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With the recent ICE incursion, Minneapolis/St. Paul has become a national focal point in the fight to defend civil rights and immigrant communities. The 2026 Unity Summit offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from Minnesotans who have been on the front lines organizing, resisting, and protecting their neighbors during this critical moment.
Participants will gain practical knowledge and tools to defend their communities and build powerful coalitions capable of driving political, social, and economic change as we approach the midterm elections.
On Saturday, June 27, we will visit Southeast Asian, Somali, and Latino communities that are directly impacted by the ICE incursion. Community leaders and residents will share how they organized rapid-response networks, supported vulnerable families, and stood together during this challenging time.
On Sunday, June 28, we will convene at the University of Minnesota for a day of panels and presentations focused on coalition-building, civic engagement, and the power of narrative in shaping public policy and public opinion.
The AAUC Unity Summit is designed for community leaders, organizers, advocates, students, faith leaders, and anyone committed to defending civil rights and strengthening immigrant communities.
University of Minnesota
McNamara Alumni Center
200 SE Oak Street, Minneapolis
View map
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
This year’s Summit comes at a defining moment for our communities and our country. In the wake of the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti and amid escalating federal enforcement actions, civil liberties and immigrant communities are under extraordinary pressure.
At the same time, we are witnessing powerful civic mobilization and community resilience. Minneapolis stands at the center of that tension. Their citizens have shown what is possible when disparate groups unite.
There is so much we will learn in our two days together.
This Summit is designed to move us beyond analysis into action. You will leave with stronger relationships and a clearer roadmap for protecting your communities while expanding civic power.
I hope you will stand with us in Minneapolis/St. Paul this June. Your leadership matters, and your presence will strengthen the collective work ahead.
Ted Fong
Executive Director
Asian American Unity Coalition
Honorable Kaohly Her, Mayor of St. Paul, MN
Anjuli Cameron, CEO, SEWA-AIFW
Yeng Her, Organizing Director, Immigrant Defense Network
Carolina Ortiz, Associate Executive Director, COPAL MN
Nimco Ahmed, Co-founder, Somali American Coalition
May yer Thao, President & CEO, Hmong American Partnership
Sergio Amezcua, Pastor, DHH Church
Imam Yusuf Abdulle, Executive Director,
Islamic Association of North America
ThaoMee Xiong, Executive Director, CAAL-MN
Karen Olson Johnson, Executive Director, Twin Cities Nonviolent
Hodan Hassan, Somali American Coalition Action Fund, Former MN State Representative
Kevin Huynh, Organizing Manager, MN8
Executive Director, Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment
Chinda Gregor, Executive Director, Cambodian American Partnership of MN
Dawanna Witt, Sheriff, Hennepin County
Yen Marshall, President, AAUC
Dr. SK Lo, Board Chair, AAUC
Toua Xiong, Owner, HmongTown Marketplace
Kim Sin, Co-founder, Cambodian American Partnership of MN
Suleiman Adan, Deputy Executive Director, CAIR MN
Martino Nguyen, Program Director, Vietnamese Minnesotan Museum
Sunny Chanthanouvong, Executive Director, Lao Assistance Center of MN
Sayali Amurapurkar, Education & Research Director, SEWA-AIFW
8:30 AM — Check In
9:00 AM — Welcome
9:15 AM — Buses depart for community visits
10:00 AM — Town Hall Meeting with Southeast Asian Community at HmongTown Marketplace, 217 Como Ave, St Paul
11:30 AM — Lunch at HmongTown Marketplace
12:30 PM — Buses depart
1:00 PM — Town Hall Meeting with Somali Community at Karmel Mall, Grand Hall, 5th Floor, 2910 Pleasant Ave, Minneapolis
2:30 PM — Buses depart
3:00 PM — Town Hall Meeting with Latino Community at DHH Church, 5728 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis
5:00 PM — Buses depart
6:00 PM — Welcome Dinner at Peking Garden, 394 University Ave W, St Paul
8:00 PM—Adjourn
8:30 AM—Check-in, McNamara Alumni Center, University of Minnesota, 200 SE Oak St, Minneapolis
9:00 AM — Welcome
9:15 AM — Session 1, Conversation with Kaohly Her, Mayor of St. Paul, moderated by May yer Thao, Executive Director, Hmong American Partnership
10:15 AM — Session 2, Community Visits Debriefing
10:45 AM — Break
11:00 AM — Session 3, Panel Discussion, “From Crisis to Coalition, Lessons from the Front Lines”
11:50 AM — Meditation Exercise, Sanjana Chopra
12:00 PM — Lunch & Networking
1:10 PM — Session 4, The Minnesota Model: A Blueprint for Cross-Sector Coalition Building
1:50 PM — Session 5, Coalition Response Lab
3:00 PM — Break
3:10 PM — Session 6, Report Out
3:45 PM — Closing & Call to Action
