MAPABA | Michigan Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Our Mission |

... to promote improvements in the administration of justice, to advance relations between the legal profession and the public, to secure social equality for Asian Pacific Americans, to advocate the interests of Asian Pacific Americans in the legal profession, and to promote equality and social justice for all people.

Message from MAPABA

One of the Michigan Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s (MAPABA) missions is to combat racial prejudices and stereotypes that persist in our society. Although we hold diverse political backgrounds and viewpoints, we stand together to condemn the now infamous Pete Hoekstra Super Bowl advertisement and request a sincere apology from Mr. Hoekstra.

MAPABA does not wish to debate the merits of Mr. Hoekstra’s political message, which was lost amid the poorly-chosen imagery that perpetuated a negative perception and stereotype of the Chinese people. We simply condemn his lack of judgment and ignorance that poorly serves the community he wishes to represent. His ad drives a wedge between members of our community, who would be better served by a message encouraging understanding and working together toward common interests rather than fueling racial animosity.

Even more disappointing than Mr. Hoekstra’s initial approval of the ad itself is his refusal to acknowledge that it is offensive and harmful. As a candidate who aspires to represent the State of Michigan, home to nearly 250,000 Asians and Asian Americans, Mr. Hoekstra should know better than he is displaying.

We hope that Mr. Hoekstra will learn from his mistakes and work to better understand Asians and Asian Americans. It is only with mutual understanding that we can combat the racial stereotypes and ignorance that inhibit our progression together as a society.

An Open Letter to Peter Hoekstra from MAPABA member Kyle Kamidoi

Dear Mr. Hoekstra,

My name is Kyle Kamidoi and I am a second year law student at Wayne State University Law School. I am also the President of the Asian Pacific American Law Student’s Association (APALSA), and Public Relations Director of the National Asian Pacific American Law Student’s Association (NAPALSA). I am writing to you today regarding a campaign ad dubbed “Now” that you recently aired during the Super Bowl. In the ad you depict a young Chinese woman speaking broken English and talking about the outsourcing of Michigan jobs to foreign competitors. On behalf of my organization and supporting organizations I request that you formally apologize to the Pacific & Asian American Community for this blatantly racist and xenophobic ad. To see this type of racially insensitivity against the Pacific & Asian American community in this day and age is not only disheartening, but also a sad reminder of the racial strides that this society still needs to take. This blatantly racist ad has shown me that that though the Asian American culture has taken strong steps in the past few decades, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. ... read the full letter

Membership

MAPABA membership is a great way to network and connect with old and new friends.
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Member Spotlight | Richard Choi

Richard D. Choi’s legal career began in Toledo, Ohio. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, he moved to Toledo to attend the University of Toledo's College of Law as an academic scholarship recipient. As a law student, Richard worked in various legal settings, including the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the Federal District Court of the Northern District of Ohio, and the law firm Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.

Upon graduation, Richard accepted a position with Miller Canfield as an Associate Attorney with the Corporate and Securities Group in the Troy, Michigan office. There, he built a broad corporate practice advising businesses, negotiating complex transactions and commercial arrangements, and drafting a wide range of contracts. In addition, Richard counseled companies with international trade issues, including Office of Foreign Asset Controls, International Traffic in Arms Regulation, and Export Administration Regulation compliance.

Currently, Richard is back in Ohio, serving as Legal Counsel for Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I) at its Perrysburg world headquarters. O-I, a publicly held fortune 500 company, is a global leader in the glass container industry. Although Richard advises various business units at O-I, he now can focus on the legal issues of a single corporation. Broadly described, Richard assists O-I with corporate issues in the context of an international business, including planning, negotiating, and drafting commercial agreements; developing and implementing legal processes; mitigating legal and financial risk; and export and import regulatory compliance.

Outside of work, participation in cultural and pro bono initiatives is important to Richard. From 2008 to May of 2011, Richard served as General Counsel to the Korean American Community of Metro Detroit (KACMD). The KACMD’s mission is to share Korean cultural awareness and understanding with metro Detroit communities. In addition, Richard is currently serving as secretary to MAPABA.

Sponsor MAPABA

Support Michigan's Asian Pacific American law community. ... learn more

Previous Sponsors

Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak + Stewart, P.L.L.C.
Dykema Gossett P.L.L.C.
Brinks Hofer Gilson + Lione
Michigan State University College of Law
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
Peruski + Chang, P.L.C.

Affiliations

MAPABA is proud to be an affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and of the State Bar of Michigan.