2020 FALL INTERNS

CASSIDY CRUZ

Cassidy Cruz is a recent graduate from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies - Political Science. He was born in Torrance, California to first-generation Filipino immigrants, where they later relocated to Sacramento, California. Cassidy is passionate about Asian American issues and representation in the political system in the United States and strives to help establish a platform to empower and engage Asian American and Pacific Islander within the process that impacts their community, both on the local and national level.

Cassidy spent his first year of college studying Journalism at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines where he was able to reconnect with his roots and become invested in the issues rooted in the Filipino-American and overall Asian-American diaspora. Afterwards, he relocated back to Sacramento City College to pursue a degree in International Studies. While at Sacramento City College, Cassidy became a founding member of the campus’ Model United Nations chapter and President of the Korean Culture Club. He later attended the University of California, San Diego pursuing a degree in International Studies- Political Science. During his time at UCSD, Cassidy became a founding member of the organization Tritons for Human Rights as well as the Internal/External Coordinator for his dance team, Alter Ego. After graduation, Cassidy later relocated to Washington, DC after obtaining an internship with the Political Violence Lab, where he worked as a Research Analyst focusing on Middle Eastern policy.

This summer, Cassidy is excited to work with the OCA National to further learn and engage with public policy that can help empower AAPI involvement and inclusion as he prepares to apply for law school next year.

In his free time, Cassidy enjoys dancing and creating choreography, reading novels on urban planning and racial injustices, meditating, and jogging.

Cassidy is a Policy Intern at OCA National.

KAREN IM

Karen Im is a fourth-year student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is majoring in English and aspires to attend law school in the near future. As someone a love for literature, she is interested in studying and engaging with the tangible structures of power that she reads about in different stories. 

Born and raised in New York, Karen loves to explore new places and fun activities, both on the West Coast and East Coast. She enjoys blogging, looking for new music on Spotify, and visiting new food spots with friends in her free time.

On campus, she is actively engaged as a journalist on the Daily Bruin and has served as the Director of Recruitment and Director of Membership for Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International. She is passionate about digital media and journalism and the harnessing of these platforms to drive positive and informative change in society.

Karen is particularly interested in the topics of educational equity within the AAPI community and its representation in media and professional spaces. She is excited to work on the Development Team and meet like-minded individuals this Fall who are similarly working towards the mission of advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of AAPIs. 

Karen is a Development Intern at OCA National.

MENDY KONG

Mendy Kong is a sophomore at the University of Southern California, where she is studying Political Science and Digital Studies. She was born and raised by Taishanese-Hong Kong immigrant parents in the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires Nations and other Indigenous nations, also known as Chicago, Illinois. Mendy is passionate about racial justice and visual art and hopes to be able to empower and engage AAPI using both.

Mendy began her first year as a James Scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There, she served as the Communications Chair for the Association of Minorities in Political Science. She also nurtured her love of art as an editor for on-campus literary art magazines and a member of the Asian American Association's graphic design committee. Currently, she is assisting professors on two research projects, one being the "Improving and Integrating Global Diversity Estimates Using Transparent Methods” project, which seeks to clarify global diversity statistics; and the other on American perceptions of citizenship.  

As an intern, Mendy is excited to learn more about AAPI advocacy and to utilize art as a tool for those ends.  In her free time, she relishes in lying down, kneading dough for pineapple buns, (poorly) altering clothes, and vibing to very cool indie music from all over the world.

Mendy is a Communications Intern at OCA National.

AMBER NGUYEN

Amber Nguyen is a junior studying English, Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST), and Performing Arts at Georgetown University. A daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Amber grew up in Houston, Texas before attending high school in New Jersey. While immersed in a diverse, well-rounded liberal arts education, Amber became interested in immigration policy, racial justice, women’s movements, and civic engagement. Since then, Amber has nurtured her interests through her coursework, extracurriculars, and internships.

Despite the absence of an Asian American Studies program at Georgetown, Amber continues to explore an academic, social, and political understanding of what it means to be Asian American both inside and outside the classroom. For example, she currently serves as the Internal Vice President of the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) to promote awareness of Vietnamese-American culture. Amber also worked as a policy intern with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC during the Spring 2020 semester. This summer, Amber served as a programs intern with OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates, where she helped organize OCA and CAPAW’s AAPI Womxn’s Conference; facilitated workshops on power and privilege for the Youth Advocacy Summit; and lobbied on the Hill during intern Advocacy Day.

This fall, Amber looks forward to empowering the AAPI community to fill out the 2020 Census and vote in the presidential election. In her free time, Amber can be found dancing, baking, editing zine submissions, and playing with her dog.

Amber is a Civic Engagement Intern at OCA National.

NINA LINH NGUYEN

Nina Linh Nguyen is a freshman at the University of Southern California, studying global health in the Keck School of Medicine program. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nina is a Vietnamese American interested in learning more about immigrant rights and health disparities within low-income communities of color. Her goal is to work with underserved populations to increase access to reliable health care, and bridge long-standing systemic health and social inequities through sustainable solutions/policies.

In her local community, Nina serves as a Stanford Allcove youth advisor, supporting the initiation of the nation’s first youth-integrated mental health clinics in San Jose and Palo Alto. Through her work with Allcove, she has fostered spaces of visibility and mental health support for young people. Nina is an immigrant rights fellow at SIREN: Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network, assisting with immigration clinic paperwork and encouraging people of color, immigrants and refugees, and young people to vote in the upcoming presidential election and complete the 2020 Census. Through her advocacy as the East Side Union High School Student Governing Board President, she has increased awareness for racial injustice and sexual harassment in her school district, working with members of her community to propose solutions.

On campus, Nina is a part of the QuestBridge Scholars Network -- a national community that promotes civic engagement on campus and empowers first-generation college students on their path to higher education. She hopes to further connect with fellow Trojans who are interested in public health, international relations, and AAPI culture & history.

In her free time, Nina enjoys listening to rap and R&B at the beach, or journaling at her favorite viewpoint. This fall, she is looking forward to her first time voting in the presidential election.

Nina is a Professional Programs Intern at OCA National.

ANDREW PENG

Andrew Peng is entering his fourth year at Rutgers University—New Brunswick, where he currently studies political science, strategic public communication, and entrepreneurship. A San Diego, California native, he is passionate about amplifying AAPI voices and improving the public engagement capabilities of the federal government, nonprofits, and civic organizations. He is particularly interested in understanding the evolving relationships between tech companies, voters, and policymakers.

In 2018, Andrew served as an intern at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, where he created materials for a convening with the Secretary of Education at the National Academy of Sciences and documented a youth summit organized by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. A year later, Andrew completed digital and news monitoring projects for a major U.S. government agency as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Virtual Student Federal Service program before moving to the civil rights nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC as a communications intern. This summer, Andrew was a Legislative Assistant at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he conducted research on broadband access and adoption.

