I am happy and proud to announce, Diana Lee Inosanto, the creator and star of "THE SENSEI" (released last year through Echo Bridge), has been formally invited to accept the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC)American Courage Award at our American Courage Award, this October in Washington D.C.
Diana was selected for this award
"because of the bravery you have
displayed by shedding light on issues of racism, bullying and homophobia
in your film, “The Sensei.”
Founded in 1991, AAJC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to
advance civil and human rights on behalf of Asian Americans and to build
and promote a fair and equitable society for all. AAJC is a nationally
recognized expert on issues of particular importance to the Asian American
community including affirmative action, anti-Asian violence prevention and
race relations, census, immigration and immigrant rights, language access,
media diversity and voting rights. As a member of the Asian American
Center for Advancing Justice, AAJC works alongside its affiliates—the
Asian Pacific American Legal Center in Los Angeles, the Asian Law Caucus
in San Francisco, and the Asian American Institute in Chicago—to enact a
sweeping range of programs on critical national issues that enrich,
enhance and serve our communities across the country.
Diana will join the ranks of past
recipients of the American Courage Award such as: Lt. Dan Choi, Iraq
veteran and LGBT activist who risked his career to stand up to the
military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; Mallika Dutt, Executive
Director and Founder of Breakthrough, who works to address critical issues
such as violence against women, sexuality and HIV/AIDS, racial justice and
immigrant rights through today’s media and popular culture; Susan Ahn
Cuddy, the first Asian American woman to achieve the rank of officer in
the U.S. Navy; Major General Antonio Taguba, who showed courage in his
reporting on Abu Ghraib and worked to obtain recognition of Filipino World
War II veterans who served in the U.S. Army; Anna Deveare Smith, an
African American actress/playwright and Stanford University professor who
helps illuminate race and religion; and Lou Diamond Phillips, actor and
Filipino Veterans rights activist.
Congratulations to my friend and former director!!! Proud to be able to call her both!
