SAN FRANCISCO — 'Please take your seats.

'Ladies and gentlemen, we ask that you sit down so we can begin.'

The announcer, first polite, became more commanding. The crowd, in the throes of mingling, air-kissing, kept on as couple after couple mixed, polished in black tie and whisper-soft silks. Volunteers steered them to their tables, where they would meet more people, stand up and move again. After half an hour, the noise level increased before it decreased, as dragon dancers claimed the stage, before the emcee appeared, wit and script in hand.

The last hurrah of a rousing, four-day celebration of achievement known as VANG, the Vietnamese American National Gala, finally kicked off before 8 p.m. Saturday in a city called a Mecca for Asians, in a ceremony attracting nearly 750.

Realtors, techies, millionaires, attorneys and on-air personalities sat side by side, at times absorbed by the evening’s message, at times by the celebrity sightings.

The guests clapped for the event’s chair, California Congressman Mike Honda, then louder for the honorees, six individuals and groups lauded for their contributions to their community and society. Walking to the podium, they echoed what it meant to win — what it meant, too — to thrive as part of the passion and poetry of immigrant lives.

For months, men, women and students had heard about the annual VIP powwow. The first debuted in Washington, D.C., as did the second. VANG for 2006 headed for the Golden State, home to the largest concentration of Vietnamese Americans outside of Việt Nam, totaling more than 400,000.

Attendance was selective.

Organizers marshaled a list of movers and shakers for what they billed as 'the preeminent West Coast celebration of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.' And for a cool $1,000, folks could get an all-access pass to the schmooze fest, allowing them entry to the opening reception at the glittering Beaux Arts building housing City Hall, to Napa Valley winery tours to sessions featuring the first Vietnamese American judge in the U.S., among others, capped off by a formal gala in the 104-year-old Westin St. Francis Hotel, in the heart of the famed Union Square.

'To be able to bring everybody together like this, those who have been here for a long time, those who are successful, to find a common cause or a common charity, is terrific,' said Tuấn Nguyễn, an industrial consultant for the State Compensation Insurance Fund in Santa Ana, Calif., on hand with his wife, Debbie. 'Who knows, out of this there may be a venue to develop leadership.'

'When we have been here for a long time, we can forget our roots, but this, this helps us to strengthen our identity,' said actress Kathy Uyên, sitting between San Shou kickboxing sensation Cung Lê and restaurant entrepreneur Catherine An, whose family runs the ultra-successful Crustacean eateries. 'We can say, 'You guys, you go together, build together, work together,' rather than go it alone.'

From last Thursday, Day 1, when player after player teed off along the glistening fairways of Harding Park Golf Course — the site of last year’s American Express Championships where Tiger Woods won his sixth PGA Tour victory in 2005 — participants constantly sought out others whose names they had heard or read about.

By Day 2, the 'improve your knowledge' part of the program, participants donned their suits, going from panel to panel, from the '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' to 'Technology Trends,' presented by the Vietnamese Association for Computing, Engineering Technology and Science,' to 'Access to Capital,' staged by title sponsor Wells Fargo, to the Vietnamese American Media Expo, organized by the Mekong Delta Group and Nhà magazine.

Big names proved a draw.

Four political pioneers, among them the two highest-ranking elected Vietnamese Americans in the nation — state Rep. Hubert Võ of Texas and Assemblyman Văn Trần of California, Councilwoman Janet Nguyễn of Garden Grove, Calif., and Councilwoman Madison Nguyễn of San Jose — came to speak about 'Political Empowerment and Community Organizing.'

Combined, they represent some 700,000 constituents, and individually, they each urged citizens to get involved to have a say where they live.

Moderator Ricky Lê, a legislative aide to Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), helped them field questions from the audience:

What are the major issues facing the Vietnamese American community?

Võ noted the preservation of wealth and boosting small business. 'We have to preserve our heritage, to give our youth a sense of direction,' he said, adding that as a new enclave, 'We also have to take our seat at the table of politics.'

Madison Nguyễn touted the need for more youth services. Because of the model minority myth about Asian Americans, 'there is a neglect to recognize the Vietnamese Americans falling through the cracks and ignored by the system and community.' Like Võ, civic engagement is important to her. 'I encourage people to run for office, work the polls, volunteer for campaigns. Volunteers were the backbone of my campaign.'

Janet Nguyễn continued pushing political participation. 'In my district, the Vietnamese voters were the difference in putting an assemblyman into the state senate,' she said. 'We’ve proven we can influence elections and that makes us an important voting constituency.'

Trần offered another perspective, looking at larger issues affecting Vietnamese Americans as well as other citizens, citing health care, insurance for seniors and affordable housing, which he described as 'part of the American dream, and right now, it’s being priced out for many people.'

