building bridges through education
Nurturing the unique journeys of Asian American students
through education
The Asian American Education Project is dedicated to fostering the academic success and personal growth of Asian American students across the country. With a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and experiences, they aim to provide tailored resources that resonate with the unique journeys of their youth. By creating an inclusive environment, they empower students to pursue their dreams with confidence while embracing their heritage. Their initiatives include mentorship programs, workshops, and educational resources designed to cater to diverse learning needs.
“We are honored to partner with the Cyrus Tang Foundation on this crucial effort to educate over a million students over the next 7 years to learn and appreciate the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, especially their struggles and contributions to the United States.”
The Asian American Education Project Team
Trained 10,000+ educators
Since 2021,
The Asian American Education Project (AAEdu)
has provided over 10,000 educators with professional development training.
150+ lesson plans
AAEdu
has a collection of over 150 lesson plans covering the diversity of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
in the U.S.
American international schools and AAEdu
Museums and AAEdu
Twenty nonprofit organizations
meet the team
Stewart and Pat Kwoh
Co-founders and Co-Executive Directors
- Oversee the organization
- Oversee funding development
- Oversee human capital
- Oversee dissemination and uptake of AAEdu’s resources
- Serve as members of the board
Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan
Co-Executive Director
- Serves as the Director of Curriculum Development
- Oversees content development
- Oversees communication and social media
- Oversees fee-for-services projects
- Serves in the hiring process
- Serves as the secretary of the board
fighting to belong! comic book vol.1
[ interview with amy chu ]
The reasons Amy Chu wanted to create “Fighting to Belong”
Transcribed from the Asian American History 101 podcast
Selfishly I learned a lot.
And selfishly I felt that it was important for my son, the co-writer, Alexander Chang, also learn some of this.
So the emotional part was really working with my own son. He’s learning stuff that I think is very important
“I was born in Boston, Massachusetts. My parents were students there and so I didn’t really grow up there. I grew up in the Midwest, in Iowa. It would have made a huge difference. Iowa was a great place in many ways but there were certain moments, just as often in Boston, where I was asked, ‘Why do you speak English so well?’ ‘Well, because I was born here?’ Everyone gets that no matter where, it’s just super annoying.
Growing up in Iowa it was less so. I was also growing up in a time where they started seeing an influx of Vietnamese refugees and there was very little explanation to anybody about that. I ended up playing on the soccer team with some of them but they were kept very separate. There was no cohesive Asian American identity at the time, which is why when I went to college on the East Coast I worked hard into getting Asian American studies on campus. It was just a huge awakening, an identity awakening.
So yes, I wish I had known more of it, and certainly more than the one line that even existed in textbooks about the Chinese railroad workers. In fact, I was just in a museum in Utah where the Chinese were not even mentioned regarding the railroad. There was a whole exhibit on how wonderful the railroad was, but not a single reference to the Chinese was in there. It was all about white men holding the spike and how wonderful it was. So who actually built it? I thought that it was really odd and this is why we need this work.”
How effective has it been
in reaching young people?
Comic Book Club:
“The dialogue and back and forth between the characters is, I’d venture, pretty important in terms of not making this feel like a didactic history lesson. How do you hope younger readers engage with these sections of the book? Have you beta-tested with any real children yet?”
Amy Chu:
“We did beta it with several schools; so what you see incorporates real kids’ feedback, which was tremendously helpful. Interestingly, while several adults raised the issue, no kid questioned the magic in the story.”
How effective has it been
in getting into the classrooms?
Comic Book Club:
Amy Chu:
“That’s certainly the hope and plan. I’ve already heard of people buying several and donating them to schools.”
What do you feel most passionate
about the Project?
jason
toby
I feel most passionate about amplifying Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) histories and experiences in K-12 schools. AAPI histories are so rich and complex, and through our curriculum materials and professional development trainings, AAEdu is truly creating space for teachers and school leaders to integrate our histories and experiences in a meaningful way. I believe that ALL students can benefit from our work.
paula
I feel most passionate about bringing forth relevant and impactful professional development about APIDA communities to teachers. Without teachers doing the important work of teaching and living out the values of ethnic studies, we cannot change people’s minds, attitudes, and education. I love that our professional development training combines aspects of storytelling and practical resources for teachers to implement
in the classroom!
gi
I feel most passionate about the value of learning with being involved in The Asian American Education Project. As curriculum developers, we have the privilege of researching and learning about localized histories that are often untold. In addition, we have the honor and responsibility of sharing our learning with educators and students through our lesson plans and resources. Furthermore, the learning that we gain empowers us as educators and activists, and the learning that we give empowers the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community by amplifying their stories.
kristen
I feel most passionate about sharing and learning about APIDA histories and experiences that aren’t often taught in K-12 classrooms or discussed in general. Through my experiences with AAEdu, I’ve learned about so many APIDA stories and it is exciting to be able to share them with others through different avenues, online and in person. Everyone can learn something new.
What inspires you
to give back?
jason
Being part of AAEdu has expanded my understanding of APIDA heritage and history in ways I never imagined. I came in thinking I had a good grasp of APIDA history, but this experience has been truly humbling. Every new project reveals historical events and stories I had never encountered before, sparking that urgent feeling of “Others need and should know about this!” That sense of discovery and purpose keeps me motivated and inspired to keep doing this work.
toby
I am inspired by the many generations of Asian Americans who worked tirelessly to pave the way for America to progress towards a multiracial democracy. I’m thinking of historical figures like Mabel Ping-Hua Lee and Yuri Kochiyama, as well as contemporary leaders like Ai-jen Poo and Deepa Iyer. We know only a fraction of their stories, and I have enjoyed getting to learn more and more through my work with AAEdu.
paula
Teaching APIDA history means that we can help students draw larger connections to their world, their community, and other communities of color. I am inspired by the goal of our community reaching collective liberation with others and I think by doing this work at AAEdu, we can get to that goal and beyond!
gi
As a former K-12 student, I often did not feel represented in the histories and content I learned. As a former educator, I struggled to find ways to represent my APIDA students through the designated school curriculum. Through our work at The Asian American Education Project, I want to give back to K-12 APIDA students and teachers who are facing similar challenges by ensuring that our lesson plans amplify the stories and voices of their communities.
kirsten
What inspires me in this work is how amplifying APIDA narratives can help open new perspectives and help people feel seen by having their cultural histories represented. In many K-12 educational experiences, APIDA history
is usually overlooked and only briefly covered. Through our work at AAEdu,
we can help with this. It’s important for everyone to learn about communities outside of the mainstream narrative. Seeing how people react when learning something new makes me realize how important this work is and why
I’m here.
[ aaedu ig at a glance ]
Would you like to know more about the Project?
other programs you might be interested in
Solving a Giant Art Puzzle
How the Team of Displaced Chinese Art Digitalization Project is healing history
The Spirit of Giving Back
Cyrus Tang Caring Heart Scholarship for university students aspires to create a more caring society
Supporting Quality Education
CTF on a mission to bring quality education to the areas in China which needed it most