On campus, Andrew is an active member of Rutgers’ Chinese and Taiwanese cultural organizations. He recently completed a communications internship at the Rutgers Office of Leadership and Experiential Learning and will spend his last year as Public Relations and Sponsorships Captain at the Mark Conference, one of the largest student-run leadership events in the country. Andrew is also the co-founder of The Yappie, a weekly newsletter that covers policy news and activism affecting AAPI communities. In his free time, Andrew enjoys tweeting, photography, and eating soup dumplings. 

Andrew is a Civic Engagement Communications Intern at OCA National.

ANIA TY

Ania Ty is a rising third year at the Oregon State University Honors College, double-majoring in Political Science & Public Policy and minoring in Ethnic Studies and Public Health. She was born in Bulacan, Philippines but has spent most of her life in Portland, Oregon enjoying the eclectic culture of the Pacific Northwest. She is passionate about advocating for undocumented immigrants (especially within the AAPI community), victims of environmental racism, colonized peoples, and communities disproportionately affected by climate change.

During her first year as a college student she discovered her interest in serving the AAPI community and served as the Co-President and Political Chair for Isang Bansang Pilipino. They are her university’s first and only Filipino American Student Association -- originally founded in 1918, it predates the Philippines’ independence and she is proud to continue its long legacy of education and engagement. She continues to empower her API communities in Oregon by serving as a leadership liaison at Oregon State´s Asian & Pacific Cultural Center.

As a Youth Programs Intern at OCA, she hopes to provide young API's with tools of empowerment, including political and cultural education, and create a space with a strong sense of community and compassion.

Ania is a Youth Programs Intern at OCA National.

 2020 SPRING INTERNS

CHLOE NOVILLOS

Chloe Novillos is a sophomore at The George Washington University, studying Political Science and International Affairs with a concentration in Asian Studies. She was proudly raised in San Francisco, CA. She is passionate about issues pertaining to immigration, public policy affecting people of color, and providing Asian Americans and API communities safe places.

On campus, she is apart of the Philippine Cultural Society. She helps plan Tandaan, an annual cultural performance highlighting Filipinx and Filipinx American tradition. In October 2019, she was selectively nominated to present her research at The George Washington University’s Annual University Research Convention. At the convention, she interpreted the special relationship of Filipinx first generations, immigrant parents, and food. She also shared with the audience her journey of navigating cultural gaps, internalized racism, and ultimately finding empowerment with her identity as an Asian American. At the end of the convention, she facilitated a discussion with undergraduates to help strengthen research skills.

This spring, she is very excited to work with the Policy Department of OCA National. She is excited to further her research and professional development that are in line with OCA’s policy platform, as well as meeting others who are interested in advancing justice.

In her free time, Chloe loves reading, writing, cooking, and listening to music. She also loves taking and developing film photos and spending quality time with her friends and family. 

Chloe is a Policy Intern at OCA National.

EMMA SHAINWALD

Emma Shainwald is a Senior at William and Mary majoring in Asian Pacific Islander American Studies. She was adopted from Vladivostok, Russia and was raised in Princeton, New Jersey. She is very passionate about adoption politics and immigration. Her interest in immigration began after she interned for Safe Passage Project, an organization which assigned pro-bono lawyers to children seeking asylum. On campus, she is a member of the Asian American Student Initiative, an organization which advocates for APIA issues, and Undocutribe, an undo-centered immigrant rights organization. She is currently researching the application of data disaggregation in the college admissions process, with a focus on APIAs. Emma is excited to work with OCA and to learn more about the ins-and-outs of APIA advocacy in the DC area. Her other interests include sustainable fashion and sewing her own clothes. Emma also enjoys drinking different kinds of tea, and cooking, and practicing her Mandarin.

Emma is a Policy Intern at OCA National.

 2019 SUMMER INTERNS

ALEXANDER LÊ

Alexander Le is a recent graduate of the University of Houston, obtaining his Bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences. He was born in Houston, Texas to refugees from Vietnam. His interests center on medicine and cultivating community wellness through addressing the social determinants of health.

During undergrad, he worked in a cardiac pharmacology lab studying the effects of altered gene expression on heart failure. As the President of his Circle K International chapter, he helped organize community service projects in collaboration with local nonprofits, and began an annual initiative around refugee and immigrant outreach. He also co-founded a group called Student Nation, hosting on-campus letter writing workshops and civic engagement panels.

This summer, Alex looks forward to learning more about the AAPI community's long history of social activism, embracing the intersections of his own identity, and trying out vegetarian food places.

In his free time, he enjoys singing, photography, and traveling through time and space with his TARDIS plushie.

Alex is a Health Policy Intern at the Hepatitis B Foundation.

ASHLEY RAJAVADEE

Ashley Rajavadee is a rising fourth year at the Ohio State University, studying Human Nutrition with specialization in Industry as well as a minor in Pharmaceutical Science. Born in Columbus, Ohio, her interests center on health and nutrition equity across the US in addition to increased representation of Southeast Asian Americans.

On campus, she is the outgoing coordinator of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) peer mentorship Cohort, Events chair of the Asian American Association, a member of the Vietnamese Student Association, and an Ohio State Stadium Scholar. She is also a past student ambassador for APIAVote.

This summer, Ashley looks forward to connecting with similar-minded individuals and developing her professional skills.

Even though she’s (very) lactose intolerant, her favorite drink is black milk tea.

Ashley is a Development Intern at OCA National Center.

CHEYENNE CHENG

Cheyenne Cheng is a fourth year student at the University of Florida studying Psychology. She was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, which is a small hub for Filipinx Americans. She is passionate about AAPI advocacy, community wellness, intersectional organizing, and oral history.

On campus, she serves as the Project Coordinator for the Asian American Oral History Project, which seeks to document the experiences of Asian Americans in the South. She has also served as the Advocacy Chair for the Asian American Student Union and has worked with various organizations on campus to bring free hygiene products to campus as well as the first disability advocacy assembly, a welcome event for incoming students with disabilities. She has also been a former APIAVote ambassador and currently serves as the Mobilization Coordinator for the East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU).

This summer, Cheyenne looks forward to meeting new people as well as connect with friends within the AAPI advocacy community. She also looks forward to finding new pastry and coffee shops to visit. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, journaling, and watching shows on Netflix.

Cheyenne is a Communications Intern at the OCA National Center.

DARREN DE LEON

Darren De Leon is a 4th year undergraduate studying at the University of California, Irvine. He studies Political Science with a minor in International Studies, with a particular emphasis on AAPI civic engagement. Born in Los Angeles, California to hardworking, immigrant Filipino parents, Darren is passionate about social justice and public policy.

