SAPAAC March 2025 Newsletter
IN THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER
- Upcoming Events
- Announcements
- Recent Events
- Stories from Asian America
- Member Spotlight
Stay up to date on the latest SAPAAC news! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit the SAPAAC website.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Stanford+Harvard AAPI Spring Picnic
April 5, 12-2 pm
Alamo Square Park, San Francisco, CA
Register: https://groups.stanford.edu/topics/9361/events/120169
Join us at the famous Alamo Square Park for a spring potluck picnic. Put on some Stanford gear, pack a blanket, and bring snacks and drinks to share as we unite both communities for our first big combined event in the Bay Area!
Contact: Andrew Jabara, [email protected]
JANE PARK at Books Inc. Alameda
April 5, 1:30-2:30 pm
Books Inc. Alameda, 1344 Park Street, Alameda, CA
Join Books Inc. Alameda for their First Saturday Story time featuring Jane Park, ‘94, who will read and sign copies of her new children’s book, Inside Mom, Outside Mom. The story follows a young Korean boy who discovers his mother comes across as reserved and quiet in public, but in the comfort of their home she is warm and outgoing. "Offering a thought-provoking lesson in perception, Park has crafted a balanced and sensitive look at an immigrant family's experience, delightfully lightening her energetic narrative with moments of comedy,” writes Kirkus Reviews. Learn more here.
Contact: Jane Bahk, [email protected]
Open Minds, Vibrant Communities: Chicago Alumni Meetup
April 5, 3-4 pm
Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL
Register: https://groups.stanford.edu/topics/9361/events/120385
SAPAAC, FLI, SIAA, S-JAN, SLAA, SNBAA, and Stanford Pride are hosting a joint pre-reception to mingle with fellow graduates from a diverse array of backgrounds and forge new memories in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
Contact: SAA - Diverse Alumni Community Engagement, [email protected]
Happy Hour at Manny's SF with the Stanford Club of San Francisco
April 10, 5:30-7:30 pm
Manny's, 3092 16th Street, San Francisco, CA
Register: https://groups.stanford.edu/topics/9361/events/120155
Join the Stanford Club of San Francisco, SAPAAC, and other alumni clubs for a lively happy hour at Manny’s! Connect with fellow Stanford alumni and friends over drinks, great conversation, and a welcoming community vibe at one of San Francisco’s favorite civic gathering spaces. Whether you're looking to network, catch up with old friends, or simply unwind after work, this is the perfect opportunity to do so in a fun and relaxed setting. Don’t miss this chance to mix, mingle, and enjoy a fantastic evening with the Stanford Club of San Francisco and SAPAAC at Manny’s!
Contact: Luke @ Stanford Club of SF, [email protected]
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Stanford Alumni Association (SAA) has received numerous emails and letters from concerned alumni in response to executive orders, funding reductions at the NIH and NSF, and other communications issued by the Trump administration that target diversity, equity, and inclusion at institutions of higher learning.
On the heels of receiving assurances from President Levin, Provost Martinez, VP of Alumni Affairs Howard Wolf, and SAA Senior Manager Ana Moreno VanDiver that the programs and initiatives our community cares about are not currently under threat, we learned through the Asian American Activities Center’s (A3C) advisory board that the current search for the A3C associate director has been “paused.”
In response, a larger number of alumni urged Interim Assistant Vice Provost Abiya Ahmed and Vice Provost Michele Rasmussen (Provost Jenny Martinez, Howard Wolf, James Jordan, Ana Moreno VanDiver were copied) to continue the A3C director search. The signatories expressed considerable concern that “pausing this search sends a message that the concerns and needs of students of color are not being prioritized. We are concerned that such an essential position to our community may be eliminated entirely.”
The University responded swiftly, saying “budget constraints have delayed our staffing plans. This hiring freeze reflects broader financial challenges facing higher education, not a lack of commitment to A3C.”
The letter supporting the A3C is still open for signatures and you may add your name here: https://forms.gle/vYNw3VdyzJr4Fyx26. If you have additional comments, questions, or concerns on this topic, we’d like to hear from you. Submit your feedback here: https://forms.gle/SSV7HeaFKNzFbcs7A
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STORIES FROM ASIAN AMERICA
We highlight issues important to Asian Americans and Stanford alumni, around the country and on campus. Submit your stories for the newsletter here.
A web page detailing the history of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team has been removed from the U.S. Army’s official website. The 442nd, combined with the 100th Infantry Battalion, remains the most decorated combat unit in history for its size and length of service. The World War II unit was made up mostly of second-generation Japanese Americans. The Army website included the history of the 442nd until a presidential executive order ended what has been referred to as “radical” diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Is there a member of the 442nd Infantry Regiment in your family’s history? Please contact Tony Tong or Risa Shimoda so we can help you share their story!
A new biography tells the story of a South Asian Hollywood star who passed as white. In 1936, Merle Oberon became the first Asian woman–and person of color–to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. She was nominated for her role in The Dark Angel and later starred in films like Wuthering Heights. But Oberon kept her mixed-race, South Asian heritage a secret, passing as white for her entire career due to pressure from Hollywood executives and laws restricting South Asian immigration.
Spring is synonymous with cherry blossom season in D.C. Within weeks, cherry trees across the region will overflow with thousands of small pink and white blooms. When the collection of Yoshino cherry trees on the Tidal Basin hits peak bloom, viewers are treated to a sweeping panorama of florals around the Jefferson Memorial.
New data suggests that Asian communities are facing a surge in hate in response to Donald Trump’s presidential victory and anti-immigrant agenda. Anti-South Asian slurs and threats of violence in extremist online spaces had the most dramatic uptick, spiking from November 2024 to January 2025.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
Name: Tutti Taygerly
Position: SAPAAC Board member
Stanford Affiliation(s): BS Symbolic Systems 1997
What I'm currently working on.
I'm an executive coach to startup co-founders, author, and speaker. I'm currently planning for my women's leadership retreat, the Heroine's Journey, at the end of April. I co-lead it with my best friend who was a freshman with me at Kimball Hall. We take a small group of women to Mendocino for a 4-day experience that helps them slow down and fall back in love with their work.
What I'm currently reading/watching/enjoying.
I read a lot of nonfiction leadership books so I love to read Young Adult for fun. I just discovered romantasy books and am completely enraptured by Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing world of dragon riders, war challenges, and young love.
My favorite Stanford memory.
Spending countless hours rollerblading around campus through the days and nights. I especially loved the smooth surface around the quad and braving stairs, though I never worked up the courage to go down the stadium stairs.
Fun fact.
I love to surf and often paddle out at Ocean Beach (when it's small enough) or down the San Mateo coast.
Connect with Tutti on LinkedIn!
Nominate someone or yourself to be featured in our next member spotlight.
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GET INVOLVED! Do you want to have an impact on AAPI alumni? Work with any of our three working committees, which focus on organizing events, advocating for Asian American issues within the university, and growing our membership. Our next committee meetings will be held in March.
Events
Chair: Andrew Jabara, ‘18, [email protected]
West Coast Leader: Jin Park, ‘91, [email protected]
East Coast Leader: Josephine Lau, ‘06, [email protected]
Advocacy & Education Committee
Chair: Takeo Rivera, ‘08, [email protected]
Membership Committee
Chair: Kuldip Ambastha, ‘04, [email protected]
Other questions for SAPAAC? Email us at [email protected]
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Follow us online!
To change your subscription for future mailings, please log into your alumni account at groups.stanford.edu. For all other inquiries, contact us at [email protected].
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