District Digest News Stories

Nashville District Corps employees embraces inclusion during 2013 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District
Published May 31, 2013
Lannae Long, an environmental engineer from the U.S. Nashville District was the featured speaker during an Asian Pacific American Heritage program  at the District headquarters on May 31, 2013. She presented a brief video on a variety of Chinese foods with an emphasis on the “Fortune Cookie” and how it has helped shape American cuisine.

Lannae Long, an environmental engineer from the U.S. Nashville District was the featured speaker during an Asian Pacific American Heritage program at the District headquarters on May 31, 2013. She presented a brief video on a variety of Chinese foods with an emphasis on the “Fortune Cookie” and how it has helped shape American cuisine.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 31, 2013) - Each May, our nation comes together to recount the ways Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders helped forge our country. On May 31, 2013, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville district’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office and Special Emphasis Program group celebrated with a program here to observe Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month at the District headquarters.

“Asian Americans have contributed to so much of our country it is time to recognize those contributions,” said Carol Haynes, the district’s equal employment opportunity officer.

This year’s theme was “Building Leadership: Embracing Cultural Values and Inclusion that recognizes many of the impacts and diversity of ideas, experiences, areas of expertise significant to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s ability to fulfill its variety of engineering and construction missions both today and in the future.

Haynes read a Presidential Proclamation from President Obama that recognizes the many contributions Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed to the success of our country.
“Their story is the American story,” Haynes read from the proclamation. “and this month we honor them all.”

The featured guest speaker was Lannae Long, an environmental engineer from Engineering Construction she presented a brief video on a variety of Chinese foods with an emphasis on the “Fortune Cookie” and how it has helped shape American cuisine.

Long talked about how her family immigrated to the United States from China and explained their immigration procession to the Mississippi Delta around the late 1800s and the turn of the century. She said the Chinese who were not citizens at this time, were asked to work on plantations as replacements for slaves.

“A lot of us grow up and we’re not significantly exposed to those cultures,” said Long. “I appreciate everyone coming and celebrating Asian Pacific Islander month with me,” she added.

Asian American Pacific Slander Heritage Week was first observed the week of May 4, 1979. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush expanded the observance to encompass the entire month, and in 1992, Congress passed a law permanently designating May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.

The celebration concluded with some samples of food which included cupcakes, and you guessed it, fortune cookies.