NAAAP DC - National Association of Asian American Professionals

🎉 It’s the event you have been waiting for!! Join us on Sunday, May 26th, starting at 6 PM ET for Purple Patch’s annual Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! 🌺

Experience a lively atmosphere filled with cultural performances, mouthwatering food and drinks, face painting, exciting contests (with chances to win a Purple Patch gift card!), beats by DJ Mars from VA, karaoke, and much more!

In the spirit of American Stroke Month, a portion of the proceeds from food and beverage sales will be generously donated to the American Heart Association. Listen to inspiring stories from a stroke survivor and learn about the significance of heart health within AANHPI communities.

This event is perfect for the whole family! Please note that table reservations will not be accepted, so be sure to arrive early to secure your spot.

We hope to see you there! 🍹💃

Join us and the DC AAPI Coalition for an in-person networking event as we commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month!! 🎉

Come learn about the different organizations in the coalition and mingle with other DC/MD/VA professionals over food and drinks from Luna Hall restaurants. 🍱🥤

🗓️ Monday, May 13
⏰ 6-9 PM
📍 Luna Hall DC

Hope to see you there!

2023 is still going strong but we are already working and planning for 2024 which means we’re also getting ready to welcome a new leadership team!

If you’re interested in helping to lead an amazing organization, wanting to expand your network and skills - check out our upcoming open positions!

Job descriptions and Applications can be found with the link in our bio

Want to speak to our current leadership team and learn more about these positions? Let us know too!

Please join us and other organizations in the DMV for the 18th Annual Multi-APA Collective Toy Drive and as we collect unwrapped toys and monetary donations ($20 minimum) to help the DC Mayor’s Office on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA)and Asian American Leadership Empowerment and Development (AALEAD)with their efforts to distribute toys to their community.

🎁WHEN: DECEMBER 4, 2023 Monday from 6-8:30pm EST

🎁WHERE: Moon Rabbit (on Bryant Street in the heart of DC)

🎁WHAT: 18th Annual Multi-APA Collective Toy Drive - Bring an Unwrapped Toy or $20 min donation

More details with link in bio!

Join us and .ny for a WIN virtual workshop: Your Story Matters: A Workshop on Personal Storytelling

This collaborative event is a virtual instructor led workshop for professional women and will cover:

✅Why it is important for women to share their stories
✅How stories help women in crafting their narratives
✅How to tell personal stories using a structured story telling technique
✅Regular practices to become a better storyteller

This virtual event will also include fireside chat with guest speaker, Yuan Yan, Founder and CEO of LLUMENS LLC, Empowerment and Relationship Coach.

⬆️RSVP with link in bio

Say hello to Katrina Villavicencio , our facilitator for our upcoming art wellness event in honor of This event is also cohosted with our friends at .capital

Katrina Villavicencio is a Filipina-American artist, brand director, multidisciplinary designer, and illustrator based in Maryland. She is passionate about storytelling through a creative lens and using ethical design to uplift marginalized and underrepresented voices. She has been researching and experimenting with indigenous Filipino art themes for over 10 years, and feels most connected to her family and culture when exploring these themes.

Throughout her childhood and career, art has always been the thing that makes her feel whole and is often her outlet when she feels overwhelmed, uncertain, lost, or confused. The projects that are most meaningful to her combine her artistic hand with her design foundation knowledge. She loves to experiment with different mediums and carry a lifetime of skills in drawing, painting, collage, block printing, and more.

She believes inclusion and authenticity will change the world.

View Portfolio and Learn More: trinacenci.com or www.timplacreative.com

On Oct 20 at 6pm at the Market House DC's penthouse, NAAAP DC will be having a Fall Mixer with the ROCKS DC. The ROCKS, Inc. was founded in 1974 by African American Army officers assigned to the DC area to network, mentor and socialize. It is now the premiere mentoring and networking organization to strengthen the US Armed Forces Officer Corps, with 23 chapters and Interest Groups located internationally. The budding partnership NAAAP DC and the ROCKS DC will kick off via a fireside chat between Jenny and the ROCKS DC’s President, Kimberlee Short. Lieutenant General (ret.) Arthur Gregg, a historic figure in US history and the first African American 3-star US Army General Officer, will be a special guest at the event. A social with light refreshments will follow. RSVP with the link in our bio!

Did you know October 10th is World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day 2023 is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right” to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a universal human right.

Having a mental health condition should never be a reason to deprive a person of their human rights or to exclude them from decisions about their own health. Yet all over the world, people with mental health conditions continue to experience a wide range of human rights violations.

