Jesse Tam and the Seattle Rotary

Friday, July 11, 2008

I've never joined a rotary club in my life, for some odd reason I've just never had the inclination to do so - but that won't stop me from making a post on it or Jesse Tam who is the first Asian American (and person of color) to be a district governor of the Seattle Rotary:

Tam is not only the first Asian American to be selected for this position, he is the first person of color. Seattle Rotary in particular has a reputation for being progressive, or "rebellious," as Tam puts it. In 1987, the club, along with one other in California, brought forth a lawsuit challenging the exclusion of women. The case was taken all the way up to the Supreme Court, where the "males only" membership requirement was struck down.

The year-long position will also require extensive "training, correspondent study, lectures and even tests," according to Tam.
Read more at the Northwest Asian Weekly.