The Asian American Coalition of New Jersey (AACNJ) held its North Jersey Convening on July 29 at Montclair State University, bringing together AAPI community members and nonprofit leaders for a day of civic empowerment, community safety, and discussions on the importance of storytelling.
Sessions explored the Asian diaspora’s connection to birthright citizenship, the importance of sharing personal histories, and practical advice for handling encounters with immigration officials. Throughout the day, breakout groups encouraged reflection on civil rights, the 14th Amendment, and personal ties to advocacy.
“It was always incredibly important for us to come together, but especially right now, so that we can learn from each other, lean on each other, and find ways to keep building power and forging ahead for our communities,” said Amber Reed, president and co-executive director of AAPI New Jersey.
Among the attendees were educators and students seeking ways to blend social justice and cultural heritage, including Minami Gonzalez, faculty advisor to the Korean Student Association at Bergen County Community College.
“I want to marry the two together in a space where it’s fun to learn about pop culture or traditional culture of Korea, or just Asia, with advocacy and learning about the current issues that Asian Americans face here in this country,” Gonzalez said.
For incoming college freshman Harvin Dam, who runs a solo project called the Vietnam Legacy Project, the day provided a feeling of solidarity.
“As someone who grew up in South Carolina, there wasn’t that sense of Asian community. So moving to New Jersey and having opportunities like this convening…really interested me,” Dam said.
Montclair Deputy Mayor Susan Shin Andersen welcomed attendees to the convening, highlighting what representation and collective action means to her as Montclair’s first Asian American council member. She described feeling “energized” by seeing AAPI faces at public meetings, whether it’s for the planning board or council meetings.
“It lets me know that I’m not alone as an elected [official] and that all of this builds collective power and provides an opportunity to organize and build relationships among the AAPI community and with others,” she said.
The convening spotlighted AAPI New Jersey’s Teach Asian American Stories (TAAS) initiative, which offers support to Garden State school districts by providing educators with resources and professional development. Among its tools is “Roots & Routes,” a fully illustrated map showcasing Asian diasporic history across New Jersey, which is accompanied by free lesson plans, curriculum guides, and more.
“Once [the AAPI curriculum] mandate passed, we realized that teachers need more than just a law that gets dusty on the shelf. They need books, they need training. They need resources,” said Roslyne Shiao, co-executive director of AAPI New Jersey.
Shiao described how Wong Kim Ark, denied reentry due to the Chinese Exclusion Act, won birthright citizenship through community advocacy and a Supreme Court ruling in 1898. Today, those rights face new threats from proposals to curtail birthright citizenship and restrict due process. The lesson from his case is clear: organized, informed communities are critical to defending constitutional protections for everyone.
That urgency set the stage for an interactive Know Your Rights training led by Shaira Cruz, advocacy and civic engagement associate for AAPI New Jersey. These sessions have become critical to teaching immigrant communities and allies how to interact with ICE officers. Cruz broke down what immigration officials are legally allowed to do during stops and home visits, and urged attendees to prioritize their wellbeing after witnessing an ICE raid.
Participants reflected on their own preparedness and feelings in the face of immigration enforcement, sharing personal stories about ICE encounters affecting loved ones and neighbors. Despite the anxiety sparked by recent federal deportation plans, attendees said they felt empowered and ready to support their communities.
The second half of the day featured a panel on the importance of storytelling, featuring AAPI New Jersey Communications Director Iris Shih, Asian American Writers’ Workshop Executive Director Jafreen Uddin, and Vietnamese Boat People Founder Tracey Nguyễn Mang.
The panelists discussed how community-driven narratives foster connection and healing across generations. Uddin emphasized the need for “narrative plentitude,” or the idea that stories from the Asian American and Asian diaspora experience are as varied as the people telling them, and we need to make space for more.
“One person’s experience in a community that is so diverse and so vast can’t possibly be reflective of the whole community,” Uddin explained.
Nguyễn Mang echoed those sentiments, noting that the act of documenting personal and family histories is itself transformative. Her nonprofit’s projects, from podcasts to written journeys, encourage participants to start anywhere in their storytelling journey, highlighting intergenerational healing and connection.
“We think the act of learning more about yourself and your loved ones and documenting should be for you,” Nguyễn Mang said. “Whether or not you share it in an open forum or on our website or publicly, that is all up to you, but the act of it is important.”
Participants ended the day by reflecting on their families’ stories of migration and resiliency, underscoring the power of sharing stories to inspire connections and build community.
This was the second of AACNJ’s regional convenings focused on understanding what impacts AAPIs across the state and how we can use our collective voice to address them.
Those interested are invited to join the Asian American Coalition of NJ (AACNJ) as an individual or member.
