Results for: Asian-American

Donna Hayashi Smith, hailing from Wahiawa, Hawaii, has made history as the first Asian American to be appointed White House curator. She has served under five presidents since joining the curator’s office in 1995 and has held the position in an acting capacity since last year. As curator, Hayashi Smith will be responsible for maintaining the vast collection of artifacts within the White House, including presidential portraits, furniture, and china. Her appointment comes during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Na Eng, an award-winning journalist and humanitarian, became the first Asian-American and second youngest individual inducted into the Johnson High School Hall of Fame on April 15. Eng, who fled Cambodia’s killing fields as a child, credits her upbringing with instilling in her a sense of perseverance and compassion. After graduating from Johnson, she earned the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans and a Fulbright Fellowship, which enabled her to produce a documentary in Zimbabwe. Eng has since had a successful career as a journalist for NBC, PBS, and CNBC, and has won several awards, including an Emmy and an Edward R. Murrow Award. She has also served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations. Eng’s induction into the Hall of Fame is seen as a powerful representation for the multicultural students at Johnson High School, where over 50% of the student body is Asian-American.