A native of Taiwan who immigrated with his family to the U.S. at age six, Dr. Chang grew up in Los Angeles and holds an Ed.D. from Loyola Marymount University, M.Ed.’s from the Principals Leadership Institute and the Teachers Education Program at the University of California Los Angeles, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Chang is a fearless advocate for educational equity and for fostering safe, welcoming, and sustaining learning environments for all students, including immigrants, LGBTQ youth, and court-involved students. He sits on a number of boards including Families in Schools, a non-profit focused on parents and community engagement, Silicon Schools Fund, a non-profit that funds the creation of new schools in the Bay Area of California focused on innovation and personalization, and Leading Educators, a non-profit that partners with school systems to improve teaching and leadership.

Dr. Kim Lawe is in her 26th year in education where she spent 11 years in the classroom as a science teacher, 11.5 years as a secondary administrator, 2.5 years as a director at a county office of education, and now a senior director for a school district in Los Angeles County. She currently overlooks curriculum, instruction and assessment for secondary schools. Her primary role is to support site leaders and teachers. Kim also supports teacher candidates in a university graduate teacher preparation program as an adjunct professor. Although Kim is passionate about STEM education and ensuring equitable access for and increased representation of females and underrepresented students in STEM courses and fields, she is also an advocate for student access to curriculum and content that represents them. Having minored in Race and Ethnic Studies in her undergraduate studies, she took her first ethnic studies course in college and did not realize how much TK-12 education left out Asian American history in the American curriculum. This void was painful for her as she is a Vietnamese boat refugee who spent 10 days at sea and 3 months in a Malaysian refugee camp. She felt that throughout her TK-12 experience, she was trying to assimilate and be someone and something else because she never knew about her culture except from the stories her parents shared. Kim is a champion for equity and access not only for students but for educators and leaders so that our diverse group of students can have role models who look like them. Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans need to tell our stories or someone else will keep telling our stories for us…from an inaccurate perspective.

Kim is an active member of California Association of Asian Pasifika Leaders in Education (CAAPLE) and Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).

More on: https://www.apu.edu/stories/kim-lawe/

After retiring from her job as a cloud infrastructure principal lead, Patricia Kwoh volunteered to lead the curriculum development project for Untold Civil Rights Stories: Asian Americans Speak Out for Justice. Patricia also served as the project director for curriculum development for the 2020 PBS docuseries Asian Americans. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Patricia is married to Stewart Kwoh. They have two sons, Nathan, and Steven who is married to Jing and have two children. Patricia’s great-grandfather was the first family member who came from China to the United States in the early 1900s, working on farms in California, and thus began her family’s migration to America.

Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan is the inaugural Executive Director for AANAPISI Affairs and the inaugural Director of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Center at San Diego State University (SDSU), and the author of over 400 children's books, mainly on APIDA content. Previously, she was a teacher educator, curriculum designer, and a K-8 teacher. Virginia received her B.A. in English and Master’s in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia, and Ph.D. in Education from SDSU.

Virginia identifies as Chinese American. Her family’s immigration story consists of escaping from the Japanese occupation of China and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Born in the Year of the Dragon on Flag Day, she was the first of her family to be born in the United States. Virginia’s hobbies include crafting, playing piano, reading, and watching television shows. She currently lives in San Diego with two naughty dogs and a loving husband.

Sandy Sakamoto is a 3.5 generation Japanese American, growing up surrounded by the richness of California’s diverse communities; yet a short generation ago Sandy’s father, grandparents and other family members were incarcerated during World War II at Manzanar, California just for being Japanese American. She received her J.D. from Loyola Law School, M.S.A from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and B.A. from the University of Utah (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa).

Sandy is a community leader and legal professional with decades-long experience serving in leadership roles on the boards of nonprofit organizations promoting social and economic justice, civil rights, equity, community, culture and the arts. She serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment; Board Member and former Board Chair of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles; and Board Member and former Chair of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. As a retired partner at the law firm of LimNexus LLP, Sandy has experience in a breadth of practice areas, and served as General Attorney and Assistant General Counsel for the law department of a global Fortune 50 telecommunications company prior to joining LimNexus.

Laura (she/her/她) often finds herself called to take action at the intersection of faith and justice. Laura is a candidate for ordination in the Presbyterian Church (USA), a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, and a student at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Laura is the first Asian American elected to the school board of the Greenwich Township School District in Warren County, NJ; a steering committee member of API Rainbow Parents of PFLAG NYC/NJ; a board member of The E Pluribus Unum Project; a Director of Christian Education at Stewartsville Presbyterian Church; founder of The Village, NJ. Laura has presented at various conferences using storytelling and trained staff of NY Giants, Blue Cross Blue Shield, NY Transit Authority, NJEA, school board members, county community college, and county social workers. She seeks to build community wherever she goes and works to expand safe and inclusive spaces for all people where everyone’s stories matter.

Jayson Chang is a high school social science educator based in San Jose, California. His academic interests include thematic teaching, culturally relevant pedagogy, food history, and nationalism studies. Jayson has participated in a wide range of leadership capacities within the California Teachers Association (CTA) and National Education Association (NEA). Prior, he served as the Chair and Treasurer of the CTA Pacific Asian American Caucus, and the Northern California Regional Director of the NEA Asian Pacific Islander Caucus. He graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a concentration in International Studies from Soka University of America, and Master’s of Education from Claremont Graduate University. Currently, he is working towards his second master's degree in American History through Gettysburg College.

Born in Monterey Park, California, Jayson is of Cantonese-Fukien heritage. He is descended from ethnic Chinese Vietnamese parents, part of the boat people diaspora. His grandparents and great-grandparents were from China. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and collecting autographed cookbooks.

Prabhneek (Niki) Heer is the daughter of immigrants from Punjab, India who settled in California's Central Valley in the 1980s. Her commitment to racial and economic justice has been heavily influenced by where she was raised and her immediate and extended family. This commitment has only grown and reinforced by her concentration in Race, Ethnicity and Politics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and subsequent experiences in organizing spaces.

Niki is also a collective member of Chicago Desi Youth Rising, and member of Chicago's PIC abolitionist movement. She loves the outdoors, reading, puzzles, and spending time with all the children in her life.

Salima Hamirani is a radio journalist, researcher, editor, and educator who makes stories in her spare time, usually at the crossroads of race, poverty, and policy. She cut her teeth decades ago at Apex Express, an evening show on KPFA Radio centering Asian American arts, politics, and history.

Outside the studio, she has worked in mutual aid kitchens, helped shape a few rough and ready community projects, and once spent her weekends leading surveillance camera walking tours through Oakland. She writes fiction and nonfiction, thinks a lot about the heft of sentences, and loves talking craft with other writers. She’s also a devoted language-learning nerd with a soft spot for digital security and postcolonial theory.

Li Stewart joins The Asian American Education Project as a Consulting Instructor bringing over 21 years of experience as an educator and curriculum leader with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina. She participated in two AAEdu Project Cohorts focused on Asian American histories in the South, and co-facilitated AAEdu's inaugural North Carolina Institute, "Changing the Narrative: AAPI in North Carolina," held in Durham.

Born in Guangzhou, China, Li immigrated to Charlotte in 1989 at the age of seven. As a CMS alumna, multilingual learner, and parent of two teenagers in the district, she brings a uniquely personal lens to her work in elementary literacy, curriculum design, and professional learning.

She teaches in the Graduate TESOL program at Walsh University and holds National Board Certification in English as a New Language and a Master's in Elementary Education.

Li is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and a proud Charlottean. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and considers herself an enthusiastic "Disney Adult".

Ashley Chu (she/her) was born and raised in San Francisco by immigrant parents from Hong Kong and Macau. She taught preschool through first grade for twelve years in Washington, DC and San Francisco. She earned her B.A. in Communication Studies from UCLA, and Ed.M. in Education Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Ashley's professional passions include equity and diversity in children's literature and teaching foundational literacy skills. She loves spending time with her two kids, being outdoors, reading, and baking.

Elisha Li is a 2nd generation Korean-American educator and parent. After growing up in the Philadelphia area, she taught in elementary schools for 14 years in New York City public and private schools. She has mentored new teachers, led her grade team to incorporate Asian-American perspectives in their curriculum, and presented at the NAIS Diversity Conference. She holds a B.A. in Education and Psychology from Swarthmore College, and M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her Master’s Thesis was titled: What Makes Effective Professional Development? What Research Says, What Teachers Say. In her work as a consultant, she remains passionate about facilitating professional learning to meet teachers and students where they are.

Elisha’s parents immigrated from South Korea in the late 1970s and met in the Baltimore area where she was later born. Her parents-in-law immigrated from Shanghai, China to the U.S. as graduate students in the late 1970s. In her spare time, she runs @Asian-American Kid Lit and enjoys exploring city parks and restaurants with her husband and son.

Christina Leilani Campbell is an award-winning spoken word poet, multi-disciplinary theater artist, community organizer and educator from Honolulu, Hawai‘i, currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She is passionate about using storytelling, performance, and creative writing as tools to educate, engage, and empower communities.

