Friends,
As we know so well, young AAPI professionals and entrepreneurs – our “next generation” – are a critical element in our community’s vibrancy and our ability to impact and influence the future. Supporting and even accelerating the development of young leaders and entrepreneurs is a central piece of the Asian Chamber’s work. We’re stepping up our focus in this area.
With this in mind, I am excited to announce the launch of the GAACC Leadership Accelerator. This program will expose emerging AAPI leaders to high-impact organizations, stakeholders, and mentors in the region. We will select and nurture a cohort of six to nine young leaders each year: providing access to GAACC’s extensive networks, delivering focused skill development coaching, and encouraging collaborative learning. The Accelerator will encourage and empower participants to help shape the future of Austin. Very exciting!
Applications for the GAACC Leadership Accelerator will open in the next few weeks. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and stay in the loop as this program develops.
In many ways, the Accelerator owes its existence to the dedication of the four impressive captains at the helm of our newly-created young professionals committee – the GAACC NextGEN Committee. In particular I would like to thank captains Rohan Thapar and Shenghao “Daniel” Wang for their vision, leadership, and dedicated efforts to launch the Accelerator. Captains YJ Lin and Tu Ta are hard at work creating new programs focused on community engagement and professional development, respectively.
It’s important to note that our NextGEN Committee and Leadership Accelerator are built on the critical work being done around Austin’s ERG space. Over the past several years, several Asian Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have mobilized in our area collaboratively and organically, driven by their shared passion to connect with like-minded peers and bridge gaps between Asian-American business professionals and the broader Austin AAPI community.
In case you’re not familiar: Employee Resource Groups are voluntary, employee-led groups centered in companies. Most ERGs aim to foster diverse, inclusive workplaces aligned with the companies and organizations they serve. They’re usually led and participated in by employees who share a characteristic: gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, lifestyle, or interest.
Through the support and collaboration of our NextGEN Committee captains, GAACC now plays an important role in our region’s Asian ERG space and is helping to support the Austin Asian ERG Coalition. This Coalition – now consisting of 15+ ERGs and growing – provides a welcoming platform for Asian ERGs to share diverse perspectives and expertise, leverage opportunities to engage, partner, and volunteer in the community, and facilitate professional development through expert panels, mentorship, conversations, and leadership connections.
The Coalition’s signature event is the annual Austin AAPI Professional Summit, an aspirational vision that becomes a reality each May during AAPI Heritage Month. The Summit aims to break down silos between corporate ERGs, creating a united front to support the Greater Austin community.
Austin AAPI Professional Summit (and Happy Hour) – May 3, 2024
Each of these young professionals programs is a precious opportunity to invest in our future – so please join us! We’re looking for sponsors, mentors, advisors, and allies. Reach out and let me know if you’re interested and able to support: [email protected].
Thank you for your engagement,
Mark Duval
President & CEO
Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce