ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥

I am honored to have been nominated for a Nominations and Elections Committee position. I have been a member of ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥ since I first attended the annual meeting virtually in 2020. Despite the peculiarities of a virtual environment, I knew that I found people I could relate to and therefore a place where I could thrive. I would not feel the same if it were not for the AAPI Caucus and I am grateful to all the caucus members for making me feel welcome and encouraging me to become involved. That encouragement led me to become the vice chair and then chair of the caucus. Under my leadership, the caucus has supported a culture of member engagement with webinars, Connect articles, and even an annual Lunar New Year t-shirt.

The reason that I choose to accept this nomination and run for this position is because I wish to shape the future leadership of ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥ by ensuring diverse candidates are considered and slated. My role on this committee would be to advocate for inclusivity and accurate representation of the ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥ membership as well as to promote an ethical selection process. I believe that my prior involvement in webinars and annual meeting sessions show that I am an ideal candidate to bring an understanding of the diversity of ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥’s members. I have been a presenter for multiple sessions that promote diversity and inclusion, such as a roundtable at the last annual meeting titled “Living at the Crossroads: A Roundtable on Intersectionality.” I believe that when DEI programming becomes subject to ignorance and attack, the only solution is to ensure that people in a position of power have diverse perspectives. Representation is still a powerful indicator of an organization’s values when other areas that are considered DEI are eliminated.

My goal if I am elected to the Nominations and Elections Committee would be to use the position to promote an inclusive nomination process. I think that reviewing candidates not only from the perspective of their accomplishments but how they represent the ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥ membership is essential, however ethical selection is critical. My goal would be to consider all facets of each candidate and give the appropriate amount of weight to each of those facets. Knowing that the candidates will potentially shape the future of ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥, I would undertake the role on the N&E Committee with the utmost seriousness and consider myself to also be shaping the future of ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥. For an organization that I wish to see thrive, this would be a meaningful and important commitment for me. I would also like to show my capabilities as a leader and continue to develop leadership skills through my interaction with the committee members. I enjoy being involved in ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥ and see this as an opportunity to continue to support an organization that has developed me professionally and personally.

Thank you for considering my application.