Rita Moreno
The only American woman to have won The Oscar, The Emmy, The Tony and The Grammy, Rita Moreno is an internationally recognized artist whose work and civic involvement have helped dismantle ethnic stereotypes and engage children and adults alike in celebrating humanity in all its diversity. Born in Puerto Rico, Ms. Moreno moved to New York as a child and made her Broadway debut at thirteen. Four years later, after signing an MGM contract with Louis B. Mayer, she launched a film career that has since spanned more than thirty features, including roles in Singing in the Rain, The King and I, Carnal Knowledge, The Four Seasons, and her Oscar-winning performance as Anita in West Side Story. In London and throughout the U.S., her theater work in such productions as The Rose Tattoo, The Odd Couple, Sunset Boulevard, Master Class, and The Ritz, for which she won a Tony, have won rave reviews. Her enthusiastic work with children, including Emmy-winning appearances on The Muppet Show and Grammy-recognized work on The Electric Company Album, have highlighted her musicality and belief in the importance of art in education. In addition to her film, stage, television and concert careers, Ms. Moreno is a regular lecturer to civic and charitable organizations and universities, and has served on the National Endowment for the Arts and as commissioner on the Presidents’ White House Fellowships and member of the Presidents’ Committee on the Arts and Humanities. In 2004, Ms. Moreno was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given to a civilian. Having transcended barriers of discriminatory practices in the entertainment industry and set a precedent for Latino actors to be recognized for talent rather than ethnicity, International House takes pleasure in honoring Rita Moreno for her distinguished career and civic service.

John S. Chen
International House is delighted to recognize John Chen for his work to advance U.S./China relations and understanding of multicultural identity. Mr. Chen, Chairman, CEO, and president of the software company Sybase, Inc., is known globally as a technology industry leader and expert on Sino-American relations. Born in China and educated in Rhode Island and California, Mr. Chen became Sybase CEO in 1997, helping to avert company closure and overseeing a dramatic shift in the strategic direction of the company to emphasize anytime, anywhere information delivery. Mr. Chen also has asserted his leadership to advance international relations and trade policies, and has testified to the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee as an advocate of normalizing U.S./China trade. He serves as a governing board member of the U.S. Center for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Council of Foreign Relations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Walt Disney Company. He is Vice Chairman of the Committee of 100, an organization founded by distinguished Chinese-Americans to promote greater cross-cultural collaboration and enhanced understanding of issues faced by Asian Americans. His extensive and varied philanthropic interests include support for a scholarship fund targeted to women and girls in rural China, and a variety of other children’s organizations, and the Chang-Lin Tien Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

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Rita Moreno

John S. Chen