Meet OCA National’s 2022 Summer Interns
Get to know the 12 outstanding Asian American college students participating in our first in-person internship cohort since the start of the pandemic.
By Kent Tong
TODAY, OCA - ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN ADVOCATES is proud to announce the OCA Summer Internship Class of 2022! The 12 students were selected from a rigorous and highly competitive selection process and will relocate to Washington, D.C. this summer to work full-time at their respective placement sites, learn about Asian American and Pacific Islander issues, and advocate for AAPI causes to their respective Congressional representatives.
Khatami Chau: Placed at APIA Scholars
Khatami Chau (he/they) is a first-generation college senior at the University of Washington pursuing a double major in Education, Communities and Organizations (ECO) and American Ethnic Studies (AES), along with a minor in Diversity. Born in Vietnam, he is a 1.5 generation Cham immigrant who later resettled in Seattle, Washington, and currently serves on the University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity Student Advisory Board. Outside of academia, Khatami performs spoken word and is learning how to whip up traditional Cham dishes with his mother.
Jack Fuld: Placed at Teach For America
Jack Fuld (he/him) is a rising junior at Vassar College majoring in Education, with hopes to earn a correlate sequence in Sociology or Mandarin. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Jack hopes to become an empathetic teacher and education policy reformer who can deepen people’s lives through meaningful conversations centering on personal experience, race, class, and individual autonomy. Outside of the classroom, Jack can be seen juggling as part of Vassar’s circus club, the Barefoot Fireflies.
Ananya Ganeriwalla: Placed at the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL)
Ananya Ganeriwalla (she/her) is a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania pursuing a B.A. in Economics with a concentration in International and Development Economics and a certificate in Spanish. Raised in an Indian American household in Dallas, Texas, she is passionate about amplifying hushed voices and encouraging uncomfortable conversation throughout the Asian American community. In her free time, Ananya enjoys re-watching Bollywood movies, taking walks, and chatting with friends.
Sahil Jaiswal: Placed at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP)
Sahil Jaiswal (he/him) is a first-year at Virginia Commonwealth University, soon-to-be transferring to the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Economics and Political Science. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Sahil moved to Richmond, Virginia and currently serves as Director of Finance for Dear Asian Youth, an international nonprofit organization that focuses on Asian-centered activism. In his free time, he enjoys drinking Thai milk teas with boba, playing the guitar, and listening to keshi.
Lincoln Le: Placed at the Democratic National Committee (DNC)
Lincoln Le (he/him) is a junior at Georgetown University majoring in Government and minoring in Journalism. Born in South Florida, Lincoln has spent the past few years interning and working in the Washington, D.C. area with a mission to advocate for youth mentorship and uplifting Asian American voices, which includes his leadership roles within Georgetown University’s Vietnamese Student Association and OCA’s Washington D.C. chapter. In his free time, Lincoln enjoys cooking up a storm for him and his roommates and exploring new recipes.
Thai Loyd: Placed at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
Thai Loyd (he/him) is a rising sophomore at Loyola University Chicago double majoring in Neuroscience and Political Science. Born and raised in Bloomington, Minnesota, he is a second-generation Thai-American interested in neuro-politics, the underlying science behind political decision-making. He hopes to pursue a career in the public sector or clinical psychology, and be an advocate for marginalized communities who have historically faced barriers to mental health resources, including Asian Americans and LGBTQ+ youth. In his free time, Thai enjoys reading, making zines, and growing his bonsai tree.
Molly Moran: Placed at OCA National Center
Molly Moran (she/they) is a third-year student studying Psychology and Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Born in Asheville, North Carolina, she was raised in a mixed family as a Korean-Irish child and grew up discovering a passion towards racial equity, intersectionality, LGBTQ+ movements, and environmentalism. At UNC Chapel Hill, Molly is active in several Asian-centered student organizations and serves as a DEI Fellow providing counsel to the university’s Chief Diversity Officer. In her free time, she enjoys writing novels, exploring the forests of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and hitting up ping-pong against friends.
Rehana Morita: Placed at the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
Rehana Morita (she/her) is a senior at the University of California, Irvine majoring in Asian American Studies along with Film & Media Studies. A first-generation Japanese and Libyan American who immigrated to Southern California when she was seven years old, Rehana was born in Tripoli, Libya and spent her early childhood in Saitama, Japan. She is passionate about telling intersectional stories through writing, audio projects, and filmmaking, and strives to provide visibility to those underrepresented and erased in media.
Claire Qian: Placed at OCA National Center
Claire Qian (she/her) is a rising junior at Cornell University, transferring from Fordham University, and double majoring in Political Science and Humanitarian Studies. Born and raised in Kentucky, Claire began her advocacy journey through the state’s Youth Assembly Program and has worked on human and civil rights issues at a global level. She currently serves as Co-Director of Civil Rights Policy at the Greater Good Initiative, an empathy-oriented youth-led think tank, and the outreach lead for Dear Asian Youth. In her free time, Claire is an avid figure skater and aspiring full-time napper.
Kiran Rudra: Placed at the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
Kiran Rudra (he/him) is a sophomore at Vassar College majoring in Sociology. Growing up in Miami, Florida without a strong AAPI support system, Kiran’s activism is rooted in coalition building and solidarity. Kiran currently serves as president of Vassar’s Asian Students Alliance, a member of the Vassar Asian American Studies Working Group, and is an intern at the school’s LGBTQ+ Center. In his free time, Kiran enjoys writing for Portrait, Vassar’s Asian literary arts magazine.
Linh Truong: Placed at the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI)
Linh Truong (she/her) is a full-time content creator and student at Georgetown University studying Sociology and Women and Gender Studies. Born in Orange, California, Linh now resides in Washington, D.C. with her ten-year-old cat Kayla. She is passionate about AAPI curriculum and disability rights, and currently serves as the External Public Relations Director at Georgetown’s Vietnamese Student Association. When she isn’t doing schoolwork, you can find her watching anime, making art, playing piano, and filming YouTube videos about lifestyle, fashion, and college life.
Josephine Wu: Placed in the office of Rep. Andy Kim
Josephine Wu (she/her) is a rising junior at Georgetown University double majoring in English Literature and Economics. Raised by immigrants from China and Indonesia in Randolph, New Jersey, Josephine aspires to raise awareness of Asian American and Pacific Islander issues through poetry, prose, and other forms of storytelling. She currently serves as the Marketing Chair for Georgetown’s Chinese Student Alliance (CSA) and Marketing Director for The Anthem, the university’s premier literary arts magazine. In her free time, Josephine loves to listen to Taylor Swift, publish poetry, and explore all the iced chai latte options in Washington, D.C.