On Friday, October 18, 2024, the campus community gathered to celebrate an important milestone in advancing equity for Asian American and Pacific Islander students, staff, and faculty as part of UC Berkeley’s Alumni and Parents Homecoming Weekend. Hosted at the Alumni House, “Building AA & PI Futures at Berkeley” highlighted the significance of UC Berkeley's federal designation as an Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI), as well as the multiple ways in which the campus is working to realize this designation in praxis.
Organized and moderated by Director of Engagement for AA & PI Thriving Initiatives, Dr. Lisa Tsuchitani, the event featured panelists from multiple disciplines across campus and welcomed over 100 current and prospective students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The gathering provided a meaningful space for connection, reflection, and shared purpose amongst those dedicated to advancing resources and opportunities for AA & PI communities at Berkeley.
Chancellor Rich Lyons opened the event with remarks underscoring Berkeley's commitment to creating a campus environment where AA & PI students can thrive, stating, "At Berkeley, being an AANAPISI campus means more than a federal designation. It also reflects an intentional commitment by us, our campus leadership, to serving our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander student, staff, faculty, and alumni communities at Berkeley."
Panelists such as undergraduate student leader Gavriel Curameng followed suit, discussing the work of AA & PI student recruitment and retention spaces such as Pilipinx Academic Student Services (PASS), while graduate students Kieren Rudge and Nate Tilton presented the work of the Critical Pacific Islands Studies Collective to foster research conducted of, with, and for the Pacific. Professors Thomas Philip, Vernadette Gonzalez, and Colleen Lye shared their insights about initiatives such as the “AA & PI Transpacific Futures” faculty cluster hire currently underway, as well as a collaboration between the Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies Program, the Asian American Research Center, and Asian Pacific American Student Development (APASD) funded by an AANAPISI grant to increase academic and research opportunities in Critical Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian American Studies on campus. Staff member Em Huang highlighted the work of multiple AA & PI staff spaces on campus, as well as the Gender Equity Resource Center and the creation of an inaugural Trans Resource Hub. Finally alumna Nkauj Iab Yang spoke to the important role that alumni can play in supporting AA & PI students academically, socially, and emotionally.
For many attendees, the event was more than just a celebration —it was an affirmation of their place within the Berkeley community. Frances Chai, a fourth-year student majoring in Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies, expressed what this event meant to them:
“I chose to come to this event because I am a student in Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies (AAADS). Coming to these events is just really affirming. There are so many opportunities out there to find support among people who understand what it's like to be an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander student at UC Berkeley. I think it’s really important for us to all stand with each other and continue building on the work that has been done for years in the past.”
As UC Berkeley continues to champion these initiatives, events like “Building AA & PI Futures” serve as important reminders of the power of community, history, and a shared commitment to building a supportive and inclusive campus for all.
Learn more about the AA & PI Thriving Initiatives and visit aanapisi.berkeley.edu for continued updates.