At UCI, Darren has an extensive background in teaching and conducting research. Through Global Connect@UCI & Saturday Academy of Law, Darren teaches high-performing high school freshmen at Laguna Hills High School & around Orange County. Vis-a-vis research, Darren is completing his honors thesis via UCI’s Department of Political Science. His thesis analyzes the efficacy of ethnic club organizations in mobilizing and civically engaging members at both University College London & UCI.

Aside from learning new things at both OCA and APALA, Darren wants to check out different boba places on the East Coast and do a tasting scale. (Did we already say he loves boba?) In his free time, Darren naps, makes detailed travel itineraries for trips that end up getting cancelled, and being called “baby.”

Darren is an intern at the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA).

EMILY NG

Emily Ng is a rising fourth year at Pitzer College, studying Environmental Analysis (policy track) and Sociology with a minor in Spanish. Emily is passionate about the intersections between environmentalism and public health in the environmental justice/racism area. She is particularly passionate about air quality and environmental justice and on advocating for those disproportionately impacted by emissions from a nearby factory or highway due to race or income. She believes it is a right to breathe clean air, and wants to educate and inform POC/immigrant communities on the issues they are facing and how to mobilize.

On campus, she is a Fellow for the Robert Redford Conservancy of Southern California Sustainability, which organizes environmental events that not only focus on conservation/preservation, but also bring in the local low-income community and indigenous tribes to foster connections and mitigate environmental injustices. She has helped revived Environmentalists of Color, Organized (ECO) on campus which acts like an affinity group to build connections and support for those pursuing a career in a historically and predominantly white field, at a predominantly white institution. 

In her free time, Emily likes to make foods such as bread, dumplings, and green onion pancakes. She also likes to try new food places, hike, go to the beach, thrift shop, or just stay in for a long Netflix binge.

Emily is an intern at the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water Intern at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

JENNY V. HA

Jenny Ha is entering her second year at the University of Southern California studying Sociology with a minor in Law and Policy. Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, she is passionate about educational equity and immigration reform.

On campus, she was the Legislative Affairs Committee Chair and the youngest-serving member on the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund's Governing Board. The Topping Aid Fund is a student-led and student-funded scholarship and retention program created to support first-generation and/or low-income students. This year, she will be the Fund's Governing Board Chair and will be in charge of strategic planning and restructuring to develop the Fund's Guidelines. She was also a policy analyst for the Roosevelt Institute's USC Chapter and developed a policy proposal outlining the next steps USC should take to raise retention rates by creating more resources for first-generation and/or low-income students. She has also been the Programming Chair for her dorm and has served as a writing mentor at local Title-I high schools.

This summer she is excited to learn more about immigration reform because it has always been a touchy subject in her family. Additionally, She wants to learn about the logistics and functions of  non-profit work and explore the intersection between AAPI issues and educational equity to combat the model minority myth.

In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and watching romantic comedies. She also likes to take walks and enjoy fresh air, hoping to see some dogs on the way.

Jenny is a Policy Intern at the OCA National Center.

JESSICA YAN

Jessica Yan is a first year student at Stanford University. Born and raised in Mesa, Arizona, Jessica is passionate about increasing representation of the AAPI community across all sectors, especially in the political and international arenas. She is also interested in international economics and its intersection with climate change policy.

Jessica’s interest in her AAPI identity emerged during her gap year in Beijing with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, in which she was placed at a public Chinese high school. While abroad, she raised awareness about the diversity behind the word “American” and the role of AAPIs in American culture. She instituted a language partner program between local Chinese high school students and American exchange students to facilitate cultural understanding and language learning for both parties.

This summer, Jessica looks forward to learning the stories of the people in DC and exploring the city’s food scene. In her free time, Jessica loves to cook, play music, and meet dogs.

Jessica is a Programs & Communications Intern at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). 

JULIA ZHONG

Julia Zhong is a rising third year at Emory University studying Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology with a minor in Sociology. Born in New York City, she is passionate about mental health within API communities and hopes to pursue a career in which she can work to not only provide mental health services for communities of color, especially the AAPI one, but also to destigmatize mental health within her community. She is also interested in immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.

On campus, she is a Chief of Staff of Emory's Asian Pacific-Islander Desi American Activists, a student organization that she and a few others chartered to raise awareness and discussion about Asian identity, issues, and politics. She is also an artist manager for Emory Arts Underground, a student organization dedicated to increasing the accessibility of arts education at Emory, and was also the music director for Emory's Ad Hoc Production's production of the musical Lysistrata Jones. This past year she conducted research in the Neuroimaging Lab at the Marcus Autism Center and investigated connections between eye-blinking and social behavior in infants with and without Austism Spectrum Disorder. She was also involved with Residence Life as a sophomore advisor and will continue to do so next year as a resident advisor for first-years.

This summer, she looks forward to learning more about the intersections of API identity and various social justice issues, getting to know the other cohort members, and to be able to explore the DC area!

In her free time, Julia really enjoy discovering new music (particularly classical because she’s a nerd) and musicals to listen to. She also enjoys playing piano and singing, practicing calligraphy and bullet journaling, and reading books by API authors.

Julia is an intern at the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP).

KATELYN MONACO

Katelyn Monaco is a rising third year at Ithaca College, studying English with minors in Education and Asian American Studies. Adopted from Shaoyang, China, she was raised in Washington state. She is passionate about educational policy and equity, data disaggregation, and community development.

On campus, she is the Vice President of the Asian American Alliance; a member of HEARD, an organization that does creative arts with youth in juvenile detention facilities; an MLK Scholar (with research on international educational policy); and an RA in Housing Offering a Multicultural Experience (HOME) doing events around ethnic and racial diversity, LGBTQ+ allyship and activism, and ableism.

This summer, Katelyn looks forward to learning more about the nonprofit sector and different approaches to educational policy, as well as meeting other interns around DC who are passionate about centering social justice in whatever field they go into.

In her free time she loves listening to podcasts and finding new R&B music. She also likes to watch recipe videos on YouTube, read as much as she can, and watercolor.

Katelyn is a Public Partnerships Intern at Teach for America.

KATHLEEN MIAO

Kathleen Miao is a rising fourth year at Franklin & Marshall College, studying Environmental Studies with a minor in Art History. Born in New York City, she is passionate about environmentalism/sustainability, public health, mental health, representation of AAPI in the US media, and racial discrimination.

On campus she is a photographer for the men’s rugby team, a student senator, member of the Asian American Alliance, and a Breakthrough New York and SEO Scholar. She has went abroad to Vietnam, Morocco, and Bolivia to study climate change and the politics of food, water, and energy.

This summer, Kathleen looks forward to connecting with new people and accomplishing a lot at her internship. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, swimming, biking, photography, writing in her journal, and going to museums.

Kathleen is an intern at the Office of Environmental Justice at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

KEVIN HA

Kevin Ha is a rising fourth year at the University of California, Davis, studying Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology. Born in Woodland Hills, CA, he is passionate about climate change's effects on wildlife and mental health in AAPI communities.

