped.