By Kai Curry
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Oregon State Representative Daniel Nguyen and Port of Portland Commissioner Katherine Lam will present at the Asian Hall of Fame gala on Sept. 12. Photo provided by Asian Hall of Fame.
Katherine Lam and Daniel Nguyen did not grow up in families or circumstances where leadership and politics were jobs under consideration. Nor did they believe that ordinary Asian Americans, such as themselves, should even consider them. Which is exactly why, their friends said, you absolutely should be in government. Now, it’s Representative Nguyen and Commissioner Lam. The power couple behind Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen in Portland, Oregon, the two are showing up to support the Asian Hall of Fame’s Women in Sports initiative.
Oregon State Representative Daniel Nguyen and Port of Portland Commissioner Katherine Lam upon their induction into the Asian Hall of Fame in 2024. Photo by Christine Mitchell and courtesy of the Asian Hall of Fame.
The Asian Hall of Fame was established in 2004. Nguyen and Lam were inductees in 2024 for their achievements thus far in civic leadership, entrepreneurship, and overall representation as role models for the Asian and Asian American community in the U.S. The Asian Hall of Fame recognizes trailblazers in Asian and indigenous communities, while also offering scholarships to young people—especially women—through their Women In Tech, Entertainment & Sports program, which has awarded $1.5 million since 2020. On Sept. 12, Nguyen and Lam will present at the gala for the Women in Sports scholarship (www.asianhalloffame.org/wintes).
Katherine Lam
Get this, Lam raced cars in high school. It was through that sport that she learned teamwork and other important skills that a lot of girls are not privy to as they grow up. Even though many boys were jealous of Lam at that time, she learned of the power of being supported by others, something she takes to her own work today by supporting as many people as she can. For Lam, “success” is defined as “bringing other people along with me.” Showing up for the Asian Hall of Fame is part of that support. In this case, in the area of sports. As the parents of two daughters themselves, Lam and Nguyen have seen how beneficial participation in sports can be for girls, teaching them leadership techniques that can cross over into any future career.
Also, Nguyen reminded, many Asian families do not promote sports to their children. Instead, they emphasize that their kids excel in academics. In Nguyen’s view, initiatives such as this help Asian American children become “more well-rounded” and grow into areas they might not have considered—just like he and Lam did. Successful in their business (Bambuza was the longest-running storefront in Portland’s South Waterfront, since 2008), Nguyen and Lam felt they had an opportunity to become civic leaders, but that is something many immigrants do not have the wherewithal to do. Most are focused on survival, and/or they simply do not believe in themselves.
“Other people believed in me before I believed in myself,” admitted Lam, who is grateful today to those who invited her to spaces that, as an Asian and as a woman, she might not have been able to get in. “[It’s a] tremendous privilege,” Nguyen echoed. “But I also recognize that my voice in the state legislature is something that is very much needed and I’m very much focused on thinking about how we can make sure that we are a place where everybody can thrive.”
Daniel Nguyen
Nguyen, who was born in Vancouver, Washington, made history as the first person of color elected to the Lake Oswego, Oregon city council, and the first public elected official in Oregon of Vietnamese heritage. Today, he is an Oregon State Representative, in addition to being co-founder and COO of Bambuza Hospitality Group. Lam is a Port of Portland commissioner and board member for the Oregon Business Council and the Civics Learning Project. She is President and CEO of Bambuza Hospitality Group. Bambuza has major airport locations in Oregon, Washington, California, and Utah. Not only a business and leadership success story, this couple is a romantic success story. They have known each other since middle school.
“She couldn’t stand me,” Nguyen laughed. They started dating when Lam was a high school senior and Nguyen a freshman at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma (Lam went on to also attend college in Tacoma and is a PLU alumna).
Lam and Nguyen recalled, when they were inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame, how impactful it was to find themselves in a room full of other Asian Americans: Asian Americans with impressive achievements, Asian American leaders in their fields.
“I was really inspired,” said Nguyen. The couple emphasized the importance of amplifying the accomplishments of Asian Americans so that no one has to feel like they are flying solo. “We’ve really seen the great work that the Asian Hall of Fame is creating,” Lam said. To her, the Asian Hall of Fame, through its recognitions and scholarships, is building generational impact and showcasing generational resiliency. It’s helping Asian Americans recognize their own worth. It’s not always easy, she pointed out, for Asians to accept compliments, as many Asian cultures value humility.
According to Asian Hall of Fame CEO and President Maki Hsieh, “Working hard to achieve success is often perceived by Asian families as a dime-a-dozen duty not deserving of recognition. Through the Asian Hall of Fame, mainstream society finally has a powerful platform to honor pillars of the community, such as Katherine Lam and Daniel Nguyen, and collaborate toward a new era of interracial synergy. By galvanizing Asian and Indigenous role models of the American Dream, the Asian Hall of Fame and its legacy work democratize pathways to prosperity for all people in the community, country, and humanity.”
Nguyen and Lam, when notified of their nomination into the Asian Hall of Fame, thought, it’s too early, we haven’t done enough yet—basically, some version of “we’re not worthy.” Hsieh helped them realize that it’s not just for them. It’s for future generations. It’s invaluable to young Asian Americans in this country to see people that look like them in all levels of all fields, be it sports or be it civic leadership. In all fields, there is still a lack of representation of both those with Asian background and of women of all backgrounds, particularly in higher positions.
“We are here to celebrate, to nurture, to support, and to create space,” said Lam, about the Asian Hall of Fame, but also about herself and Nguyen in their roles as leaders in business and politics.
It’s crucial not to just watch from a distance, said Lam, and instead to help create an infrastructure and a platform for those coming later. To bring them along. As a woman, she knows her presence in a boardroom serves as a symbolic inspiration to others. Nguyen, who still describes himself as “selling noodles,” at the same time strives to pass legislation that will assist immigrant communities economically—so more may pursue and reach greater heights rather than only focusing on day-to-day survival. Nguyen and Lam’s families both immigrated to the Pacific Northwest. To be in a room full of others that understand what it’s like to grow up Asian American, to form a network, that is something the Asian Hall of Fame offers that is priceless.
The Asian Hall of Fame has year-round initiatives/programs throughout the country. The inaugural Power of Portland gala, on Sept. 12, will recognize Women in Sports scholarship recipients. Those interested are encouraged to apply by Oct. 15. Applicants may be of any ethnic or racial backgrounds, but also must be current team members in women’s soccer, basketball, or other Olympic-approved competitive sport and enrolled in a Portland public high school, community college, state college, or public university, with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Coming up in Bellevue on Oct. 12 will be a Moon Festival gala with the Asian Hall of Fame to benefit Women In Tech scholarships (https://www.eventcreate.com/e/moon2025).
Kai can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.