On campus, he has served as the President of the Asian American Association, a student organization that strives to build a welcoming community for all AAPI folks through weekly programming and cultural events. He now serves as their Senior Advisor.

This summer, Kevin looks forward to being super touristy, experiencing the professional culture in DC, and of course, getting closer to the others in the cohort.

In his free time, he sometimes learns the words to hip hop songs and raps them when alone to hype himself. He also enjoys baking and skateboarding.

Kevin is an intern at the Office of Tribal Relations at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

KEYLA HIGA

Keyla Higa is a rising fourth year at Lawrence University, majoring in Global Studies and German. Born in Connecticut, she is passionate about education access and quality. As a product of both the Indonesian and American education systems, she believes that a well-rounded education will engage students in diverse ways of thinking. This means providing multi-disciplinary fields and environments, emphasizing social problems, and advocating for the arts. A good education is where we can explore our interest and be passionate about the future. Over the course of six years, she has attended eight different schools.

On campus, she has served as the President of the Pan-Asian Organization as well as their Event and Publicity Chair.

This summer, Keyla looks forward to exploring DC, meeting new people and learning more about education access and leadership development through her internship placement. In her free time she enjoys travelling and exploring new places.

 Keyla is a Programs Intern at the APIA Scholars.

KYRA DU

Kyra is a rising second year at Wellesley College with a prospective major in Economics. Born in Maryland, she is passionate about extending legal and financial resources to AAPI folks who do not have standard accessibility, whether it be due to socioeconomic status, educational inequity, or nationality/ethnicity. She is also passionate about advancing the voices and ideas of LGBTQ+ AAPI youth, a minority often marginalized in national conversation.

On campus, Kyra was the Political and Legislative representative for the Wellesley Asian Alliance, a student organization that specializes in institutional change and advancing Asian American justice. She is also a part of the Chinatown Afterschool Program, which is a program that  provides students at Wellesley and the Boston area with the opportunity to be able to connect with the Boston Chinatown community and volunteer as counselors working at an after school care center.

This summer, Kyra looks forward to exploring DC and meeting the other interns. In her off time, she likes to play Bananagrams.

Kyra is an intern for the Asian Pacific Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS). 

MALAYA SIY

Malaya Siy is a rising fourth year at Saint Louis University, studying Anthropology with minors in Mandarin, Global & Social Justice, and Visual Communications. Born in Burbank, California, She is passionate about civil & human rights and would like to become a lawyer and defend these rights.

On campus, she is involved in the Filipino Student Association and the Atlas Program. With FSA, she has held the position of Social Justice Chair and has participated in their cultural dance performances. As an Atlas program intern for two years, she has helped host the Annual Atlas week, which celebrates international education/international social justice and all the places SLU students come from.

This summer, she looks forward to soaking up all she can learn at her internship while exploring DC and meeting all the people she can. She also plays the ukulele and loves to read.

Malaya is an intern at Futures Without Violence.

NOLAN BURDETT

Nolan Burdett is a rising fourth year at the University of Texas at Austin. Born in Houston, Texas, he is passionate about access to education and AAPI representation in politics, business and media.

On campus, he is involved in ice hockey, the Tejas Club, and the Texas Silver Spurs.

This summer, he looks forward to having fun with friends. In his free time he likes to read, play chess, watch basketball, and hike.

Nolan is an intern at the office of Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.

PATRICK CANTEROS

Patrick Canteros is a rising fourth year at the College of William & Mary studying finance and Asian and Pacific Islander American Studies. At school, he is involved in the Asian American Student Initiative, the Filipino American Student Association, and Peer Diversity Educators.

Born in Davao, Philippines but raised in Richmond, Virginia, Patrick is passionate about a range of issues including: APIA healthcare, the environment, and immigration. In his free time, he loves to go rock climbing and other outdoor activities. He once hiked 200 miles on the Camino de Santiago.

This summer, Patrick is looking forward to meeting other like-minded AAPIs and transforming advocacy into action!

Patrick is an intern at the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA.)

WESLEY WEI

Wesley Wei is a rising third year at Vanderbilt University studying Human & Organizational Development and Public Policy Studies. From Danville, KY, he is passionate about AAPI government representation, the intersections of LGBTQ+ and AAPI identity, and equity in education.

On campus, he is the current Publicity Chair for the Asian American Student Association and was previously their Community Coordinator, putting together programming for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. He is also on Vanderbilt Student Government’s Academic Affairs Committee.

This summer, Wesley is excited to explore the food and coffee scene in D.C. (and subsequently spend way too much money). In his free time, he also watches (too much) RuPaul's Drag Race.

Wesley is a Policy & Research Intern at the Learning Policy Institute.

 2018 SPRING INTERNS

NATHANIEL NG

Nathaniel is a soon-to-be graduate from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is pursuing a major in History and minor in Education.  Alongside a group of friends, he operates the Bike Coop, an on-campus bicycle shop, which serves the students and under-served communities of Santa Cruz. He manages personal relations, facilities volunteer opportunities, and organize monthly bicycle rides, gatherings, and how-to workshops.  He also recently studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan.

Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Nathaniel was involved in park programs since his childhood. His involvement gave him opportunities to learn, mentor, and teach – ultimately leading to his discovery of a love for education. He aspires to be a high school teacher that guides and ensures students achieve a higher education. Working with the Young Writers Programs and the UCSC Education Department, he has shadowed teachers as well as work with middle school students to publish their poetry into a printed book.

His parents are first generation immigrants who followed stereotypical Chinese pathways to success. Their struggle and perseverance ties him to his AAPI heritage and inspires him to make critical changes for the Asian American community. As a history major, he studies Asian American history as well as the history of various foreign Asian countries.

In his free time, Nathaniel loves to travel, take photographs, and engage in forest meditation (or anything outdoorsy). He hopes to grow more connected and learn more about domestic Asian American issues as well as gain a scope into policy making through living in D.C. and interning with OCA.

HENRY XU

Henry is a graduating senior at the University of California, Santa Cruz majoring in Politics with an emphasis on International Relations and minoring in Legal Studies. Henry attributes his interests in technology, the environment, and immigration policy to his upbringing in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, California. At school, Henry was the Inter-Org Retreat Coordinator for the 8th Annual Inter-Org Retreat for the UCSC Sustainability Office and an Undergraduate Reader for the California Water Policy and Law course. In the past, Henry has interned at the office of Assembly member David Chiu, the Office of Assembly member Fiona Ma, and the Santa Cruz County Immigration Project.

As a second generation immigrant, Henry is accustomed to the hardships faced by immigrants of all backgrounds. With this humble background, Henry has developed a stalwart work ethic to persevere against challenges. With his ability work effectively in both independent and team settings, and his immersive experiences as an intern in the California Legislature, Henry is eager to apply and share the skills that he has accumulated at OCANational.

In his free time, Henry enjoys musicals, reading, exercising, hiking, and trying new restaurants.

 2016 SUMMER INTERNS

CARLO TUASON

Carlo, a Filipino-Chinese American, is a rising fourth-year at the University of Cincinnati, where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in music performance and international relations. He currently serves as the Internal Vice President to the University of Cincinnati Vietnamese Student Association and maintains membership on the Student Diversity and Inclusion Council. He also has experience with the Vietnamese Interacting as One Conference (VIA-1) and the Accelerating Racial Justice Program. Through these experiences, Carlo hopes to create more spaces where dialogue about race and identity are not only allowed, but encouraged. His passion for AAPI advocacy and activism stems from being raised in a community that lacked diversity, and the consequent disassociation from his own culture. As a developing student leader and adult, he now sees the importance of acknowledging, embracing, and celebrating culture and how strongly it shapes one's identity.

Carlo hopes to ultimately become either a performing musician, work in cultural programming, or AAPI community organization. He heavily advocates not only for cultural awareness and arts education, but also, how they can be leveraged together. His musical talents include violin, piano, guitar, and singing. He has also participated in a number of music festivals that have brought him all over the country, as well as Japan. In his free time, Carlo enjoys photography, spoken word poetry, cooking, and studying Japanese.

CHLOE PAN

Chloe Pan is a rising junior at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is double majoring in International Development and Asian American Studies with an academic concentration in East Asian development. As a 1.5-generation immigrant, she was born in Yongchun, China but grew up in the suburbs of Flint and, later, Detroit, Michigan. Her experiences of living in these metropolitan regions in conjunction with being an immigrant made her deeply aware of how categories like geography, race, and gender significantly impact access to public resources. As a result, she is highly passionate about the intersectionality of data-driven policy reform and social justice and intends on one day pursuing law school and entering public service.

As a junior in high school, Chloe was selected to represent the state of Michigan as a United States Senate Youth Program Scholar and had the honor of traveling to the White House to meet President Barack Obama. From there on, she fell in love with the city of Washington, D.C. and has returned on numerous occasions for student lobbying and advocacy efforts, including a trip with the UCLA Chancellor. Her passion for producing equitable policy reform—particularly in the fields of education, immigration, and healthcare—led her back to D.C. last summer, where she served under the Obama Administration as the youngest intern at the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Currently, Chloe is the undergraduate student representative to the University of California Committee on Affirmative Action and Diversity, which develops policies to advance equity for women, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ members of the UC system. She is also a Diversity Peer Leader with the UCLA Intergroup Relations Program, a Resident Assistant with UCLA Residential Life, a former competitor on UCLA’s nationally ranked Mock Trial team, and the incoming Co-Director of the UCLA Student Wellness Commission's Bruin Consent Coalition. She is an active member in both student government and Asian American student spaces on campus.

Chloe is highly looking forward to expanding her understanding of minority issues in a transnational context and incorporating a critical transpacific analysis to AAPI social justice movements. But mostly, she’s looking forward to trying out new coffee places in D.C. and adding to her backlog of food photos.

CHUHUE VANG

ChueHue is a Senior attending the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire studying Sociology with a topical minor in Hmong Studies. He is a Hmong-American born in Saint Paul, Minnesota and raised in the West Side Saint Paul projects in a family of 11. His parents landed in Saint Paul in the late 1980’s with many other Hmong refugees, trying to find a new home due to the secret war, the Vietnam War. His passion to understand his history and identity is an ongoing process in which he one day hopes to pass down to future generations to preserve and use as tools of empowerment.

On campus, ChueHue has been involved in many Hmong organizations to support collective action for Hmong students and students of color. White students account for more than 90% of the UW-Eau Claire student population so keeping the University accountable to students of color has been an ongoing process to dismantle systematic oppression and structural racism to create equity. He currently is the President of the Hmong Student Association organization in which strives to support and maintain a safe space for Hmong students at UW-Eau Claire. His passion is not only towards higher education but the community as well. He worked for the Hmong Mutual Assistance Association for 2 years as the Youth Coordinator for the Building Bridges youth program in which strives to offer tools of empowerment to Hmong youth in the community. His passion to better the world now and in the future is a dream he hopes to accomplish one day in life. He is excited to be interning for OCA and hopes the experience will open doors in the near future to better himself as well as better the lives marginalize and silence communities in the US.

In his free time, ChueHue enjoys playing his xbox, cooking, playing basketball and football, and spending time with family and friends.

DIANNE LE

Dianne currently pursues her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University, New Brunswick in NJ. She also serves on eBoard as Event Chair for the Rutgers chapter of SASE (Society of the Asian Scientists and Engineers) and is co-founder of B³, established in 2010.  

Although born in Los Angeles, CA as a first generation Vietnamese American, Dianne moved to NJ with her mother and brother at the age of 12. At 14, she embarked on her journey by learning about social justice and challenging the status quo of youth being disengaged when she and her friend established a youth empowerment and breakin' (break dance) group, B³, under Boat People SOS. 

Dianne enjoys photography, hip-hop dancing, poetry, books, and playing the ukulele. She perceives art to be a therapeutic language which anyone can understand and respond to, and ultimately allows us to be more vulnerable with one other.  

She embraces her identity as a cultural and intergenerational bridge, and hopes to exchange, collaborate, and transpire ideas with like-minded and driven individuals at OCA to plant the seeds for positive community change. She is excited to grow and continue to bring beauty and unity to our communities, for future generations to flourish. 

 Dianne is most inspired by her mother. 

EMILY SHORT

Emily is a senior at Vassar College, majoring in International Studies with a focus in History and French and Francophone Studies. She has always had a great interest in studying other cultures. Growing up Vietnamese ­Caucasian in a predominately white community in Indiana, she has faced racial prejudice first­hand. This natural proclivity towards understanding different cultures led her to study in great depth Francophone cultures. She has studied the French language for ten years and has been able to study in France multiple times. Last year, she was able to intern at the U.S. Embassy in Paris and study at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle for a semester.

A key part of studying any culture is understanding its history and its foreign relations. She is curious as to how countries interact with each other and the role which history plays in these current interactions. Another one of her interests is the intersectionality of race, nationality, and gender.

She is passionate about combatting racial and gender inequality and is excited to become more engaged in the Asian Pacific American advocacy community this summer. At Vassar, she has been an executive board member of their Amnesty International chapter and is involved in the Multiracial/Biracial Student Alliance. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and cooking good food for her friends and family.

HANNA CHIPMAN

Hanna is rising senior at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine double majoring in Sociology and Women & Gender Studies. She is committed to fighting for issues including reproductive justice, AAPI and all minority rights, equality for all genders and sexes, and giving representation and voice to all intersections of identities. In her free time she enjoys watching the TV shows, Game of Thrones and Friends, wandering through the streets of New York City, visiting art galleries, and indulging in street food markets.

