Christopher Kui is one of the founding members of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as Chairman of our Board of Directors. We’re fortunate to have his expertise and guidance.
Christopher Kui is a pioneer of the community development movement and a long-time champion of community services and civil rights, advocating for the Asian American and immigrant communities of New York City. Mr. Kui serves as the Executive Director of Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), a community development corporation established in 1974. Mr. Kui is also the founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of Renaissance Economic Development Corporation (REDC), an AAFE-affiliate and U.S. Department of Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), providing financing and technical assistance to immigrant, minority, and women-owned small businesses. REDC counsels over 600 small businesses each year and has lent out over $43 million to over 1,000 businesses during the past ten years. During hurricane Sandy, under Mr. Kui’s leadership, REDC was able to provide technical assistance and a combination loans and grants to over 200 small businesses totaling over $3.5 million citywide. The New York Press called Mr. Kui “…a beacon in dark times,” awarding him the Downtown OTTY Award (Our Town Thanks You). In 2014, Money magazine named Mr. Kui one of the recipients of the 50 Heroes, 50 States award, which selects a hero from each state that represents extraordinary efforts in improving the personal finances of others—in this case, within New York State in the area of community development.
During Mr. Kui’s tenure, AAFE raised over $100 million to build more than 700 housing units for low-income and homeless individuals and families and over $300 million in mortgage financing on behalf of immigrant and low-income families to purchase homes. Mr. Kui has initiated and oversees programs to improve the lives of the largely immigrant community, including: social service access for families and seniors, technical assistance to emerging Asian American organizations, assistance to small business owners, and homeownership and foreclosure prevention counseling.
In addition to serving as Commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission from 2003–2007, Mr. Kui has also served on the transition teams of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Mayors Michael Bloomberg, Rudolph Giuliani and David Dinkins, and NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo.
For more information, visit AAFE.
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