Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
NAAAP Boston cordially invites you to be a part of our API Heritage Month Speakers Series, a series where we invite speakers to speak their truths and share their stories of personal and professional development.
Check out our other events at NAAAP National!
May 13 @ 8 - 9pm
Entertainment - Grant Brooks
We recognize entertainment has been a major driver for social equity and representation. Asian Americans have been stereotyped as silent and passive, however in the wake of the increased hate incidents and violence against Asian Americans this stereotype has done more to harm our community. The Asian American community, including NAAAP Boston has become emboldened to tell our stories. This session aims to address the ever growing impact and representation of Asian Americans in Media, Entertainment and the Arts.
​
Grant Brooks is currently a Sr. Manager at Disney, where he leads the global consolidation for Disney's Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED), a segment that includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and STAR. He has covered most of Disney's businesses (Studio, TV, Streaming) for the last 6 years, and has worked on a variety of projects that include the acquisition of Fox, two of the most recent restructures of Disney, and the launch of Disney+.
May 20 @ 8 - 9pm
Small Business - Theresa Ng
It is no secret that small businesses have been struggling throughout COVID-19. Asian American small-businesses have felt the impact especially hard due to racism, ignorance and misplaced frustrations. The challenges small businesses have are numerous and multi-layered. This session is aimed at identifying modern and current issues pertaining to overcoming the pandemic-induced turmoil many small businesses face and share. We will be able to learn Theresa's lived experience and journey in overcoming these novel challenges .
​
Theresa Ng is a Community Project Manager at Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC). She is currently leading a new project, Biz-M-Power, that aims to promote the economic success of entrepreneurs and small businesses owned by women, minorities, non-native English speakers, U.S. Military Veterans, disabled individuals, LGBTQ+, low-to-moderate income owners, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals with businesses in Massachusetts thru support of their community.
May 27 @ 6 - 7pm
Government - Sumbul Siddiqui
The Government Impact session aims to inspire future generations of AAPI professionals to get more civically engaged. When we talk about making an impact, there is little more lasting impact than influencing state and federal policy and governance. Through listening to Sumbul's personal journey of becoming a strong political entity we aim to continuously learn how we can stay engaged with our state and local government.
​
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui is serving her second term on the Cambridge City Council, and first as Mayor of Cambridge. Mayor Siddiqui’s passion for local activism and service motivated her to co-find the Cambridge Youth Council, now in its 19th year.