The Asian and Pacific Islander Leadership Blog
The start of LEAP Emerge
“This was the beginning of me starting to think about leadership beyond student involvement and starting to apply leadership in a professional setting” - Lynna Vo
Lynna Vo, a rising senior at the University of Connecticut, heard about the LEAP Emerge program from her university’s Asian American Cultural Center. When looking into the details of the program, she recognized LEAP’s Emerge program as something unheard of in relation to the internship programs she had previously researched. With the positive reviews from her advisors, she decided to take the chance of challenging herself to apply for LEAP Emerge.
Journey to “Finding Our Way”
Last year July, I was captivated by the first images emerging from Nasa’s James Webb Telescope, the world's most powerful space telescope. I don’t usually consider myself a “space” nerd. I always thought it was interesting yet I wasn’t excited by it. And then I saw the photos from the James Webb Telescope. Now I’m excited.
I know I can never fully understand the years of science and engineering innovation that went into developing the Webb telescope and what makes it work. However, I greatly appreciate the outcome - the amazing, beautiful, and colorful images of the deepest reaches of our universe that is tens of thousands of light years away from us
LEAP Statement on SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action
As an organization committed to a vision of diverse leaders driving change for the benefit of all communities, LEAP joins a myriad of organizations across multiple diverse communities to express disappointment in yesterday’s United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina.
Support, respect, and affirm LGBTQ+ APIs
While a focus on LGBTQ+ Pride or last month’s Asian and Pacific Islander (API) heritage month should not be limited to one month a year, both serve as a good reminder of the history and contributions of these diverse communities, it ensures that knowledge and facts about these communities can be shared with a broader population, and Pride Month is an opportunity to showcase the beautiful, glorious, complicated nuances of our Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) LGBTQ+ communities.
Leadership Development & Coalition Building Across Races
“The only way to survive is by taking care of one another.” - Grace Lee Boggs
My identity is in constant development. As a multi-racial person who spent most of my life in the midwest I regularly straddle the line between too much and not enough. I was constantly looking for someone I could relate to and always coming up short. Most of my life and experience in suburban Minnesota was spent feeling, and honestly, trying to be invisible.
Sometimes, You Have to be “The First in the Family”
“I have no choice but to be the first.”
I am an only daughter of a Salvadorian immigrant mother who arrived in the United States at 16. My mom worked as a housekeeper in a predominately white neighborhood, where I would grow up for the first half of my life. I am my mother’s daughter. She did not get to experience a lot of the things privileges I had growing up, and so I have had many “firsts”: I am the first to graduate from elementary school. I am the first to graduate high school. I am the first to attend and graduate from university.
And then there are the “first in the family”...
Donate to LEAP
TL:DR
My shameless ask. Please donate to LEAP today.
Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s coming out of a Covid fueled avoidance of in-person gatherings. This year, this May, Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month just feels different. I sense more energy, more urgency.
It may be likely because, as an Asian, Asian American (A/AA), Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NHPI) community, we don’t want to be relegated to the shadows at the end of May when we’re finally beginning to be seen.
So what happens beyond May?
Why the API story needs to be heard
Preventing the erasure of Asian and Pacific Islander stories. Encouraging our diverse and authentic voices to be heard. Acknowledging our communities contributions to this country. Ensuring that our histories are not forgotten so it’s not repeated. This is why Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (APIHM) which starts next week was launched and is still important.
LEAP Alumni Spotlight: Lailanie Gadia
Lailanie reflects about her experience with LEAP impact and how the lessons are still effective in her work today. She unpacks the key lessons and utilizes them to benefit her organization. One of her highlights is joining the LEAP community.
“I was really able to connect with my fellow cohort, who also work in a nonprofit setting. I was looking at their experiences, asking for advice, and gaining knowledge from their careers. Because together we're all trying to create positive change.”
Journey and Connection to LEAP’s work and mission
I was born to Hmong refugee parents in a small town in rural Wisconsin. I lead with these two facts because from my earliest memories, I was hyper conscious of how differently I looked compared to my majority white peers. Being a son of parents who couldn’t speak English, raised in a three-bedroom household with 8 siblings, and being marked as a low income household are just a few of the many compounding factors that positioned young people like me to fail in this country.
How does this tie into leadership?
Linda's Declaration for Women's History Month
21 years after Halle Berry became the first woman of color to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Michelle Yeoh became the second woman of color and the first Asian American to win the same award at the Oscars Ceremony on Sunday, March 12, 2023. I
Interview with LEAP Coach, Mark Nozaki
One of the staple experiences that LEAP participants have highlighted is the 1:1 coaching. Developing people is an integral part of LEAP’s vision, which is to diversify leadership for the benefit of communities. Mark Nozaki is one of many LEAP facilitators and coaches that has been with the organization for over 20 years.
LEAP Alumni Spotlights: Brian Kohaya
“The best thing is after LEAP Emerge is being part of a BIGGER network of alumni from all over.”
LEAP Impact 2023: 6 Lessons That I Learned
Shirley Cai, LEAP Impact graduate of 2023, recently shared the lessons learned amongst her peers during Part 3 of the program - an in person session held in New York City.
LEAP Alumni Spotlights: Fritzie De Mata, PHD
“LEAP is such an amazing program. It provided me the space to connect with other API leaders in the community who are passionate about what they're doing, exchange ideas to learn from each other, but most importantly give me the time to hit, PAUSE, and just reflect to give me the time to think about who I am.”
Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi - Honoring Hawaiian Language Month
What I didn’t see was the inclusion of Hawaiian Language Month or Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi among the list of Pepeluali (February) observances (not even among the list of diversity and inclusion celebration lists.)
LEAP Alumni Spotlights: Huy Doan
“LEAP helped… unlock my existing potential and raise my awareness of what I needed to do to become a successful leader. This gave me the confidence to begin my mission to change the game.”
LEAP Statement on Monterey Park & Half Moon Bay Shootings
As a Southern California based organization, it is with heavy hearts that the LEAP board and staff send our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims of these two horrific shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay over the holiday weekend. We also wish for the swift recovery of the nine victims in Monterey Park and the one victim in Half Moon Bay.
LEAP shares the collective grief of many Americans and local communities who are tired of yet another act of senseless violence. While the shootings are still being investigated, I want to remind our Asian and Pacific Islander community members that we are resilient, and for all, we encourage and support healing, kindness, and understanding.
LEAP Calls on Purdue University Chancellor's Dismissal or Resignation
LEAP is angered and deeply hurt by the racist and insensitive comments from Purdue University's Chancellor during their recent commencement ceremonies. LEAP strongly supports Purdue University Northwest students and faculty in their call for his dismissal or resignation. For Purdue University Northwest’s Asian and Asian American students, families, faculty, staff, administrators and the broader Asian American community, his ridicule, and the board of trustee’s tolerance of his apology became yet another unwelcome reminder that despicable and bigoted actions against Asians and Asian Americans are still acceptable, even normal.