As a co-president last semester for the Bates Asian American Students in Action (AASIA) Club and dedicating a semester-long research project on the intersectional identity of Asian American adoptees, Hanna has been able to explore her personal identity as a Chinese adoptee as well as increase her knowledge and passion for furthering the social, political, and economic rights for the AAPI community. Her summer 2015 internship at the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) allowed her to better understand the issues surrounding the AAPI community in New York City, including Translation & Interpretation, foster care, and bullying in public schools. She hopes to continue pursuing her dedication to AAPI rights throughout her final year at Bates, as well as after graduation in areas of policy, advocacy, and leadership.

JENNIFER KAKU

Jennifer is a rising junior at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA. She is a Social-Cultural Anthropology/ Asian American Studies Double Major. She is heavily involved in AAPI community organizing on her campus. She is a program coordinator at the Center for Asian Pacific American Students and mentors first years AAPI students through the Asian Pacific American Coalition. This past year she has gotten into student of color institutional support advocacy and consortium wide AAPI community building. She is passionate about supporting under represented AAPI youth through knowledge exchange and empowerment.

She grew up in Arlington, VA and lived in Tokyo, Japan for two years. Through her various moves across the ocean and across the country Jennifer exhibits her love of change and movement. During her off hours, she enjoys weightlifting, eating food, hanging out with her community, especially all three combined.

JOY HAN

Joy Dohee Han is in her third year of communications studies at Irvine Valley College. She is pursuing an AA in social sciences with the hopes of transferring into a Bachelor's program for the University of California. During her time at IVC, she has participated in competitions with the nationally acclaimed Speech & Forensics team. As a novice debater, she was honored with the 4th place Speaker Award at the Mt. San Antonio College regional competition, and ranked silver in her category. In her younger years, Joy participated in competitive theatre. While in theatre, she noticed the lack of roles available for Asian Americans. Her time spent onstage and off with her teammates inspired her to pursue her current major, in hopes of one day correcting the misrepresentation of APA individuals in the arts. On her days off, Joy enjoys watching movies, visiting museums, and eating Indian food.  

Through her internship with OCA, Joy hopes to learn more about using her skills for Asian Pacific American advocacy. As a lifelong performer, she knows the importance of teamwork within communities. She firmly believes in speaking up for those without a voice. Joy is honored to participate in the organization's cohort program for 2016. 

KIMBERLY HALL

Kim is a graduating fourth year from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Religious Studies.

She hopes to pursue a career in Civil Rights Advocacy, inspired by both her coursework in African American Studies and her vast experiences outside the classroom. As a student at UVA, she was President of the Organization of Young Filipino Americans and served as the Asian/Asian Pacific American Representative for the Honor Committee. Through her experiences and academic career, Kim has further gained an interest in analyzing race, class, ethnicity, and other portions of our identity to better understand policies that can be implemented to help lessen the injustices minorities face. One day she hopes to attend graduate school for Public Policy, but in the immediate future, Kim is excited to gain experience working with AAPI issues. She hopes that her internship with OCA will help guide her towards her goals for the future.

In the rare moments of free time, Kim likes to explore new coffee shops, play with cats, and catching up on the Real Housewives series.

MAHAM SHAIKH

Maham is senior at the University of Michigan majoring in Sociology. She is currently also writing an honors thesis on South Asian cultural attitudes in order to help bridge a huge gap in literature. In her free time, she takes photos of mostly nature, but also loves taking pictures of people and architecture. She loves writing and is now active in performing her spoken word in shows such as the Asian/Pacific Islander American Monologues at the University of Michigan. Outside of school she is very involved the A/PIA community on her campus and also aims to be an advocate for all People of Color. She has spent all her life living in Michigan and this summer for the first time she will be living outside the state in Washington D.C. She never dreamed that she would be able to leave Michigan and is very excited to be coming to DC this summer for the OCA internship!

NICHOLAS WU

Nicholas is a rising junior at Princeton University majoring in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, with certificates in East Asian Studies and American Studies. He hopes to pursue a career in public interest law, particularly focusing on immigration law. On campus, he serves as the co-president of the Princeton Asian American Student Association and helps coordinate Asian American political activism. He also competes on the Model United Nations team and writes as a senior columnist for the Daily Princetonian.

Nicholas grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. As a third-generation Chinese American, he is particularly interested in immigration issues and Asian American advocacy. He hopes that his involvement with OCA will give him a better understanding of the issues facing the Asian American community.

During his free time, Nicholas enjoys running, listening to music, and cooking.

NILES WILSON

Niles is a rising senior at Stanford University pursuing a degree in Psychology. Through his coursework in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, he has become interested in advocating and providing resources for immigrants and learning more about the challenges of non-English speakers. In his final year at Stanford, he hopes to take the lessons from the summer with OCA and to become more involved with the Asian and Pacific Islander community on campus. Born and raised in Southern California, Niles enjoys outdoor activities, crocheting, food adventures, attending football games, and watching hip hop dance showcases.

PENG XUE VANG

Peng Xue Vang is a first generation Hmong-American college student who recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a double major in International Studies and Languages of Cultures of Asia and a certificate in Asian-American Studies. During his time at UW-Madison Peng Xue was involved in various organizations, one that particular stands out is the Midwest Asian American Students Union (MAASU). He was a part of the 2015 MAASU Spring Planning Committee where alongside his peers, he helped coordinate a conference focused on Asian-American issues and topics in our community, which brought over 1000+ students from across the nation to the UW-Madison campus. In addition, Peng Xue was the Co- Communications Chair of the 2015-2015 Executive Coordinating Committee (ECC) for MAASU. The ECC is responsible for maintaining communication across its member schools, providing educational and political resources for those who seek it, and creating a sense of community among Asian-American students across the Midwest. He is excited to learn from AAPI professionals in Washington D.C. this summer and establish lifelong relationships with his intern cohort and colleagues.

Interesting facts about Peng Xue, he is an avid NBA fan and loves his hometown team the Milwaukee Bucks. He is a professional UNO player and last year was the manager of a football team which took first place in his league.

SAMANTHA NG

Samantha is rising sophomore at Binghamton University, with majors in Human Development and Asian and Asian-American Studies. Raised in New York City by two Chinese immigrant parents, Samantha’s activeness and involvement in the Asian-American community spurred early on in her childhood, accepting volunteer opportunities with Chinatown-based YMCA’s, as well as volunteering with local non-profit organizations serving the Chinese community of the five boroughs. She has been a youth advocate with the Coalition for Asian-American Children and Families in high school and found her calling for civil rights and youth activism while also taking courses at Hunter College regarding Asian Americans in the United States. Her decision to pursue a career in non-profit organization and public policy stems from her desire to be a catalyst for change and equality in the Asian and Asian-American community in the United States.At Binghamton University, she is the Events Coordinator for the Asian Student Union and an active member in the university-wide Student Congress. In her free time, Samantha enjoys watching Wes Anderson films, reading, and exploring her school’s Nature Preserve.

