Asian American Leaders at APAH Kick-Off at Billy Dec’s Sunda Restaurant

By: Veronica Leighton

 

Billy Dec, owner of Sunda Chicago and Sunda Nashville and other popular Chicago establishments, hosted the official kick-off of the Chicago celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month for May 2019 last May 1st, co-hosted by the top leading Asian organizations of OCA Greater Chicago headed by George Mui and Asian American Coalition of Chicago (AACC) headed by Attorney Aurora Abella-Austriaco..

Several APA elected officials, industry leaders, and members of the media mixed, mingled, networked, and had fun. This May month honors the Asian Pacific Americans for their history, heritage and culture in this country.

OCA focuses on the welfare and civil rights of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States., has 80 chapters across the U.S. and its national center is located in Washington, D.C..

AACC organizes the Annual Lunar New Year that ha; included representatives of the Bangladesh, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesean, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian, Nepalese, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Thai and Vietnamese communities.

For this APAH occasion, Via Times’ picked Billy Dec, as a very OUTSTANDING ASIAN AMERICAN leader. Billy is a very popular and successful Filipino American leader in business, entertainment and known for his active community involvement. He was honored by the Filipino American community of Chicago when he was selected and honored as VIA Man of the Year in 2011 by the Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame. His future endeavors include making a documentary film of his roots (his mom is Ilocana),in the Ilocos region in the Philippines, about the culture, the traditions, the cuisines, etc., of the place where he was born.

Billy Dec was featured on Chicago Philippine Reports TV (CPRTV) in an interview with Veronica aired May 5 on Chicago Cable 25, discussing the APAH celebration.

Read further the following about this remarkable person from Wikipedia…”Billy Dec is an entertainment television personality, attorney and entrepreneur. As the CEO/Founder of Rockit Ranch Productions, a Chicago hospitality and entertainment development company, Dec and his team specialize in the creation, marketing and management of some of the city’s top venues including Sunda (Chicago and Nashville locations) and Underground.

Dec can be seen frequently on NBC’s TODAY Show, and acting in Films & TV, most recently on shows like Empire, Criminal Minds & American Crime Story, now producing his own movies with his newly formed Elston Films. You can also hear him talk with celebrities, chefs, artists, athletes & more about the power of food, coming together for meals, and life altering dining experiences on his newly launched podcast “The Meal of Your Life!” In May 2014, President Obama appointed Dec to serve on his White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, where he also served on the White House Bullying Prevention Task Force.”

Happy Asian Pacific American History Month to all VT readers!

 

Asian American Leaders Night at Sunda for the Celebration of Asian American Heritage Month

Billy Dec, Esq., in an interview with Veronica for CPRTV at the kick-off of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month held at the popular Sunda Restauramt, where he serves as CEO/ Founder. He is also an Emmy-Winning TV personality and a dynamic community leader.

Congregation of dynamic Asian leaders at the Sunda Restaurant for the APAH kick-off.

Attorney Aurora Abella-Aurstriaco 2019 Chair of Asian American Coalition of Chicago

George Mui, Chapter President Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) Greater Chicago

Lakhi Siap Director for Filipino Youth Leadership