Houston City Auditor Chris Hollins’ office held a celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mother’s Day on May 9th (Thursday) in the Legacy Room on the first floor of City Hall. Representatives from Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries, along with government officials and guests from various ethnicities, attended the event.
In his address, Chris Hollins thanked all his friends who supported him during his campaign for city auditor. He welcomed everyone to City Hall and extended special appreciation to JoAnn Ray, the Asian outreach commissioner, for her team’s efforts in promoting cooperation and communication within diverse communities. He emphasized the significance of Mother’s Day in Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Asian culture, highlighting mothers as caring nurturers, the backbone of families, filled with love and selflessness. Chris Hollins paid tribute to all the mothers present that day and those to be cherished and remembered.
During the celebration, different ethnic groups performed traditional dances showcasing their cultural diversity. Performances included Chinese theater and dance, Korean traditional dancing, Filipino folk dance, Indonesian traditional dance, Vietnamese dance, and Hawaiian hula dance, presenting a vibrant display of the Asian community’s richness and diversity in culture.
Deputy Director Aubrey C. Hooper introduced Asian community volunteer Deng Fuzhen, a professor at Sam Houston State University, recognized for her longstanding contributions to the community. Deng has voluntarily assisted the Asian community in securing grants from society and the government, bringing nearly nine million dollars in funding to the community. Chris Hollins presented Deng Fuzhen with the Outstanding Community Service Award. She shared her journey of being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 42 when her children were only 11 and 5 years old. After battling cancer, she is now a grandmother of two grandchildren. Deng has dedicated her life as a volunteer serving cancer patients, contributing to community service through health fairs, cancer support groups, and other initiatives over the years.