Paula Daniels Elected Heal the Bay's First Asian American President
March 01, 2004KOREAN-AMERICANS LEAD PROMINENT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 19, 2004) –Attorney, mediator and arbitrator Paula Daniels has just been elected to serve a two-year term as President of Heal the Bay, and is the first Asian American to serve as President of the organization in its 19 year history.
“We’re excited about the incredible vision and leadership Paula brings to her new role,” said Mark Gold, executive director of Heal the Bay. “We are especially looking forward to Paula’s enthusiasm for continuing to increase Heal the Bay’s efforts in inland communities.”
Daniels believes that the beaches of Southern California belong to everyone who lives and visits here. “They are a precious public resource that should not be squandered by neglect. There are many reasons why people in LA’s inland communities, like Koreatown and Chinatown, should care about the environmental health of the ocean. An important one is that, because of pollution in the ocean, many of the fish that are caught in the Santa Monica and San Pedro Bays have contaminated flesh and are not safe to eat. We are working to clean up the bay so that we can all fish from it and swim in it without worrying about whether it is safe to do so.”
Ms. Daniels is the daughter of Jackie Young, a well-known Korean American politician in Hawaii. Daniels also serves on the boards of the Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center, and the Advisory Council of the Korean American Democratic Committee. From 1995 to 1997, she was President of the Korean Youth and Community Center.
She is joined on Heal the Bay’s board by Vice President Art Yoon, Korean-American Hermosa Beach City Councilman and Director of Government and Community Affairs at Cox Communications. Yoon says “As Korean-Americans are gaining greater economic flexibility, we’re seeking safe environments for our families and future generations. I joined Heal the Bay because its mission to educate and advocate is necessary if we are to provide these safe environments for all Californians, including Korean-Americans”
Daniels and Yoon are committed to the mission of Heal the Bay, which was founded in 1985. Heal the Bay is dedicated to making Santa Monica Bay and Southern California coastal waters safe and healthy again for people and marine life. It is one of the largest nonprofit environmental organizations in Los Angeles County, with more than 10,000 members.
