Las Vegas, NV
2009 Director’s Community Leadership Awards
| Las Vegas |
Manohar “Mike” Vaswani President, Asian American Group and Asian American Coalition of Las Vegas |
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Mr. Vaswani is the president of the Asian American Group (AAG) and the Asian American Coalition of Las Vegas. Mr. Vaswani was born in India and came to the United States on May 5, 1970. He became a naturalized citizen in 1978. Mr. Vaswani is a 2009 graduate of the Las Vegas FBI Citizens' Academy. As the founder of the AAG, Mr. Vaswani has emphasized the importance of integrating all Asian communities into one strong and cohesive entity so the community members become strong citizens. Some of the Asian groups represented in the AAG include: Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Thai, Malaysians, and Singaporeans. By organizing and participating in many cultural festivities throughout the year, the AAG promotes a strong unity among Asians. The AAG also promotes and encourages the active involvement of all Asian youth in various social and political functions. By continuously providing opportunities and information for Asians to broaden and strengthen their understanding of mainstream American traditions and lifestyle, the AAG helps achieve the ultimate goal of assisting Asians in assimilating comfortably into the American culture. Very recently, the AAG donated items in separate events sponsored by the Police Athletic League and the Boulder City schools wherein many underprivileged students were given needed supplies. Many cities throughout the United States boast of having strong Asian associations; however, in Las Vegas, mainly as a result of Mr. Vaswani's leadership, over 30 Asian associations have united under the AAG. For many years, Mr. Vaswani has personally availed himself to the Las Vegas community for legal, citizenship, and immigration issues. Mr. Vaswani has also served as the main conduit between FBI Las Vegas and the Asian community, helping to foster trust and communication. In a formal dinner function, Mr. Vaswani was recently recognized by Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate Harry Reid for his leadership and dedication to the Las Vegas community. |