Event Details

Please Join fellow Cornellians, friends, and family to celebrate the Cornell Asian Alumni Associations 35th Anniversary of the Asian American Studies Program at Cornell. The first such program in the Ivy League. It will be a delightful evening of good food, good conversation and interesting ideas.

Cornellian David Inoue ‘94, Executive Director of the Japanese American Citizens League, will be speaking about the impact and importance of Asian and Asian American Cornellians have given the current events of the past few years. Christine Bacareza Balance, Ph.D the Director of the Asian American Studies Program and Associate Professor, Performing & Media Arts and Asian American Studies will be providing updates on the progress and the future of the Asian American Studies Program.

Saturday, March 18, 2023
6:00 p.m. Reception (no host bar)
7:00 p.m. Banquet Dinner

Fang Restaurant
660 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105

About the Event
This event includes an authentic multi course Chinese banquet. Net proceeds from the ticket sales of the event will go toward funding the CAAA undergraduate scholarship program.

The evening will also include a silent auction to benefit the Cornell Asian & Asian American Center and the Asian American Studies Program.

Dress Code
Business casual and festive attire.

Registration Details
Friend Level Ticket: $80
Young Alumni (2013-2023) / Student Ticket Price: $60, limit 2 per person.
Children Ticket (12 and under) – $60

See registration for additional banquet donation levels and Cornell Giving Society tiered pricing.

Silent Auction Our silent auction is virtual and open to all, and in addition, we will have a few exclusive items available in a limited in-person silent auction. Our Auction page will be available as the event date approaches. Please look for an email about the auction as the event approaches. The auction is live on March 15th

About the Speakers


David Inoue ‘94 is the Executive Director of the Japanese American Citizens League, the nation’s oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organization.

David Inoue was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to a Japanese father and Chinese American mother. He received a dual bachelor of arts degree in chemistry and Asian studies from Cornell University spending one semester at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. He went on to complete a dual degree Master of Public Health and Health Administration at The Ohio State University.

In 2001 David moved to Washington, DC to work in healthcare policy including a year with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. For ten years, he served as administrative director at Christ House, an inpatient health care facility for homeless people in Washington, DC. He has also served the District of Columbia as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner representing 2,000 DC residents. In June 2017 David was appointed to serve as the Executive Director for the Japanese American Citizens League, the nation’s oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organization.

David and his wife, Kaori Kawakubo Inoue, ’96, MA ’98, live in Washington, DC with their two children


Christine Bacareza Balance, Ph.D​ is the Director of the Asian American Studies Program and Associate Professor, Performing & Media Arts and Asian American Studies. Christine’s writings on former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos, Asian American YouTube artists, Bruno Mars, Glee’s karaoke aesthetics, and spree killer Andrew Cunanan have been published in Women and Performance, Journal of Asian American Studies (JAAS), Women’s Studies Quarterly (WSQ), and Theatre Journal.

She is a board member of KulArts, a Bay Area-based traditional and contemporary Filipino arts organization, and one-eighth of the New York-based indie rock band The Jack Lords Orchestra.
Christine Bacareza Balance is a 2022–23 Global Public Voices fellow.

Event Questions? Charles Wu ‘91 – CAAA Engagement VP
Victoria Anne Hathaway – Associate Director, Diversity Alumni Programs
Registration Questions? Brendan West – Program Assistant, Diversity Alumni Programs
Logo designed by Nancy Zallo