CUNY FORUM: Advancing Asian American Studies @ CUNY and APA Communities – Program

Registration & Breakfast (9AM to 9:30AM)

Greetings (9:30AM to 9:45AM)

Joyce Moy, Executive Director, Asian American / Asian Research Institute – CUNY

Betty Lee Sung, Prof. Emerita, Asian Studies, City College of New York/CUNY & Honorary Board Member, Asian American / Asian Research Institute – CUNY
Session I (9:45AM to 11AM)

Surviving or Thriving: Asian American Studies at CUNY – An Interdisciplinary Approach to Advancing Asian American Studies @ CUNY

What is the current state of AAS at CUNY? How can faculty, staff, students, and community members across a range of disciplines and institutional affiliations together develop a vision for AAS at CUNY? What are relevant and reasonable action plans to encourage and sustain Asian American Studies scholarship, teaching, and student services at CUNY in light of the transnational, globalized and marginalized lives of our students and communities?

Moderator: Jennifer Hayashida, Director – Asian American Studies Program, Hunter College/CUNY

Panel

• Wayne Ho, Chief Program & Policy Officer, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA)
• Jackelyn Mariano, JD Candidate, CUNY School of Law
• Keith Miyake, PhD Candidate, Geography, CUNY Graduate Center

 

Session II (11:15AM to 12:30PM)

Ties that Bind: Building Coalitions Within and Beyond CUNY

The history of Asian American Studies and Ethnic Studies is profoundly intertwined with advocacy of communities of color and social justice movements.

• How do we forge durable coalitions to ensure the sustainability of scholarship and teaching in areas pertaining to critical identity studies in support of social justice?
• How can alliances between Ethnic Studies academic units and across communities of color challenge silos within CUNY and between the University and our communities?
• How can shared investments in racial justice create a meaningful and relevant education at CUNY for our students and the community?

Moderator: Joyce Moy, Executive Director, Asian American / Asian Research Institute – CUNY

Panel

• Rose Kim, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY
• Thomas Mariadason, Staff Attorney,  Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Joey Pressley, Director of Special Projects, Office of Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito
• Victor M. Torres-Vélez, Assistant Professor, Africana & Puerto Rican/Latino Studies, Hunter College/CUNY

 

Lunch and Keynote (12:30PM to 1:30PM)

Keynote Speaker: Amardeep Singh, Director of Programs (National), The Sikh Coalition

 

Session III (1:30PM to 2:45PM)

Advancing Asian American Studies through Community Research

New York City’s Asian American population grew by 110% between 1990 to 2010. This shift heralds an opportunity to re-frame the discussion about the importance of Asian American Studies to a well-educated citizenry, political and civic leaders, policymakers, and funders.

• What role does community research play in building bridges between the academy and communities?
• To what extent is the success of Asian American Studies tied to its relevance in the APA and broader communities?
• How can the work of APA scholars and educators help increase resources and visibility of APA communities doing advocacy work on a local, regional, and national level?
• How can the University work with faculty and community-based leaders to develop robust professional pipelines for undergraduate and graduate students interested in civic leadership?

Moderator: Russell C. Leong, Editor, CUNY FORUM

Panel

• Cody Bachu, Undergraduate, Environmental Science & Environmental Studies, Queens College/CUNY
• John Chin, Associate Professor, Urban Affairs and Planning, Hunter College/CUNY
• Soniya Munshi, Assistant Professor, English, Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY
• Kevin Nadal, Associate Professor, Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal College/CUNY

 

Closing Remarks & Next Steps (2:45PM to 3PM)

CUNY FORUM Launch Event (3PM to 5PM)

Welcome: Trevor Lee, Assistant Editor, CUNY FORUM (Volume 1:1)

Forging a FORUM: Russell C. Leong, Editor, CUNY FORUM

Emboldening and Supporting a Forum for Thought & Change

• John Chin, Associate Professor, Urban Affairs and Planning, Hunter College/CUNY
• Jennifer Hayashida, Director – Asian American Studies Program, Hunter College/CUNY
• Peter Kwong, Distinguished Professor, Urban Affairs & Planning, Hunter College/CUNY