By Yen Marshall, President Elect of AAUC
As the incoming president of AAUC, I would like to thank my predecessor, Angela Anand, for leading us through 2025 and, in particular, for uniting the many cultures that make up our organization. Diversity is indeed what makes us strong.
The Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC) was founded to promote unity among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, fostering civic engagement, education, and advocacy. In 2025, AAUC moved decisively from intention to action, advancing its mission in meaningful and measurable ways.
This year concluded with our annual General Membership Meeting, where Board Chair Dr. SK Lo welcomed members and expressed heartfelt appreciation for the contributions and support received throughout the year. A major highlight was the momentous 2-day Unity Summit in Washington, D.C., co-hosted with 10 partner organizations. The Summit featured 11 sessions, 40 invited speakers and panelists, and 110 participants, including executive directors, presidents, and senior leaders from nationally influential organizations. Keynote addresses from Representative Gene Wu and civil-rights advocate Helen Zia provided invaluable insights, especially for our high school and college leaders, on organizing advocacy, and protecting civil liberties.
AAUC also redesigned and enhanced the AANHPI Community Hub, equipping our communities with knowledge and tools to inspire collaboration and advocacy. The Hub now connects organizations, shares resources, and turns data into action—helping visitors discover local groups, understand political representation, and track hate crime/incident trends.
To further strengthen governance and expand leadership opportunities, the Board proposed—and the membership approved—the creation of two new Board positions: Vice Chair and Executive Director. The organization also authorized the formation of local chapters and youth leadership chapters, paving the way for broader engagement and representation.
For 2026, AAUC will prioritize key strategies:
- Increasing organizational capacity by onboarding a half-time Executive Director and launching local and youth chapters.
- Strengthening program reach through regional events, an improved News Portal, and the reactivation of our podcast.
- Building an advocacy agenda that urges legislators to support inclusive, humane immigration reform, oppose discriminatory legislation and executive overreach, protect civil liberties and property rights, and ensure refugee protections for vulnerable populations.
- Deepening collaboration with partner organizations and representing AAUC at regional and national events to amplify our collective voice.
As the incoming President of the Board, I am honored to lead AAUC into this next chapter. I look forward to working with our members, partners, and young leaders to grow our capacity, broaden our reach, and strengthen AANHPI representation and rights across the country. Together, we will build on the momentum of 2025 to create an even more inclusive, resilient, and engaged community in 2026. I invite all members to join us in this important work.
