Rep. Dave Min of California’s 47th Congressional District held his fifth annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Empowerment Summit, celebrating the contributions of Asian Americans across Orange County, according to a May 19 press release. Eight professionals in fields ranging from medicine and education to sports, business and the arts spoke about how their heritage has impacted their experiences and careers.
Three UCI professionals were featured at the panel: Annie Lai, clinical professor of law and co-associate dean for experiential education at UCI Law, Claire Trevor School of the Arts associate professor Dennis Kim and UCI associate clinical professor of medicine Geeta Sikand.
Since its designation by Congress in 1992, May has been Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, acknowledging the contributions and achievements of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. According to the 2023 U.S. census, Asian Americans make up 23.7% of Orange County residents and 44.1% of Irvine residents. This population includes a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, with the largest groups in Orange County being Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino and Chinese.
During the panel’s opening remarks, Min spoke about the characteristics that unite Orange County’s diverse Asian American communities and described how being marginalized contributes to a sense of togetherness and compassion.
“Many of us grew up as the other — as minorities in largely majority communities — and because of that we maybe know what it feels like to be otherized, to be marginalized, to maybe even be bullied, and because of that I think many of us have empathy for marginalized and vulnerable communities,” Min said at the summit.
Min, a freshman congressman elected in November 2024, is one of four Korean Americans currently serving in Congress. He discussed the immigrant experience as a common thread within Asian American communities. For many immigrant families, values such as freedom and democracy are especially meaningful for those who arrive in the U.S. in search of a better future.
“We also share the experience of many of us being new Americans,” Min said. “Because of that newness to this country … those American values we talk about are much more important to us, they’re very fresh in our experience.”
Lai reflected on her work in immigration law. She spoke about the importance of inclusivity and resisting division among minority communities.
“I think it’s been important to recognize that drawing lines about who we defend or we don’t defend, or who we think is impacted by a particular policy and who is not impacted has not served us,” Lai said at the summit. “And it’s important too, as we fight for the values that we believe in, to not draw those lines, to not see so much the separations between communities, but the ways in which all our causes and our communities are interconnected.”
Kim, who is also the first violinist with the Pacific Symphony, spoke about a lack of representation in music growing up and emphasized the importance of cultural diversity.
“I’m very proud to be part of an orchestra that is very diverse. I’m proud to be proud that my orchestra looks like our community, and this is something that, as a youngster, I didn’t think was possible because I didn’t see it on stage,” Kim said.
Speaking as the youngest panelist, Ishaan Gaikwad, a student board member with the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD), reflected on the challenges Asian American students face within IUSD, a district with an approximately 50% Asian student population.
“One of the foremost concerns I would say in the student body is mental health,” Gaikwad said. “There’s increasingly competitive academics, both within and outside of school, and it’s not uncommon for many of my friends and peers to spend a lot of their time studying and stressing about academics rather than doing things that they might enjoy.”
Gaikwad, who plans to attend Duke University this fall, emphasized the importance of higher education to himself and his peers, describing it as a “pivotal time in our lives.” Gaikwad raised concerns about the federal funding cuts to colleges and universities, which include a 2026 fiscal year budget proposed on May 2 that would cut $12 billion from Department of Education programs under the Trump administration.
Restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi, Orange County Soccer Club goalkeeper Tetsuya Kadono, The Cambodian Family Executive Director Vattana Peong and IRA Capital co-founder
Mohannad S. Malas were also recognized at the event.
Closing his speech, Min restated the importance of embracing difference and acceptance during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and throughout the rest of the year.
“That’s the America I want my kids to grow up in,” Min said. “An America that celebrates diversity, celebrates new cultures, that embraces inclusion and a broad worldview.”
Niko Wilson is a News Intern for the spring 2025 quarter. He can be reached at nikow@uci.edu.