Leilani is the founder and program director of Sakura Series—a poetry and creative writing organization dedicated to amplifying historically excluded voices through workshops, slams, and open mic events. Performing internationally, including in Thailand and Japan, she has opened for Rupi Kaur, and holds titles from the Brooklyn Poetry Slam at BRICC, Nuyorican Poetry Cafe’s SLAM, and Honolulu Poetry Slam, and ranked in the top 30 at the Womxn of the World Poetry Slam.

Leilani holds a B.A.Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies from Chapman University and continues to dedicate her work to fostering spaces where marginalized voices can be celebrated, preserved, and amplified. Her work centers on uplifting historically silenced narratives and communities. She is currently writing an interdisciplinary one-woman show on Zainichi history and her family’s personal story, bringing attention to narratives often at risk of being forgotten, both within Japan and abroad. She has led workshops for organizations like the New York Poetry Society and at educational institutions including NYU and Yokohama International School.

Julie Pham, Ed.D. is a Vietnamese American scholar and education equity researcher. Shaped by her family’s refugee journey to the United States after the Vietnam War, her work advances equitable K–12 learning environments by examining how teacher retention, school quality, and culturally responsive pedagogy influence the experiences of underrepresented students, specifically Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander students.

Passionate about representation and belonging, Julie develops and implements ethnic studies and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) K-12 curricula that honor students’ cultural assets and lived experiences. Through University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s Micro-Credential Project, she provides professional development for educators on curriculum design and frameworks that foster inclusion and equity in Nevada classrooms. Her scholarship bridges research and practice by highlighting the transformative potential of culturally sustaining education for historically marginalized communities.

As a consulting instructor and education researcher, Julie focuses on factors that influence the high school to college transition for marginalized students in the K–16 pipeline. This work covers issues such as teachers of color retention, school quality, and students’ social assets. Currently she is developing an online course for K-12 educators and school professionals regarding the AAPI experience within Nevada and the U.S. In her free time, she is an avid traveler with a love for exploring cultures through food.

Born in Seoul, Korea, Dr. Jennie Yi came to the U.S.with her family at the age of nine. A long-time resident of Queens and Nassau County, Jennie has witnessed firsthand the growth and transformation of Flushing and Eastern Queens into a thriving and bustling Asian American ethnic enclave.

Jennie has had many roles in public education: classroom teacher, building administrator, and district administrator. She is currently the District Social Studies Chair at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools. Her teaching career began at the New York City Department of Education and later Great Neck Public Schools as a bilingual social studies teacher. During this time she has taught and supervised instruction for learners ranging in ages four to sixty-four. In addition to her K–12 experience, Jennie has also taught undergraduate and graduate teacher education courses at Queens College/CUNY and served as a field supervisor for NYU TESOL student teachers. Jennie is a passionate advocate for equitable education, mentoring teachers to become reflective, culturally responsive, and effective educators dedicated to lifelong learning.

Dr. Catherine Fung started her career as a college professor teaching courses and publishing scholarship in Asian American literature. She moved into high school teaching, where she focused on developing curriculum in Ethnic Studies and Asian American Studies. Most recently, she has taught for San José State University and San Joaquin Delta College. A self-identified activist, her teaching has always been guided by values of liberation, community, and healing.

Catherine also works as a developmental editor, writing coach, and workshop facilitator. Her research and writing appear in Social Text, College Literature, Dismantle Magazine, and Techno-Orientalism: Imagining Asia in Speculative Fiction, History, and Media, Asian American Literature in Transition, among other publications. She has served on the executive board of the Association for Asian American Studies. She earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Davis and her B.A. in English and World Literatures from UCLA. In her spare time, she enjoys doing arts and crafts and spending time with her husband and son. She has a black belt in taekwondo.

Richard Crowe has over 20 years of experience in the Accounting and Financial arenas. After graduating from Florida A & M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance and passing the CPA examination, Richard began working for Chase Bank as a finance specialist evaluating complex loan transactions in overseas markets. After a multi-year stint at Chase, he then earned a Master’s in Finance from the prestigious University of Chicago.

After the University of Chicago, Richard moved to Los Angeles and joined Columbia College Hollywood as Chief Financial and Operating Officer when the school’s enrollment was at an all-time low. Richard was instrumental in turning around the college and increasing its enrollment to record levels through educational transfer agreements with Chinese educational institutions.

Richard is currently VP of Finance/CFO at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, a civic and social services nonprofit in Southern California. His hobbies include tennis, golf and seeing the world.

