i'll tell you a little bit more about apapa first. it's a nonprofit and nonpartisan.1, our focus has been on educating the public about public policy and fostering future leaders from our minority communities to serve at federal, state, and local levels. the mission of asian pacific islander american public affairs association known as apapa, easier to say, is to empower asian and pacific islander americans in civic and public affairs through education, active participation, and leadership development to accomplish this objective, apapa provides the following core services to the community. >> apapa provides civic engagement, youth leadership development and community service. the theme of tonight's event is a is celebration of the achievements and accomplishments of asian americans in the state of california and our nation. >> and without further adieu, i would like to introduce our host for this evening, mayor edwin lee. very well known as the first asian american mayor in san francisco history. mayor lee championed balancing the budget to keep san francisco safe, s

norm gave me the good fortune of putting my feet to the marble in the halls of congress, apapa, let me thank you, we'll give the opportunity for 20 interns this summer to place their feet on the halls of this city in sacramento, perhaps in washington, d.c. so that they can partake in the greatest democracy that has ever resided on this planet. now, this is also of tremendous significance as congressman alluded to, this is the home where people left when they came to this country and they headed to mining gold in california, when they had to leave the fields of california from farming and that applies not to just the chinese, but to the filipinos and others. they set foot in san francisco. and generation upon generation of residents of san francisco had to endure the struggles and has made this city a very special place. that's why i'm so very excited about the leadership that presides over san francisco today. mayor lee, supervisor chiu, supervisor mar, supervisor chu and we had treasurer and also another county supervisor here with us. this ought to be a moment in which we celebrate t