创建全美首个DUI法庭，推动纪念华工，华裔法官猝逝
犹他州的华裔法官关维斌（Michael Kwan）在7月21日，周二，传出过世的消息，终年58岁。多年来，关维斌致力于推动纪念美国铁路华人劳工的贡献，也是「金钉节」（Golden Spike）活动的组织者和重要功臣。他猝然离世的消息震惊华裔政界与主流社区。
关维斌法官生前对司法体系贡献良多，曾经设立全美首个审理酒驾、药驾（DUI）案件的法庭，同时捍卫亚裔权益，去年则因点名批评总统特朗普被停职而成为轰动的新闻。
关维斌在惠蒂尔法律学院（Whittier College）获法律学士学位，并在1993年于华东政法大学获取中国法文凭。
作为犹他州华裔铁路工人之后，关维斌大力赞扬华工在美国修建铁路的贡献，并参与成立了华裔铁路工人后裔协会。
关维斌自1998年起担任泰勒斯维尔（Taylorsville）地区法官，同年创建全国首个药驾、酒驾法庭，因此致力减少滥药及酗酒相关的罪行，2008年获颁州长奖。此外，他发起的防范家庭暴力计划，也在2002年获盐湖区家庭暴力议会颁发地球和平奖。
关维斌的妹妹，同时也是国会议员关玉嬚（Karen Kwan）在社交媒体表达对兄长离世的哀伤。关玉嬚也感谢社区各界提供的支持，她希望外界给予时间让关家来处理后事。关氏兄妹是铁路华工的后裔，一直在犹他州坚持传承华工历史。
犹他州州长郝伯特（Gary Herbert）也在社交媒体发表声明哀悼。关维斌具体的死因、时间目前尚且不知。综合传媒的报导，关维斌在家离世，离世前家人陪伴在旁。
关维斌生前活跃于华裔民权运动，曾经担任亚太公共事务联盟（APAPA）、美华协会（OCA）等机构的行政要职。他自1998年开始在犹他州担任法官，写下犹他州华人在司法界的历史。但是他最为华裔社区所知的，仍然是去年5月组织和筹办「金钉节」纪念洲际铁路（Transcontinental Railroad）竣工150周年活动。因为竣工地点在犹他州境内，因此纪念活动主要都是在犹他州举办。
关维斌生前也多次来到湾区参加活动。2019年9月，他和百人会的吴华扬、朱伯忠，前屋仑市长关丽珍等在旧金山华埠出席民权论坛，畅谈华裔在如今时代的政治影响力。当时关维斌因为自己曾经在网络上发表了反对川普的言论，有违法官的职业伦理，因此被停薪留职半年。
停薪留职的时候，他也于2019年下半年时短暂担任过APAPA的行政主任。APAPA的创办人尹集成（C.C. Yin）表示，关维斌是亚太裔的巨人，民权领袖，受人尊敬的法官。「能够成为他的朋友和仰慕者，我非常骄傲，」尹集成表示。
与关维斌相识多年的旧金山亚太裔文化传统基金会创办人，同时也是美华协会的前主席郑可欣（Claudine Cheng）也说，正是因为关维斌的统筹，才能让铁路华工在历史上首次被隆重地纪念和认可，她自己将永久感激关维斌的贡献。
下面是来自APAPA的悼文（英文）：
APAPA Mourns the Passing of Judge Michael Kwan
The APAPA family was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Judge Michael Kwan on July 21, 2020. He was the first Chinese American judge for the State of Utah as the Taylorsville City Justice Court Judge. For a brief period away from his bench in 2019, he served as APAPA’s General Counsel and then CEO. He was also the founding chair of APAPA’s Utah State Chapter. Judge Kwan was instrumental in helping refine APAPA’s operational structure and build a professional culture for a national nonprofit organization with the mission to inspire, engage and empower Asian Pacific Islander Americans.
Judge Kwan started one of the first DUI/Drug Courts in the nation in 1998. His DUI/Drug Program received the Utah Governor’s Award for reducing drug and alcohol abuse and related crimes in 2008. His Domestic Violence Program was awarded the Peace on Earth Award from the Salt Lake Area Domestic Violence Advisory Council in 2002. He received the Utah Judicial Council’s Quality of Justice Award in 2001. Judge Kwan received a law degree from Whittier College School of Law and was certified in Chinese law by the East China University of Politics and Law in 1993. He served as a pro temper judge in Third District Court from 1996 through 1998.
Judge Kwan was a descendent of Chinese railroad workers, who helped build America’s First Transcontinental Railroad, which connected the East and the West and revolutionized the American economy. He was the president of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association and worked tirelessly to educate the society about the contribution of the Chinese railroad workers to America. He organized the Golden Spike Conference as part of the historical 150th Golden Spike celebration.
Judge Kwan was a past National President of OCA - Asian American Advocates and took leadership roles at a number of Asian American organizations as part of his endeavors to advocate for equality and justice.
APAPA leaders and members remembered Judge Kwan warmly and described him as calm, witty, knowledgeable and hard working. APAPA Founder and National Chair Emeritus C.C. Yin said Judge Kwan was “an API American giant, civic leader, a highly respected judge, a great human being and a friend”, and “I am proud to be one of his friends and admirers, and would like to express my condolences, sympathy and support to his family. He will be remembered by all of us and history for his lifetime passion, efforts and leadership in advancing the principle of justice and equality set by our founding fathers.”
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俄州亚太联盟公众号是APAPA Ohio在Ohio Chinese American Association（俄亥俄华人协会OCAA）的支持下办的公众号，旨在为俄亥俄的亚裔群体、尤其是华人群体提供一个分享、交流、互助的平台，宣传APAPA Ohio 、OCAA和其他亚裔团体的活动，促进亚裔社区对美国社会、政治、文化、体育、艺术、教育、法律等的了解。APAPA的全名是Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (美国亚太联盟)，是在美国联邦政府注册的501(c)(3)非营利组织。