Youth Leadership Council

OCA-APAA-NE is dedicated to advancing racial equity, a significant challenge for many generations. To address this, they established the Youth Leadership Council, which teaches high school students leadership skills. The council meets monthly for eight months, offering programs such as A History of Anti-Asian Hate by UMASS Professor Andrew Leong, financial literacy, negotiation training, college preparation, public speaking, mental health wellness, community engagement, and cohort bonding.

In 2021, we welcomed 12 high school students to participate in the first annual leadership conference. The first meeting in September featured Professor Andrew Leong and Detective Lieutenant Anthony Dear of the Massachusetts State Police. The 2022 program began on September 16th, with OCA National Executive Director Thu Nguyen delivering the keynote address.