TEOFANNY SARAGI

Teofanny Saragi is a rising junior at Pomona College in Claremont, CA double majoring in Public Policy Analysis/Sociology and Asian American Studies. She is passionate about social justice and increasing educational access and equity for underrepresented minorities, particularly Southeast Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. On campus, Teofanny is a Student Coordinator at the Draper Center for Community Partnerships, an intern at the Asian American Resource Center, and the President of the Quest Scholars, the community of low-income, first-generation students on campus. Her other interests include: filmmaking and graphic design, fluffy dogs, and music.

THANH-TRUC VO

Truc is a rising fourth year at the University of Virginia studying psychology. She was recently accepted into the Accelerated Master’s Program at UVA’s Frank Batten School of Public Policy and Leadership. Being from Northern Virginia, where there is a diverse Asian American population, she was very fortunate to have many different opportunities to expose herself to Asian American culture.  She has been active in the Asian American community starting from a young age. Her parents founded a Vietnamese American Girl Scout troop while her mom was pregnant with her and she would attend meetings until she became old enough to partake as an actual scout. She remains active in her troop as a Leader-in-Training (LIT) now even while away at school. She also has been attending a Japanese temple since the fourth grade and became a Youth Minister’s Assistant her sophomore year of high school to help the temple out as needed. She has learned much about Japanese culture from immersing herself in the programs her temple offers and taking Japanese for six years.   

Truc continues to stay in touch with her Vietnamese roots as an active member and former officer for the Vietnamese Student Association.  She joined the Organization of Filipino Americans as well because she is very interested in learning about other AAPI cultures and the struggles they face in comparison to those Vietnamese Americans suffer. Her experiences with different cultural organizations has made her realize that there is still a lot of progress that can be made in the AAPI community. She hopes that through her internship with OCA, she will be able to become a more effective advocate for the AAPI community and learn more about the issues AAPIs face. 

In her free time, Truc enjoys spending time with friends and family, bouldering and playing football, singing and dancing, shopping, traveling and eating yummy food. 

VAIMALU VAIAU

Vaimalu Rosita Vaiau and is a sophomore at American Samoa Community College majoring in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Political Science. She is President of Student Government Association and Vice President of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She is very passionate about issues that affect the Asian American Pacific Islander community and a strong advocate for access to affordable healthcare, education, and social equity. She believes that Asian Pacific Americans are one of the most marginalized and misrepresented groups of people not only in the United States, but also on a global scale. Upon graduation at ASCC, she hopes to attend a four-year university in the mainland, majoring in English, and then gradually onto law school. She hopes to obtain the necessary information and strategies to give back to my little American Samoa community, to the very same community that helped raised me. She has always been in love with D.C. as she was one of the last batches of Congressional Pages before the program was discontinued. As President of Student Government, her focus is on providing educational opportunities, student centeredness, and respect for diversity and multiculturalism. She enjoys reading, writing, pizza, and binge watching shows on Netflix. She owes who she is to her parents, Kitara and Etevise Vaiau. When she dropped out of college the first time, she wanted to hide away out of embarrassment, but her parents stood behind her and encouraged her to strive forward, to never give up.

VICTORIA CHEN

Victoria is a rising senior at Washington University in ST. Louis with a concentration in Marketing and Design. She was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, but now lives in Mississippi. As a student at WashU, she is heavily involved in the Asian American community on campus. Since joining the Taiwanese Student Organization (TSO) her freshman year, she has gained a greater appreciation for her parent's roots and become an advocate for Taiwanese culture on campus (and can often be seen proudly donning a Taiwanese flag as a cape at events). Under her presidency, TSO held its first-ever philanthropy event, raising funds for victims of the recent earthquake in Tainan, Taiwan, and collaborated with other cultural clubs to facilitate discussions about important socio-political topics affecting Taiwan, Mainland China, and Hong Kong.

As a Summer Intern at OCA, she hopes to make an impact and learn more about the issues faced by the national Asian American community. Whether it be at a corporate or family level, she's also interested in helping the Asian American LGBTQ community. During her free time, Victoria enjoys embarking on Yelp food adventures, working out, and designing cool stuff.

 2015 SPRING INTERNS

SHEENA KAUR 

Sheena is a graduating senior at the University of California Santa Cruz, where she has majored in Environmental Studies. While in college, she has been actively involved with Sikh Student Association and other multicultural and environmental organizations. Her close ties to her cultural community and personal deep rooted interest with the social science aspect of environmental justice has helped her developed a future career path in policy surrounding multicultural issues affecting local communities. She is currently participating in the UCDC program and aspires to continue working with other social and advocacy groups, like OCA, to help improve the lives and protects the rights of young Asian Pacific Americans like herself. She hopes her involvement with OCA will reach out to other Southeast Asians and inspire a wide array of other Asian Pacific Americans to become actively involved and aware of similar cultural, political, economic and ecological issues facing all communities.  Her experiences have shaped her personal and professional goals and she would like to attend law school in the near future. 

Local to the Bay Area, Sheena enjoys the warm weather and outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking and paddle boarding. She has also ran multiple half marathons, and continues training in hopes to one day complete her first full Nike Women’s Full Marathon. 

Sheena is a Development and Membership Intern at the OCA National Center. 

YESENIA BECERRA 

Yesenia is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles pursuing a degree in Sociology and minoring in both Global Studies and Public Affairs. Yesenia was born in Los Angeles, California and is the first in her family to attend a four year university. Her motivation to attain a higher education stems from her passion towards social justice and her willingness to alleviate social, political, and economic disparities that she has experienced first-hand. Coming from a neighborhood that is predominately Latino/a, Yesenia has felt the ways in which minority groups have failed to stand in solidarity towards similar injustices. As an intern at OCA, Yesenia seeks to expand her horizons in learning more about the Asian Pacific American community in hopes that it will serve as a stepping stone to bring awareness to her community back home and groups on campus. She strongly believes in the power of diversity and is excited to immerse herself in a different culture from her own that will give her the tools necessary to pursue her passion towards human rights advocacy and educational youth development throughout her time in Washington DC. 

During her free time, Yesenia really enjoys traveling, and spending quality time with her family and friends. 

Yesenia is a Program Intern at the OCA National Center.   

NAM NGUYEN  

Nam grew up in D.C. and went away for school in Easton, PA.  He majored in International Affairs and minored in Asian Studies. His focus within International studies was on the changing identities, cultures, and institutions in the 21st century. He spent a semester abroad in Yunnan, China where he immersed into Chinese language and cultural studies. Nam was involved with his school’s Asian Cultural Association and Intercultural Development. He is passionate about the Asian Pacific American community, food, and cars. Nam is most passionate about Dat Nguyen, chicken fried rice with mambo sauce, and Hondas.  

