Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month Proudly Celebrated in the FBI’s New York Office

Keynote Speaker WNBC News Reporter Ms. Pei-Sze Cheng	Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gerald Rose, the Harmonia Opera Company, The Garden State Opera, Inc. and Master of Ceremonies Tennie Griffin

On Wednesday, May 26, the New York Office of the FBI hosted a celebration in observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The program began with opening remarks from the FBI New York Division’s Acting Assistant Director in Charge (A/ADIC) George Venizelos, followed by keynote speaker WNBC News Reporter Ms. Pei-Sze Cheng. Cheng spoke of her own observations of the different experiences she has encountered as an Asian American and a journalist in New York. “Working with law enforcement like you do, you help people every day. With journalists, it’s a little different. We don’t make arrests or prosecute people, but occasionally we do have the power to expose wrongdoing, injustices and occasionally are able to make something right.”

Left: Dancer Chizuru Tanaka performing her own choreographed dance to Sorambushi (Soran Song of the Fisherman); Right: Emiko Iinuma singing an aria from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly”

In addition to an Asian food tasting, New York Division employees were able to take pleasure in an assortment of musical and dance selections performed by guest performers: The Harmonia Opera Company and The Garden State Opera.

A/ADIC George Venizelos	Traditional Korean Dance  by Tae Hee Jung	Left to Right: Baritone Sungbae Ju and performers Hyo Im Ju and Hyo Na Kim

A/ADIC Venizelos said, “All over the United States, and more than ever in New York City, Asian/Pacific Americans embody a key component of our work force and our citizens. This event in celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month provided a true representation of the various Asian cultures. To be effective in law enforcement, we take pride in remaining adaptive and culturally astute as it makes us more perceptive to cultures and environments that we come across every day in our regular duties.”