Since the AAWOL sisters started meeting regularly every 2nd Friday of the month, we have seen much growth in our leadership journeys. We celebrated the submission of our collective writing project to InterVarsity Press on April 11th in my backyard. It has been a long journey to finish our project, The Yin and Yang of Leadership: Biblical Characters according to Asian American Women. I enjoyed serving meals for AAWOL sisters because they devoured my simple homemade food. As we enjoyed table fellowship, we developed a tight-knit community and configured all of our God-given gifts. The sheer diversity among the AAWOL women – our personalities and mix of gifts – is enriching!
Several women in the core group have been promoted at work and have received academic awards:
Debbie Gin: Last year Debbie became the Director and Professor of the Office of Diversity at Azusa Pacific University. On April 14th, 2008 she was doubly awarded at Claremont Graduate University where she is currently enrolled in a PhD program focusing on Multicultural Education and Multivocal Identity. The first award was the Tae-Han Kim award, which honors Dr. Tae Han Kim, a graduate of the School of Educational Studies and past president of Kiemyung University in Taegu, Korea. The award is presented to a CGU student who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to respect for humanity and culture. The other award was for Excellence in Higher Education. It is granted to doctoral student finalists in the higher education subfield who exemplify excellence in academic studies, scholarly writing, internship experiences, and extraordinary service to students in the higher education program.
Beverly Chen was promoted last year from Assistant Dean of Students to Associate Dean of Student Health and Wellness. The AAWOL sisters enjoyed celebrating her promotion as Beverly took us out to a delicious Japanese lunch after our regular meeting.
Kirsten Oh has accepted a position to be the Dean of Students at Claremont School of Theology starting July 1st, 2008. She is also appointed by the United Methodist Church to be a commissioner to the Faith and Order, National Council of Churches starting fall of 2008.
Chloe Sun‘s dissertation, entitled The Ethics of Violence in the Story of Aqhat is to be published by Gorgias Dissertations 34 (New Jersey: Gorgias Press, 2008). It is in the printer and should be out soon. She will be teaching a course, Psalms and Wisdom Literature, 5/12-5/24, 2008, at the Logos Evangelical Seminary in Paris.
Tita Valeriano is now the Lutheran World Federation Officer for North America. She has moved to Chicago. She helped design the Asian contextualized worship litanies for the Summer Immersion Project (2007) and the ATS Asian and Asian American Faculty Consultation (Dec. 2007).
Young Lee Hertig and Johnny B. Hill organized and coordinated the “Ecumenism from the Margins” consultation at Morehouse College, April 2-3, 2008, during the week of commemorating Martin Luther King’s 40th Anniversary of the assassination. On April 3rd, she received the award, Morehouse College, Martin Luther King, Jr. International Collegium of Scholars. She was also a plenary speaker at the SCUPE Urban Congress on April 17th.
a neat organization, glad i found it on the next generasian website! eagerly anticipating the book.