FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Annual Asian Pacific American Conference at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Asian American Affairs Program presents its Annual Asian Pacific American Conference. The conference will be held on October 20-21, 2006 in its Centennial Student Union.

The Asian Pacific American Conference mission is to build leadership and to provide an opportunity for academic scholars, students, professionals and community members to discuss the topics that affect the Asian Pacific American and majority society on a local, national and international level.

This year’s theme of “Sharing Our Stories, Uniting our Communities” features keynote speakers: Dr. H. L. Tran, CEO & President of Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum; Dr. Erika Lee, historian, immigration specialist and author of “At America’s Gates: Chinese Immigration During the Exclusion Era” and Chong Kim, Survivor, Educator and Advocate for ending human trafficking.

Other presenters include: Bryan Thao Worra, poet, writer, and journalist; Shane Carlin, the founder and President of the NAAAP-Columbus Venture; Pheng Thao, MSU Alumnus and Hmong Cultural Consultant; Gina Kundan, the Diversity & Cultural Center Advisor and Diversity Consultant; Ka Vang, Diversity & Multiculturalism Program Director at the Office of the Chancellor; Ilean Her, Executive Director for the State Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans; Hedy Tripp, Create Community Coordinator and teaches Asian American Studies at Saint Cloud State University; Jocelyn Michele Buhain, Ph.D., Therapist at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington Counseling Center; Vu Tran, Independent Documentary Filmmaker; YeeLeng Hang, Director of Student Life at Metropolitan State University; Phia Xiong, Social Worker with Dakota County Social Services and Dr. Vinai Norasakkunkit, Assistant Professor of Cultural Psychology at MN State, Mankato.

Other featured conference events include: Youth Day, Spoken Word Night, APA Talent Show & Award Banquet and Comedy Night featuring Stir Fridays, an Asian American theater company based in Chicago.

For more information or to register, visit: http://www.mnsu.edu/cultdiv/aaa/ or contact Penh Lo, Asian American Affairs, Centennial Student Union 243, Mankato, MN 56001 at (507) 389-2799, 800-722-0544 or penh.lo@mnsu.edu.