JADE Co-Founders and Youth Members Spotlighted in 2024 May Forum

On May 4th, the fifth annual May Forum took place from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Ridgedale Public Library in Minnesota. Initiated in 2020 by a group of Chinese American volunteers during the pandemic, the May Forum has become a significant event celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with the Minnesota AAPI community. Last year’s forum was held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and featured a speech by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. This year, the May Forum 2024 focused on four main topics:

  • Engagement: Creating Impact Through Social Entrepreneurship
  • Community Showcase: Empowering Change Through Active Engagement
  • Youth and Future: Flourishing as Second-Generation AAPI Americans
  • Heritage: Sharing Arts and Cultures with Our Kids and Neighbors

Photo of the May Forum Engagement Session

Yingling Fan, co-founder of JADE, hosted the "Engagement: Creating Impact Through Social Entrepreneurship" session. The session featured four distinguished AAPI community leaders:

  • Bo Thao-Urabe is a social entrepreneur who has founded numerous organizations to advance social justice. Appointed by President Obama as a Commissioner to the President’s White House AAPI Initiative, she earned the prestigious Bush Fellowship in 2019 and was appointed as a Regent to the University of Minnesota by Governor Tim Walz in 2021. She is the founder and former Executive Director of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders and serves on the boards of Propel Nonprofits and The Minneapolis Foundation.
  • Ekta Prakash is Director of Public Engagement at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Prior to her position at Minnesota DEED, Ekta was the Executive Director at CAPI USA for 12 years. During her tenure at CAPI, her work significantly influenced community participation and integration, including establishing the Immigrant Opportunity Center in Brooklyn Center.
  • Fangyu Kang and Chen Zhou are co-organizers of the Twin Cities West Metro Asian Fair. Through their visionary leadership, they have transformed the fair into a vibrant hub of cultural celebration and collaboration, showcasing Asian arts with live performances, numerous food tastings, and immersive cultural displays. Last year, the fair attracted more than 5,000 attendees, marking it a landmark event in the community.

Photo of JADE Co-Founders, Board Members, and Advisors at the Community Showcase Booth

Each panelist shared their journey into the world of nonprofits, discussing their motivations, challenges, and advice for aspiring social entrepreneurs. Key topics included the importance of innovation, maintaining passion and avoiding burnout, financial sustainability, and ensuring community-centered initiatives. By featuring the journeys of these AAPI leaders, the "Engagement: Creating Impact Through Social Entrepreneurship" session successfully celebrated AAPI contributions, built strong local connections, and inspired future leaders to initiate their own journeys for positive impact. The session ended with a round of applause for the panelists and heartfelt thanks to all participants for their meaningful dialogue.

Following the Engagement session, JADE co-founders Chengyan Yue and Yan Pan led JADE’s participation in the Community Showcase session. They introduced ongoing signature initiatives at JADE, including Community-based Resource Sharing, Sustainable Development Goals, Youth Corner, and Family Leisure and Fun. Posters were displayed at the community showcase booth, providing information on JADE’s mission and upcoming community events.

JADE Youth Board Member Alice Yi was one of the four presenters in the Youth and Future Session. Alice is a sophomore at Lakeville South High School. As a captain, she led her speech and debate teams to significant growth, qualifying for the National Speech and Debate Tournament twice. She has been a passionate artist since she was five years old, enabled a new art class in her school district, and continues to serve communities and charities through her art. Her presentation focused on how her passion and participation in art and speech activities fostered self-expression, creative contributions, critical thinking, as well as personal and team growth.

Photo of Youth Board Member Alice Yi Presenting at the Youth and Future Session

The 2024 May Forum was a resounding success, spotlighting the dedication and impact of JADE co-founders and youth members. The event highlighted the vital contributions of AAPI leaders and the importance of active engagement in fostering positive change. Through meaningful discussions and inspiring presentations, the forum reinforced the significance of community unity and the empowerment of future generations. JADE is proud to have contributed to the 2024 May Forum in such impactful ways.

Photo of Panelists and Presenters of the May Forum Engagement and Youth Sessions

For more information about the May Forum, please visit https://mayforum.org.