ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s no secret Orlando has a diverse AANHPI community.
It’s one of the first things Kenway Wong noticed after moving to Orlando from South Florida in 2018.
“The AAPI community here is unlike any other, in my opinion respectfully, in Florida,” said Wong, who is not only the immediate past president of the Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association, but the Asian American Chamber of Commerce event co-chair. “We have such visibility and you can see it. You drive down to Colonial, Mills, it’s there. You see Asian businesses, Asian people coming through shopping. I mean, it’s such a visible part of the Central Florida community.”
Wong, who by day is a litigator in downtown Orlando, said getting involved in these professional organizations was a great stepping stone for him when he moved to the area.
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“I started as a member (of GOAABA), worked my way up through the board and eventually was nominated as president,” Wong said. “Through that role, I met just a wider array of great community leaders and all these different associations around town.”
Leaders like Vi Ma, president of AACC, touted the importance of encouraging “economic growth and sustainability of the Central Florida area community by building bridges and serving as a resource for the Asian American Pacific Islander business community” in a previous interview with News 6.
Wong agreed that it’s important to “show that you care about the community and want to improve it,” something he’s doing in his leadership roles, which include hosting events such as an upcoming AANHPI business luncheon.
He said anyone, even if they don’t fall under the AANHPI umbrella, is invited to come out and see what the organization is about and help support the ever-growing community.
To stay up to date on the Asian American Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association, click the respective links. And for more information on the AAPI Heritage Month Celebration and Corporate Partners Luncheon, click here.
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