We can all do our part in raising awareness by first helping ourselves and sharing resources with others.

For more info and resources, check out the link in our bio!

Save the date!! On Friday, October 20 from 6pm – 9 pm, at Market House DC’s rooftop, NAAAP DC will come together with ROCKS DC for an exciting evening. NAAAP DC’s President, Jenny Nguyen, and the ROCKS DC’s President, Kimberlee Short, will lead a fireside chat to discuss:

⚪️ Breaking the concrete ceiling in the workplace
⚪️ Transformational leadership
⚪️ Challenging systems of race, privilege, and power that pose unique obstacles for people of color’s career advancement

A social will immediately follow and light refreshments will be served.

The Washington D.C. Chapter of the ROCKS invites NAAAP DC members,
families, and friends to join the 10th Annual Washington D.C.
Chapter of the ROCKS, Inc. 5K Run & Walk

When: Saturday, September 23, 2023 from 8-10 AM
Where: Jones Point Park in Alexandria, Virginia

Participants can register for this free event at:
https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Alexandria/TheWashingtonDCROCKS5KRunWalk

NAAAP DC is partnering with the ROCKS DC Chapter in order to further strengthen professional development and leadership opportunities for ethnic minorities.

The Washington D.C. Chapter of the ROCKS’ mission is to strengthen the
Officer Corps by serving as a world-class organization that provides and
promotes mentorship, scholarship, networking, professional development,
and fellowship to leverage outreach opportunities and maximize talent
across the U.S. Armed Forces.

The proceeds of this race support the ROCKS DC’s scholarship program.

Coming soon!!

Join us with for TWO fun and delicious nights!

RSVP with link in bio ⬆️

PS want to enjoy the fun AND volunteer for a great cause? DM us and let us know!

Celebrating over 70 years of independence! Happy Independence Day India!

Historically, the mental health narrative around BIPOC communities has been defined by disparities, trauma, and oppression – but what could BIPOC stories and lives look like if the narrative was changed? Imagine a narrative that instead uplifted and accepted community-created systems of support as fundamental cornerstones connecting one another and providing a safe haven.

📣If you're passionate about promoting grassroots social justice or want to learn where to start - this event is for you!

NAAAP DC is partnering with the Hamkae Center and the Chinese American Museum to discuss volunteer opportunities at their organizations geared towards promoting grassroots social justice and historical narrative change for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the DMV area.

For more information and to RSVP for this event, click the link in our bio! ⬆️

📣Picnic and Wellness Field Day coming up this Saturday, June 22!!

Lace up your sneakers, stretch it out, bring your own lawn chair, and join us at Gravelly Point on Saturday, June 22nd at 10AM for NAAAP DC's 8th Annual Picnic and Wellness Field Day hosted by NAAAP DC's Self-Care and Wellness Committee!

There will be food and fun with activities including relay races, tug-of-war, water balloon toss, kickball, and trivia!

Free for members, $5 for non-members

RSVP using the link in our bio!

📣If you're passionate about promoting grassroots social justice or want to learn where to start - this event is for you!

NAAAP DC is partnering with the Hamkae Center and the Chinese American Museum to discuss volunteer opportunities at their organizations geared towards promoting grassroots social justice and historical narrative change for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the DMV area.

For more information and to RSVP for this event, click the link in our bio! ⬆️

Say it ain’t so! Our event will be postponed due to weather. The new date is July 22nd, 2023, previous rsvps will be honored. If you can no longer make this date, please submit a request through Eventbrite to process your refund. For any questions or issues, please reach out to [email protected]

Lace up your sneakers, stretch it out, bring your own lawn chair, and join us at Gravelly Point on Saturday, June 10th at 10AM for NAAAP DC's 8th Annual Picnic and Wellness Field Day hosted by NAAAP DC's Self-Care and Wellness Committee!

There will be food and fun with activities including relay races, tug-of-war, water balloon toss, kickball, and trivia!

Free for members, $5 for non-members

RSVP using the link in our bio!

Did you know that Philippine Independence Day was once declared on July 4th? However, this was primarily due to the U.S. finally recognizing the Philippines independence while wanting to align it with the U.S.’s own independence day.

In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal moved the commemoration of Independence Day to June 12 in order to properly honor the true date the Philippines declared its independence.

Today, we happily celebrate with the Filipino community and 125 years of Philippine independence

Due to the poor air quality from the wildfires in Canada, we are postponing the 8th Annual Picnic and Wellness Field Day to June 24th out of the safety and concern for our members and fellow attendees.

