THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 23, 2021 Page 11 Hong Yen Chang: the effect of justice denied By Mark Rumley S upreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in a 1987 article in the Harvard Law Review reflected on the Constitution on the occasion of its bicentennial. In it, he noted that the Framers “could not have imagined, nor would they have accepted, that the document they were drafting would one day be construed by a Supreme Court to which has been appointed a woman and the descendant of an African slave.” Justice Marshall went on to say that the phrase “We The People” does not belong to the Framers, but rather “belongs to those who refused to acquiesce in outdated notions of liberty, justice and equality, and who strive to better them.” The efforts of those in our country who have dedicated themselves to move the words “liberty,” "justice," and “equality” from “mist” to “solid” are many. As we have just celebrated Independence Day, keep in mind that these efforts continue and are best fueled when stories from the past are retold and remembered. In that spirit, I offer a story of an injustice experienced and later acknowledged, but well too late. It is the story of Hong Yen Chang. In 1871, at the age of 13, Hong Yen Chang came to the United States from China as part of an educational program. After graduating from Philips Academy, he attended Yale, where he received his undergraduate degree. Later, Chang attended Columbia Law School. In spite of a unanimous recommendation from the Bar Examiners in New York, Chang was refused admission as an attorney because he was not a citizen of the United States. After a judge issued Chang a certificate of naturalization, he was admitted to the New York Bar, becomT he Immigrant Learning Center (ILC) expanded its leaderHong Yen Chang ing the first Chinese-American lawyer. With a desire to serve the Chinese community in California, he applied for admission there, but was denied because California considered Chang’s naturalization certificate void under the provisions of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. More than 100 years later, Chang's descendants petitioned the courts in California for him to be granted posthumous bar admission. In 2015, the California Supreme Court [In re Chang, 60 Cal. 4th 1169] agreed, saying “… it is past time to acknowledge …the discriminatory exclusion of Chang …. It denied Chang equal protection of the laws… And it was a loss to … countless others who, like Chang, aspired to become a lawyer only to have their dream deferred on account of their race, alienage, or nationality. And it was a loss to our communities and to society as a whole, which denied itself the full talents of its people and the important benefits of a diverse legal profession.” Mark Rumley is an attorney who presently serves as special counsel in the City of Malden and deacon at Saint Raphael Parish in Medford. He is the former city solicitor in Medford. MVES earns award for integrated marketing campaign M ystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) was among the winners at this year’s New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCo) Lamplighter Awards. MVES was recognized with a Gold “Image/ Branding Marketing Campaign” Lamplighter Award for its 2020 Ensuring Your Dignity and Independence at Home marketing campaign, which involved numerous print, online and direct mail advertisements, media relations placements and social media posts. NESHCo is New England’s premier professional society for healthcare communications, public relations, marketing, advertising and public affairs. Lamplighter Awards recognize outstanding work in healthcare marketing and public relations. ship team on July 1 when it welcomed Vincent Rivers as its first executive director. Since ILC’s inception in 1992, it has been led by its Founder and CEO, Diane Portnoy. Portnoy will continue as ILC’s CEO, concentrating on longer-term strategy for growing and strengthening the organization. Rivers will take on the responsibility of overseeing the day-to-day operations: offering free, year-round English classes to immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston; conducting research on the economic contributions of immigrants; and informing Americans about the economic and social contributions of immigrants. Rivers has been an ILC supporter for more than 20 years as a donor, volunteer and, starting in 2005, a member of the board of trustees. His successful career in bankVincent Rivers ILC Executive Director ing and investment management makes him a good choice for the financial side of the organization, and his long commitment to the mission positions him well to help ILC give more immigrants a voice. Rivers described his pivot from a profit-driven career to one that is mission-driven. “I always assumed I would find my way back to my roots. My parents were educators, and education has always been high on my priority list,” he said. “I wanted to point my career in a direction that has more of a social return. This seemed like the right time, and my longstanding relationship with The Immigrant Learning Center made it the right place for me. I could not be more thrilled for this opportunity to help Diane prepare The ILC for its next stage of growth.” Community members will have the opportunity to meet Rivers and the rest of the leadership team and learn more about their work when ILC hosts a reception this fall. More information will be available later this summer on ILC’s website: www. ilctr.org. Immigrant Learning Center hires first executive director, prepares for future
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