Fourteen Harvard-Westlake students and faculty attended the Asian Educators Alliance (AsEA) Conference, which focused on identity and leadership for Asian Pacific Islander South Asian (APISA) communities. The group traveled to The Mount Vernon School in Atlanta, Georgia, from April 12 to 13.
This year’s theme, Our Space, Our Stories: Represent, Resist, Reclaim, guided workshops, speakers, and discussions, focused on the power of storytelling and representation in creating more inclusive environments and advocating for change.
“The thing that motivated me to attend AsEA the most was to connect with the wider Asian community outside of Los Angeles and learn more about my heritage and myself. It was really interesting to learn about experiences from Asian Americans who live in less diverse places,” Middle School AACC leader Kirana Tjoe ’28 said.
Middle and Upper School Harvard-Westlake students applied to attend the conference in February and were selected based on their personal and community APISA-related goals, as well as their leadership in DEI work, both at Harvard-Westlake and in their own lives. At the conference, participants engaged in meaningful conversations, reflecting on shared experiences while learning from others with different perspectives, varying based on where they live or what cultures they come from. Students noted both the similarities and differences in the stories shared, recognizing how individual environments shaped each participant’s unique experience.
“Our stories—the telling and the listening—are key in our striving to make space in the American landscape,” English teacher Catherine James said. “For far too long, people of Asian descent have been left out—sometimes even erased—from American consciousness. It’s very important for us to tell our own stories; doing so is not only protection from erasure but also a demonstration of our pride.”
Teachers who attended the conference emphasized the importance of storytelling in helping others feel seen and heard. They noted that storytelling is not only key to the conference’s theme but also an essential tool for building community, particularly within educational environments.
“I realized how much strength there is in vulnerability. Opening up about my experiences helped me see the value of my voice and affirmed my role in creating inclusive spaces for others like the Upper School SASA,” Samaya Sayana-Manchanda ’26 said.
By sharing their stories, students explored how their identities connect to their leadership roles at Harvard-Westlake and beyond. As the school community continues to engage in conversations about representation and inclusion, both student and faculty leaders returned from the conference with new ideas and a stronger sense of purpose.
