Annie Tan has come a long way in becoming a teacher, activist, and storyteller. In her keynote speech, Annie shares her perspectives as a child of immigrants propelled to action after finding out her family story, then is forced to confront what she's left behind. What does it mean to be in solidarity and community while also being in integrity with yourself? Confront your own story as you listen to Annie tell hers.

Do you often have feelings of self-doubt? Do you find yourself working harder and holding yourself to higher and higher standards? Come ready to learn and laugh while practicing how you can transform the way you approach your goals and career, using the same skills that improv performers and coaches use to entertain and educate across the globe. 

Valuable communication and decision-making tools are packed into this fun and interactive 1-hour workshop taught by CSz Boston owner and 20-year professional improviser and teacher, Courtney Pong. By the end of the workshop, you’ll walk away with more tools and practice on:

• How to confidently tackle uncertainty 
• What you can do to promote yourself in your current role
• How to sincerely and authentically communicate your skills, background, and education no matter what the scenario

Join us in meeting your fellow AAWIL attendees while learning how to take control of who you uniquely are and bring it to the world. 

Note: Attendees should expect to have their video on for the entirety of the session.

This session will be a structured opportunity to reflect on where you are in life in terms of work, health, play, and love, brainstorm how you can move in the direction you want, and ultimately enable yourself to achieve that. This will be an opportunity to begin establishing and articulately what you want out of your personal/professional life and for your conference experience generally. Bring a writing utensil and paper!

Drea Panares from Asian Women for Health shares her mental health journey, focusing on her struggles getting access to professional help due to stigma & how she stayed afloat through the worst of it with the aid of community & creativity.  Content Warning(s): depression, suicide, self-harm.

As we evolve, so do our interests and goals in our careers and in our lives. But it’s hard to take the leap and pivot professionally because let’s be honest, it can be intimidating. The Asian American community has long put value on safe-bet, financially stable careers, but that can limit womxn from taking full advantage of opportunities that come in the workplace and beyond. This speaker session aims to encourage attendees to manifest their next move, empower them to achieve their goals, and inspire them to pursue their passions. Because success, by all definitions, is always within your grasp. 

Join us for a talk and interactive discussion reflecting on the role of media in building Asian American politics and different entry points into feminism. We’ll engage in collective media-making that includes different journeys, turning points, and resources that have helped shape our politics.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll leave with some resources as well as ideas for future action.

This keynote session aims to bring insight, clarity and inspiration to all her audiences to become the change they wish to see in their own lives and promote that dreams are possible. During this keynote, Elena will share the invaluable lessons learned through the power of unity. You can follow Elena’s work at @elenamlau and www.unionrealestatellc.com.

As a leader, when should I speak up? How do I help others advocate for themselves? Leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room, nor is it being about the most selfless. Leadership is a constant cycle of making, taking, and holding space. In this session, participants will learn what it means to naviagte and negotiate space as a leader. Additionally, they will develop their own tools to make, take, and hold space in ways that suit their individual leadership styles.

What is community care? And how can we use it to show up in support and solidarity for others? This session will explore ways we can shift our work environment into a culture of care through the practice of community care by learning tangible ways we can support our colleagues, recognizing how gaslighting appears especially for colleagues of color, and acknowledging how we may cause unintentional harm and what we can do to better show up in solidarity. In the end, participants will learn that community care is more than a buzzword; it also can be an act of anti-racism and dismantling white supremacy culture in our workplace.

Landing the career of your dreams takes more than having a good resume and well-rehearsed responses to interview questions. We see that expertise alone isn't enough to get ahead. Professionals today are incorporating the power of storytelling as part of their career strategy, as it allows prospective clients or companies the chance to see things beyond the facts in a resume. By sharing a look into the pivotal experiences, values and passions that have shaped them, job seekers can promote themselves in ways that show their 'why', while bringing light to their unique narratives.  

In this workshop, we will discuss:

• What we mean by 'personal brand', as it relates to job seekers and professionals 
• Discover why it's important to develop your unique personal brand, especially as a member of diverse communities
• Discuss the foundations of creating your personal brand by way of integrating 5 key themes
• Review examples of how professionals and job seekers are sharing their personal brand