The Act To Change, Hate Is A Virus, and Stop AAPI Hate joined together on Saturday to co-host their first-ever Changemakers Summit designed to educate and inspire the next generation of youth leaders from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

The event was sponsored by several corporate donors who donated more than $250,000 to help these organizations combat racism and bullying directed toward AAPI citizens. The donations came from some companies, including JPMorgan Chase, McDonald's, PayPal, Sephora,  Nickelodeon, the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, Anime Expo, Glow Recipe, Electronic Arts, and more. 

Anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination
(Photo : Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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The Summit was designed as a virtual nationwide gathering of middle school, high school, and college students as well as AAPI activists and entrepreneurs. Its goal was to support, connect, and inspire the next generation of AAPI youth leaders and activists.

The Summit's program featured breakout sessions designed and led by community-based organizers and featured youth leaders as young as middle-school aged students. Selected by the Youth Equity Council, sessions were organized around four pillars: Inform, Educate, Empower, and Celebrate.

  • Inform: Understanding, unpacking, and healing from current events
  • Educate: Constructing a dynamic AAPI-centered awareness of shared histories
  • Empower: Providing tools and resources, and directly to youth
  • Celebrate: Celebrating AAPI communities and cultures, and what we have contributed to America

In addition to the pillars above, the Summit also featured a list of guest speakers from the AAPI community that ranged from actors and authors to filmmakers and activists.

Together, the speakers represent a growing cohort of outspoken Asian American and Pacific Islander activists who speak up on the issues that matter most in AAPI communities. This list included: 

  • Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States
  • Helen Zia, author and activist
  • Maulik Pancholy, actor, author and co-founder of Act To Change
  • Amanda Nguyen, activist, founder of Rise
  • Versha Sharma, Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue
  • May Lee, journalist, author, professor
  • Ashlyn So, fashion designer, youth activist
  • Kapulei Flores, photographer, activist
  • Ryan Alexander Holmes, actor, content creator & activist
  • Rachel Leyco, filmmaker, actress, and activist

First Lady Jill Biden joined the Summit to rally against anti-AAPI bullying and racism and reaffirm attendees of the White House's commitment to fighting anti-AAPI hate crimes and discrimination. 

"Our President often says, 'We must not be silent. We have to speak out. We have to act'," said Jill Biden. "We will act. We are committed to fighting hate crimes and bullying in all its forms. We stand united against racism. We stand united for justice and equality. And we stand united in the belief that every child deserves to grow up proud of who they are. And that's why today's summit is so important as you educate, empower, and celebrate all the young people who will be true changemakers for generations to come."

Overall, the Summit provided a space for young AAPIs to come together, learn more about themselves and their shared histories, inspire, and develop them to be leaders in their schools, neighborhoods, and communities at-large.

The Summit and the support of corporate and celebrity activists come after a year of increased anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination, fueled by COVID-19 misinformation and scapegoating.

By participating in the event, the Summit's partners invested their social influence behind the fight to end racism, bullying, and discrimination against AAPI communities.

Click to watch the opening/keynote, lunchtime performance, and closing remarks. 

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