Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty recently signed into law a bonding bill that included the Asian Pacific Cultural Center with $400,000 in planning funds.
As a bipartisan project with statewide significance, the Asian Pacific Cultural Center garnered support from the Senate and House, and from rural, urban and suburban legislators. Chief authors of the bonding bill were Senator Mee Moua of St. Paul, District 67 and Representative Cy Thao from St. Paul District 65A. Conference Committee and Capital Investment Chairs were Senator Keith Langseth of Glyndon, District 9 and Representative Dan Dorman from Albert Lea, District 27A.
“We are thrilled,” said Asian Pacific Cultural Center Executive Director Naomi Chu, “these funds keep our vision alive. We are so thankful to Minnesotans from all over the state who contacted their legislators to remind them of the importance of this bill. It’s a big hurdle, but we still have a long way to go.”
The Asian Pacific Cultural Center’s mission is to educate and provide Minnesotans with opportunities to further understand Asian Pacific Islander communities and their cultures.
The three-fold goal of the center is to: Facilitate understanding among the Asian Pacific and other cultures that call Minnesota home; to serve as a cultural bridge between generations and to provide an accessible and affordable home for Asian Pacific cultural organizations.
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