Ray Zeng is a cross-border strategist, community builder, and “accidental” entrepreneur committed to building belonging—across cultures and within ourselves. Ray currently serves as a Development Consultant with The Asian American Education Project, supporting its mission through strategic fundraising and outreach.

A first-generation Chinese immigrant, she brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, global partnerships, and social innovation. She is the founder of Aureva Innovation, a venture rooted in systems thinking and inner alignment. increasing its enrollment to record levels through educational transfer agreements with Chinese educational institutions.

Born in Kunming, Yunnan (Southwest of China)—a region whose biodiversity, mountains, and ethnic diversity continue to shape her worldview—Ray’s journey has taken her from the slums of Kenya to U.S.–China–E.U. diplomacy and boardrooms in New York. Ray’s passions include the Argentine tango, arts advocacy, golf and skiing, and devotion to sharing Yunnan’s beauty and cultural richness with the world.

Antony Wong is Program Coordinator at the Asian American and Asian Research Institute, of The City University of New York. Born in Long Island and raised in Manhattan's Chinatown, Antony received his B.A. in English from Hunter College/CUNY, and M.B.A. in Accountancy from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY. He also serves on Manhattan Community Board No. 2 as Board Treasurer and member of the Traffic & Transportation and State Liquor Authority committees, and is a former Co-Chair of the Chinatown Working Group. He was honored in 2018 at the Office of the Manhattan Borough President’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration for his activism and achievements. His interests include digital photography and running.

JL Mayor worked on the Untold Civil Rights Stories: Asian Americans Speak Out for Justice book project in 2009 for Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles and the 2020 PBS docuseries Asian Americans. JL has also copyedited various volumes of CUNY FORUM: Asian American / Asian Studies, published by the Asian American / Asian Research Institute, of The City University of New York. He is an avid hiker and has hiked the Colorado and Arizona Trails with his beloved dogs. Currently a resident of Denver, Colorado, JL has previously lived in Manila, Moscow, New York City, Los Angeles and Houston.

Esther Lee is the Web Developer and Designer launching The Asian American Education Project’s website in 2021. Esther worked on this project in order to teach new and current generations about what actually happened in Asian American history by providing students an understanding of how history affected their relatives, and to spark curiosity in discovering their own family roots and recognizing the importance of keeping traditions.

After obtaining a B.A. in Fine Arts with a focus in programming, graphic arts, and teaching, Esther is grateful to have received opportunities to work for various industries including education, hospitality, non-profit, and politics. Visiting different parks and trying new fast casual takeout from small business owners are just a few activities that she, her husband and their two sons look forward to on weekends.

Laura Ouk, a Cambodian American educator based in Chicago, was born in Paris after her family fled from the Khmer Rouge regime. Her family later resettled in Chicago. She earned a BA in Educational Studies from Denison University and a MAT in Special Education from Relay School of Education. As the visiting inclusive education director for the Illinois State Board of Education and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she champions inclusive educational practices with a focus on Asian American and Pacific Islander history. Laura played a pivotal role in advocating for the TEAACH Act and continues to support its implementation. She is also a curriculum writer for the Cambodian American Studies Model Curriculum, launching in California during the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, Laura serves as the board president of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum and as a board member for the Cambodian Association of Illinois.

Toby Wu is a Consulting Instructor & Professional Development Strategist at The Asian American Education Project (AAEdu). Prior to joining AAEdu, he worked for over a decade as a teacher and instructional leader in elementary schools in New York City and the Bay Area. He is also a Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies at New York University. His research focuses on teacher diversity and leadership. He earned his B.A. in History & Education from Swarthmore College, and M.A. in Education from Stanford University.

Toby identifies as a 1.5 generation Chinese American and a proud New Yorker. His family's immigration story motivates his commitment to racial justice, especially in the field of education. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting cultural institutions and new restaurants and bakeries.

Paula Katrina Camaya is a Filipina educator based in Chicago, Illinois. Born in the Philippines, Paula Katrina (known to most as Paula) came to the United States when she was four years old. She has two first names, a common Spanish naming custom and therefore, common Filipino naming custom due to colonization. Paula holds a B.A in History and a B.S in Secondary Education from Loyola University Chicago. She is the first in her family to graduate from a U.S. university.

Paula has five years of experience as a community organizer in Chicago working with organizations like Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Chicago United for Equity. She advocates for racial equity, education, immigrant rights, and more. She is also a high school social studies teacher, mainly teaching Civics and literacy courses. She loves to read, eat yummy food, spend time with family, and design nail art.

