Hanae Furugaki (she/her) is a sophomore Economics major at Reed College. Born in New Jersey but raised Las Vegas, Nevada, Hanae is a first-generation Japanese American with both parents being immigrants from Japan. She navigated the intersection of two cultures throughout her life. Growing up in a bilingual household has not only allowed her to speak two languages but has also fostered her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Hanae is driven to support underrepresented communities through mentorship and networking. Moving from Las Vegas to Portland was a significant cultural shift for her, particularly in terms of diversity and the elitist nature of academia. This transition has strengthened her resolve to connect with other AAPI individuals and organizations, fostering inclusivity and contributing to a more accepting campus environment and career spaces.

Isabelle Commichau (she/her) is a freshman at Reed College. She was born and raised in Vermont and just recently moved to Portland for school. She is a mix of German, Chinese, and Filipino. Isabelle was a part of as many clubs and events surrounding BIPOC communities throughout high school and believe. She is excited to have the opportunity to connect with more students of color through this program, and look forward to making a difference through this project!

Keʻala Ching (they/them) is Native Hawaiian and Chinese, born and raised in Maui, Hawaiʻi. They are currently a senior at Portland State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a double concentration in Accounting and Finance. In addition to being a full time student, Keʻala works at Patagonia and the Student Services office in the Engineering Building at PSU. Since their freshman year, Keʻala has been involved in the Multicultural Retention Program, EMPOWER, and served as a peer mentor last year.

This year, they co-lead the new Pacific Islander Program, INSPIRE. Keʻala enjoys film photography, being outdoors, thrifting, and spending time with family and friends. In the future, Keʻala aims to give back to their Hawaiʻi community by applying the knowledge gained through their education and experiences. Keʻala is motivated by their ʻohana (family) to try their best so they can provide for them and take care of their loved ones.

Mahalia Huynh (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Portland State University, majoring in Human Resources. She is a first-generation Vietnamese-American born and raised in Portland, OR. 

Mahalia is in 3 student clubs at PSU, hoping to strengthen the student community on campus by hosting events that celebrate diversity and further students’ careers. Aside from clubs on campus, she is peer mentoring 2 amazing mentees for the PSU student retention program, EMPOWER. She hopes her academic and professional career will focus on inclusivity and establishing more self-confidence in leadership roles.

Yuki Nagura (she/her) is a first-year Physics major at Reed College. She was born and raised in Japan, but she had lived in China for three years and Italy for the last two years of high school. She graduated from UWC Adriatic with an IB Diploma, and is passionate about learning the world’s arts. In the future, she would like to contribute to traditional Japanese artworks through civil engineering. As a hobby, she enjoys playing sports, especially basketball. Basketball requires numerous repetitions of basic training that remind her of the importance of continuous effort and humility.

Lisa is originally from Chicago, Illinois and moved to Portland in January of 2024 after a ten year stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently, she is a manager at Portland Community College overseeing a grant-funded project focused on connecting traditionally marginalized communities with opportunities to pursue living wage careers in healthcare, manufacturing, and technology.

Lisa has been working on social justice issues for over a decade, focusing on both international and domestic issues which have included youth workforce development, gender-based violence, and economic and political reform. She graduated from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs with a Masters in Public Administration and received her B.A. in Spanish and International Relations from Washington University in St. Louis. In her free time, she likes to go on food adventures and be out in nature, whether that’s hiking or camping or going on a group bike ride. 

Julie Louangchoumphonh is a second-year student at Oregon State, where she is pursuing a degree in Human Development and Family Science with a specialization in Human Services. Her dedication and tenacity are focused on fighting for equality, establishing an environment free from discrimination and racial stereotypes. As a member of the Honors College Inclusive Excellence Plan and a volunteer at the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center, Julie aspires to leverage her newfound knowledge to encourage everyone to recognize their capabilities beyond societal assumptions. Drawing from her personal experiences, Julie finds inspiration in her nephews and the individuals who have aided her throughout her challenging journey to self-improvement. Julie is determined to demonstrate that she is the architect of her own destiny as she feels proud of her present accomplishments and future aspirations.

Dr. Christie Dudley is a bi-racial adoptee who was born in South Korea and adopted at 3 months old. She’s the oldest of 7 and the only one to graduate from high school who eventually obtained a doctorate in educational leadership from George Fox University in 2017. For the last 23 years, she has and continues to serve in leadership roles in PK-20 public education in Washington and Oregon with a passion in creating equitable learning experiences for BIPOC students and educators.

Additionally, she is the CEO & owner of CM Intellilead which is an organization Cultivating Inclusive Excellence through Strategic Partnerships across learning entities. She envisions a more just and peaceful world through a collective action of IDENTITY strong people. She believes mentoring does just that as it creates unifying spaces where diverse identities feel belonged as they are seen, heard and cared for the valuable assets they are.

Anita Tang (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a first-generation Cambodian American, born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. She is currently studying Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University. Her core values are focused on growth, education, and empowerment of herself and others. She has been heavily involved in the coordination of the pilot program “Southeast Asian Leadership & Unity Retreat,” which aims to empower middle and high school students to be better leaders for themselves and their communities. She currently works full time as a Plastics Component Operator at Nike AIR Manufacturing Innovations in Beaverton. In her free time, she enjoys peer mentoring, kickboxing, and watching anime. Anita hopes to further her career in community development and support youth empowerment. She aims to be conscious of her privileges and is aware that she has a lot of opportunities to be better for herself and others. 

