For our final episode for 2022, we end the year having Vivek Pandit join us as our guest. Vivek is a second generation South Asian and a 2020 graduate of Brown University who recently started a national consulting firm for job placement of college graduates. But much more than that, Vivek has become a voice for Gen Z as exemplified by his recent TED Talks Podcast where he described his unique and different perspective on revising capitalism to include values. Here he also discusses how social media impacts his generation's manner of communication and politics, how COVID affected them, and the valuable skill immigrant entrepreneurs have. He analyzes all this while still incorporating and honoring his Asian American values and heritage . This is an interview that provides real insight into our newest generation that should not be missed. 

When you hear the story of Ambassador Sichan Siv, a survivor of the Cambodian killing fields, you truly will be inspired. After arriving in America in 1976 with only $2.00 dollars in his pocket, Ambassador Siv picketed apples, drove taxis, obtained a Masters Degree from Columbia University and then serves in President George H. W. Bush's White House in all of only 13 years. He went on to serve in the United Nations and represented the United states there in a truly unique and very effective fashion. It's an amazing personal story of perseverance and public service that you will not want to miss. He shares with us the special values America has and the determination and sacrifice it took for him to acquire the " American Dream" and what we need do to obtain it collectively.

Even though AAPI are well represented in the legal profession, there are very few of them in the judiciary system as judges.

This Month we host Oregon Multnomah County Judge Chanpone Sinlapasai, the first Laotian Judge in the State of Oregon and perhaps in the country. Hear Judge Chanpone described her family's and heritage's inspiration for her in becoming a lawyer and recently appointed as a circuit court Judge.  This, along with a fascinating and detailed historical description of the laws that have been employed since the country's founding that impeded the rights and discriminated against Asian Americans. 

This episode is not only an inspiring personal profile but also a 230 year recitation of laws affecting immigrants and refugees. It is a case in point of the importance of having Asian Americans be represented in our judicial branch of government. Please join us for this unique examination of the successes and challenges that the law and Judges have on our community.

Individually, AAPIs are quite successful in many different professions. However, we have long been stereotyped as the “perpetual foreigners” and the silent, passive minority. It is the great awakening to see ourselves as an integral part of American society that we all belong here. We should not be silent anymore and wholeheartedly take on our civic responsibility and actively engage in civic affairs to have a strong voice.

In this episode we focus on the perspectives of civic engagements from the speakers of our National Civic Leadership Forum 2022. Together we weave the fabric of the past, present and future of civic engagement of our diverse AAPI communities. Our guest speakers (ordered by first name) include:

AAUC Podcast is supported by the individual lifetime members and organization members of Asian American Unity Coalition. Visit our website: https://asamunitycoalition.org.

Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are not monolithic and should not be treated as such. Through the works of AAPI Data we learn that within the AAPI communities there are racial differences, conflicts and concerns. It is important that we learn how to use these data to influence decision making, to achieve equal rights and protection from violence, and to leverage it to achieve our Collective American Dream. We are fortunate to have Dr. Janelle Wong, Co-Director of AAPI Data and Professor of American Studies at the University of Maryland to be our guest to discuss this important topic.

Listen to the power couple Ron and Maeley Tom, you will understand why the lobbying skill set and experience is crucial for Asian Americans. Our community often lacks the skill set to advocate for our issues before the powerful decision makers to initiate beneficial changes. We also need such skills in advancing our own career as well.

Mrs. Maeley Tom held the highest appointed offices in the California State Assembly and the Senate in the 1980s before joining the power national lobbying firm Cassidy & Associates as a senior VP. Her husband, Ron Tom transitioned from a career pharmacist to represent the healthcare industries as a senior lobbyist and partner of a law firm. Now they have their own lobbying firm. Their insightful experience is an eye-opener for all of us.

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How little do we know and appreciate our Pacific Islander community having a culture of discovery and resourcefulness and are known as warriors willing to fight for the things that matter to them. Joe Enlet our podcast guest in this episode is the consulate general of Micronesia in Oregon. He reminded us that Pacific Islander is included in many organization names which have no Pacific Islander representation on their board or speak up on behalf of them on issues that matter to their community. It's time that we learn more about the Pacific Islanders besides their geopolitical importance.

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Successful Community and Political Activism is the cumulation of decades of dedications to the welfare of the community. In this month of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage month, we have invited two exemplary Asian American trail blazers of Hmong Heritage to share their journeys and successful community building experiences with our audience. Our outstanding guests are Bo Thao-Urabe, Founder & former Network Director of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders Minnesota (CAALMN) KaYing Yang, former Director of Programs and Partnerships of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders Minnesota (CAALMN) Bo Thao-Urabe has served under President Obama on the Advisory Commission of the White House Initiative on AANHPI and KaYing was just appointed to the same position under President Biden. Mr. Rajeev Singh is our interviewer on this episode with introduction and takeaways by Mr. Jack Hanna.

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Education is dear in the heart of every immigrant as the way to gain social mobility. Joel Wong and Dennis Wu describe SFCause's huge success in organizing, networking and developing strategies that contributed to the overwhelming results earlier this year ousting 3 very controversial San Francisco School Board members. Hear the fascinating story of Willie Brown and how he inspired the Asian American community to unite itself and also partner with other ethnic and disenfranchised communities to win at the ballot box there and possibly use the effort as a model for the entire country.

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