Search
MENU
From Crisis to Coalition: Lessons from the Front Lines
June 27-28, 2026
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Hosted by AAUC, the AANHPI Unity Summit offers a rare opportunity for journalists to cover Minnesotans who have been on the front lines organizing, resisting, and protecting AAPI communities during Operation Metro Storm.
The Summit is AAUC’s annual conference. This year, we’ve made arrangements with AAJA to invite journalists. We will connect you with our speakers, co-hosts, sponsors, and attendees. It’s an efficient way to cover what’s been happening in Minnesota and to develop new sources.
On Saturday, June 27, we will board buses and 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, journalists, and anyone committed to defending civil rights and strengthening immigrant communities.
University of Minnesota
McNamara Alumni Center
200 SE Oak Street, Minneapolis
View map
Ted Fong
Executive Director
Asian American Unity Coalition
Email: ted@aauc.us
Tel: 916-897-6068
Honorable Kaohly Her, Mayor of St. Paul, MN
ThaoMee Xiong, Executive Director, CAAL-MN
Anjuli Cameron, CEO, SEWA-AIFW
Pam Costain, Racial Justice Activist, Indivisible
Nimco Ahmed, Co-founder, Somali American Coalition
Dr. SK Lo, Board Chair, AAUC
Kevin Huynh, Organizing Manager, MN8
Sergio Amezcua, Pastor, DHH Church
May yer Thao, President & CEO, Hmong American Partnership
Va-Meng Thoj, Executive Director, Asian Economic Development Association
9:00 AM — Opening Gathering
10:00 AM — Community Visits
10:00 AM: HmongTown Marketplace
A town hall meeting with the Southeast Asian community
1:00 PM: Karmel Mall
A town hall meeting with the Somali community
3:00 PM: DHH Church
A town hall meeting with the Latino community
4:30 PM — Debriefing Session
6:00 PM — Optional Dinner Reception ($25)
9:00 AM — McNamara Alumni Center, University of Minnesota
Session 1 — Community Visits Debriefing
Session 2 — Conversation with Kaohly Her, Mayor of St. Paul
Session 3 — From Crisis to Coalition, Lessons from the Front Lines
Lunch & Networking
Optional affinity tables (youth, elders, legal advocates, educators, faith leaders)
Session 4 — The Minnesota Model: A Blueprint for Cross-Sector Coalition Building
Session 5 — Coalition Response Lab
Closing & Call to Action
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
