On July 17–18, 2026, AAPI New Jersey hosted the first-ever Asian American Leadership Summit at Princeton University. We welcomed more than 200 students, teachers, advocates, elected officials, and community leaders to participate in workshops and panels on topics ranging from civil rights and representation to storytelling, education, and mental health. It was an opportunity for AAPIs to discuss our needs, share our stories, and build our collective power.
“New Jersey has the fourth largest population of Asian Americans in the United States, and yet we’ve never had an opportunity to come together and embrace our collective power,” said Danielle Iwata, Director of Organizing at AAPI New Jersey. “The Asian American Leadership Summit was born out of this need for a space where AAPIs can convene, learn, and connect on issues that impact our communities.”
The opening session featured an all-star panel of civil rights advocates and legal experts including Amol Sinha, Executive Director of ACLU-NJ; Sundeep Iyer, Executive Assistant Attorney General, NJ Office of the Attorney General; Bethany Li, Executive Director, AALDEF; and moderator Rahat Babar, Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). They discussed current challenges to our fundamental rights and suggested numerous ways for people to get involved in advocacy work.
The panelists described how passionate and influential today’s youth have been while advocating for their rights. “Young people are more aware of the injustices that are afflicting various communities than ever before…[They] are on the front lines already,” said Sinha. Li pointed to communications as a place where youth can be especially helpful in shaping the narrative around issues they care about. “I think making sure the right messages get out there is incredibly important.”
Babar described how many electeds are surprised to encounter Asian American activists, and showing up at events like Asian American Advocacy Day and visiting the state house to meet your representatives can be a significant act in itself. “Your presence alone makes a difference.”
Connecting with our past and diving into our own histories was a common theme across sessions. In “Histories of Asian American Social Movements,” people learned about key moments of AAPI activism like the Ghadar Party—a coalition of Indian expats who opposed British rule in India—and the Justice for Vincent Chin movement that united Asian Americans in a common fight for protection against hate crimes. The Teach Asian American Stories team led workshops on birthright citizenship and the “Dotbusters” in Jersey City, emphasizing Asian Americans’ long history of civil rights activism from which current movements can draw inspiration.
“I especially appreciated how many sessions connected what we learn from the past with the challenges and responsibilities we face today,” shared one attendee. “I left with new perspectives, new questions, and a lot to continue thinking about.”
Beyond the panels and history lessons, the Summit also created opportunities for leadership development. Participants explored tools like coalition power mapping and narrative frameworks to help them better understand their communities, strengthen their collective power, and lead with purpose.
Each day was capped off by a plenary speaker. Dr. Beth Lew-Williams, Professor of History and Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University, delved into the history of discriminatory laws targeting Asians in America, how those laws shaped our communities, and how people resisted and fought back.
On Saturday, we were joined by 31-time Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding for a fireside chat. In addition to sharing tidbits about growing up in Michigan and participating in math competitions as a teen, Ding described his reasons for getting into public service and working on affordable housing. “If you think somebody should do something about this, why not you? Why can’t you be that somebody? You can’t make everything somebody else’s problem because then it’ll never get done.”
While there was a wealth of learning that took place over the one and a half day event—including a screening of the Teach Asian American Stories graphic documentary “Routes and Routes: A Brief History of Asian Americans in the Garden State”—we also invited people to connect with one another over meals and caucuses, exercise their creativity through button, zine, and poster making, and be joyful with a lion dance performance and Filipino line dancing lesson.
“This was one of the few conferences I have attended where I really felt at home,” commented one attendee. “As an Asian American myself, I didn’t know much about what identity meant to me. Through the powerful talks, sessions, and other community members, I realized I have a lot to learn about identity and the pride that could come with it.”
“Our team is so grateful to everyone who attended, presented, and shared their stories,” said Iwata. “The more we uplift our experiences and needs, the more we can see ourselves reflected in the state. And the more we see that we belong, the more we can demand that our futures are funded, respected, and celebrated.”
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