The 1990 Institute’s Youth Symposium, Roots and Wings: Celebrating Asian American Youth with the Power of Community, brought together hundreds of youth, educators, parents, and community leaders for a full day of connection, dialogue, and inspiration at the College of San Mateo.

The program emphasized the importance of lifting up Asian American voices and creating spaces for intergenerational exchange. The Trailblazers Panel: Stories Beyond the Script set the tone with Andrew Chau (co-founder of Boba Guys), Mina Fedor (founder of AAPI Youth Rising), Steven Kan (Director at Alphabet’s moonshot lab, X), Julie Su (former Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor), and Abigail Hing Wen (author and film producer). Their stories highlighted both the challenges and the creativity that come with forging new paths. The screening of Threads of Freedom offered a powerful reminder of the labor struggles faced by immigrant garment workers in the 1980s, grounding the day’s celebrations in the resilience of past generations.

Attendees then moved into a series of breakout sessions that reflected the breadth of Asian American experiences today—from arts and storytelling with Wesley Chan (filmmaker and co-founder of Wong Fu Productions) and Abigail Hing Wen, to activism with Eddie Ahn (Executive Director of Brightline Defense and author of Advocate) and Mina Fedor, to STEM with Ting Liu (VP of Engineering at Google) and Jenn Pangilinan (NASA Ames Research Center engineer), to entrepreneurship with Stephanie Cheng (venture capitalist) and Enakshi Singh (CFO, Nextdoor). Sessions for parents and educators, meanwhile, provided tools for better supporting youth voices and bridging cultural understanding, led by educators Jayson Chang (Santa Clara Unified School District) and Jason Muñiz (Oakland Unified School District), with insights from Dr. Caroline Lee (psychologist) and Dr. Thu Quach (CEO of Asian Health Services).

Among these, the Follow Your Passion panel, proudly sponsored by The Serica Initiative and moderated by Deputy Director Daniel Tam-Claiborne, was designed for participants to explore their journeys and passions and explore what an unconventional or as-yet unidentified career could look like. Featuring Paul Bien (San Francisco Giants Director of External Affairs) and Kathy Fang (chef and Food Network personality), the session encouraged youth to pursue creativity, culinary innovation, and entrepreneurship on their own terms. The conversation underscored the importance of trusting personal vision and embracing risks, while also offering tangible lessons about resilience and adaptability.

Lunch provided by Panda Express became a time for community-building, with conversations carrying forward the insights of the morning. The afternoon resumed with a screening of In Joseph Ileto’s Eyes, a poignant tribute to a victim of anti-Asian violence that underscored the urgency of continued advocacy and remembrance.

In the afternoon breakout sessions, the Fish Bowl: Listening In, Speaking Out encouraged youth, educators, and parents to engage in honest dialogue across generations, while filmmaker Josh Chuck (Chinatown Rising, Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America) led a discussion on Reclaiming Our Stories, expanding the conversation on representation and the power of narrative. The program closed with a comedy performance by Natasha Chandel (comedian, writer, and actress), reminding the community that joy and laughter are also essential parts of resilience.

This impactful day was made possible not only by the 1990 Institute’s leadership but also through the support of generous community sponsors, including The Asian American Education Project, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), and partner organizations committed to uplifting AAPI youth and communities. Their contributions ensured that the symposium could provide a meaningful, inclusive experience for all who attended.

By day’s end, what emerged was a collective sense of strength and possibility. The symposium served not only as a celebration of Asian American youth but also as a catalyst for deeper understanding, creativity, and leadership. With roots firmly grounded in history and community, and wings lifted by imagination and courage, the next generation is poised to shape the future in powerful ways.