Falls Church, Virginia – Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, BPSOS Executive Director, is the recipient of OCA’s Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award this year. The award will be presented at the National Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday, June 19, 2010, during OCA’s 33rdAnnual National Convention in Houston, Texas.
“I am both honored and humbled to receive this award from one of the oldest APA civil rights organizations,” said Dr. Thang. “Our two organizations share many common core values and goals and I look forward to strengthening our partnership to new heights in the coming years.”
Dr. Thang is the first Vietnamese American to be honored by OCA during its 37-year history. Past recipients of the OCA Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award include former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, actor George Takei, former University of California (Berkeley) Chancellor Chang Lin Tien, award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke.
“As a leader, [Dr. Thang] is an exemplary inspiration and role model for our community,” said Ken Lee, OCA National President. “Not only has he fought to create a space for those who have been dislocated by war, but he continually works for equal success and opportunity for these communities. His perseverance to succeed, advocacy work and commitment to social justice are qualities that must be passed on to the next generation.”
A former boat person, Dr. Thang joined BPSOS in 1988 as a volunteer to help rescue Vietnamese refugees during the boat people crisis at that time. In 2001, he left his engineer job to lead BPSOS as its first full-time Executive Director. Since then, he has built BPSOS from a small all volunteer group into a national community organization with over 140 staff, operating at 18 locations across the United States and four locations in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. The nonprofit’s program areas include direct services, advocacy, media, community development, and research.
Originally founded as the Organization of Chinese Americans in 1973, OCA has grown into a national Asian Pacific American (APA) social justice organization with the mission to embrace the hope and aspirations of 12 million Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. It has over 80 chapters and affiliates around the country and its annual convention, drawing hundreds of APA professionals and community leaders together for three days of workshops, exhibits, panel discussions, film screenings, and inspiring speeches, presents an excellent opportunity for attendees to network, learn issues affecting APAs, and further personal growth.
Under the theme of “Diverse Communities – United Commitment,” the 2010 OCA National Convention will take place at the Westin Galleria Houston from June 17-20. In addition to Dr. Nguyen, this year OCA also honors astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station, Dr. Leroy Chiao, and professional basketball trailblazer, Wat Misaka, with its Pioneer Awards. The Pioneer and Outstanding Citizen Achievement Awards will be presented during the Gala Award Dinner on Saturday, June 19.
For more information, visit www.ocanational.org and www.bpsos.org.
BPSOS Executive Director Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang Receives OCA’s Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award
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