Daisyli is a student at Portland State University majoring in Marketing and Business Management. Outside of school, she loves volunteering, exploring the city, and finding places to eat. Her hobbies include online shopping, buying shoes, and eating out. Daisyli’s personal goal is to work on her physical fitness. Her professional goal is to start her own entertainment business and provide jobs for her friends and peers.  Daisyli grew up on the island of Pohnpei. Her grandparents raised her with four of her other older siblings. Daisyli moved to the States six years ago without knowing how to speak English. One thing her grandpa taught her is that life is a one-time opportunity–to wake up every day and add value to your life and those around you. Her grandma taught her to be kind and humble.

Min Uk Jeong was born in Busan, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States in 2005 when he was five years old. His experience as a person of color in a predominantly Caucasian population was a culture shock. His first experience of racism was when he was in kindergarten and a classmate stretched their eyes like his. That experience motivated him to learn English to adapt to American culture. COVID-19 has affected my higher education and my race as well. I want to represent my ethnicity and Asian race as a leader in the United States of America and end Asian hate. 

Ashlan Glazier-Anderson identifies as Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and Japanese. She is passionate about creating leadership opportunities for students, especially those who identify as Asian and/or Pacific Islander. She is a seasoned marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in the field.

In January 2021, Ashlan launched her own business, AshbeanPDX Marketing, working with nonprofits and small business owners to define and execute their marketing strategy. Ashlan holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Communications from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing from Portland State University (PSU). She completed a Certificate in Nonprofit Program Evaluation with the PSU Nonprofit Institute. During her time at Portland State University, she served on the board of Kaibigian Filipino American Student Association and volunteered with the Pacific Islanders Club. She has been a mentor in the past through the Portland State University School of Business and AMA PDX Mentorship Program. She is an active volunteer in her community and serves as the Board Chair of Betties360, President of AMA PDX – the American Marketing Association in Portland, and board member at large with the Willamette Valley Development Officers (WVDO).

Through these organizations, she continues to increase her knowledge, strengthen her leadership skills, and expand her network to better serve her clients. In March 2020, she was recognized for her service to the community as a Portland Trail Blazers Hometown Hero by Director’s Mortgage. Ashlan lives in North Portland with her husband Jon.

Cian Gentner (pronouns: he/him/his) is a 20-year-old college sophomore currently attending Clark College with hopes of transferring to the University of Washington in the fall. He majors in chemistry with the intention of attending medical school to become an anesthesiologist in the future. He enjoys activities such as watching movies and TV shows, walking his dog, and hanging out with friends. By joining the API Forward Leadership Program, Cian is hoping to be able to effectively and passionately promote diversity within our community in order to create a more safe and secure atmosphere for all people. He has a lot of volunteering experience through his high school’s clubs such as the Red Cross Club and the National Honor Society. He intends to utilize the experiences and lessons that he learned with these volunteering opportunities in order to more effectively contribute to this program.

Jordan Huynh (pronouns: she/her/hers) is 20 years old and currently a sophomore at Portland State University. She majors in Business Administration, focusing on Management and Leadership, along with Human Resources as a backup. Jordan is hoping that after she earns her degree in a couple more years, she will be able to not only work alongside other professionals, but also help guide and become a leader in her expertise. Jordan hopes to get more experience working with others and learning how to adapt to new situations that come across our daily lives. She also hopes to be able to serve Portland as it has become a home for not only her but for many others that live here.

Raleigh De Leon (pronouns: he/him/his) is a first-generation college student currently enrolled at Mt. Hood Community College’s Nursing program and will soon obtain their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). As he continues to navigate through higher education, it becomes more apparent that institutional systems such as the healthcare field demands an integrated critical analysis via personal lived experiences. This understanding aids in shaping their end goal of achieving their Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in education to support and guide youth on the importance of social justice as a fundamental value in how they provide care to all patients.

Roselie Agulto (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a senior majoring in public health and a first-generation college student at Portland State University. She was raised on the island of Saipan where her pride and joy in her Filipino and Chamorro cultures stem. Health disparities are no stranger to Roselie as she grew up witnessing the lack of resources, unstable healthcare infrastructure, and unhealthy behaviors that have been plaguing the health of her community. She is passionate about research and collaboration as it would help prepare her to become a public health leader in Micronesia. Part of her journey includes the work she does as an intern at the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network where she supports the outreach, screening, and referral of community resources among patients for health-related social needs. As an API scholar, Roselie looks forward to connecting with other API community members and learning more about leadership, diversity, and advocacy. 

Taylor Nguyen (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a junior at Portland State University. She is a first-generation Vietnamese-American and a first-generation college student. Taylor is majoring in Supply Chain Management along with an International Business and Real Estate certificate. After college, she would like to work in California or abroad as a buyer or Supply Chain analyst. She is the Treasurer for PSU Kaibigan- Filipino American Student Association for two years and is a part of the Vietnamese Student Association(VSA) ACE program. She enjoys traveling, hiking, swimming, baking, and doing outdoor activities. Growing up in a small town in California, where there was no API community, she never felt represented. When she moved to Portland in 2015, she started being involved in many API clubs in high school to connect and represent her culture. Since then, she has continuously been involved in the API community to help others connect to their culture.

Wylie Wan, Ph.D. (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a Hong Kong Chinese American and a first-generation college graduate with a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology. With over a decade of research experience in higher education, Wylie currently works as a Research and Data Specialist in K-12 education and provides professional development to educators.

In her work, she shows teams and leaders how to use research and data in the decision-making process to create equitable conditions for students to succeed. Wylie has also been mentoring students for over a decade. Her focus is to help students express their identities and apply their knowledge and experiences to a variety of spaces. She strongly believes that by setting up the right conditions, people can make sound decisions that lead to improvement in their work and lives.