2026 Minoru Yasui Community Service Award

Hon. Joe Jefferson

Joe Jefferson was born and raised in Englewood, Colorado. He earned his B.S. from Cornell University and his J.D. from the University of Denver. He was the Principal Attorney of the Jefferson Legal Group, P.C. and his family owned a local business, Twin Dragon Restaurant, which had proudly served the Englewood community for over 47 years until it’s closure in 2023.

Judge Jefferson served on Englewood City Council for over 10 years and served as mayor from 2015 to 2018. Joe Jefferson was the first Asian mayor and judge in Englewood history. He was initially elected as Englewood’s Presiding Municipal Judge in 2017 as the only publicly elected judge in Colorado and was recently reelected in November 2025.

Judge Jefferson is actively involved in the local, Asian American, and legal communities. He served as President of the Colorado Municipal Judges Association and is a voting Board Member of the Colorado Bar Association's Board of Governors. He was recently recognized by the Judge’s Association as the Distinguished Jurist of the Year for a Fulltime Jurisdiction.

2026 Governor Ralph Carr Award

Yun Owen Wang

The 2026 Governor Ralph L. Carr Award recipient is Yun "Owen" Wang.  APABA is honored to recognize Mr. Wang's extraordinary commitment to public service, justice, and community advocacy.  Born in Shanghai and raised in Los Angeles, Owen brings a culturally fluent and deeply empathetic perspective to his work as a trial and appellate attorney, advocating tirelessly for the indigent, underrepresented communities and individuals with limited English proficiency. His service extends beyond the courtroom through extensive pro bono civil rights work, mentorship of legal professionals, young attorneys, and leadership in the AANHPI community.

2025-2026 scholarship recipients

Kerouac Xuan Awbrey - Kerouac Xuan Awbrey is a 3L at the University of Colorado.  She plans to begin a career in family law after sitting for the bar.  She served as Treasurer for Colorado Law's Asian Pacific American Law Students Association during her 2L and 3L year, where her proudest accomplishments were securing funding for the NAPABA convention and for a Lunar New Year Celebration at the law school.  Post graduation, Kerouac plans on taking on an active role in APABA. 

Zoe Leonore Glepa - Zoe Leonore Glepa is a graduating 3L at the University of Colorado Law School who is passionate about the intersection of technology and law.  Throughout law school, Zoe has been deeply committed to community building and mentorship, serving as Co-President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) during her 2L year and Southern Regional Director of the National Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (NAPALSA) during her 3L year.  After graduation, she is excited to begin her career at BakerHostetler practicing data privacy and commercial litigation. 

Sameha Haque - Sameha is a 2L at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.  She is currently externing at a boutique estate planning firm where she assists with drafting wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents.  She serves as the President of DU's South Asian Law Student Association and is committed to building community among South Asian law students and attorneys.  Following graduation, she plans to actively participate in the South Asian Bar Association and remain engaged in mentorship and community advocacy.

Samuel Hawkinson - Samuel Hawkinson is a 3L at the University of Colorado Law School.  He served as Co-President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association during his 2L year and continues to support the organization as a 3L advisor.  Sam also serves on the executive board of the University of Colorado Law Review as the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Editor for Volume 97.  Following graduation, he is excited to join Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as an associate in the corporate M&A group and looks forward to having a more active role in APABA. 

Emma Pham - Emma Pham is a 3L at the University of Colorado.  She plans on practicing corporate law after sitting for the bar.  She served as the Vice-President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association during her 2L year and looks forward to taking an active role in APABA after graduation.