If you have rsvp’d via Eventbrite, your ticket will be honored for the new date.

If you can no longer attend, please email us at [email protected]

Thank you for your understanding and we hope you can make it to our new date!

To RSVP, please use the link in our bio!

On June 17 from 9am to 12pm, there is an opportunity for NAAAP DC members to show their support for the Capital Area Food Bank by packing boxes of food for those in need. The Capital Area Food Bank leads efforts to provide equitable access to food and opportunity to people struggling with hunger and food insecurity.

We will meet at 9am at the Capital Area Food Bank (4900 Puerto Rico Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017).

In accordance with the DC Government and/or CDC recommendations, all volunteers need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and are required to wear a mask or face covering at all times inside of Capital Area Food Bank’s facility. Due to Capital Area Food Bank’s limited supply of masks, they are asking volunteers bring their own if possible.

If you are interested in helping Capital Area Food Bank advance food equity on June 17, please email NAAAP DC [email protected] with your name and personal phone number.

Say hello to our Director of Self-Care and Wellness, Jeannie Tran!

Jeannie is an Orthopedic/Emergency Medicine PA practicing in Washington D.C.

Outside of clinical work, she also volunteers as the Co-Director of the Engagement and Wellness Committee of the Orthopedics Department, a liaison for the MedStar Wellness Committee, and an AALead Mentor.

She is a strong advocate for mental, physical, and financial health for personal wellness growth.

Jeannie’s goal this year is to make forward progress with the AAPI community by promoting all-encompassing wellness for 2023 with the NAAAP team!

Be sure to join us at our upcoming field day on June 10th to meet Jeannie and the rest of the team!

Click the link in our bio to register!

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

Celebrate the close of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with us at Purple Patch!

Join us on Sunday, May 28th beginning at 5 PM ET for a fun evening full of music, performances, delicious food and drinks, camaraderie, karaoke and more!

Join us in a special wreath laying ceremony to honor the 80th anniversary of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team - one of the most decorated U.S. military regiments, primarily composed of Japanese Americans. Details below ⬇️

👉🏽 WHEN: May 13th, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
👉🏽 WHERE: Arlington National Cemetery Visitors Center, followed by a walk to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team burial site.

Learn more about this incredible military unit and sign up for the event with the link in our bio ⬆️

Happy Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

This month, and every day of the year, it's important we come together to honor our heritage.

No matter where you are in your journeys in tracing back your roots and branching back out into the world, know that NAAAP DC welcomes all because we believe in supporting our community.

Our gathering this past weekend is testimony to just that. We kicked off the weekend and right into APIHM with a community day!

Thank you to all who showed up and helped us keep our DC home beautiful!

More events to come this - stay tuned!

We're teaming up with for a community day to keep our beautiful DC clean!

Students are welcome to join!

Register with the link in our bio!

Introducing NAAAP DC’s Self-care and Wellness committee! We all enjoyed brainstorming and planning for this year over dinner last night! Just in time for National Mental Health Awareness Month.

Stay tuned for more information on events focusing on physical, mental, and financial well-being!

REMINDER: Join us for this year’s first DEI online workshop with NAAAP DC’s DEI Director, Liz Kleinrock, an award winning educator and best selling author.

In this workshop members will:
-Learn and discuss microaggressions in the workplace
-Foster a culture of inclusivity by affirming identities
-Receive a certificate from NAAAP DC for participation

Click the link in our bio to register!!

NAAAP DC Members are invited to join us for a Community Day to keep our beautiful DC clean!

We'll be working in partnership with the DC Mayor's Office of the Clean City, Bank of America's Asian Leadership Network, and AALEAD.

High school students are encouraged to join!

2 registration links are available with the link in our bio

See you there!

Liz Kleinrock (she/her) is a Korean-American transracial adoptee, q***r, Jewish, antibias and antiracist educator, facilitator, and author.

Liz has received a number of awards including the Teaching Tolerance Award for Excellence in Teaching. She has even released her first book, Start Here, Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work in Your School Community with Heinemann Publishing, and is excited to announce the publication of four upcoming children’s books with HarperCollins.

This is Liz’s first year with NAAAP, and is excited to curate intersectional DEI programming for the NAAAP community, as well as survey NAAAP members about their experiences within the organization. Outside of DEI work, Liz enjoys watching horror movies, fly fishing, and cooking with her Mexican chef husband.

Learn more about Liz at our upcoming DEI online workshop!

Register today with the link in our bio!