Wow, thanks for the vote, but I stand by my conviction that each Asian American should tell their own story by doing, and using social tools.

Why have a representative that represents us? Why can't we individually represent ourselves? Gene suggests that we're stereotyped, the best way to beat that is to not have a 'representative' but to do it and change it.

Let's not focus on nominating anyone, and just self-represent ourselves. That's what I'm going to do.

Someone else recommended other notably accomplished AAs: George Takei, Mako Fujimura, Steve Chen (YouTube), Sandra Oh, Jennifer 8. Lee, David Ho (scientist) – cf. http://twurl.nl/3bbciv

While there are many more very accomplished Asian Americans, and would be able to tell their personal lessons learned, I don't know how many of them would be conversant about the Asian American community.

@Jeremiah, well, my thoughts have developed over time about this; I used to think we don't need a representative voice. I now see the value of having some representative faces and voices.

While there are social media tools available, and many who've attained great accomplishments, without representatives to speak up for the community, Asian Americans stay marginalized, stereotyped, and its community needs stay hidden.

Apart from the Christian community, I think these few names should be mentioned.
- Jeff Yang, one of the founders of A. Magazine, SF Chronicle's Asian Pop Columnist, Author
- Carmen Van Kerckhove, President of New Demographic, a diversity education firm. Her perspectives on race and diversity have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, USA Today, and The New York Times.
- Guy Kawasaki, Apple legend, founder of Garage Technology Ventures, co-founder of Alltop.com and more.

For more public figures from sports, there are the American-born Michelle Kwan and Michael Chang, and Norm Chow of UCLA.

For figures from politics, there are U.S. House representatives Mike Honda and Patsy Takemoto Mink, Doris Matsui, and Senator David Akaka. Former Governor of Washington, Gary Locke.

btw, are there asian ghetto's in the states?

Two things come to mind: 1) we can be our own individual spokespersons, we have the tools to do this with social media, why do we have to lean on someone else?

2) If that doesn't work, and the world really wants a true reprenatitve, why not have a business leader, sports leader, or someone that transects a larger segmentation of the Asians in US.

Lastly, I'm not sure these are representative of Asian Americans –putting a religious filter (whether it be Christian, Muslim or Buddhist isn't 'representative')

Your cousin in law— Jeremiah

I've heard Asian-Americans discuss this subject by saying we don't have much representation in media. True, but would we settle for someone like Dave Gibbons representing all Asians, or would he better-represent Korean-Americans and not Chinese-Americans? Culturally, each of the microdivisions within the Asian-American groups will cause us to be different in several important factors.

African-Americans can unite under the cause of oppression and racism, but for any of us like me that have been called negative aspects of being Chinese, yet I am not Chinese, can't really relate on that level.