Lining Zhang is an equity leadership and ERI (Ethnic Racial Identity) coach, as well as a learning designer from China. In China she has a decade experience in legal education innovation in higher education institutions, as well as civic education and global competence education in K12 schools. She worked with the National Ministry of Education and provincial departments of education in China to have more than 1000 schools implementing innovative interdisciplinary STEAM curriculum. She led professional development for teachers and school heads. She is also the author of two books on civic education which are used as textbooks for both in school and extracurricular programming in over 100 schools. Lining received her BA from Ocean University of China majoring in English, Japanese and journalism, Juris Doctor from Peking University, LLM from Harvard Law School and recently Master of Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Lining is a global citizen and educator, receiving her education in both China and the US, working in international law firms, NGOs, public interest law firms such as the ACLU, and international schools throughout her career. She is from Fujian province, and lived in North China at Qingdao and Southwestern China at Yunnan extensively, with a deep appreciation of the cultural and natural diversity and richness in the Chinese ethnic minority communities. She loves improvisation theater, Orff music and food experiments, all of which are both crucial parts of her identities and integrated parts of her learning design and coaching practice.

Laarnie Cordero (also known as Leny) is a dedicated advocate for racial, economic, immigration, and climate justice. Based in New Jersey, she has accumulated over a decade of experience in both formal and informal educational settings, catering to learners across various age groups. Leny's passion for promoting APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) education is evident through her collaborative efforts with different community sectors. She works to provide educators with the necessary tools and resources to integrate Asian American history into K-12 classrooms, enriching students' understanding of APIDA heritage.

Outside of her advocacy work, Leny is a loving dog owner to Bayani, meaning "hero" in Filipino. Leny's creative spirit extends beyond her advocacy work and pet care; she enjoys engaging in a variety of DIY projects, from baking traditional Filipino delicacies to building vegetable garden boxes and crocheting winter hats.

Leny holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from the University of St. Tomas, and a Master's degree in Healthcare Administration from Walden University.

Giannela Gonzales is a 1.5 generation Filipina American from San Diego, California. She earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies, with an emphasis in Elementary Education, at San Diego State University (SDSU). She earned her Multiple Subjects Credential from SDSU as well. Giannela was also a former graduate assistant at the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Center at SDSU.

When she was ten, Gianella moved from Manila, Philippines to San Diego with her family to reunite with relatives already living in California. As an elementary school educator, Giannela finds inspiration from her experiences as an immigrant to continue learning and teaching about Asian American histories and narratives. In her free time, Giannela likes to read, exercise, and spend time with family and friends.

Jin Yoon (they/them) is a 1.5 generation Korean American originally from Los Angeles, California, but now residing in Chicago, Illinois. They received their B.A. from the University of Chicago where they double majored in Sociology, and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. They are currently working as a Program Assistant at Northwestern University's School of Professional Studies. In their free time, Jin enjoys gaming, baking, crocheting, and reading.

Alyx Yuka Tsang is a volunteer at The Asian American Education Project. Growing up with her family from different Asian cultures, that uniqueness and harmony inspired her to stay close to her roots while being respectful and inclusive as she explores the world and meets different people.

Alyx enjoys playing Rugby with her brother (their mini team name is Ryūka, as in Ryūji and Yuka); and practicing brush calligraphy.

James Yudhistira Lemuel is a high school math teacher, and joins the Asian American Education Project as a Project Coordinator. Born and raised in Austin, TX, James graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Mathematics, B.A. in Plan II, and minors in Asian American Studies and History. As a teacher, he prioritizes interdisciplinary work, blending history and other subjects into his math lessons. He has presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, and works actively with the Center for Asian American Studies (CAAS) and the City of Austin to develop ethnic studies curriculum for K-12 teachers and youth.

James is the son of Chinese Indonesian immigrants and proud Texan. In his free time, he plays the double bass, reads, and deep-diving into Star Wars.

Alisa Pimentel is a Consulting Instructor and West Coast Coordinator at The Asian American Education Project (AAEdu). Before joining AAEdu, Alisa spent over seven years as an educator and program leader in public and private school settings, as well as nonprofits, throughout Southern California, on multicultural integration, arts education and social emotional skills education. She received her B.A. in Liberal Studies from Concordia University Irvine, with a focus on global studies, and M.A. in Social Emotional Learning from National University.

Based in Orange County, Alisa identifies as a Filipino American. Her family's heritage motivates her commitment to culturally responsive education and empowering diverse student populations. Her background in Polynesian dance gives her a unique appreciation for Pacific Islander American history and cultures. In her spare time, Alisa enjoys traveling with family, attending live theatre productions, and performing 'ori Tahiti.