Almost 700 people turned out this year for the annual Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Festival at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. The festival was held May 14 in conjunction with Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which is observed across the nation each May. This year’s festival, which featured dances, drumming, lectures, demonstrations, and food sampling, was sponsored by Sandia’s Asian Leadership and Outreach Committee, Talin Market, and Lin’s Chinese Restaurant and Buffet. According to ALOC chairwoman Tammy Strickland, the attendance this year set a record for the event, which has been gaining in popularity since it was launched some 20 years ago. Tammy says planning for this year’s event began in earnest several months ago, and on the day of the event all of the activities went off without a hitch and were very well received. Sandia HR and Communications Div. 3000 VP Melonie Parker was on hand to open the festivities and museum Director Jim Walther welcomed attendees to the venue.

Sandia’s ALOC organization works to support the Labs in achieving and maintaining an equitable hiring of Asian Americans; support Asian-American employees in their career development and growth; support Sandia in achieving and maintaining an equitable representation of Asian Americans at all

levels of the Labs; and ensure that key issues and concerns affecting Asian American employees are discussed, defined, and brought to the attention of Sandia management. Additionally, ALOC strives to promote awareness of Asian cultures, values, accomplishments, and activities to the general Sandia population and the community at large. Members of the ALOC planning committee for the event included co-chairs Tammy and Lili Xiao, and Tian Ma, Ung Tae Jeong, Chui Fan Cheng, and Lynda Talton.