Kale Moraras, Tuyet Quong, Karen Chaves, Kiran Ahuja, Miya Chen. White House Initiateive on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) . This 18th Annual Gala Awards was the largest yet, thanks in part to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. President Obama spoke. Photo by Ben Droz.