Making a Difference
by Russell L. Hom, ABAS President

ABAS has had a long standing commitment to support the youth of our community. Consistent with this commitment, each year ABAS awards a number of scholarships to deserving law students. These scholarships are awarded at both the Unity Bar Dinner and at our Annual Installation Dinner. One scholarship awarded to law students annually is named in honor of Walter Tsukamoto, one of the first Asian American attorneys to practice in Sacramento. Judge Charles Kobayashi and his wife Dorrie Kobayashi, the daughter of Walter Tsukamoto, generously fund this scholarship.

In addition to our normal scholarships, the ABAS Law Foundation sponsored three $1000 scholarships in conjunction with the Ronald McDonald House Charities/CAPITAL (Coalition of Asian Pacific Islanders Together for Advocacy and Leadership). Spearheaded by ABAS member Jerry Chong, Legal Counsel to CAPITAL, the RMHC/CAPITAL Scholarship program is the first pilot project of its kind. RMHC matched funds donated by various member organizations of CAPITAL, including ABAS, to fund seventy-five $1000 scholarships. These scholarships were awarded at a Gala Dinner held at the Radisson Hotel.

The ABAS scholarship awardees include a law student, a future law student, and a future medical doctor. Sengsavang "Steve" Ly, a first year law student at Lincoln Law School is a leader in the Hmong community. The Hmong community is under-represented in the legal profession. The number of Hmong attorneys in California can be counted on one hand. Steve's success in law school and his matriculation into the profession is a matter of importance to the Asian/Pacific Islander community.

Benjamin Lew, a senior at Folsom High School, plans to become a lawyer and may one day follow in the footsteps of his father, the Hon. Jonathan Lew, an administrative law judge. I found it particularly poignant that Benjamin received this scholarship during my tenure as president of ABAS. Although I had not played a part in the selection process and was unaware of his presence in Sacramento or his existence for that matter until the scholarship dinner, Benjamin's grandparents had extended great generosity and warmth to my family more than thirty-five years ago during a time of personal tragedy. This is truly a small world.

Although the third awardee, Lori Hata has not stated a desire to enter the legal profession, she has devoted countless hours to volunteer work and when she becomes a medical doctor will no doubt return to the community.

ABAS is committed to improving our community one step at a time. If we can help, in some small way, a member of our community succeed and that individual returns something to the community in turn, we have created a ripple that will become a wave. We have made a difference.