Nam is a Policy Intern at the OCA National Center  

TIMMY WONG  

Timmy studied Business Management Economics with an emphasis in accounting at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She was first interested in the field of accounting because she knew it is the foundation to getting to know about the language of businesses, but at the same time understood that there is more to a business and had an interest in the other areas that are important to a business including marketing and business development. Before arriving at Washington, DC, she has gained knowledge and experience related to marketing and event preparation of workshops and networking events for chamber members of the community during a quarter when she interned at the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce.  

Growing up in San Francisco, there has been an increase of diversity over time in the community, which she became educated in and interacted with. However, as she has become more aware of how most leadership roles are not fulfilled by the API community, she has been interested in why that is and how can there be changes. As a daughter of two Chinese immigrants, she seeks to learn more about the issues that affect not just her community but as much as possible of the overall API community as a beginning to understand where the community is at and where it can go to. She likes to incorporate some mix of what she enjoys every day, including cooking, listening to music, yoga and exercising generally, and recently watching more of Netflix. She hopes to one day travel more and live abroad in the future. 

 Timmy is an intern at National ACE. 

2013 SUMMER INTERNS

2011 SUMMER INTERNS

Jane Ahn (University of Illinois at Chicago); Betty Jin Jin Cao (DePauw University); Linh Chuong (Hendrix College); Jonathan Ho (UC Santa Barbara); Jennifer Kanjana (UC Riverside); Lena Khader (Oklahoma City University); Janice Kim (George Washington University); Nicholas Kor (St. Thomas University); Kendall Kosai (University of Washington); Ryan Kwan (Boston University); Amaris Leiataua (UC Berkeley); Cherry Lin (Tufts University); Johnson Lin (SUNY Geneseo); Maria Manalac (Loyola University Maryland); Monique Matautia (Cal State Long Beach); Bao Kou Moua (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire); Bao Nhia Moua (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Vi Nguyen (Yale University); Neha Raheja (University of Texas, Austin); Sereen Thahir (University of Virginia); Leona Thao (Oklahoma State University); Casey Tran (UC Berkeley); Xiong Vang (Stanford University)

2009 SUMMER INTERNS

2007 SUMMER INTERNS

2005 SUMMER INTERNS

Rey Andrew “Drew” Austria (University of Virginia); Anna Cheng (University of California, Davis); Cindy Cheung (University fo Central Florida); Diana Chiang (Brandeis University); Elizabeth Chu (University of Virginia); Jacqueline Dan (Rice University); Darlene Gou (Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, University of North Texas); Pei-Chih "Peggy" Ho (Duke University); Evonne Lai (UC Berkeley); Annie Lam (UC-Davis); Su Luo (University of Miami); Ricky Quoc Ly (University of Cental Florida); Charles Ngo (Univ. of Michigan); Demeter H. Trieu (Mount Holyoke College); Matthew Tsou (UCBerkeley); Yu-ting Tina Wei (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); Nina Wong (University of Pennsylvania); Jian Zapata (George Mason University)

2003 SUMMER INTERNS

Alexander Chang (Temple University); I Fen (Tiffany) Chiang (University of Utah); Mai Dang (George Washington University); Bhavna Devani (Cornell University); Shana Fu (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor); Jane Kim (Brandeis University); Jennifer Kim (Brandeis University); Angela Makabali (Harvard University); Dana Nakano (University of Pennsylvania); Anthony Nguyen (Rice University); Mona Hasmukh Patel (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor); Claire Concepcion Rizalado (University of Texas - Pan Am); Margot Seeto (Wellesley College); Chuan Teng (University of Michigan); Marivic Tolentino (San Diego University); Andrew Tong (Tufts University); Bryant Tow (Cornell University); Natalie Truong (Wellesley College); Susan Woo (University of Arizona); Anthony Yuliang Wu (University of Washington in Seattle)

2001 SUMMER INTERNS

Felicia Chao (Tufts); Kenny C. Chao (U of Missouri-Columbia); Stephen Ken-Wei Chao (Rice University); LeeAnn Chen (University of Pennsylvania); Guan-Jen (Tammy) Chu (U of Michigan); Yu-cheng Jack Fan (Indiana University); Bonnie Kwon (Brown University); Ijun Lai (U of Michigan); Jason Lee (Temple University); Samson Lee (SUNY at Buffalo); Bethany Li (Ameherst College); Owen Li (Stanford University); Elaine Liu (University of Michigan); Lisa Wong Macabasco (UC Berkeley); Matthew Noeper (Pomona College); Daniel Suh (U of Michigan); Victoria Tung (University of Pennsylvania); Yimei Wu (U of Maryland, College Park); Michelle Mei Hsuan Yang (U of Arizona); Clifford Yee (University of California, Santa Cruz); Rudy Yen (University of Miami); Michelle Yeun (University of Pennsylvania); Susan Yoon (Pomona College); Mia Youhne (UNLV)

1999 SUMMER INTERNS

Jeannie Chan (Georgetown University); Judy Chao (University of Pennsylvania); Noelle Dong (Cornell University); Han Sui Fan (University of California, Berkeley); Ramey Ko (Yale University); Giles Li (University of Massachusetts Amherst); Chieh-Fang Christy Lin (University of California, Los Angeles); Celine Lin (Macalester College); Cynthia Liu (University of California, Irvine); Alexander Saingchin (University at Albany); Carolyn Wu (Pomona College); Kendee Yamaguchi (American University); Yo Ann Yang (University of Michigan); Seng Dao Yang (Harvard University); Lela Yu (University of Utah)

1997 INTERNS

Michelle Amano (Goucher College); Grace Chen (Duke University); Katherine Cheng (Yale University); Emily Fan (Bryn Mawr College); Jane Kim (University of Michigan); Linda Lee (Cornell University); Jennifer Lin (North Carolina State University); Willy Lin (Yale University); Suzanne Miu (Pomona College), Yen Ling Shek (University of Virginia); Jean Shia (Cornell University); Michelle Sugihara (Claremont McKenna College); Michael Tran (Yale University); Christopher Tsou (University of Michigan); Ho-Shyuan Wu (Cornell University); Kathy Young (UCLA)

1995 INTERNS

Yi-Ru Chen (Smith College); Michelle Cheng (Stanford University & UCLA); Jane Lee (Ohio State University); Janxin Leu (Stanford University); Jason Liu (Stanford University); Hoyin Lui; Jope Ortega (Ohio State University); Ada Quach (Smith College); Bonnie Shen (University of Michigan); Levin Sy (University of California, Los Angeles); Hoyin Tjio (St. Paul’s School)

1993 INTERNS

George Cheung (Brown University); Su-Ping Lu (Stanford University)

1991 INTERNS

Lily Tsai (Stanford University)

1989 INTERNS

Kathay Feng (Cornell University & UCLA)