Asian Community Development Corporation

20th Anniversary Gala

 

Celebrating the Past, Building for the Future

The Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) celebrated its 20th Anniversary of community building at a Gala on May 29, 2008 at The Westin Copley Place, Boston. About 500 leading business, academic, political and community leaders joined ACDC at its grand celebration. It was also an exciting time for ACDC as it began its journey for the next decade to continue it’s work to build more affordable housing, provide foreclosure counseling so families can remain in their homes, children can stay in school and workers can stay in their jobs. ACDC will also strive to achieve greater community impact by providing innovative educational and economic development programs in the communities it serves.

Governor Deval Patrick showed his generous support by gracing the grand celebration and gave a speech. He congratulated ACDC for its achievements in community development and highlighted it’s important role in the Asian American community.

 

The ACDC honored two individuals who embody its mission, Tunney Lee, Emeritus Professor of Urban Planning at MIT, and Stephen Coyle, Chief Executive Officer of the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust and former Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, with Neil Chin Community Service Awards.

 

             

Kaela Lee, the daughter of Tunney Lee received the Neil Chin Community Service Award on his behalf as he was teaching in Italy.  Beside her is Caroline Chang, the President of ACDC. Stephen Coyle received the Neil Chin Community Service Award.  Beside hi is Janet Wu, NewsCenter 5 State House reporter for WCVB-TV.

 

ACDC Board Members and Caroline Chang

(First row from left: Harvey Leong, Joe Chow, Alice Wong, Gim Fong, Caroline Chang, Nick Chau, Prabal Chakrabarti, Chong Chow, Jeffrey Wong and Jeremy Liu.

Second row from left: Mike Tow, Leverett Wing, Paul W. Lee, Michael S. Greco, Naomi Aoki, Peter Madsen, Robert Wong and Cuong Hoang.)

 

The first Caroline Chang Leadership Award was created by the ACDC board and presented to Caroline Chang, the President of ACDC in recognition of her dedicated leadership and contribution to community building since the founding of ACDC.

 

Jeremy Liu, the Executive Director of ACDC shared the organization’s new initiatives.

 

Ford Foundation Grant Will Help Prevent Displacement of Chinatown Residents

ACDC and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council have received a grant to address gentrification issues in Chinatown. The grant was awarded by the Environmental Simulation Center, a New York-based nonprofit linking cutting-edge technology with community planning, in partnership with the Ford Foundation. The initial $125,000 grant helps ACDC and MAPC develop one of five national pilot sites for a Human Development Overlay District, or HDOD, in Chinatown. How can communities manage and achieve “human” development goals along with development of the built environment? This project seeks to understand the potential benefits of providing social services, small-business resources and housing assistance in a focused “human development district.” The idea is to help residents who are typically displaced by heavy development to plan for their future, and to preserve the character of local neighborhoods.

 

Speakeasy System

ACDC will develop a Speakeasy System providing national Asian language foreclosure prevention hotline working with our network with Asian Community Development Corporations in the country to help families and individuals who do not speak English on home buying process and foreclosure matters.