What is their position on the national immigration debate?

Võ grabbed the microphone to explain: 'We have to understand that this is a complex issue, but that it is about people and we have to treat undocumented immigrants with dignity and respect.'

Janet Nguyễn, who is against amnesty for undocumented immigrants, said her opinion is based on her personal journey to the United States. 'My family struggled in Thailand, we waited 20 years to become citizens legally. Do we want to allow easy access to citizenship? Is that fair for those waiting? We do need to abide by our laws.'

San Francisco political activist Carolyn Trần said she thought the session 'should have been more than politicians,' with community organizers invited to join them. 'It makes it seem like the only way to make change is through electoral politics,' she added.

Next door, anticipation was high for the all-star lineup of the 'Women in Leadership' panel, featuring: Betty Nguyễn, CNN anchor; Chloe Đào, winner of reality TV’s 'Project Runway' show; Wendy Dương, University of Denver law professor; Diệp Vương, who chairs the Vietnamese American NGO Network; and Julie Nguyễn Brown, CEO of Plastech Engineered Products, Inc. Brown, who runs a Michigan company that’s a leading supplier of plastic injection molded automotive components — with annual sales of more than $ 1 billion — and who made her premiere appearance in the immigrant community, wowed the young professionals in the audience by challenging them.

'It should be the fear of failure that should keep you going,' she said. 'At work, you take care of family things, and at home, you work too. Balance is happiness.'

'We are here tonight to celebrate the achievements of our community and provide inspiration to a new generation,' emcee Thủy Vũ, a television reporter for CBS/KPIX Channel 5 in the Bay Area said in introductory remarks. 'But with success comes the responsibility to leave a legacy, a bridge for another generation,' she added, building on the VANG theme, 'Bridging Endless Possibilities.'

Honda, the Democrat who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, followed, stressing the need for Vietnamese Americans below the stage not to abandon fellow Vietnamese Americans below the national radar, many still suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. 'There are struggling fishermen with no home or boat insurance, no health insurance and I am working with federal programs to lower and eliminate language and cultural barriers,' he said. 'So tonight, let’s not forget the shrimp fishermen in the Gulf Coast.'

Keynote speaker Betty Nguyễn picked up on his reminiscing tone.

Her path to becoming a national news anchor, she said, unfolded in the tiny town of Killeen, Texas, then on to Waco, No. 97 among 200 media markets nationwide, before she landed in No. 7 — Dallas.

She remembered her parents’ initial shock at her wish to become a broadcast journalist. 'They wanted results,' she said, and she had tried following their vision for a secure career in law. But something was missing. Desire.

'If you don’t love what you do,' what’s the point, she asked.

Nguyễn, now based in Atlanta, voiced her pride for the attendees: 'We’ve sacrificed so much and we are the definition of the American dream. Be proud, you’ve come so very, very far.' She added: 'Of all my titles, I am most proud of being Vietnamese American, because no matter what profession I am in, that is who I am... Make sure your footsteps to the top leave a path for others.'

The honorees mixed humor with humility. For how they represent the pride of being Vietnamese American, the following were recognized for their work:

Boat People SOS — National Leadership Award

Founded in 1980, the group and its volunteers have reportedly rescued more than 3,000 Vietnamese boat people in the South China Sea. It has grown from a grassroots lobbying movement in San Diego to 17 offices all across the U.S. with its headquarters in Virginia.

Come through its doors and the needy will be offered immigration services, literacy aid, health education, citizenship lessons and English-language training.

The award was accepted by Lai Đặng, chief financial officer. 'We are in the third phase of the organization. The first was rescue, the second was resettlement, and the third is to integrate,' he said, vowing that the mission would continue.

When asked about the reaction to the award, he said, 'We were surprised, honored, and proud to be recognized by such an illustrious organization. Much of the credit goes to Dr. Thắng Đình Nguyễn, who has been our executive director for 15 years.'

After Hurricane Katrina, Boat People SOS quickly went to work to assist Vietnamese Americans affected in the region, some who have been through three displacements and refugee experiences, including the 1954 division of their homeland, the post-war evacuation, and then the 2005 storm. 'It compounded the problems they already had,' he said referring to their lack of English skills, strained mental health, and working- class lives.

Almost overnight, group members set up three offices to provide recovery services, gas vouchers, FEMA processing, food, and shelter - especially in the severely affected areas of New Orleans; Bayou La Batre, Ala.; and Biloxi, Miss. Thousands also swarmed to its Houston branch, where officials helped them find temporary shelter at the nearby Hong Kong Mall.

'We are one of the few organizations with the capacity and the capability to help,' Đặng said. 'It’s important to provide services and give the victims political and human visibility.'

