AAPI Power: Democracy in Action Policy Summit

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are facing unprecedented threats to civil rights and rapidly shifting policy landscapes at the local, state, and federal levels. The AAPI Power: Democracy in Action Policy Summit aims to strengthen democratic participation, build cross-sector alignment, and equip AAPI leaders with the tools, relationships, and strategies needed to meet this moment with clarity and power.

This one-day convening will focus on:

1. Immigration enforcement, bringing together legal experts, organizers, and advocates to unpack current threats, federal funding battles, and community defense strategies
2. Long-term capacity building, helping participants frame issues, counter disinformation, and communicate effectively in high-stakes environments

Program:

9:00 AM – Breakfast

10:00 AM – Opening Remarks

• LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman
• Robin Toma, Executive Director, LA County Human Relations Commission
• Manjusha P. Kulkarni, Executive Director, AAPI Equity Alliance
• Rachelle Arizmendi, Board President, AAPI Equity Alliance

10:30 AM – Panel: The 2026 Elections & AAPIs — What's at Stake, What the Data Shows, and What We Do Next

• Chandra Bhatnagar, Executive Director, ACLU SoCal
• Jung Hee Choi, Sr. Narrative Strategy Advisor, We Are CA
• Sara Sadhwani, Assistant Professor, Pomona College
• Andy Wong, Managing Director of Advocacy, Chinese for Affirmative Action
• Moderator: Hoang Nguyen, Deputy Executive Director, JanePAC

11:30 AM – Lunch

12:30 PM – Opening Keynote: Texas State Representative Gene Wu

1:30 PM – Breakout #1: Countering the Anti-Immigrant Agenda

• Dahni K. Tsuboi, CEO, Advancing Justice SoCal
• Kim Luu-Ng, Of Counsel, Reeves Immigration Law Group
• Annie Lee, Director of Policy, Chinese for Affirmative Action & Stop AAPI Hate
• Moderator: Kelvin Lum, Director of Federal Policy, Stop AAPI Hate

1:30 PM - Breakout #2: Fighting Back Against Authoritarianism

• Karla Zombro, Movement Training Director, CA Calls
• Timmy Lu, Executive Director, AAPI FORCE-EF
• Moderator: Alton Wang, Legal Counsel, AAPI Equity Alliance

3:00 PM – Closing Keynote: Arshad Hasan of Convey Communications

Info: The 2026 midterms arrive at a defining moment. With federal policies dismantling civil and immigration rights as well as the social safety net, AAPI communities have more at stake than ever — and more power than many realize. But our power is only as strong as our participation, and there is still work to do. The panelists will present the data on AAPI voting power, discuss the strategies of electoral organizing and communications, and connect it all to the constitutional stakes with the rollbacks of voting rights and civil liberties. This is not a panel about what might happen. It is about what we know, what we're up against, and exactly what we are going to do. Moderated by Hoang Nguyen.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher AAPI Equity Alliance