Very Asian Foundation Honors Six Community Champions at St. Louis Cardinals Game
Top: Sara Yang Bosco, Don Ko, Kristina Le
Bottom: Tracy Nguyen, Duane Reed, Hemla Singaravelu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2025
Very Asian Foundation Honors Six Community Champions at St. Louis Cardinals Game
St. Louis, Mo. (August 10, 2025) – The Very Asian Foundation (VAF) will honor six extraordinary leaders with its Community Champions Award during the St. Louis Cardinals game on Sunday, August 10, 2025. These honorees have made lasting contributions to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community in St. Louis while fostering connection and understanding across all communities in the region.
This year’s Community Champions are: Sara Yang Bosco, Don Ko, Kristina Le, Tracy Nguyen, Hemla Singaravelu, and Duane Reed. Together, they have united people through art, community service, literature, events, and corporate leadership.
In partnership with the St. Louis Cardinals, VAF will also host a Community Celebration in the Budweiser Terrace beginning at 4:20 p.m., featuring music by DJ Black Sun and a tinikling performance by the Philippine United Student Organization of Washington University. Alex Lee, VAF founding board member and co-founder of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Thanks to a Nike Community Impact Grant, VAF is bringing dozens of kids to tonight’s game and gifting each a copy of Baseball Saved Us—a powerful book by journalist Ken Mochizuki, inspired by true events, that tells a moving story of hope and courage in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.
Meet the Honorees:
Sara Yang Bosco – Former Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel at Emerson, Bosco has served on numerous boards, including the Independence Center, St. Louis Art Museum, and the Danforth Plant Science Center.
Don Ko – President of Dragon Trading Company and one of the few living members of the historic On Leong Association, Ko has been a steadfast leader of the Chinese and Chinese American community since 1949. He and his wife Ann have seven children, 19 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
Kristina Le – Two-term president of the St. Louis Vietnamese Community Association, and Vice President of OCA–St. Louis, Le is recognized for her tireless leadership and community service. She is a proud French Vietnamese Chinese American.
Tracy Nguyen – North County-based graphic designer whose work includes the 2024 “Year of the Dragon” baseball cap for the Cardinals’ annual AAPI game.
Duane Reed – Owner of Duane Reed Gallery in the Central West End, Reed has curated more than 750 exhibitions over 30 years and has been instrumental in the creation of the Lunar New Year Art Show with VAF.
Hemla Singaravelu – Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Webster University specializing in multicultural counseling. She serves on the board of PROMO and is active in Missouri’s Asian American Pacific Islander Youth and Mental Health Initiative.
About the Very Asian Foundation:
Founded in St. Louis by broadcast journalists Michelle Li and Gia Vang, VAF is a national nonprofit dedicated to shining a light on Asian experiences through advocacy and celebration. Born from a viral moment in 2022 when Li received a racist voicemail for sharing her family’s dumpling tradition on air, the movement sparked a global moment of unity and fundraising for AANHPI causes. Today, VAF leads signature programs like The May Book Project and the Creators Microgrant Program, and has been recognized by the FBI for its innovative approach to combating anti-Asian hate.
