Loyola Marymount University will host the second annual Asian American Symposium from Feb. 18-22 on the theme “Conversations Across Generations,” focusing on Asian American mixed-race identity, entrepreneurship, and the movement in arts and activism.

The symposium will include film screenings, an open mic night, and roundtable discussions, culminating with a keynote address by guest speaker Julian Keikilani Ako.

In today’s world, conversations between generations are often disrupted by handheld technologies and everyday pressures. As a result, the stories shared by the elders frequently go unheard. Younger members might miss the full lessons they can teach, yet they can still seek their wisdom. This symposium aims to bridge that gap and encourage meaningful dialogue across generations.

The symposium is a student-planned and implemented event with the Asian and Asian American Studies Department and Asian Pacific Student Services. Taking advantage of the rich resources within greater L.A., the symposium brings prominent Asian American persons from the area’s communities to campus to share knowledge and understanding and take a “deeper dive” into topics, issues, and celebrations that impact the understanding of our lives.

The symposium kicks off on Tuesday, Feb. 18, with a double film screening of “Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement” and “100 Years From Mississippi,” followed by a roundtable discussion. This screening puts into conversation documentary films about two remarkable women, an African American and an Asian American, whose lives and experiences bring into being our understanding of and participation in the contemporary communities to which they belong. The stories of the lives of these phenomenal women share insights across generations on the ideas of change, justice, and human dignity. The screening is co-sponsored by the Center for Asian Business.

On Thursday, Feb. 20, from 7-10 p.m., students are invited to an Open Mic Night in the Hill on the fourth floor of Malone Student Center to perform artistic representations of their Asian American experience. The evening will include various songs, performances, spoken word, and poetry readings.

On Friday, Feb. 21, Symposium Day will have three roundtable-style discussions featuring faculty, students, alumni, and community members. The first discussion will focus on “Critical Mixed Race: Voices of AAPI Mixed-Race Women,” a conversation on elevating the voices and experiences of persons of “double minoritized” Asian and African ancestry and its intersection with gender.

The second roundtable will focus on Asian American entrepreneurs. Throughout the history of Asians in the U.S., entrepreneurs have provided Asian American communities with economic stability. Innovative in using cultural toolkits such as rotating credit associations, small businesses in Asian American communities created an economic base allowing future generations broader occupational choices. That entrepreneurial spirit remains today, from multi-generational family businesses to opportunistic start-ups; Asian American businesses continue to provide opportunities for Asian Americans and others to rise unburdened by stereotypes and bamboo ceilings.

The final roundtable will focus on “Arts and Activism: Cultural Retention, Re-creation, and Resilience,” featuring local artists and a film producer. Each roundtable will last 90 minutes, and details on the roundtable participants are below. A reception follows after symposium roundtable days, catered by Kings Hawaiian.

“Critical Mixed Race: Voices of AAPI Mixed Race Women,” 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Moderator: Marne Campbell, Ph.D., chair, African American Studies Department

Rika Houston, Ph.D., retired professor, CSU Los Angeles

Maya Hernandez, Ph.D., post-doctoral fellow, Wellesley College

Ashley Waterson ’13, M.A. ’17, ABD, Claremont Graduate School

Cameryn Dent ’27, LMU student

“Asian American Business and Entrepreneurs,” 1:15-2:45 p.m.

Moderator: Mitch Hamilton, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing, College of Business Administration

Trey Hernandez ’12, B.B.A. ’21, business development specialist and LMU API Alumni Association vice president

Mike Kidakarn ’99, CEO of Ghost Gear Inc. and Infinity Pieces Inc.

Kriti Gaur ’28 and Mason Fat ’27, LMU students

“Arts and Activism: Cultural Retention, Re-creation and Resistance,” 3-4:30 p.m.

Moderator: Curtiss Takada Rooks, Ph.D., LMU Department of Asian and Asian American Studies

Art Nomura, LMU professor emeritus, media maker/artist

Dennis Liu, film producer

Vanndearlyn Vong, Cambodian American ceramicist

Jennifer Choi ’25, LMU student, Tomodachi Inouye Scholar ’24 and Laffin Scholar

The symposium will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Featherston Life Sciences Building Auditorium during a fireside chat with guest speaker Julian Keikilani Ako hosted by Nā Kōlea, LMU’s Hawai’ian student organization. Participants will have the chance to hear inspiring stories, ask questions, and connect with others who share the aloha spirit. This fireside chat allows the LMU community to engage with a true Hawai’i cultural leader in a relaxed and cozy setting.

Ako is an award-winning Hawaiian composer, fluent Hawaiian-language speaker, and lifelong educator. In 2024, he received the Hawai’i Living Treasure award, is a two-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner, and currently serves as a trustee of the Hawaiian Museum of Art and president of the Hawaiian Historical Society. His contributions to education, music, and cultural exchange have left a lasting impact, inspiring generations with the spirit of aloha and cultural pride in Hawai’i.

As a teacher and administrator at Kamehameha Schools for nearly four decades, Ako prepared thousands of Native Hawaiian youths for higher education while instilling values of service and leadership. His leadership transformed Kamehameha Schools into a Hawaiian-centered institution, significantly integrating Hawaiian culture into the curriculum.

Ako’s leadership extended beyond the classroom. He was a key member of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu’s board and co-chair of the Harvard University Principals Center National Advisory Board, where he influenced league policies and provided guidance to the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

After retirement, Ako worked to enhance the lives of Native Hawaiians through his musical talents. An award-winning composer of mele, he received two Nā Hōkū Hanohano Haku Mele of the Year Awards in 2001 and 2003. He won the Hō’ike’ike O Wai’anae Festival’s Hawaiian Song Composition Competition.

LMU’s Westchester Main Campus is located at 1 LMU Dr., Los Angeles. For campus and parking maps, visit: https://www.lmu.edu/resources/campusmaps/

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