Stewart Kwoh will introduce the Asian American Education Project, formed in 2021, and widely regarded as having the most comprehensive K-12 Asian American history curricula. Offering K-12 APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) online learning resources, the Project facilitates professional development courses as well as free training workshops for educators to bring the history, contributions, challenges and triumphs of Asian Americans to classrooms across the country.
Stewart will be joined by Sophia Bae, Raghav Joshi and Lynn Lin from the New York chapter of Make Us Visible (MUV), formed in 2021 in search of long-term solutions to anti-Asian American violence through building curriculum and advocating for the integration of Asian American and Pacific Islander history in K-12 classrooms. With eight active chapters and affiliates across the country, MUV’s community campaign efforts led to the passage of Connecticut’s K-8 Model Curriculum, and most recently New Jersey becoming the second state in the U.S. to include Asian American history in K-12 lesson plans.
Stewart Kwoh is the co-founder/co-executive director of The Asian American Education Project; and the founder, President Emeritus, past president, and past executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles. Stewart is a nationally recognized leader and expert in race relations, Asian American Studies, nonprofit organizations and philanthropies, civil rights, and legal services. In 1998, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow, becoming the first Asian American attorney and human rights activist to receive this highly prestigious recognition, often referred to as the “Genius Grant.”
Stewart earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He has taught at UCLA’s Asian American Studies Department, and was an instructor at the UCLA School of Law. He is also a past expert in residence at the UC Berkeley School of Law. Stewart has three honorary doctorates from Williams College; California State University, Los Angeles; and Suffolk School of Law.
Sophia Bae has taught high school social studies on Long Island, NY since 2001. During her early years in teaching, Sophia developed an elective course for high school seniors now called Contemporary Issues in Asia and America, incorporating issues related to Asian American history and identity. She also teaches a wide variety of social studies courses including AP World History; AP United States Government and Politics; Criminal Justice; and is certified to teach Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) Sociology. Sophia has been part of various curriculum projects over the years. She is currently working with Princeton University’s Religion and Forced Migration Initiative to develop curricula using oral history in high school classrooms. She holds an M.Div from Harvard Divinity School and a B.A. from Oberlin College. She is a proud mother of two boys and is a long-time resident of Queens, NY.
Raghav Joshi is a high school senior from Westchester County, New York. He has been a passionate advocate for Asian American issues and political engagement since arriving to the U.S. in 2017 after living in five other countries. Raghav serves as the Special Projects Director for Voters Of Tomorrow, a youth-led organization focused on the mobilization of youth voters and bolstering their voices in today’s political climate. He is thrilled to join Make Us Visible (MUV), leading policy for the New York chapter. He will be attending NYU in Fall 2022.
Lynn Lin is a K-12 educator who works with Mandarin learners of all ages to inspire a love for language and culture. Lynn believes that her blended upbringing on the East Coast, West Coast, and in China contributed to shaping her identity and fostering her passion for language. She currently is involved in creating more inclusive spaces in the education field for both students and educators. She lives in New York City with her husband, a native New Yorker of West Indian and South Asian heritage, and their two children. In her spare time, you can find Lynn cooking for her family, friends, and neighbors, or enjoying time in nature.
