Asian American Student Conference takes place April 14

Pingree School in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, will host the third annual Asian American Footsteps Conference 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, 2013.  The conference is open to all New England high school students who self-identify as Asian, Asian American, or mixed heritage Asian.
“It’s a tremendous honor for Pingree to host the third annual Asian American Footsteps Conference,” says conference coordinator and Pingree history teacher Andrew Lee. “This is the first time in recent years that Pingree has hosted a conference of this nature. Last year, 160 students from about 20 New England schools attended, and we hope to increase the numbers this year.”

The conference seeks to provide a safe space for participants to connect with each other; affirm and learn more about their identities; and inspire each other, explains Lee. “We are confident that our array of speakers, performers, and panelists will help us achieve that. Our keynote speaker, Connecticut State Rep. William Tong, has been cited by the Hartford Courant as the ‘Asian Obama’, and provides a strong voice for the Asian American community, which is underrepresented in politics. Additionally, our workshop leaders include recent Pingree alums in area colleges, a spoken word artist, a local business owner, and a media entrepreneur.”

Lee is particularly excited about the leadership opportunities that the conference planning has provided for Pingree students. “Already our students have redesigned the conference logo and theme, found many workshop leaders, and secured student and outside performers,” he says. “I’m very proud of the work they’ve put in so far!”

Educators and parents who identify as Asian, Asian American, or mixed heritage Asian are welcome to attend as chaperones. Those interested in attending or who have questions should contact Andrew Lee at alee@pingree.org. More information about the conference is available at www.asianamericanfootsteps.com.