Duy-Loan Lê, a senior fellow at Texas Instruments, was recognized for her work in the Science and Technology category. Her position at the $13 billion company, which boasts 35,000 employees, is the equivalent of a senior vice president. In 1999, she became both the first woman and Asian American named to the post.

When asked about her rise and its challenges, she said, 'It’s a male-dominated industry, but I’ve been very lucky to not experience discrimination. You have to control your destiny.'

Lê came to the United States in 1975 with her mother and eight siblings, earned a degree in electrical engineering and an MBA, and holds 21 patents with eight pending.

She opened her acceptance speech with an elegant Vietnamese poem, graciously thanking her family, noting the men in her life. 'They say that behind every great man, there is a good woman,' she said to cheers. 'But tonight I say that behind every good woman is a great man.'

Looking up to the sky and with great emotion, she said, 'This is for you, Papa. I carry the family name with honor and our heritage with utmost pride.'

Apart from her job, Lê is the founder of Sunflower Mission, which provides scholarships for students and builds schools in Việt Nam. So far, the nonprofit has funded 1000 scholarships, set up 31 classrooms, and in 2005, celebrated as one of its winners became the first recipient to graduate from college.

Việt Đinh, former assistant attorney general and current law professor at Georgetown University, was recognized for his contributions in the Government and Law category.

His story has already become lore.

Đinh was a boat person and a field worker who graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Law School to become the highest ranking Vietnamese American in the federal government. An outstanding Constitutional law scholar, he helped author the controversial Patriot Act which he believes would allow America to stay more secure in a post-terrorism world.

His father, accompanied by his wife, accepted the honor for their son. Phong Hoàng Đinh, a longtime Vietnamese Scouts leader, thanked America for the opportunities it gave to his family to rebuild their lives, and praised the Vietnamese American community for its growth in the last 31 years.

The Smithsonian Institution was praised for its work, and for incorporating Asian Pacific Americans into its focus. In January 2007, the museum will host the first ever exhibit focusing on the Vietnamese American community and its rise in the last three decades.

Director and curator Vũ Phạm said the 2,500 square feetexhibit will 'recognize the struggle and sacrifices of the last 30 years, but at the same, it will be a challenge to try and represent a whole community.'

Francey Younberg, who works in development with the Smithsonian, said, ' This exhibit is a chance to say that we are not always foreigners, but that we are Americans of Asian descent.'

Bảo-Ngoc Tô, studying biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech University, won for her dedication and community activities. She was a Ms. Asian Atlanta Scholar and the first female president of the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations in the state.

She thanked family and friends, saying, 'I am humbled and privileged to share the stage with the other winners.'

After she encouraged her peers, telling them that 'the power is yours,' she was surprised by a $5,000 scholarship check.

Richard Armitage, former Deputy Secretary of State, won the prize for his three tours of duty in Việt Nam and his sponsorship of six Vietnamese families in the United States.

He is a member of the 'Vulcans,' which boasts President Bush’s foreign policy advisors and cabinet advisors such as Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle.

Armitage did not attend, but sent a moving video message that surprised the audience as he spoke in a clear, tonally-correct Vietnamese, expressing how much he cares for the country and its people. He also served as Deputy Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005.

VANG’s executive director, Ryan Nguyễn Hubris, looked spent by the end of the night, but could not mask his pride. In his speech, applauding his army of volunteers, he encouraged the Vietnamese American community to 'reach higher and achieve even more. Thirty one years later, look at us now and imagine how much more we can do in the next 31 years.'

A day after the event, he reflected on the week in San Francisco. 'It was phenomenal. People didn’t want to leave and wanted us to hold it here again next year. The weather was perfect and people were so open to meeting people.'

'Besides the glitz and glamour, one thing that stood out in my mind is teamwork,' Hubris said, awed as he is of the 100 volunteers — among them 25 students from across the country — and others who worked full-time while managing to meet the demands of VANG.'That the guests appreciate the event is a compliment to their dedication,' he added.

'A few years ago we were just a few kids with these wild ideas of what VANG could be.' And in its first launch, it was a challenge to even find one title sponsor who could give $25,000. This time around, two such sponsors emerged, each donating $50,000 to allow the nonprofit to earn 'a six-figure net which we will use for 2007's VANG, for scholarships and for the Viet Heritage Garden' which the Viet Heritage Society expects to debut in late August.

Where will VANG reunite next year?

Houston. In May, when America also celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Hubris says he’s already lined up support from the state Rep. Võ, retired Dallas Cowboys athlete Đàt Nguyễn, and 'Project Runway' winner Chloe Đào, who actually lives in that city.

'We will grow it every year,' he promised. 'To show all that we’ve contributed and continue to contribute to this country.'