An event to honor retired professors Dr. Katsuyo Howard and Dr. Franklin Ng was held on April 12 at Fresno State. Spearheaded by Dr. Jenny Banh, an associate professor of Asian American studies and anthropology at Fresno State, the ceremony is the first of many signature events to come for the Central Valley Asian American community. 

“I saw many Asian professors retire with no fanfare so then I had an epiphany,” Banh said. Let’s honor Dr. Ng and Dr. Howard at a special event and respect them and remember them forever with a scholarship named the Dr. Katsuyo Howard and Dr. Franklin Ng ASAM Academic Community Scholarship.”

Howard and Ng have served the Asian American community for decades. Both have made prestigious and invaluable contributions to the Asian American community and have left a legacy for many generations forward.

The ceremony began with a vibrant lion dance. Two Chinese lions danced up and down the aisles of the Alice Peters Auditorium spreading luck and fortune to all the guests. They moved to the beat of drums and cymbals with skill and precision receiving gasps and laughter of excitement. As the lions retreated, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Xuanning Fu opened with a speech of gratitude to the honorees. 

Howard came to Fresno State in 1980 and helped multiple generations of Southeast Asian students achieve their dreams of higher education. Mao Misty Her, a Fresno State alumna and interim superintendent of the Fresno Unified School District, was present at the honoring ceremony. She spoke about how important Howard was to her success in life. Most importantly, how Howard stayed connected to her at every turning point of her life and continues to do so. At the end, Her gave Howard a heartfelt thank you. 

The following speakers were just as heartfelt: Phong Jacob Yang, associate vice president for strategic enrollment management of Fresno State; Professor Kimberly Chin, from Bakersfield College Performing Arts Department; Keiko Howard, who is Howard’s daughter; and the Rev. Akiko Miyake Stoner from the United Japanese Christian Church. 

A Hmong dance was then performed by Ntxhais Txuj Ci, a leadership program at A Hopeful Encounter Incorporated based in Fresno.

Ng started at Fresno State in the mid 1970s and has contributed to numerous saplings of Asian American anthropologists throughout the last four decades. For many years, he taught the only two Asian studies classes offered at Fresno State. During the event, Dr. John Pryor,  professor of anthropology at Fresno State, spoke about meeting and working with Ng. Fellow praise came from other close associates: Dr. Yang Sao Xiong, Dr. Gena Lew Gong, Elizabeth Lowham, dean of the College of Social Sciences at Fresno State and Dr. Amrit Deol. 

Both Howard and Ng were honored with a thunderous echo from those who attended. Taiko drummers ended the night with the boom of their drums in the Fresno State air as the sun set behind the horizon. It echoed and thundered thankful praises for two careers worthy of a lifetime. 

When asked if there is a further need for more recognition within the Asian American community Banh said, “Yes, of course. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-Asian violence, many Asian elders and women were literally being murdered. People often don’t believe that Asians feel pain because of the model minority myth that says all Asians are superior. But in reality, it was created by non-Asians to split people of color and make Asians an anti-black sword.” 

“Asian Americans deserve to be recognized more,” Banh said. “Asian suppression is an all-too-common practice throughout America and American history,” she added. 

The Asian American Studies program is working on the next big step. Currently, an Asian American Studies minor is the only degree program for Asian American studies at Fresno State. However, an ASAM major program is on the horizon. Banh is working with other faculty and staff to achieve this goal.