Summer Program 2024

Asian American Youth Leaders Summer Program 2024

June 24 - 28, 2024

8 am - 12 pm

Participants: High School Students (9th - 12th grade)

The Asian American Youth Leaders Summer Program is a five-day educational experience for high school students collaboratively designed by University of California, Irvine students under the mentorship of Professor Judy Tzu-Chun Wu (Director of the Humanities Center and faculty in the Department of Asian American Studies) and Tony Hwang (Executive Director, Office of Enrollment Management at UCI). We believe that it is important to include Asian Americans in the broader narratives of our society, and we are enthusiastic about uplifting the voices of the next generation of Asian American leaders in our community. The purpose of this program is to cultivate the next generation of Asian American leaders. We aim to create an inclusive environment in which students will explore topics and ideas related to Asian American Studies and the practices of community-building. We will also investigate the interconnections between self-care and caring for one’s community, as a critical first step to addressing and confronting anti-Asian hate and discrimination in society.

Students will attend college-level seminars developed to introduce the histories, politics, literature, and art of Asian American communities. Students will also engage in discussion sessions that are designed in the same format as those in college classrooms. Daily activities include but are not limited to discussions, small-group work, and workshops by invited guest speakers. Students will be expected to read articles or book chapters, view filmed performances, and engage with peers through open conversations and other learning exercises.