(Los Angeles, CA)--Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. (APHCV) celebrated 20 years of providing accessible, affordable, culturally appropriate health care services at a dinner gala event held at the Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles. The event space (www.vibianala.com) was recently featured in a Los Angeles Times article on the front page of the California section on August 30, 2007.

Following a cocktail reception in the outdoor courtyard, guests were entertained by UCLA’s Association of Chinese Americans Lion Dance Group. Additional entertainment during the evening was provided by the Thai Performing Arts Group and singers Randy Guiaya and Lito Villareal. The Thai Performing Arts group consists of dancers originally trained in Thailand who live here in Los Angeles and perform locally and throughout the United States. Randy and Lito recently performed in the first National Asian American Theater Festival, where they appeared as two of the “Three Filipino Tenors”.

AWARDS
Dr. Thomas Yoshikawa, President of APHCV’s Board of Directors, Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, and Editor in Chief of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society presented the “Golden Lantern Public Service Award” to Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky for his support of policies that have helped to increase the accessibility of culturally competent health care services.

Assembly member Paul Krekorian presented the “Harvest Moon Corporate Partner Award” to Kaiser Permanente. Assembly member Krekorian was elected to the California Assembly in 2006 and represents the 43rd Assembly district that includes Los Feliz, Silver Lake, North Hollywood and Glendale. APHCV recognized Kaiser Permanente for its support of safety net providers and school-based health centers, and the companies work to expand children’s health insurance coverage. Dr. Jimmy Hara, Director of Family Practice at the Kaiser Sunset facility accepted the award. Dr. Hara and the Family Practice residents he works with provide care to youth at APHCV’s youth clinic on Wednesday nights.

Miya Iwataki, Vice President of Asian Pacific Health Care Venture’s Board of Directors, and Director of the Office of Diversity Programs for Los Angeles County, Department of Health Services presented the “Bamboo Pioneer Award” award to Kei Kokubun. Ms. Iwataki is a long-time community activist, and had a leadership role in the successful effort to win Japanese American Redress/Reparations. Kei Kokubun served as a pastor at All People’s Christian Church for 17 years beginning in 1951; founded the Oriental Service Center in 1968, the first Asian and Pacific Islander multicultural program funded by Federal anti-poverty funds; and was the first Director of the Asian Community Service Center, serving for 20 years until his retirement in 1992. He has participated on the Board of APHCV throughout his retirement, serving as President, and now as President Emeritus. He has worked with many API community leaders through Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council to develop multilingual and multicultural programs in the areas of substance abuse, employment, mental health, disability, youth, senior citizens and ethnic service centers.

This was APHCV’s first ever anniversary dinner which was attended by more than 240 supporters. Attendees included Sharon Shapiro from City Council Member Tom LaBonge’s office, Jiwon Hong from Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas’ office, and Samuel Liu from Assemblymember Ted Lieu’s office. Foreign dignitaries in attendance included Consul Noemi Diaz from the Philippine Consul General; and Madame Kamolrat Boon-Long and Madame Chantira Lekklar with the Royal Thai Consulate General.

Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. located in Hollywood and serving the greater Los Angeles area, is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides culturally competent health education and primary care services to more than 9,800 patients annually, 75% of whom are uninsured. APHCV provides its health education and health care services in nine Asian languages (Thai, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Khmer, Japanese, Bengali, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Indonesian), English and Spanish.