ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

The New York City Asian American Student Conference is an annual gathering dedicated to promoting awareness of APA issues and history among college students.

This year's conference will explore the theme of "Change in Motion." In previous years, we've examined and redefined our unique identity as Asian Americans, seeking to empower our community to challenge injustice through education and action. Since then, we have seen evidence of our thriving presence as Asian Americans – from high school students in Philadelphia taking a stance against intolerable circumstances and unresponsive institutions, to improvements in media representation in the characters of Russell in Disney-Pixar's Up and Kelly Kapoor in The Office. At the same time, we still confront longstanding issues of discrimination, racism and socioeconomic limitations in all aspects of our lives - from the political realm to the social, in access to proper health care and educational opportunities.

This year we will explore the non-linear relationships between our current, evolving presence, the historical narratives of previous generations and our future. We will examine the fluidity and the scopes of our identities, our causes and our movements – for it is our goal as student activists and members of the Asian American community to visualize all of these forces at work and to have the knowledge and perspective to distinguish them as independent entities. The deconstruction of these forces will empower us to move beyond the established hierarchies and limitations within ourselves, our communities, and the global context in which we live. The conference seeks to continue and explore the momentum created by past and present movements, in order to advance this change in motion.

Through our conference, we hope to bring all our voices - new and old, heard and unheard - into dialogue with each other, while acknowledging the differences and conflicts that are rooted in divergent experiences and shape vast and rich histories. Over the course of the day, we plan to showcase the stories of APA artists, activists, professionals, scholars, and more. We invite you to join us in our celebration and struggle, so that we may not forget our responsibilities to each other, but empower each other to redefine our identities.

NYCAASC's committee is comprised of students from New York University, Columbia University, Hunter College, Brooklyn College, Baruch College, School of Visual Arts, and Fordham University. As a committee, we strive to reflect the spirit of celebrating and unifying the Asian American voice in all its forms and representations, perpetuating the presence of a vibrant community.

The conference will be held at NYU Kimmel Center on April 17, 2010. More information here.

Registration page can be found here.

See what people have been saying about the previous conferences! Asia Pacific Forum and The Blog of Jerry Ma