LAS VEGAS — U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) recently joined Nevada community members at the Year of the Dragon Celebration hosted by the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Chamber of Commerce of Southern Nevada. At the event, Cortez Masto recognized the George Lin, the owner of Chinatown Plaza, and Vida Lin, President & Founder of the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC), for their contributions to the community in Nevada. The celebration welcomed thousands of attendees throughout the day—the first and largest Lunar New Year celebration in Southwest Las Vegas, which is home to 40% of our AAPI community.
“I was thrilled to join Nevada’s vibrant AAPI community to welcome the Year of the Dragon and celebrate my friend Vida Lin, who has done important work empowering and advocating for AAPI Nevadans and businesses throughout our state,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m wishing everyone a Happy Lunar New Year, and I’ll keep working in the Senate to support our AAPI families and entrepreneurs.”
“We thank Senator Cortez Masto for joining us at the Year of The Dragon festival at the Chinatown Plaza today and meeting with local vendors, small business owners, and community members,” said Catherine Francisco, President & CEO of the AAPI Chamber. “As a Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the AAPI Chamber will continue collaborating with our partners to improve policy making, program development, and outreach efforts to address barriers impacting AA and NHPI entrepreneurs and small businesses and to promote meaningful public, private and community partnerships.”
The AAPI population is the fastest growing demographic in Nevada, making up about 12% of Nevada’s population. Senator Cortez Masto has been a strong advocate for Nevada’s diverse business community in the Senate and has introduced legislation to make it easier to start and grow a new business in Nevada. She has also introduced legislation to protect small businesses from expensive data breaches and cyber-attacks and to help small businesses compete in the 21st century economy. She has also secured multiple grants for Minority Business Development Centers in Las Vegas to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Her legislation to make the Minority Business Development Agency permanent was passed into law in 2021. n