Stewart Kwoh
Encyclopedia
Stewart Kwoh is an American
attorney
, educator, and civil rights leader. Kwoh is the founding President and Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Legal Center
of Southern California (APALC), a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice.
in Nanjing
on September 16, 1948. When Kwoh was two months old, his family moved to Shanghai
, then back to America, settling in Los Angeles
Kwoh’s mother, Beulah Kwoh (stage name Beulah Quo), was a film and television actress whose trailblazing career spanned almost 50 years and included co-founding the Asian American theatre organization East West Players
in 1965 as well as becoming the first Asian American woman to win a local Emmy
. Kwoh’s father, Edwin Kwoh, was a businessman who was involved in a number of non-profits, including the Los Angeles
chapter of Volunteers of America
. Edwin Kwoh served as a local board member and helped develop the organization’s China Project, which led to a number of U.S. volunteers training individuals in China on topics ranging from policing to accounting.
Stewart is married to Pat Lee and has two sons, Steven and Nathan.
from University of California, Los Angeles
, and his Juris Doctorate from the UCLA School of Law
.
Kwoh continues to have close ties with UCLA; he teaches at the university’s Asian American Studies Department and has been an instructor at UCLA School of Law. He is a past expert in residence at UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law
, and has two honorary doctorates from Williams College
and Suffolk School of Law.
and Pacific Islander
(AAPI) community in the United States.
Under Kwoh’s leadership, APALC has also opened a nonprofit center as a community resource, acts as a fiscal sponsor for several smaller nonprofit groups and has established a series of educational workshops aimed at nonprofit capacity building.
He serves on the board of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, KCET
, and SCPR.
as: “a social milestone that recognizes the unsung contributions of Asian Americans to America’s Civil Rights Movement.”
, the Los Angeles Urban League, the Martin Luther King Legacy Association and many other Asian American, civil rights, academic and legal organizations.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, educator, and civil rights leader. Kwoh is the founding President and Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Asian Pacific American Legal Center
The Asian Pacific American Legal Center , a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, is a non-profit legal aid and civil rights organization dedicated to advocating for civil rights, providing legal services and education and building coalitions on behalf of the Asian Americans...
of Southern California (APALC), a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice.
Early Life and Education
Stewart Kwoh was born to American parents teaching in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
on September 16, 1948. When Kwoh was two months old, his family moved to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, then back to America, settling in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Kwoh’s mother, Beulah Kwoh (stage name Beulah Quo), was a film and television actress whose trailblazing career spanned almost 50 years and included co-founding the Asian American theatre organization East West Players
East West Players
East West Players is an Asian American theatre organization in Los Angeles, founded in 1965. As one of the nation's first Asian American theatre organizations, East West Players today continues to produce works and educational programs that give voice to the Asian Pacific American...
in 1965 as well as becoming the first Asian American woman to win a local Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
. Kwoh’s father, Edwin Kwoh, was a businessman who was involved in a number of non-profits, including the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
chapter of Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America, based in Alexandria, Virginia, is a national, nonprofit, faith-based human services organization providing support programs to more than two million people throughout the United States each year...
. Edwin Kwoh served as a local board member and helped develop the organization’s China Project, which led to a number of U.S. volunteers training individuals in China on topics ranging from policing to accounting.
Stewart is married to Pat Lee and has two sons, Steven and Nathan.
Education
Kwoh earned his Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, and his Juris Doctorate from the UCLA School of Law
UCLA School of Law
The UCLA School of Law is the law school of the University of California, Los Angeles. It has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1950. It joined the Association of American Law Schools in 1952.- History :...
.
Kwoh continues to have close ties with UCLA; he teaches at the university’s Asian American Studies Department and has been an instructor at UCLA School of Law. He is a past expert in residence at UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law
UC Berkeley School of Law
The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, commonly referred to as Berkeley Law and Boalt Hall, is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley Law is consistently regarded as an elite and prestigious law school...
, and has two honorary doctorates from Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
and Suffolk School of Law.
Asian Pacific American Legal Center
In 1983, Kwoh co-founded the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, now the largest legal aid and civil rights organization serving the Asian AmericanAsian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
and Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
(AAPI) community in the United States.
Under Kwoh’s leadership, APALC has also opened a nonprofit center as a community resource, acts as a fiscal sponsor for several smaller nonprofit groups and has established a series of educational workshops aimed at nonprofit capacity building.
Organizations
Kwoh is active with foundations and other philanthropic organizations. He has been Chair of the Board of Directors of The California Endowment, which is the largest health foundation in California. He is one of the first Asian Americans to chair the board of a large foundation in the U.S. Kwoh has also been chair of the Methodist Urban Foundation, vice-chair of the California Wellness Foundation, and a trustee of the California Consumer Protection Foundation, The Tang Family Foundation and the Fannie Mae Foundation.He serves on the board of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, KCET
KCET
KCET, channel 28, is an independent, non-commercial public television station licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA. KCET's studio is located on West Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is atop Mount Wilson. Al Jerome is the current CEO and President, serving since 1996.KCET was...
, and SCPR.
Publications
Kwoh has co-authored two publications: Uncommon Common Group: Race and America’s Future and Untold Civil Rights Stories. Untold Civil Rights Stories has been described by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio VillaraigosaAntonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
as: “a social milestone that recognizes the unsung contributions of Asian Americans to America’s Civil Rights Movement.”
Awards
Kwoh has been a recipient of numerous awards recognizing his efforts to build coalitions consisting of all communities of color. Associations that have honored Kwoh include: the L.A. City and County Human Relations Commissions, California Association of Human Relations Organizations, ACLU, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los AngelesCoalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles is an American political advocacy organization.-History:Following the passage of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, representatives from Central American Resource Center , Asian Pacific American Legal Center , Los Angeles Center...
, the Los Angeles Urban League, the Martin Luther King Legacy Association and many other Asian American, civil rights, academic and legal organizations.
- 1998 MacArthur Fellows ProgramMacArthur Fellows ProgramThe MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T...
- 2001 UCLA Law School Top Alumni of the Year for Public and Community Service"
- 2007 California State Bar Loren MillerLoren MillerLoren Miller was a civic reformer and libertarian activist in the first half of the 20th century. Perhaps Miller's most lasting contribution was his success in convincing business magnates to support libertarian causes and organizations. The most notable case was William Volker who, at Miller's...
Legal Services Award - 2010 Los Angeles Chamber of CommerceLos Angeles Chamber of CommerceThe Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is southern California's largest not-for-profit business federation, representing the interests of more than 235,000 businesses in L.A...
Civic Medal of Honor