The Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Employee Affinity Group at CU Boulder is creating a welcoming space where colleagues can come together in support and solidarity. 

Faculty and staff now have a new space for connection with the launch of the group. Officially established in December 2024, the AAPI Employee Affinity Group is the 10th employee affinity group formed through the office of Leadership Support and Programming.

The AAPI Employee Affinity Group aims to affirm and uphold culture and history, address salient issues and uplift the lived experiences and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The group is open to all employees.

Faculty and staff interested in joining the affinity group can complete this interest form to receive updates on meetings and events and check out the AAPI Employee Affinity Group internal site.

Founded by faculty and staff from entities across campus, this affinity group was a resurgence of a group from the mid-2010s, according to staff member Glenn Asakawa. 

“Back then, our group got together for lunch and fostered camaraderie among AAPI staff,” Asakawa said. “Now, as an official affinity group, I’m really happy that this reinforces our sense of community, especially given what’s happening in the world today.” 

The AAPI Employee Affinity Group kicked off in January with a potluck-style gathering, bringing members together over shared meals and conversation. In March, they hosted a Brown Bags and Board Games event, which featured traditional games such as mahjong, carrom, tien len and gong-gi.

“When we started the AAPI affinity group, we wanted to create a space where staff and faculty could feel seen and heard—where our experiences as AAPI professionals were recognized and valued,” said Stephanie Lee, an organizer for the affinity group.

“Being part of this group has shown me just how powerful it is to have a community that understands your experiences,” Lee said. “We uplift each other in ways that are both personal and professional.”

Beyond fostering community, the affinity group plays an important role in highlighting and addressing challenges faced by AAPI employees.

Michele Flores, another co-organizer of the group and alumna from CU Boulder, emphasized the need for representation and advocacy.

“For many of us, this group is more than just a social space—it’s a support network. We share our experiences, discuss professional challenges and advocate for better representation,” Flores said. “One of our goals is to make sure that AAPI voices are not just included but truly heard in conversations.”

The importance of these conversations was echoed by Jennifer Ho, director of the Center for Humanities & the Arts.

“Most people in the United States don’t have an adequate baseline knowledge about Asian American history, Pacific Islander history or who Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are,” Ho said. “Having an affinity group where people can talk about the various complexities of being Asian American and Pacific Islander—and understand the true multiplicity and diversity of what it means—is crucial.”

Ho noted the over 50 distinct ethnic groups and national identities that exist across the Asian and Pacific Islander diasporas. The need to have a space where individuals from such varied backgrounds can connect and share perspectives was a common sentiment among members.

As described by Asakawa, “In many Asian cultures, there’s this ingrained mindset of perseverance—‘gambatte’ in Japanese, meaning to endure and push forward. That resilience is powerful, but sometimes it also means we’re more likely to accept things as they are rather than push back against injustice. It’s inspiring to hear voices that challenge the status quo rather than simply endure it.”

For a number of affinity group members, such as Diamond Darling, the group offers an opportunity to explore and learn about cultural identities.

“For me, having a group on campus is really helpful to explore that part of me and learn about other people’s cultural identities and educate myself in that way,” Darling said.

In recognition of AAPI Heritage Month on campus this April, affinity group members reflected on what the month means to them.

“AAPI Heritage Month is an opportunity to reflect on our shared histories and the diversity within our communities. It’s a time to celebrate but also to acknowledge the challenges many of us still face in the workplace and beyond,” Lee said.

Flores emphasized the importance of sustained engagement.

“AAPI Heritage Month is important because it gives visibility to our cultures and stories. It’s also a reminder that we need to uplift and support one another year-round.”

CU Boulder employees can also explore other affinity groups, including CU Moms, Adelante Latinx, Black at CU, the Alliance for Neurodiversity, Hopeful Hearts, QTPOC Crossroads, Faculty of Color and Friends, LGBTQ+ and the Native and Indigenous affinity group. More details on these groups can be found on the internal CU Boulder Affinity Group hub.