Soto Honors Local Leaders for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
KISSIMMEE, FL -- Yesterday, Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09) honored eight local leaders in a virtual reception for their immeasurable contributions to Central Florida.
"This month, I honored eight constituents for their continued dedication, hard work and success in our district. From fighting on our frontlines as doctors, to the press and martial arts, to serving our district as cultural and environmental leaders, our AAPI community has shown us the best of Central Florida. For this and more, we thank all the honorees!" said Rep. Soto.
"As we battle this pandemic together, we have seen heroes rise from unexpected places and incredible acts of kindness from everyday Floridians. Unfortunately, some have used this crisis to fan the flames of hate, and we have tragically observed moments of ugliness, intolerance and bigotry directed toward our Asian American and Pacific Islanders communities. Each May, we proudly celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and now more than ever, we must stand united in the face of hate and lift up our nation's vibrant AAPI communities," Rep. Soto continued.
The honorees' biographies were submitted into the Congressional Record and they will receive official Congressional Certificates. They are:
- Amish M. Parikh, M.D., a Central Florida native and University of Miami alumni who currently practices cardiology at Premier Cardiology in Maitland, Florida.
- Dr. Mehr Rahmatullah, who has served at Internal Medicine at Orlando Health for almost 25 years.
- Grandmaster Chan Pui, one of the leading pioneers in introducing martial arts to the United States.
- Dr. Ejaz Ghaffar, the Site Director for Graduate Medical Education at Osceola Regional Medical Center.
- Ching Ka Lau, a community leader in Central Florida who heads the Dragon Parade in Orlando's Mills 50 District during the Lunar New Year, the Asian Cultural Festival during May and the Asian Cultural EXPO in October.
- Mital Hall, who has 20 years of experience in sustainable development working with universities, federal, state and local governments and businesses.
- Simon Choy, the Vice President of Human Resources Worldwide at the Tupperware Brands corporate headquarter in Orlando.
- Pauline Ho, a Certified Public Accountant and founder of Laus Consulting Services LLC.
To watch the full reception, click here.
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